Mr.Hacker

Harry Tector during a ODI match against Bangladesh. — Twitter/@harry_tector Batter Harry Tector has become the first-ever Irish player to bag the coveted International Cricket Council (ICC) Player of the Month Award for May 2023, beating tough competition from Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and Bangladesh's Najmul Hossain Shanto. Scoring his career-best 140 off merely 113 balls to help Ireland post a big total in the first ODI of three-match series, Tector proved his mettle in a recently concluded One-Day International (ODI) series against Bangladesh. The middle-order batter came to the pitch at number four when his team was struggling at 16-2 in the 7th over. However, by the time of his dismissal at the end of the 42nd over, he had turned the contest around, scoring 45 from 48 balls in the third ODI against Bangladesh. "I'm delighted with the Award and would like to thank those who voted for me; however, cricket is a team sport first and foremost, so the Award is more a reflection on the performances and progress of the Ireland Men's squad," Tector said. "Without the support of Heinrich [Malan], Andrew [Balbirnie] and the dedicated group of coaches and players I work with, I wouldn't have been able to win this Award. "Thanks to the ICC - but I'm sure you'll understand that this will only be a brief moment of reflection as we have a crucial Qualifier starting in a matter of days, and our focus will be solely on that over the coming weeks," the young cricketer concluded. https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1079711-harry-tector-becomes-first-irish-player-to-bag-icc-player-of-month-award

The cat campaign had been going on for years. My sisters and I didn’t believe we had a hope of winning. Our parents weren’t keen on cats, or dogs, or Scallywag, the sharp-toothed hamster who lived in a cage in the dining room, making occasional bids for freedom and keeping us all in a state of high anxiety. But things would be different with a cat. We would shower it with love, and wrap a giant pink satin bow around its neck. We’d call it Duchess or Splendour or Fluffy, and treat it like a Girl’s World doll, albeit one made entirely out of hair. We talked about our imaginary cat all the time. This is probably why our parents relented. However, we suspected we were not going to get the cat of our dreams when Mum told us she had a surprise: “We’re going to meet a farm cat! He’s the runt of the litter, the other cats have been bullying him, and he needs a home. He’s called Humphrey.” Humphrey! He sounded dull. I could picture him clearing his throat, peering over his bifocals, asking the other cats to please keep it down. Still, he was a victim, and we would love him. All he needed was affection! It did not occur to us that Humphrey might scorn our love. That he would see six wide-eyed, beaming faces and bolt for the garden. He demonstrated his utter contempt for humanity by pooing in our slippers. Humphrey offered zero return on our emotional investment. But over the months and years, it became clear that it didn’t matter whether Humphrey loved us or not because we loved him. It was an exhausted, exasperated kind of love – but whenever I heard his soft paws padding and scratching, I felt my heart start to swell. As my sisters and I muddled through our teen years, needy, insecure, desperate to be loved, we wondered whether we ought to Be More Humphrey. He didn’t roll over, purring and exposing himself to anyone who showed him the slightest scrap of interest. He trusted that love would always exist for him. He lived a long and unremarkable life, from 1995 to 2014. I miss him still. I would have liked more cuddles and cleaner slippers, but I’m grateful for everything he taught me. Don’t try so hard. You don’t need to constantly hustle for affection and approval. People will love us, whether we like it or not. [https://www.theguardian.com/global/2023/apr/24/the-pet-ill-never-forget-humphrey-the-cat-pooed-in-our-slippers-and-taught-me-about-love]

