Pelican Press

Ukrainians brave arduous journeys to Russian-occupied homeland Ukrainians brave arduous journeys to Russian-occupied homeland War, interrogations and a journey lasting days are not enough to stop Anna visiting her parents and beloved little brother in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine. She left her family behind in the months after Russia’s invasion of her homeland and, like several million other Ukrainians, has been living in Europe since. The 25-year-old has twice made a massively circuitous journey to see her family in the Russian-occupied Lugansk region — travelling from Poland to Belarus, flying to Moscow, continuing south by night train and then driving by road into eastern Ukraine. In Moscow, Ukrainians face an intense grilling before they can travel on to Russian-occupied areas of their home country. “It is not for the faint-hearted,” Anna told AFP in her flat outside Warsaw, where she works as a dog walker. For a year now, Russia has only been letting Ukrainian citizens travel to occupied zones through a special checkpoint set up in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport. There are security checks and interrogations and many Ukrainians get rejected and sent back, according to people who have been through the process. – ‘Psychological stress’ – Most Ukrainians reach the Sheremetyevo checkpoint via the Belarusian capital, Minsk. Belarus, Russia’s ally and neighbour, is one of the few places in Europe from where there are flights to Moscow. Once in Moscow, eastern Ukraine is reachable by train and car drive. “It’s a lot of psychological stress,” Anna told AFP. She is not alone in making the arduous trip. After 32 months of war, thousands are travelling from Europe to Moscow-controlled Ukrainian territory to visit family, to check on property or — in rare cases — to return home. At Warsaw’s Zachodnia bus station, Belarusian drivers told AFP there were several buses a day to Minsk and on each journey they took about 10 Ukrainian passengers travelling onwards to Moscow and occupied territories. – ‘Like in the ******* Union’ – Ukrainians who make it through are among the few people who have been on both sides of the front line in the almost three-year war. Anna did not want to reveal her surname or the name of her town, fearing for her family’s safety. The town had been under separatist control since 2014 but on her two visits home after Moscow’s full-scale invasion, Anna said it was overrun by Russian soldiers. “They are well paid, so there is a lot of money around. The prices of flats have gone through the roof,” she said. Members of her pro-Ukrainian family keep their opinions to themselves and make sure those “never leave home”. “It’s like in the ******* Union,” Anna said, smiling. “In the outside world, you agree with everything. And when you get home you can talk about how bad it is.” While Russian soldiers have come with cash, their arrival also brought a level of lawlessness. At some point, she said, shopkeepers in her town were told not to sell alcohol to soldiers because of recurring “incidents”. At Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, Anna was asked to fill in a questionnaire that asked: “Do you support the special military operation?”, the name the Kremlin uses to describe its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. She said she put “no” and argued that this was because she was in favour of peace. Then she said she played the “***** little girl” and, several hours later, was let through. Ukrainians AFP spoke to at Warsaw bus station said checks at Sheremetyevo could take anything from several hours to a whole day. In the year since it opened the Sheremetyevo checkpoint in October 2023, Moscow has let 83,000 Ukrainians pass through, according to Russian state media. – ‘Anything can happen’ – But social media networks are full of Ukrainians saying they were rejected at Sheremetyevo, as well as advice on how to get through. Pavlo Lysianskyi, a Ukrainian activist and journalist documenting Russia’s takeover of the east of his country, said “anything can happen”. He estimated that only around a fifth of people were let through the Sheremetyevo screening process. Another Anna boarding a bus to Minsk to travel on to Moscow told AFP she was undeterred by the obstacles. The 50-year-old’s ****** children live in Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv. But her elderly mother is in occupied Lugansk, and she has struggled to take care of both. It was her second time going through Sheremyetevo, she said, describing the process as a “lottery”. It depended on the individual Russian interrogator — the “human factor” — as to whether people were let through, she added. She worried this could be her last visit because she has refused the offer of a Russian passport. “The transitional ******* is over. Now they are forcing people,” she said of the pressure on Ukrainians in occupied regions to obtain Russian identity documents. “I am at a loss as to what to do,” she added, saying she wanted to maintain access to her ageing mother. Even before the Sheremetyevo checks, Anna said she had needed to “morally prepare” for questioning by Belarusian border guards, which can also take hours. – ‘Home is home’ – For first-timers, the journey to Russia is particularly nerve-wracking. Lyudmila, a silver-haired 72-year-old, spent more than two years of war living on her own in Kharkiv, as it came increasingly under *******. But when one of her windows was blown out and shrapnel fell in her *******, she decided it was no longer bearable to live through the war on her own. “You sit there alone without electricity,” she said. Her only family left is a son living between Moscow and occupied Donetsk, and she now wants to join him. Lyudmila travelled 24 hours by bus to reach Warsaw and from there had a similar journey to Minsk, before she could fly to Moscow. While acknowledging it would “of course” be morally difficult to be surrounded by people who applaud the attacks on Kharkiv, she said it would still be easier than living alone. She worried about the Russian checks, though. “I don’t understand how I will come back (to Poland) if they don’t let me through,” she said. While some are prepared to brave the journey into the unknown, other Ukrainians whose towns are now under Russian occupation say going back is unthinkable. Svetlana — who fled the eastern Donetsk region at the start of the war and now works in a Polish poultry factory — was dumbfounded when she learnt at Warsaw bus station that some of her countrymen were risking the journey into the occupied east. “I’m not on a ******** mission,” she said. But she understood the longing for home. “You want to go home whether it’s Ukraine, Russia or China,” she said. “Home is home.” bur/gil-jj/bc Source link #Ukrainians #brave #arduous #journeys #Russianoccupied #homeland Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Enter the Tomb of Elders in Act II of Destiny 2: Revenant, Launching Tomorrow Enter the Tomb of Elders in Act II of Destiny 2: Revenant, Launching Tomorrow N4GTG|6h ago|Trailer|0| ▼ Info Add Alt Source Act II of Destiny 2: Revenant launches tomorrow, November 19, bringing in new content including the new Tomb of Elders mode, new weapons and Artifact perks, the Street Fighter 6 partnership, and more. Destiny 2 PC PS4 PS5 Xbox Series X terminalgamer.com Read Full Story >> terminalgamer.com Source link #Enter #Tomb #Elders #Act #Destiny #Revenant #Launching #Tomorrow Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Meet your own personal AI ****** in this Swiss *******’s confessional Meet your own personal AI ****** in this Swiss *******’s confessional A ******* in Switzerland has an AI ****** taking confession and offering advice The ******* worked with a local university to design and deploy the AI The AI is trained on the New Testament to mimic ****** A Swiss ******* is trying a new way of connecting with ****** in the confessional. It uses AI to simulate the personality of the 1st-century Galileleean for visitors as part of a religiously themed art project called Deus in Machina (**** in a Machine). The digital simulacrum of ****** ******* engages with visitors and offers spiritual guidance based on what people say. If you enter the confessional, you’ll see the AI ****** displayed on a screen. The decidedly Swiss-looking man from the Roman-run Middle East of two millennia ago listens to people voice their questions or concerns. The AI model underlying the simulation was built by a team from the ******* working with the Immersive Realities Research Lab at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts using the New Testament as the basis for how ****** thinks and speaks. So far, it’s performed well. “AI fascinates us. But it also has its limits and raises ethical questions,” St. Peter’s theologian Marco Schmid explained in a statement (translated from ******* by Google). “In all previous tests, his answers have matched our theological understanding of St. Peter’s Chapel.” Reach out and touch ****** The video of people reacting to AI ****** shows some mixed reviews. One parishioner expressed surprise at how easy it was and how good the advice they received was. Another said it was very generic and not very