The agency recorded 50 such shootings in the US last year, in which more than 300 people were shot The number of ‘active shooter’ incidents in the US fell in 2022, although more people were shot during these events, according to FBI statistics released this week. In the deadliest incident, 22 people – including 19 children – were murdered in a Texas elementary school. There were 50 active shooter incidents in 2022, compared to 61 in 2021, the statistics revealed. A total of 313 people were shot, up from 243 in 2021. The number killed, however, fell from 103 to 100. The FBI defines an ‘active shooter’ as one or more individuals “actively engaged in killing or intending to kill people in a po[CENSORED]ted area.” Some 13 incidents reviewed by the FBI in 2022 were considered ‘mass killings’, defined by the government as “three or more billings in a single incident.” Law enforcement officers apprehended 29 of the shooters involved, while three remain at large. The remainder were either killed or took their own lives to avoid capture. The overwhelming majority (47) of shooters were male, while one was female, one “non-binary,” and one unidentified. A total of 29 of the perpetrators used handguns, 26 used rifles, while the rest used shotguns or unidentified weapons. The deadliest incident took place in Uvalde, Texas, where an 18-year-old gunman shot and killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school. Police officers waited more than an hour to enter the school and shoot the gunman, and were heavily criticized for their response. The report offers only a small glimpse into the scale of gun violence in the US, as the FBI noted that it did not analyze self-defense incidents, domestic disputes, hostage situations, gang violence, or drug-related violence. According to the most recent data gathered by Pew Research, a record 48,830 people died of gun-related injuries in the US in 2021. Some 54% of these deaths were suicides, while 43% were murders and the remaining 3% were either accidental, undetermined, or involved law enforcement. Gun murders have climbed sharply in recent years, increasing by 45% between 2019 and 2021. Democrats continue to blame the widespread availability of firearms, while Republicans blame ‘soft-on-crime’ policies embraced in Democrat-run cities and states during the George Floyd riots of 2020. Source.

On the surface of our planet we find different elements that remind us, thanks to their presence, of the passage of time. This is the case of ancient architectural constructions, such as temples still standing or the remains of roads and buildings from antiquity. But if we are looking for a living being, still alive, that is the same age or even older than an old church, those are the trees. In California they have huge sequoias, very long-lived trees that can reach 1,800 years old. But, without going that far, in Europe we have a tree equal to or older than the famous American sequoias: an olive tree that is almost 4,000 years old. This is the Vouves olive tree, which is located on the Greek island of Crete. Experts say that the tree is between 2,000 and 4,000 years old, something difficult to determine given its age and its size. The existence of two geometric cemeteries next to the tree indicate that it was already planted at least in the year 900 BC. C., being one of the oldest olive trees in the world. A tree that still produces fruit This olive tree has a perimeter of 12.5 meters and a diameter of 4.6 meters. Since 1997, it is considered a natural monument protected by the Association of Cretan Municipalities of the Olive Tree. For its part, and given its tourist interest, in 2009 it was used to inaugurate the Vouves Olive Tree Museum nearby. This museum was installed in a 19th century house, and it shows the tools used in the manufacture of olive oil and the traditional process of olive cultivation. Curiously, some twigs of this thousand-year-old tree were used to weave the triumphal crowns of the winners of the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 and those in Beijing in 2008. A real honor for the athletes who wore these crowns. To this day, the Olive Tree of Vouves still bears fruit every year, with an estimate of 150 kilos of olives per year, which are used to make olive oil. If we look at it with perspective, it is a tree that has lived during the Empire of Ancient Egypt, and has seen the birth, growth and fall of the Great Roman Empire, among many other civilizations and disputes. All this makes this olive tree of great historical and cultural importance, and is a milestone in the field of olive oil production, an ancient art highly valued in the Cretan civilization. https://www.elconfidencial.com/alma-corazon-vida/2023-04-11/olivo-mas-viejo-y-grande-mundo-creta_3608175/

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. Its diameter is about one-quarter of Earth's, making it the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet. It is larger than all known dwarf planets in the Solar System.

Nick movie: The boy next door Time: ? Netflix / Amazon / HBO: Netflix Duration of the movie: 1hour 30 min Trailer:

Musician Name: Ravi Shankar Birthday / Location: 07|04|1920 /British, India Main instrument: Sitar and vocal Musician Picture : Musician Awards & Nominations: Bharat Ratna, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan Best Performance: Gat Kirwana , Raga Malkuas and Tala Sawari Other Information: /

Live Performance Title: Nordo - Ghariba (Official Music Video) | غريبة Signer Name: - Live Performance Location: - Official YouTube Link: Your Opinion About the Track (Music Video):-

Artist : 21 Savage Real Name : Shayaa Joseph Birth Date / Place : 22/10/1992, London. Age : 31 years old. Social Status(Single/Married): Married with "Keyanna Joseph" Artist Picture : Musical Genres : Hip Hop Awards : BET Awards ' Album of the Year (2023) , Best Male Hip Hop Artist (2023) , ' Grammy Awards (2022) ' Billboard Music Awards (2018) , Streamy Awards (2018) Top 3 Songs (Names): Bank Account - Numb - a lot. Other Informations : Lot of ppl are interested in his real story, u will find it in his song "Numb"

Music title: Khorma Feat DAK - Halloween Signer: Release date: 12/06/23 Official YouTube link: Informations about the signer:- Your opinion about the track (music video):-

Xiaomi has reportedly extended the warranty of a few smartphone models in India. The existing warranty of these smartphones has been extended to two according to details shared by a tipster, who claims that the additional warranty period will be applicable to owners of select Redmi, Xiaomi, and Poco branded smartphones. The announcement was reportedly made by the company during an event on Discord, and the smartphone maker is yet to share details about the development via other channels. According to a report by 91Mobiles citing tipster Debayan Roy, Xiaomi announced during a recent event held on Discord that it was extending the warranty of the Redmi Note 10 Pro, Redmi Note 10 Pro Max, Mi 11 Ultra, and Poco X3 Pro in India. Customers will have a two-year warranty from the date of purchase of the smartphone, as per the report. The report states that the warranties of these phones have been extended due to customers' complaints related to the smartphones' cameras and motherboard. Gadgets 360 has reached out to Xiaomi for comment and will update this story once a response is received. Xiaomi Ties Up With Dixon Technologies to Make Mobile Phones in India The extension of the warranty of these smartphones by two years will reportedly cover free repairs or replacements of the previously mentioned smartphones, in connection with issues related to the cameras and motherboards, at no additional cost. Users will need to share their purchase invoice of the smartphone to avail of the extended warranty. PlayUnmute Fullscreen Meanwhile, the report states that smartphones that have been rooted, or sustained physical or liquid damage, or have been tampered in any way, will not be covered by the extended warranty. The Redmi Note 10 Pro and Redmi Note 10 Pro Max were launched by Xiaomi in India in March 2021, followed by the arrival of the Poco X3 Pro. The Mi 11 Ultra made its debut in the country a month later. Customers can bring their devices to the nearest authorised Xiaomi service centre along with the purchase invoice that includes the IMEI number of the smartphone in order to avail of the extended warranty service, according to the report. https://www.gadgets360.com/mobiles/news/redmi-note-10-pro-max-mi-11-ultra-poco-x3-pro-warranty-extended-two-years-issues-4081534

Windows 11 now has widgets to let you monitor how your system is running, albeit the way of getting them going is rather clunky. The catch is they come as part of a new app being introduced for Windows 11, which is currently in preview, called Dev Home. As the name suggests, this is for developers (to help make them more productive and streamline their workflow for creating software), but it has an interesting extra option. As Ghacks reports, Dev Home allows you to add widgets for monitoring system resources, meaning you can see at a glance on the widgets board how your CPU, GPU, system memory, or network are performing currently. Sponsored Links If You Need To Relax On Your Computer, You Have To Play This Game. No Install Elvenar This is the same info available in Task Manager – in the Performance tab – but having it right there on the widgets panel, if you want, makes it far more convenient to check what’s going on if, say, your PC appears to be hit with a bout of slowdown. RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU... CLOSE As you may realize, going into Task Manager is a slightly convoluted process (though there is a handy keyboard shortcut to get there quickly – by pressing the Ctrl+Shift+Escape keys together). The system monitoring widgets also provide some useful extra touches. For example, the CPU performance widget displays the top three active processes and a button to end them (in other words, to kill the task right there and then, if it is causing problems or has become unresponsive – an option coming to the taskbar in Windows 11, too). Analysis: Hopefully these widgets will become more broadly available Obviously this app is specifically for developers, so consumers aren’t going to want to use it as such. However, there’s certainly nothing to stop the average user from installing the Dev Home preview app (from the Microsoft Store) to get this ability. Is it worth doing that? For some who are really keen to see system resource readouts on the widgets board, it’s at least good to have the option. Although in all honesty, it’s maybe a step too far for many folks, who aren’t going to want to install developer software (that takes up space, of course). Do note, though, that you don’t ever have to run Dev Home, or do anything beyond installing it. Once set up, you can use the widgets without ever going near the Dev Home app again (but you must leave it installed). What we’re hoping is that if Microsoft sees this as a reasonably po[CENSORED]r option – assuming it is, naturally, and we can imagine it’ll get some traction among widget fans – then maybe the company will consider making these system-monitoring widgets more broadly available. In other words, have them accessible to everyone without the need to install Dev Home. Note that currently, we’re told that the updating of these widgets in real-time doesn’t appear to be working properly, which is presumably a bug. That’s the other thing to remember for now – this app is still in preview, so it may be wonky while Microsoft irons out various issues that are doubtless present. https://www.techradar.com/news/windows-11-has-a-nifty-new-feature-but-enabling-it-is-a-hassle