impressive. A disagreement over religious interpretation suggests AI ****** is performing exactly as it should. Now that AI ****** is here, the question is, what comes next? If you want to experience the other side of the religious experience, you can try Social AI, an entire universe where you are the only real person, and everyone you talk to is just an AI character. Or you could go for being a kind of priest yourself for the traumatized AI personalities you encounter at Friend.com. If you’re truly uncertain about how to use AI ethically in a religious context, you can always ask the Pope. He and IBM have put together a whole guide for ethical AI use. You might also like… Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. Source link #Meet #personal #****** #Swiss #churchs #confessional Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Burberry shares (BRBY) are ‘good value,’ says hedge fund manager Burberry shares (BRBY) are ‘good value,’ says hedge fund manager Luxury retailer Burberry ‘s shares present an attractive investment opportunity after the company revealed a new turnaround strategy, according to hedge fund manager David Neuhauser. The London-listed fashion house told investors earlier this month that it will refocus on heritage designs and statement pieces as part of sweeping revamp plans to revive its ailing fortunes. Shares jumped over 22% on the announcement, logging their biggest-ever intraday gain, and ended the day up 18.7%. The stock, which is also traded in the U.S. and Germany, ******** down around 40% year-to-date, however. BRBY-GB 1Y mountain Neuhauser, managing director and founder of Livermore Partners , believes that the British brand’s lackluster stock performance this year — due in part to depressed demand in the global luxury market —had created a compelling entry point for investors. “I think in the short run, you’re going to see luxury fall into the value bucket,” Neuhauser told CNBC’s Street Signs Europe Tuesday. “As the shares were so beaten down, so blown down, it created a really good opportunity.” Neuhauser said Livermore holds a “fairly nominal” position in Burberry after previously profiting by 40%-50% following Burberry’s multi-year rally in 2016. His bullish view comes amid a challenging ******* for luxury retailers, particularly in Asia, where consumer spending has slowed considerably. Burberry has been grappling with reduced ******** tourist spending and broader economic uncertainties affecting its key markets – but they’re not the sole factors pushing down the share price. “The significant sales pressure coming from the ******** consumer (avg ~30% of sales) since [the fourth quarter] 2023, as well as varying degree of sales exposure to the cluster among the companies, in our view clouds the underlying picture in the sector,” said Zuzanna Pusz, head of ********* luxury goods at UBS in a note to clients. UBS said Burberry was the only luxury retailer not to report “weak organic sales growth” in the latest quarter. The company beat expectations in like-for-like sales, where others *******. The Swiss investment bank raised its price target for Burberry and now expects the stock to rise by 14% over the next 12 months. “Burberry Forward” The brand’s new strategy – “Burberry Forward” – was unveiled alongside its interim results last week by its new chief executive Joshua Schulman. “Burberry has plenty of challenges ahead, but it is taking sensible actions to stabilise the business – this includes a new cost savings program and addressing its excessive inventory problem,” said Stifel’s analyst Rogerio Fujimori in a note to clients. However, Deutsche Bank analyst Adam Cochrane noted that “the share price reaction reflected the combination of a sequential improvement in [second quarter constant currency sales], some comfort regarding the liquidity requirements of the turnaround, an appreciation of the new strategy, and a degree of short position covering.” “I think Burberry has a good turnaround in place with a new CEO,” Neuhauser added, while cautioning that the recovery might take longer than expected. “I think over some time, a good turnaround by Burberry, with strong leadership, could really see the stock price increase. He also suggested the possibility of merger and acquisition activity, though this would be a longer-term consideration. “I think in the short-run there’s good value,” he added. The median price target of all equity analysts polled by FactSet points to a 5% downside risk for the stock. UBS, Stifel and Deutsche Bank raised their price targets last week. — CNBC’s Karen Gilchrist contributed reporting. Source link #Burberry #shares #BRBY #good #hedge #fund #manager Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A new Backyard Sports game is coming thanks to a private eye A new Backyard Sports game is coming thanks to a private eye We have a private investigator to thank for the revival of the Backyard Sports franchise. This year, Humongous Entertainment’s classic series of all-ages sports games for PC came back under the new ownership of Playground Productions. The return kicked off in October with the rerelease of Backyard Baseball ‘97 on Steam, and today we learned more is coming. Playground Productions has confirmed that a brand new Backyard Sports game is in development, that Backyard Soccer ‘98 will come to Steam on November 27, and that it’s working to bring the retro titles to more platforms, including mobile. Now that the comeback is in full swing, I spoke to the people at Playground Productions responsible for its return: CEO Lindsay Barnett and Chief Product Officer Chris Waters. They revealed more about what it takes to bring a franchise back — including the hiring of a private investigator — and their ambition to make Backyard Sports into a multimedia franchise. Getting the rights to Backyard Sports Barnett played the Backyard Sports games as a ****, starting with the first Backyard Baseball. Barnett was a sporty **** who loved feeling represented in these Humongous Entertainment games, and she has continued to love them her whole life. During an eight-year stint as a teacher in Chicago Public Schools, she took a closer look at the kinds of content her second-grade students were watching and wondered what she could create for them. That’s when the Backyard Sports series came to mind, as she believes it felt “authentic to who my students are.” That kicked off Barnett’s quest to obtain the rights to this series she loved playing as a ****, which turned out to be a much more complex process than expected. “I thought it was going to be a Google search, and I’d find the person. It was not an easy process,” Barnett tells Digital Trends. “I wound up hiring a private investigator to track the rights down, and six months later, the PI came back and said they found the rights. I started a really nice relationship with the rights holders at the time and wound up getting the rights two-and-a-half years after that point. It was a three-year journey to ultimately get the IP, but it has been so worth it.” Playground Productions Barnett also lucked out in that the previous owners had consolidated ownership of all parts of Backyard Sports into one place, so Playground Productions has full ownership of the whole franchise. That’s the point where she brought in Waters, who previously worked at Seth Green’s Stoopid Buddy Studios. Waters wasn’t familiar with the franchise beforehand, but says that as he learned more about it, he came to appreciate its passionate fandom. Waters tells Digital Trends that bringing the series up to people of a certain generation causes a “Ratatouille moment where you can see them travel back to their eight-year-old self,” and that he saw the multimedia potential of its diverse crew of characters. Now that the rights were all in one place under Barnett and Waters’ control, it was time to bring the series back. Remembering Backyard Sports’ roots Although Barnett and Waters had massive ambitions for their franchise, they understood that returning to the classic games was an important first step. “We wanted to go back and see the hallmarks of what made Backyard Sports special,” Waters says. “It’s the comedy, it’s the tone, it’s the look, it’s the attention to detail and love for all of these characters. That’s going to be our true north for everything we do going forward. Let’s make sure we archive these games that everyone grew up loving so that everyone has a chance to play them again while we’re working on what we’re making next.” Playground Productions The biggest challenge in doing this was that the source code to these classic Backyard Sports games was lost. Playground Productions partnered with Mega Cat Studios to ROM-hack old CD-ROMs and create working versions of these classics that they could sell on Steam. Backyard Baseball ‘97 kicked things off on October 10, and we’ve now learned that Backyard Soccer ‘98 is coming out on November 27. The rerelease of Backyard Baseball ‘97 was successful for Playground Productions, which Waters says “gives us so much confidence in everything we’re doing for the future.” And while Mega Cat Studios previously told Digital Trends that bringing these rereleases to other platforms was a difficult process, Barnett said in this interview that “we