The age of PCIe Gen 5 SSDs has only just begun, with the current focus being on high-performance drives that push the envelope. Just this week, we reviewed the Crucial T700 , which promises sequential read and write speeds of 12,400 and 11,700 MBps respectively but costs a whopping $339 for the 2TB model. Over time, all Gen 5 SSDs will get cheaper, especially as NAND prices sink. However, one sure-fire way to get budget Gen 5 SSDs is to go with a DRAMless configuration. There are a slew of PCIe Gen 3 and Gen 4 drives without DRAM and, though they can't quite hit the same speeds as more expensive SSDs that have a DRAM cache, they give you a lot for your money. At Computex 2023, Patriot Memory showed a prototype of a DRAMless Gen 5 SSD that is still pretty far away from launch. A company rep said that it could take up to a year before the unnamed drive hits the market. Sponsored Links If You Need To Relax On Your Computer, You Have To Play This Game. No Install Elvenar We don't know the speeds or specs for the unnamed drive, but we do know about the drive is that it uses a Maxiotek brand controller and Patriot expects it to have surprisingly good performance. The rep said "we're working a lot to bring our DRAMless drives damn close to our DRAM drives." RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU... CLOSE Speaking of SSDs that have DRAM, Patriot also introduced the Viper PV553, a PCIe Gen 5 drive that has a full 4GB of DDR4 cache memory on its 2TB capacity. The drive, which uses a Phison E26 controller and speedy 2400 MT/s NAND, will be available in 1TB, 2TB and 4GB capacities starting within the next month or so. Patriot PV553 (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) The PV553 uses an active fan for cooling, but makes up for the potential noise by having an extremely thin profile. Patriot said that they are still refining the fan speeds so that the plastic on the heatsink doesn't degrade from the heat. Image 1 of 3 Patriot PV553 (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) Patriot PV553 (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) Patriot PV553 (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) Designed to compete with the best SSDs, the Patriot PV553 is rated for 12,400 MBps sequential reads and 11,800 MBps writes, which is about on par with the T700. That makes sense since it uses the same controller. Though the unit we saw on display had a thin and not-very-attractive looking power cable, Patriot told us that it will have a connector that is black, sleeved and have a black connector you can plug into a fan header on your motherboard. There will also be an extension cable should you need to connect the SSD to your PSU. There's no word yet on pricing for the PV553, but since it's due out next month, we should find out soon. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/patriot-teases-dramless-ssd

Nickname: Mr.Hacker Video author: theRedBrad Name of the game: SPIDER-MAN 2 Link video: Rate this video 1-10:-