are working on making all of these games available on more platforms, and we are deep in production to make the retro games playable on mobile.” What’s next for Backyard Sports All of this groundwork ***** by Barnett and Waters has been focused on the series’ past, but they’ve been doing that so they can bring the series somewhere in the future. The marquee part of that process will be a brand new Backyard Sports game slated for release. Mega Cat Studios, who is working on the retro re-releases of the series’ classic games, will also develop this new entry. Details are vague, although a press release teases that the game will feature original characters and “embrace the comedy, diversity, accessibility, and fun that made the original titles timeless classics.” Barnett said she wants it to be accessible for young players and engaging for adults who grew up playing the games as a ****, like herself. “We need to make sure that these next generation of games service the original fans and have a difficulty that is challenging enough for somebody who grew up playing the games and are now an ******,” Barnett says. “We also want to make sure that we keep the integrity of the original games, which taught kids about how to play sports and were very simple and accessible for all.” We’re not making coming-of-age content; we’re making being-of-age content. While it took childhood adoration, the help of a private investigator, and years of negotiations to get to this point, Playground Production can now make Backyard Sports a revelant franchise once again. Ultimately, Playground Productions aims to bring Backyard Sports back in a way that equally appeals to both the child and ****** versions of a fan like Barnett. “We’re not making coming-of-age content; we’re making being-of-age content,” Barnett said. “We want people to be really happy and joyful at whatever stage of life they are. If they’re a ****, there should be no greater thing to be than a ****. If you’re an ****** or parent, there should be no greater thing. That is what we’re doing, not just with our video games, but with all the content we create.” Backyard Soccer ‘98 launches on Steam on November 27. Source link #Backyard #Sports #game #coming #private #eye Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Uganda opposition figure Kizza Besigye kidnapped Uganda opposition figure Kizza Besigye kidnapped The wife of Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye says he has been kidnapped and is now being held in a military jail. In a post on X, Winnie Byanyima wrote that her husband had been seized in Kenya’s capital Nairobi last Saturday during a book launch event. “I am now reliably informed that he is in a military jail in Kampala,” she said, demanding that the government of Uganda release her husband. BBC News has asked the Ugandan government for comment on the issue. Besigye, 68, led the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) political party, contesting and losing four presidential elections against incumbent Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. “We his family and his lawyers demand to see him,” his wife wrote on X. “He is not a soldier. Why is he being held in a military jail?” Winnie Byanyima is a human rights advocate and executive director of Unaids, the ****** UN programme which was set up to eradicate Aids. Kizza Besigye used to be Museveni’s personal doctor but he went on to become an opposition leader and has referred to leader of the east ******** country as a “dictator”. He has alleged that previous presidential elections were rigged – a claim denied by the government. The opposition figure has been arrested on numerous occasions in the past. On one occasion he was shot in the hand, on another he suffered eye injuries after being doused in pepper spray. The authorities have accused him of provoking them, and he has been charged with inciting *********. Source link #Uganda #opposition #figure #Kizza #Besigye #kidnapped Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

OpenAI will pay DotDash Meredith at least $16 million per year to license its content OpenAI will pay DotDash Meredith at least $16 million per year to license its content OpenAI is paying the digital media company Dotdash Meredith at least $16 million per year to license its content, according to public financial documents reviewed by Adweek. We already knew about this burgeoning partnership, but we didn’t have a financial figure. Now we do. The actual payout could rise above $16 million per year, as it only reflects the “fixed” component of the payment. The “variable” component will be calculated in the future, according to a recent earnings call led by the chief operating and financial officer of Dotdash Meredith’s parent company IAC. “If you look at Q3 of 2024, licensing revenue was up about $4.1 million year over year. The lion’s share of that would be driven by the OpenAI license,” CFO Chris Halpin said. “So that’s — on a quarterly basis — a good proxy for the revenue we’re recognizing. And then the variable components will be calculated and recognized in the future.” Dotdash Meredith will license its content for OpenAI to train ChatGPT, but the publisher will also use the AI company’s models to boost its in-house ad-targeting tool. As part of this arrangement, ChatGPT will display content and links attributed to the various publications under the Dotdash Meredith umbrella. These publications include stuff you likely already read, like Food & Wine, InStyle, Better Homes & Gardens, Lifewire and Investopedia, among others. Dotdash Meredith also owns and publishes the eco-conscious site Treehugger and we all know how great AI is for the environment. As a side note, I have written for multiple Dotdash Meredith publications throughout the years. Can a lowly copywriter get a taste of that $16 million please? Actually, never mind. Huge payouts are for overpaid executives and not for the people who actually make the thing that people click on. Silly me. On the plus side, at least OpenAI is paying some companies to use content now. The entity has been sued by everyone from The New York Times to comedians like Sarah Silverman, all accusing it of using content without permission or any kind of payout. Dotdash Meredith is just the latest publisher to offer its content to AI companies to help create our glorious shared future in which nobody makes anything except pithy messages on social media sites. The Financial Times entered into a similar arrangement with OpenAI. Book publisher HarperCollins is also getting in on the act. Source link #OpenAI #pay #DotDash #Meredith #million #year #license #content Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Keir Starmer says he has no plans to join Bluesky yet Keir Starmer says he has no plans to join Bluesky yet Sir Keir Starmer has said he has “no plans” to join the Bluesky social media platform. There has been a rising wave of popularity for the app – an alternative to Elon Musk’s X – in recent weeks. Bluesky has at times been the most downloaded app on both the US and *** Apple Stores, with many social media users leaving X in the wake of the US election. But the prime minister told reporters that “at the moment” there are no plans to establish official *** government accounts or a personal one in his name. Some politicians have already set up Bluesky accounts including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and treasury minister Darren Jones. Speaking at the G20 summit in Brazil, Sir Keir said it is “important for a government” to be able to communicate with “as many people as possible”, adding “we’re obviously still using Twitter (X)”. X does not share its total user numbers but it is understood to be measured in the hundreds of millions. Bluesky was started by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey in 2019. The platform announced this week it had surpassed 19 million users. Despite helping fund and start it, Mr Dorsey is no longer part of the team behind the social network. The key difference between Bluesky and most other social media platforms is that it is decentralised, meaning it is operated on independent servers and not those owned by the company. It describes itself as “social media as it should be” – a place where people can come together over shared interests “and have some fun again”. Many new users have said their decision to join Bluesky was driven by Elon Musk, who heavily backed Donald Trump’s election campaign and intends to remain involved in the new administration. Last week, the Guardian announced it will no longer post on X, saying the US election underlined its concerns that Musk had been able to use X to “shape political discourse”. Source link #Keir #Starmer #plans #join #Bluesky Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Save Over $50 On The Illustrated Biography Of Final Fantasy’s Original Designer Save Over $50 On The Illustrated Biography Of Final Fantasy’s Original Designer A lot of talent has helped shape the Final Fantasy franchise over the years, but artist Yoshitaka Amano has arguably had the biggest impact on the visual direction of the series. The Final Fantasy designer’s career is celebrated in a gorgeous 328-page book titled Yoshitaka Amano: The Illustrated Biography. Final