When The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (TCM) released in 1974, it was years before the slasher genre took hold of the horror world for decades. But by the time its sequels started to pour in beginning 12 years later, it was after horror buffs had met the likes of Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and Freddy Krueger. In that new world, the marketing folks behind TCM needed a monstrous mascot to lean into, and thus Leatherface was elevated from one (admittedly standout) member of a vile family of killers to its centerpiece, eventually even garnering a prequel movie simply titled Leatherface. Every modern take on the franchise since the underrated 2003 reboot has focused on the Ed Gein-inspired villain, often excluding any inclusion of his family at all. But Gun Interactive and Sumo Nottingham's upcoming video game is based on that original movie, so it can't just be a Leatherface game. It has to be a game about the Slaughter family. After a few hours with the game during the weekend's tech test, it seems they understood the assignment. Now Playing: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - Unrated Gameplay Trailer Anecdotally, it seems the desire to be the powerful slasher at the heart of the franchise is a problem a lot of asymmetrical horror multiplayer games must account for. In Friday the 13th, players often preferred being Jason, while Dead By Daylight seems to have similar issues with players exclusively queuing as some of the many killers on its roster, rather than their potential victims. In TCM's unique 4v3 setup, players may prefer being the killers over the survivors--time will tell--but within that team of killers, one might expect players to demand to play as Leatherface himself given the spotlight he's enjoyed over the last 40+ years. Perhaps in the early days or weeks after launch, that will hold true. But in my experience, Leatherface's family members, the Cook and the Hitchhiker, are just as viable as the big man--in fact, I may even prefer one of them. The key to elevating these other villains to Leatherface's level lies in their abilities. Success comes from organized team play, as each villain--and survivor on the ominously named team of "Victims"--has their own unique skills. Leatherface is a brute, so he can destroy certain shortcuts and close off exit strategies, but there are plenty of spaces he can't make it to. In those cases, the Hitchhiker is key, as the gangly killer can slip through cracks in the wall just like survivors can. He can also set traps, plus he's the fastest of the three, as he's both younger than the Cook and smaller than Leatherface. The Cook, to his credit, is maybe my favorite character right now for when I'm playing as the family. He's a bit slower, but he has an incredible skill that can ping survivors when they're making noise. He can do this from some distance away, too, giving him sort of a portable, more frequently available version of the immobile NPC grandpa, who can periodically cast a sonar-like ability when he's fed enough blood during a match. I played a ton as Leatherface this weekend, as the game's tech test lacked some launch features such as character selection, and for whatever reason I landed on the big guy a lot. But right now, I actually prefer playing as the Cook. He feels like a support character you'd find in a more traditional, less horrific multiplayer game. I was able to provide a lot of value to my team without necessarily getting my hands dirty. In one example, I had cornered a sole survivor in a space where I could guard both exits, periodically pinging them until Leatherface showed up to help me catch them for good. It wasn't until the tech test ended that I looked back and reflected on just how much the team of Leatherface, Hitchhiker, and Cook play like something akin to Overwatch's tank, DPS, and support, respectively. There's still plenty of appeal to being Leatherface too, of course. The most obvious is the fact that you get the only chainsaw on the map, and revving it is sure to send shivers down the spines of all who are desperate to escape. But the game would be dead on arrival if its other monstrous characters were just space-fillers--side attractions to the series' modern-day mascot. Thankfully, the family's synergistic abilities give the game a vital layer of strategy that is required in this genre--even if, in the original movie, the family was more or less a trio of sadistic improvisers whose only guiding light was causing mayhem. It's these ways in which TCM is molded into a modern multiplayer game that can seem so starkly odd, but also so necessary and, ultimately, beneficial. The original movie feels gritty and raw and unapologetic. It's an undeniable classic, but it still unnerves me when I watch it because of its intentional grime and unflinching terror. It feels quintessentially uncommercial, to the extent that a video game, polished and aesthetically appealing, almost feels betraying. The game does well to capture the movie's sludgy feeling, too, it's just that the medium demands gamified aspects like ability cooldowns and UI elements, making it all such a strange but well-reasoned juxtaposition of the IP and PvP. I'm still getting used to that part of it, but I find that if you're going to unavoidably reimagine the movie's iconic landmarks into "maps" and its villains into archetypal multiplayer "heroes," for lack of a better word, you may as well get it right. I'm reserving my full judgment on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre for its launch on August 18, but after several hours, I've found a lot to appreciate here, both as a fan of the unforgettable movie and someone looking for a new asymmetrical horror game to take over my life. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-texas-chain-saw-massacre-is-fun-even-when-youre-not-leatherface/1100-6514663/