Fantasy fans can save $55 on this unique biography, as Amazon has dropped the price from $150 down to $95. You can pair it with The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy Box Set for $125 (was $200), a three-volume set with art from the first 10 mainline games. Yoshitaka Amano: The Illustrated Biography $95 ($150) Yoshitaka Amano: The Illustrated Biography The book itself contains nearly 400 illustrations and photos from across Amano’s Final Fantasy portfolio and it also comes with a 96-page landscape-style softcover book. This is a collection of sketches from Amano during a tour of Paris, and is a lovely companion piece to his Final Fantasy work. Additionally, there’s a Blu-ray with almost three hours of material, two mini-lithographs made by Amano exclusively for this release, and an individually signed card from the illustrator. The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy Box Set $125 ($200) The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy Box Set You can also pick up the second edition of The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy Box Set for $125, down from $200. Re-released last holiday by Dark Horse, The Sky contains three hardcover volumes totaling 824 pages. This gorgeous set contains a treasure trove of Amano’s illustrations created for the first 10 mainline Final Fantasy games. The books come packaged in a clothbound box alongside a couple of cool bonuses: The Sky Premium Flipbook with two animations from the games, an acetate print with silver ink, and two oversized postcards. More Final Fantasy Book Deals Amazon has other Final Fantasy book deals to consider, including the newly published Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Material Ultimania Plus, which is on ***** for $31 (was $40) on launch day (November 19). If you love classic Final Fantasy games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras, FF Dot: The Pixel Art of Final Fantasy should definitely be on your shelf. Speaking of pixel art, Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition is on ***** for nearly $20 off for PlayStation right now. Source link #Save #Illustrated #Biography #Final #Fantasys #Original #Designer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Australia ‘ready’ to deal with Trump White House, Rudd says Australia ‘ready’ to deal with Trump White House, Rudd says Kevin Rudd says Australia is “ready” to deal with Donald Trump amid questions over the former Labor prime minister’s future as Australia’s ambassador in Washington. In a prerecorded address to a forum in Sydney on Wednesday, the envoy said Mr Trump’s historic second White House win was “important for Australia” and that the embassy in Washington had been “working hard” to prepare for it. “The election of the president of the ******* States is an important moment for the world,” Mr Rudd told the Sydney International Strategy Forum. “It’s important for our region. It’s important for Australia. “Here at the embassy, we’ve been working hard through the course of the last year to ensure that we were well prepared for this moment. And the bottom line is, we’re ready.” Camera IconKevin Rudd says Australia is ‘ready’ to deal with Donald Trump amid questions over the *********** envoy’s future. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Rudd said Australia’s relationship with the US “has gone from strength to strength” across the board, from defence co-operation and strategic alignment to trade ties and technology sharing. “This is no accident,” he said. “Our nations have worked together to ensure our partnership ******** strong into the future and continues to build prosperity, avert conflict and sustain the peace.” Australia, along with other Western allies, have been wondering where they fit into Mr Trump’s America first agenda. With threats of tariffs on foreign imports looming, diplomats have been working overtime trying to position their countries favourably with the US president-elect. But Mr Rudd’s past criticisms of the Mr Trump have sparked questions about his viability as Australia’s top representative in Washington. He has said Mr Trump was a “village ******”, “nuts”, the “most destructive president in history” and a “traitor to the West”. Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham says the Coalition wants to see Kevin Rudd “succeed” as *********** Ambassador to the US. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has asserted *********** Ambassador to the ******* States Kevin Rudd will remain in Washington for a year or more despite recent speculation about his position. “He has done a good job on a number of fronts to date,” Mr Birmingham told Sky News Australia. “Only really Kevin Rudd and Anthony Albanese who put him there, can make the proper assessment as to whether he is getting and will get the access and have the influence that Australia needs.” Meanwhile, Mr Trump has called Mr Rudd “******” and “not the brightest bulb”. “If he’s at all hostile, he will not be there long,” the incoming president said in an interview earlier this year. A top Trump aide also suggested Mr Rudd’s time was running out, publicly sending him GIF of an hourglass on social media. Though, Mr Trump is no stranger to criticism, with even his vice presidential pick, JD Vance, once likening him to Adolf *******. The Albanese government has stood by Mr Rudd, crediting him with much of the diplomatic legwork around AUKUS and Australia-US trade. The Coalition has also officially thrown its support behind Mr Rudd. Source link #Australia #ready #deal #Trump #White #House #Rudd Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Exclusive: Sony is in talks to buy media powerhouse behind 'Elden Ring' Exclusive: Sony is in talks to buy media powerhouse behind 'Elden Ring' Sony is in talks to acquire Kadokawa, the ********* media powerhouse behind the Elden Ring game, two sources familiar with the matter said, as the technology giant looks to add to its entertainment portfolio. Source link #Exclusive #Sony #talks #buy #media #powerhouse #039Elden #Ring039 Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The dark energy pushing our universe apart may not be what it seems, scientists say The dark energy pushing our universe apart may not be what it seems, scientists say NEW YORK (AP) — Distant, ancient galaxies are giving scientists more hints that a mysterious force called dark energy may not be what they thought. Astronomers know that the universe is being pushed apart at an accelerating rate and they have puzzled for decades over what could possibly be speeding everything up. They theorize that a powerful, constant force is at play, one that fits nicely with the main mathematical model that describes how the universe behaves. But they can’t see it and they don’t know where it comes from, so they call it dark energy. It is so vast it is thought to make up nearly 70% of the universe — while ordinary matter like all the stars and planets and people make up just 5%. But findings published earlier this year by an international research collaboration of more than 900 scientists from around the globe yielded a major surprise. As the scientists analyzed how galaxies move they found that the force pushing or pulling them around did not seem to be constant. And the same group published a new, broader set of analyses Tuesday that yielded a similar answer. “I did not think that such a result would happen in my lifetime,” said Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki, a cosmologist at the University of Texas at Dallas who is part of the collaboration. Called the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, it uses a telescope based in Tucson, Arizona to create a three-dimensional map of the universe’s 11-billion-year history to see how galaxies have clustered throughout time and across space. That gives scientists information about how the universe evolved, and where it might be heading. The map they are building would not make sense if dark energy were a constant force, as it is theorized. Instead, the energy appears to be changing or weakening over time. If that is indeed the case, it would upend astronomers’ standard cosmological model. It could mean that dark energy is very different than what scientists thought — or that there may be something else altogether going on. “It’s a time of great excitement, and also some head-scratching and confusion,” said Bhuvnesh Jain, a cosmologist at the University of Pennsylvania who is not involved with the research. The collaboration’s latest finding points to a possible explanation from an older theory: that across billions of years of cosmic history, the universe expanded and galaxies clustered as Einstein’s general relativity predicted. The new findings aren’t definitive. Astronomers say they need more data to overturn a theory that seemed to fit together so well. They hope observations from other telescopes and new analyses of the new data over the next few years will determine whether the current view of dark energy stands or falls. “The significance of this result right now is tantalizing,” said Robert Caldwell, a physicist at Dartmouth College who is not involved with the research, “but it’s not like a gold-plated measurement.” There’s a lot riding on the answer. Because dark energy is the biggest component of the universe, its behavior determines the universe’s fate, explained David Spergel, an astrophysicist and president of the Simons Foundation. If dark energy is constant, the universe will continue to expand, forever getting colder and emptier. If it’s growing in strength, the universe will expand so speedily that it’ll ******** itself in what astronomers call the Big Rip. “Not to panic. If this is what’s going on, it won’t happen for billions of years,” he said. “But we’d like to know about it.” ___ Associated Press video journalist Mary Conlon reported from New York. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Source link #dark #energy #pushing #universe #scientists Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Indie Game Awards reveals it first slate of nominees Indie Game Awards reveals it first slate of nominees The Indie Game Awards Nominee Announcement The Indie Awards, a new ceremony created to recognize independent games, has announced its first slate of nominees. Balatro, Animal Well, 1000xResist and more will compete for Game of the Year, while several smaller games are represented in categories such as Solo Development and *****-Sized Game. The new show is being run by Six One Indie, a collective built to spotlight intendent games through showcases. This is the group’s first stab at an awards show, which will air on YouTube and IGN. The show debuts at 4 p.m. ET on December 19 (one week after The Game Awards). Its nominees were determined by a jury made up of publications and creators focused on indie game coverage. The inaugural nominee list has a bit of crossover with Game Awards nominations. Balatro will compete for Game of the Year at both shows, and mainstream critical darlings like Neva and Animal Well are represented by both. The list includes much deeper cuts, though, with Arco, Nine Sols, Mouthwashing, and more padding out an impressive Game of the Year list that also features all five of the Game Awards Best Independent Game nominees. Other categories honor much smaller projects that didn’t land nominations at The Game Awards. The nominees for *****-Sized Game includes Buckshot Roulette and Clickolding, while Cryptmaster and Oddada are up for the show’s Innovation award. Here’s the full list of nominees. Game of the Year 1000xResist Animal Well Arco Balatro Crypt Custodian Lorlei and the Laser Eyes Mouthwashing Neva Nine Sols UFO 50 Solo Development Aerial_Knight’s We Never Yield Animal Well Children of the Sun Crypt Custodian Knuckle Sandwich Magical Delicacy Women-led Game Gourdlets Keylocker Love, Ghostie Mexico, 1921. A Deep Slumber Nightmare Kart The Crimson Diamond Narrative 1000xResist Arco Caravan SandWitch ***** The Spotlight Last Time I Saw You Mouthwashing Gameplay Design Balatro Grunn Minishoot’ Adventures Nine Sols Tiny Glade Victory Heat Rally Emotional Impact In Stars and Time Kind Words 2 (Lofi City Pop) Neva Selfloss Thirsty Suitors Until Then Innovation Cryptmaster KarmaZoo Lorelei and the Laser Eyes Oddada Rusty’s Retirement UFO 50 *****-Sized Game Buckshot Roulette Clickolding Duck Detective: The Secret Salami Minami Lane Please Touch the Artwork 2 Thank Goodness You’re Here Visual Design Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus Crow Country Harold Halibut Hauntii The Plucky Squire Ultros Music Core Keeper Flock Pacific Drive The Cub Thrasher Wild Bastards Notable Achievement in Accessibility Another Crab’s Treasure Elsie Periphery Synthetic Pine Hearts Steamworld Heist II Surmount: A Mountain Climbing Adventure Debut Game Arranger: A Role Puzzling Adventure Lil’ Guardsman Little Kitty, Big City Loddlenaut Mullet Madjack Worldless Community Management Aggro Crab ****** Tabby Games LocalThunk Massive Monster NPC Studio Pounce Light Source link #Indie #Game #Awards #reveals #slate #nominees Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Japan trade data, China lending rates Japan trade data, China lending rates The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) building in Beijing, China, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Bloomberg | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets were mostly lower Wednesday, following a mixed day on Wall Street amid mounting geopolitical tensions between Ukraine and Russia. Investors assessed October trade data out of Japan. Export growth came in at 3.1% year over year, topping estimates by economists polled by Reuters and up from a 1.7% drop in September. Import growth also beat estimates at 0.4% but was down from 2.1% the prior month. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.25% in choppy trading, while the Topix lost 0.20%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was flat, while Mainland China’s CSI 300 was down 0.40%. China’s central bank left its benchmark lending rates unchanged on Wednesday after cutting them in October. South Korea’s Kospi was up 0.4% while the Kosdaq Index rose 0.35%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.30%. Overnight in the U.S., the Nasdaq popped 1.04% to finish at 18,987.47, while the S&P 500 gained 0.4% to end at 5,916.98. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 120.66 points, or 0.28%, to settle at 43,268.94. The market pressure began overnight after Russian President Vladimir ****** warned the U.S. that the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons had lowered, a new stance coming after President Joe Biden allowed Ukraine to use U.S. weapons to strike inside Russia. Losses then accelerated on reports that Ukraine hit the Russian border region Bryansk with U.S.-made missiles. — CNBC’s Samantha Subin and Pia Singh contributed to this report. Source link #Japan #trade #data #China #lending #rates Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Veilguard is beautiful in every way The Veilguard is beautiful in every way I can’t stop staring at Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Whether I’m exploring the game’s home base in the dream-like Fade, or a forest shimmering with golden leaves and wild magical energy, the game simply looks gorgeous. And, if you’ve got the graphical horsepower to see it, it also delivers some of the most sumptuous ray tracing I’ve ever seen. There’s a level of polish across every aspect of the game, including its new action-oriented approach to combat, that’s simply glorious to behold. Veilguard continues the story of the decade-old Dragon Age Inquisition, which was most notable for the shocking ending of its DLC. It turned out that Solas, one of your more cantankerous companions, was actually an Elven **** hellbent on destroying the Veil, a boundary he created to separate the real world from the spirit-filled Fade. Oh, and that’s where he also trapped even more evil Elven gods. Solas considered himself a hero, but then again, so did Marvel’s Thanos. To view this content, you’ll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the “Content and social-media partners” setting to do so. This time around, you play as Rook, a new recruit enlisted by series regular Varric to track down Solas before he tears down the Veil. That happens sooner than you’d think — your team finds him and stops his magical ritual in your first mission. But doing so unleashes two very ******* off Elven gods, who proceed to wreak havoc across Thedas. BioWare wastes no time showing off its new aesthetic for Dragon Age. The game’s characters are more stylized than in Inquisition, but I didn’t mind the slight loss in realism. If anything, it makes this entry feel more distinct from previous Dragon Age titles. The sense of style carries over to every environment, as well. The Lighthouse, your base of operations, is a stunning series of medieval buildings floating in the middle of a dreamy, magical storm. I’d often find myself just staring off into the distance of the Fade, imagining what else lay beyond the horizon. That’s something I found myself doing in every new location, the detail in the world hints at thousands of untold stories. BioWare For a game that was , and suffered some (including losing its original creative director, Mike Laidlaw), Dragon Age: The Veilguard is surprisingly well-constructed. And throughout my twenty hours with the game (so far), it’s that level of craft and quality I appreciate the most. While the storyline isn’t exactly groundbreaking, I haven’t been able to put down Dragon Age: The Veilguard because it’s such a joy to play. The new combat system is more action-oriented than before (think of the difference between Mass Effect 1 and 2), with counters and special moves reminiscent of the recent **** of War. You can’t directly control your companions, but you can have them deploy special abilities that can either aid you or ******* your enemies. It’s a well-balanced system that makes small encounters feel genuinely fun, and it allows for some epic boss fights (some of which have lasted nearly 10 minutes and left my controller a sweaty mess). BioWare As you level up, you can tweak your character to your liking with Veilgaurd’s massive skill tree. I’ve honed my Rook to be a lightning-fast dual-sword wielding Rogue who isn’t afraid to whip out her bow for the occasional headshot. (You can also choose from Warrior and Mage classes early on, which should be pretty self-explanatory.) Each skill tree has three specializations: Rogues, for example, can choose to be Veil Rangers (an archery emphasis), Saboteurs (specializing in traps and poison) or Duelists. Personally, I’m a ******* for the Duelist’s double sword action. Battles can get hectic, and thankfully Dragon Age: The Veilguard performs well enough to keep up. While playing on a PC powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and NVIDIA RTX 4080 Super GPU, the game managed to stay well above 100fps while playing in 4K with DLSS, “Ultra” graphics and ray tracing settings. If you have the hardware to support it, this will likely become a new showpiece for the possibilities of ray tracing: Lighting from the sun and magical elements realistically hits characters and the environment, and shadows across the board look more natural. BioWare But I was also surprised to find that Veilguard was also still very playable on my Steam Deck, albeit with low graphics settings (definitely no ray tracing) and a basic 30-to-40fps. That’s certainly not the ideal way to play, but it’s helpful for dealing with side missions in bed, or on the go. Given how well it performs on a mere handheld, I’d bet the game would play well on low-end and mid-range GPUs, as well as consoles, without much of a sweat. (And if you want to revel in advanced ray tracing features from your couch, there’s for the .) Beyond merely looking great, Veilguard kept me hooked because of BioWare’s attention to its characters. I enjoyed strolling through Docktown with Neve, who warmed up to my character (also a fellow Shadow Dragon) while discussing how much she loved her rundown neighborhood. I helped Davrin come to terms with his new role raising one of the last Griffons in the world, and I learned about the trauma behind Bella’s typically warm demeanor. As usual, you can romance any of your companions (how can you not love Neve?), and there’s still plenty of fun to be had trying to set up those relationships. BioWare I’ll admit, it simply felt good to pour some hours leading a group of ragtag do-gooders to save the world against relentless odds. That’s pretty much every RPG and adventure story, sure, but who can deny the pleasure of ******** a few evil gods? (Bringing on the combined talents of composers Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe to score the game likely also made me a bit more emotional.) After Baldur’s Gate 3 ******* to grab me (I’ll get back to it, I swear!), I feared that Dragon Age: The Veilguard would be another letdown. But it turned out to be exactly the sort of spectacle I needed: It’s beautiful to behold, fun to play and I genuinely enjoyed the new batch of characters. It’s BioWare at its best – I’m just hoping they can do the same for the . Source link #Veilguard #beautiful Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China keeps benchmark lending rates steady as Beijing assesses stimulus measures China keeps benchmark lending rates steady as Beijing assesses stimulus measures The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) building in Beijing on Dec. 15, 2022. Bloomberg | Getty Images China’s central bank on Wednesday kept major benchmark lending rates unchanged, as Beijing assesses the effects of its recent stimulus measures. The People’s Bank of China said it would keep the 1-year loan prime rate at 3.1%, and the 5-year LPR at 3.6%. Market watchers polled by Reuters had expected PBOC to keep the lending rates unchanged this month. There was “no immediate need to adjust the LPR this month,” said Bruce Pang, chief economist and head of research for Greater China at JLL, adding that the ******** leaders were likely still assessing the impact of recent measures aimed at boosting the economy. The record-low net interest margins at ******** commercial banks have limited their ability to support lower lending rates, Pang said, “while another policy rate cut before the end of the year seems unlikely, there ******** potential for interest rate cuts in 2025.” The 1-year LPR affects corporate and most household loans in China, while the 5-year LPR acts as a benchmark for mortgage rates. The rate decision came after a cut of 25 basis points to both the 1-year and 5-year LPRs last month, and followed China’s October economic data that underscored lackluster momentum in the economy, despite the recent barrage of stimulus announcements. In October, China reported slower-than-expected industrial production and fixed asset investment growth. The annual decline of real estate investment from January to October also steepened from a year ago. Only retail sales beat expectations, with a 4.8% year-on-year increase, indicating that recent stimulus had started seeping into certain sectors of the economy. Since late September, ******** authorities have ramped up stimulus announcements to spur economic growth, which has been dragged down by a prolonged property crisis as well as weak consumer and business sentiment. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Finance unveiled a 5-year fiscal package totaling 10 trillion yuan ($1.4 trillion) to tackle local government debt problems, while signaling more economic support could come next year. China’s central bank also planned to maintain supportive monetary policy, said Governor Pan Gongsheng, who had indicated in October that there was still room to cut several key policy rates by end of the year. Morgan Stanley expects China’s growth to slow to around 4% in each of the next two years, and has downgraded ******** equities to “slight underweight” in a note dated Sunday, naming a deflationary environment and rising trade tensions as risks. “We see a low limited chance that ******** government will front-load enough fiscal stimulus to target consumption and housing,” the analysts said. Goldman Sachs also estimated that China’s GDP growth could decelerate to 4.5% in 2025, from 4.9% this year, according to the bank’s note on Monday. Goldman, however, maintained “overweight” stance on China equities, forecasting a 13% upside to the benchmark CSI 300 index next year. Donald Trump’s election victory, which is likely to bring higher tariffs on ******** exports, has added to the uncertainty over China’s export-heavy economy. Source link #China #benchmark #lending #rates #steady #Beijing #assesses #stimulus #measures Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How To Farm Exotic Ciphers In Destiny 2, Including The New Tonics Option How To Farm Exotic Ciphers In Destiny 2, Including The New Tonics Option Destiny 2’s Exotic ciphers continue to be a rare currency to get your hands in a consistent manner. Whether you’re looking to stock up on past Exotic items or upgrade your current armor past the full masterwork state, knowing the best method to get Exotic ciphers is key to maximizing your time. This guide will detail all available Exotic cipher sources in Destiny 2, as well as a farming method that has become available with the release of Act II of Destiny 2: Revenant episode on November 19, 2024. How to Farm Exotic Ciphers in Destiny 2: Revenant As reported by YouTube user Marshix, the addition of enriching tonics to Destiny 2 has paved the way for an Exotic cipher farming method. First, you need to be able to purchase purple tonics at the Tonic Table in the Last City. For this, you’ll need to craft as many tonics as you can until you gain access to higher tiers. We have a dedicated guide explaining how to get more tonic recipes and fieldwork in detail. Once you’re set, go ahead and purchase as many purple tonics as you can. There’s a chance of getting Exotic tonics, which can be used to get Exotic ciphers, as well as Ascendant Shards and Ascendant Alloys. Unlike the other existing methods, you’re not limited by weekly quests or reputation ranks for this one. It will still require some patience, however, as you’re dependent on chance–and it’s worth remembering that you can only hold five Exotic ciphers at any given time–but it’s good to have another option. The Tonic Table in the Last City. While Marshix uses the Tonic of Bitter/Sweet (Onslaught) Inert Enriching Tonics as an example for the video, people in the comments have shared that they’ve been lucky with Tonics of Glimmering as well. As long as they’re of legendary rarity (purple ******), you’ll have a chance to get an Exotic variant. How to Get Exotic Ciphers in Destiny 2 Alongside the tonic method outlined above, there are other existing Exotic cipher sources that are worth keeping in mind. As with everything else in Destiny 2, multitasking is key, so you’re best knowing all possible pathways to obtain the currency before jumping into activities. Below are the current sources to get Exotic ciphers in Destiny 2: Completing Xur’s weekly quest “Xenology” grants you one Exotic cipher: This usually involves completing Vanguard or Exotic playlist activities, as well as winning matches in Gambit or Crucible. Make you to always grab this quest on weekly resets so you’re not missing out on progress. Resetting Master Rahool’s rank: Whenever you reach rank 16 with Master Rahool, you’ll reset his reputation. This can take a while, as you’ll have to either turn in or focus engrams. Season pass rewards: If you’re diligent with your season pass, Exotic ciphers are available as rewards on occasion. Yes, the methods can be quite time-consuming–another Destiny 2 characteristic–so I recommend picking up Xur’s quest every week and keeping up to date with the season pass to claim the eventual Exotic cipher reward. As a reminder, you can spend Exotic ciphers in the Exotic Kiosk in the Tower to purchase old raid and quest Exotics, or use it to upgrade masterworked Exotic armor to gain an artifice mod slot. Master Rahool also offers rolls of Exotic armor pieces as well as the option to novel focusing, which is done to obtain pieces that were previously locked in higher difficulty Lost Sectors. Source link #Farm #Exotic #Ciphers #Destiny #Including #Tonics #Option Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*********** moves to bar trans colleague from women’s bathrooms *********** moves to bar trans colleague from women’s bathrooms Getty Images South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace introduced the measure on Monday A *********** congresswoman has introduced a bill to ban transgender women from using female bathrooms in the US Capitol, just weeks after the first-ever openly transgender lawmaker was elected to the House of Representatives. On Tuesday, South Carolina’s Nancy Mace said her resolution was “absolutely” a response to the election of Sarah McBride, who will be sworn into office in January. McBride called the move “a blatant attempt from far-right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing”. Republicans campaigned heavily on opposing transgender rights during the election. At a closing rally, Donald Trump said he would keep “transgender insanity the ***** out of our schools… and men out of women’s sports”. The resolution introduced on Monday does not specifically mention McBride, but Mace told reporters on Tuesday, that “it’s 100 percent because of McBride”, according to the Washington Post. “This is about women and our right to privacy, our right to safety,” Mace said. “I’m not going to allow biological men into women’s private spaces. It is the height of hypocrisy.” On Monday, McBride responded to the measure, posting on X: “Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness.” House Democrats strongly condemned the resolution and accused Mace of bullying a fellow member of Congress. “This is your priority, that you want to bully a member of Congress, as opposed to welcoming her to join this body so all of us can work together to get things done and deliver real results for the ********* people?” Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said. It is unclear when the measure may be taken up by Congress for a vote. It is expected to part of the House rules package that members vote on after being sworn in. *********** Speaker of the House Mike Johnson on Tuesday declined to say that it would be part of the rules package, telling reporters that lawmakers would seek consensus as they approach the “unprecedented” issue. “We’re going to do that in a deliberate fashion with members’ consensus on it, and we will accommodate the needs of every single person,” Johnson said. “We treat everybody with dignity,” he added. “We’ll provide appropriate accommodation for every member of Congress.” Getty Images Sarah McBride is the first openly transgender member of the US Congress It comes as Republicans in Washington DC and in state capitols have focused sharply on transgender issues, including seeking to limit access to gender-related surgery for minors and to bar transgender athletes from female-only sports categories. During his 2016 campaign, Donald Trump said transgender students should be allowed to use whichever bathroom “they feel is appropriate”, but he reversed his stance after facing *********** criticism. Source link #*********** #moves #bar #trans #colleague #womens #bathrooms Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fortnite reveals important details regarding return of older Battle Passes Fortnite reveals important details regarding return of older Battle Passes Many Fortnite players would love to see older Battle Passes return, and here’s what Epic Games has to say about it. Source link #Fortnite #reveals #important #details #return #older #Battle #Passes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fearless for *******: British Evangelist Slashed, Imprisoned, Threatened with ******, Keeps Going Fearless for *******: British Evangelist Slashed, Imprisoned, Threatened with ******, Keeps Going LONDON – An ex-******* turned ********** evangelist has been beaten, chased by ****** mobs, unlawfully jailed and even stabbed, all for the sake of the Gospel. This is not in Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia. It is officially happening in ********** Britain. Her name is Hatun Tash, and what has been done to her has even caught the attention of the British media. Tash grew up in Turkey as a ******* and became a ********** after moving to England. And being an ex-******* speaking out against Islam has made her a target. She told us she has changed residences more than 50 times in the past four years because she knows Muslims are looking for her in order to ***** her. One man has already been sentenced to 24 years in prison for trying. Because of this ongoing danger, she asked that we interview her from a secret location. Tash told us her conversion to ******* began when she learned the truth about Islam and Mohammed. “As I read (Muhammed’s) biography, it was very disturbing to me. So, the man you grew up to love and honor suddenly turns out to be like, yeah, not good, not good. And I decided, I can’t be *******.” Then she learned about a very different **** than the one of Islam, telling us, “As you dig into it, you get to meet with a **** who is not silent or far or distant from you, but you meet with a **** who loves you, who pours out himself on you. And not only that, He just puts himself on the cross and then says, ‘I love you from everlasting to everlasting, Come to me.'” ***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly ********** perspective.*** Tash began sharing this message to Muslims at Speakers Corner, in London’s Hyde Park, where speakers climb atop stepladders and vigorous debates ensue, often between Muslims and Christians. Her preaching and criticism of Islam has sometimes enraged Muslims, and three years ago a man slashed her face with a ******. He has never been caught. She however has been arrested unlawfully more than once. The London Police have twice paid her damages for wrongful arrests, including two years ago when she refused to leave the area where she was preaching. Tash was forcibly marched through Hyde Park, followed by Muslims celebrating her arrest. She was placed in a police van, strip-searched, and jailed. This has not stopped Tash from going to mosques and sharing the Gospel daily. “I would simply stand in front of the mosques, and I’d say ‘Muhammad is a false prophet. ****** ******* is the Son of ****. Tell me, what is your objections?’ Hundreds of Muslims just stop and then they want to talk to you. Sometimes you get harmed, sometimes it gets dangerous. Sometimes you end up in hospitals, sometimes you end up in people’s homes for a cup of tea,” Tash said. “I don’t care whether people ******* me or not. They need to hear the gospel,” she said. ********** Concern’s ********** Legal Centre has defended Tash. ********** Concern’s Andrea Williams told us, “The truth is that those that have attempted to ***** her have been caught on camera. The police know who they are, but they have not been arrested. She is feared by and targeted by ******* groups because she is fearless for the gospel. She loves ****** so much that nothing will halt her.” Tash says she will continue to preach and continue to challenge Islam. “Things are dangerous. Should I choose to stay silent? Like when people are spending 5,000 Pounds to buy a ****, to ****** you and ****** your loved ones? The Gospel is so glorious, I cannot be silent. And the Lord is the giver of life. So, when it’s my time, He will take me home. But until He gives me breath, we continue to preach.” Source link #Fearless #******* #British #Evangelist #Slashed #Imprisoned #Threatened #****** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to preregister for Infinity Nikki and all milestone rewards How to preregister for Infinity Nikki and all milestone rewards Papergames Anyone who loves the idea of free rewards will want to preregister for Infinity Nikki in preparation for its December 5 release date. The Nikki games are a franchise of dress-up games that first launched in 2012 and have a devoted fan base. Infinity Nikki is the first open-world gacha title in the series, and it will release on PC, PlayStation 5, and mobile. A commonality between gacha game releases is preregistrations with milestones. If enough players preregister to play the free game, then everyone will receive certain rewards once the game drops. If you want to receive the same rewards as everyone else will on launch, you’ll have to learn how to preregister for Infinity Nikki. How to sign up for Infinity Nikki preregistration Preregistering for Infinity Nikki is much easier than you may think. You just need to know about the correct website to start with. Step 1: Either on your mobile phone or computer, go to the official Infinity Nikki website. From its home page, find and select the brown Preregister button in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Digital Trends Step 2: Enter the email you want associated with your Infinity Nikki account into the empty space. Above this, you should also select which system you plan to play Infinity Nikki on, whether it’s iOS, Android, PC, or console (PlayStation 5). Once you’re done, select the red Preregister Now button. Papergames Step 3: If preregistration was successful, you will get a pop-up with a green checkmark saying Registered. If this does not appear, try preregistering again with the same email or try a different email. Papergames Papergames All pre-egistration rewards in Infinity Nikki Fortunately, Infinity Nikki has already reached all of its preregistration milestones, with over 30 million users preregistered to play this game. On launch, if you have signed in with the same email you preregistered with, you should receive these rewards in your in-game inbox. 5,000,000: x50,000 Bling 7,250,000: x300 Threads of Purity 12,060,000: x3 Resonite Crystal 20,000,000: x1 Far and Away (4-Star Outfit) 25,000,000: x7 Resonite Crystal 30,000,000: x10 Resonite Crystal As a separate reward, if Infinity Nikki’s social media accounts reach at least 5 million global followers, the game will also give out an extra 120 Diamonds. Source link #preregister #Infinity #Nikki #milestone #rewards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sabrina Carpenter music video leads to New York priest losing job Sabrina Carpenter music video leads to New York priest losing job A New York priest who let popstar Sabrina Carpenter film provocative scenes for a music video inside his ******* has been accused of mismanagement and stripped of his duties. Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello was relieved of “any pastoral oversight or governance role” at the *******, the Roman ********* Diocese of Brooklyn said in a statement. ******* officials launched an investigation after the October 2023 music video release for Carpenter’****** song Feather, filmed inside the Our Lady of Mount Carmel *******. The Diocese said the investigation found other instances of mismanagement beyond the music video that appalled some, including unapproved financial transfers. “I am saddened to share that investigations conducted by Alvarez & Marsal and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP have uncovered evidence of serious violations of Diocesan policies and protocols,” Bishop Robert Brennan said in the statement, according to the BBC’s media partner CBS News. A replacement was installed and Mr Gigantiello was removed from his responsibilities, the statement read. Mr Gigantiello’s administrative powers had been revoked last November shortly after the criticism of Carpenter’s video. He was also removed from fundraising duties as vicar of development for the diocese. Images from Carpenter’s video show a crucifix with profanity printed on it and also Carpenter dancing on the altar in a short ****** dress. The diocese at the time said it was “appalled” and that proper procedures for filming had not been followed, the Associated Press reported. In a letter to parishioners last year, Mr Gigantiello said allowing Carpenter to film inside the ******* was a “lapse in judgment”. He has not responded to the allegations that led to his dismissal. On Monday, Bishop Brennan said a larger review under the investigation detected other instances of administrative impropriety, including Mr Gigantiello using a credit card for personal expenses. Bishop Brennan also said that, from 2019 to 2021, Mr Gigantiello transferred nearly $2m (£1.5M) in ******* funds to bank accounts affiliated with a former staff member of New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Adams was indicted in September on five counts of ********* offences, including bribery, wire ****** and soliciting ******** foreign campaign donations. A number of investigations have centred on Adams and those in his orbit – leading to subpoenas, law enforcement raids and a flurry of resignations of top officials who help lead New York City. Source link #Sabrina #Carpenter #music #video #leads #York #priest #losing #job Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Oura Ring Gen 3 drops to a record low of $249 for ****** Friday The Oura Ring Gen 3 drops to a record low of $249 for ****** Friday The winter months can be a tough time for keeping up with health and wellbeing as colder, darker weather sets in. For anyone looking for a gadget to help them manage their sleep, activity and other health stats, now could be the right time to look into a wearable. The basic finishes of the are on ***** for $249 ahead of ****** Friday. That’s a $50 savings for the ****** or silver finish, which is the biggest discount we’ve seen to date on this wearable. You can also snag the luxe finishes for less than usual right now. The brushed titanium and stealth materials are on ***** for $279, down from the usual of $349, while the gold and rose gold options are selling for $349 instead of their typical $449 price tag. Oura Save $50 on the ****** or silver finishes of this wearable. $249 at Amazon The company did just release the , so this deal won’t give you the most cutting edge developments in sensors and design. But for someone who wants a less intrusive approach to a wearable, the Gen 3 still has a lot to offer. Our by Daniel Cooper pointed out that the Oura Ring offers impressively accurate readings even though all its sensors are packed into a much smaller form factor than a smartwatch. While he felt the design of the ring is a little bulky, in practice it was easy to forget that he had it on. Keep in mind that unless you’re upgrading from another Oura product, you’ll want to buy the size guide to make sure your new ring fits correctly. When you do buy a sizing kit for the Gen 3, you’ll get $10 towards the purchase of the actual wearable. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #Oura #Ring #Gen #drops #record #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WA’s economic growth falls to 0.5 per cent as farming and mining slow WA’s economic growth falls to 0.5 per cent as farming and mining slow WA’s economy grew at the slowest pace of any State or Territory in the year to June as two key industries cooled down following white hot runs. Source link #economic #growth #falls #cent #farming #mining #slow Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Several Of The Best Marvel Board Games Have Supersized Discounts For ****** Friday Several Of The Best Marvel Board Games Have Supersized Discounts For ****** Friday Amazon has excellent deals on hundreds of board games ahead of ****** Friday, including a wide assortment of tabletop adventures starring superheroes and villains from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Champions: The Card Game is available for only $37.33, over 50% off the strategy card game’s $80 list price. You can also save big on several campaign expansion sets for Marvel Champions. If you like miniatures games, Marvel: Crisis Protocol is definitely worth checking out for $59.49 (was $100). Other highlights include Marvel Villainous for only $14.69 and Marvel Splendor for $35. We’ve rounded up the best Marvel ****** Friday board game deals below. Some of these Marvel games are eligible for Amazon’s Buy Two, Get One Free Board Game *****, which we’ve noted next to the price. $37.33 (was $80) with coupon Marvel Champions is a cooperative strategy game for up to four players. The base game includes 350-plus cards, 100 tokens, five hit point counters, status cards, and movable dials to track stats throughout each run. Champions is designed for Marvel fans ages 14 and up, and each game, on average, takes anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes. Though designed as a cooperative experience, Marvel Champions is known for being an excellent single-player game. Several Marvel Champions campaign expansion sets are on ***** for steep discounts, too. The Galaxy’s Most Wanted, a Guardians of the Galaxy-themed campaign, is available for only $20.66 (was $45); the X-Men-focused Mutant Genesis campaign is down to $28 (was $45); and The **** Titan’s Shadow starring Thanos is up for grabs for $16.66. $59.49 (was $100) Marvel: Crisis Protocol is a two-player tactical strategy game featuring an ensemble cast of heroes and villains. You and your opponent create squads of miniatures and race to see who can complete missions the fastest. Each game lasts roughly 90 minutes. The Core Set comes 10 miniatures and display stands for each character, various terrain pieces, cards, tokens, dice, and more. Here are the characters you get with the Crisis Protocol Core Set: Spider-Man Iron Man Captain America ****** Widow Captain Marvel Ultron Crossbones Baron Zemo Doctor Octopus Red Skull You can expand your roster of heroes and villains with character packs, several of which are on *****, too: More Marvel Board Game ****** Friday Deals Marvel Zombies Board Game Deals More Marvel Board Game Deals Source link #Marvel #Board #Games #Supersized #Discounts #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]