Netmarble has just announced an exciting update for its mobile action RPG, The King of Fighters Allstar. The patch introduces two new fighters, Lady Goenitz and XV Chizuru Kagura alongside their battle cards and of course, a few in-game events to go with them. Lady Goenitz belongs to the Yellow Element and is a Balance type fighter whose primary goal is to bring synergy between all other Yellow Element characters. She achieves this by raising the attack and critical hit rate of fellow fighters through her Leader Skill. A unique aspect about Goenitz is her ability to increase attack and finisher skill damage temporarily after using a Blast skill. XV Chizuru on the other hand, is a Red Element fighter of the Balance type, who also boosts attacks of other Red Elements as well as the Three Scared Treasure fighters. Her special skill further raises the attack of teammates who are in Starlight Mode for a short period after they land an Active Skill. Additionally, Chizuru can be utilized as a cooldown reducer because she can decrease the wait time of all Active Skills when all others have been dealt. yt Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on Both these characters benefit from the new battle cards, which increase the critical hit rate for Lady Goenitz and the critical damage rate for XV Chizuru Kagura and her teammates. If you're wondering where these two stack up against the rest of the characters, take a look at this in-depth KoF Allstar tier list. The Rush Dungeon: Unbreakable Chains is a good way to get your hands on the two new characters as it features stories and event stages featuring Goenitz and Chizuru. Clearing these levels will grant event coins that can be redeemed for valuable prizes such as event set cards. Aegis Challenge is this update’s growth content which offers fighters several rewards based on their damage hit. Finally, items gathered in the Collection Room will also translate into extra goodies. https://www.pocketgamer.com/the-king-of-fighters-allstar/lady-goenitz-and-xv-chizuru-kagura-update/

Diablo 4 will be out this week for pre-orderers, but between the betas and early review access, we've already completed the six-act campaign and have published our in-progress Diablo 4 review. The short version of our take is that it's fun, but the MMO-like live service structure stretches the joy of clicking on skeletons for loot in uncomfortable directions. That's not an uncommon opinion among other reviewers, but for several publications, Diablo 4 is a masterpiece, live service features or not. We're going to dig into the live version of Diablo 4 before we score it with our final review, but a number of other outlets have already stamped verdicts on the action RPG, and several have given it their highest review honors. Sponsored Links If You Need To Relax On Your Computer, You Have To Play This Game. No Install Elvenar One of our sibling sites, Windows Central, awarded Diablo 4 five-out-of-five stars, saying that it may be Blizzard's best game yet. Our friends at TRG also dropped a perfect score, as did PCGamesN, VideoGamer, and a handful of other outlets. RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU... CLOSE The lowest Diablo 4 scores so far are in the 70s, which isn't very low at all. Here's a selection of reviews that cover the current spectrum: Windows Central 5/5: "Diablo 4 might be Blizzard's most important, pivotal game since World of Warcraft." PCGamesN 10/10: "I'd argue it's the best Diablo game of all time" ScreenRant 4.5/5: "a must-play experience for any fan of dungeon-crawler ARPGs" GameSpot 8/10: "feels like the new standard-bearer for action role-playing" Destructoid 8/10: "the specter of cosmetic microtransactions and live service elements hang heavy over this refined action-RPG formula" LevelUp 7/10: "Quizá la única faceta desalentadora de Diablo 4 radica en su modelo de juego como servicio" ("Perhaps the only disheartening aspect of Diablo 4 lies in its games as a service model") The reviews praise Diablo 4's gorier art style, its story ("far more engrossing" than previous Diablos, said GameSpot), and combat design. "I cannot overstate just how satisfying it is to play Diablo 4 on a moment-to-moment basis," wrote Twinfinite, "and with so much replay value to be had from its various classes and build possibilities within those classes, Diablo 4 feels like a true return to form for the series," Our in-progress review is among the more critical at the moment: Tyler Colp writes that "by reconfiguring its entire structure around what used to be relegated to the endgame," Diablo 4 loses much of what appealed to him about the series. Other reviews also point out friction between Diablo's best qualities and the live service structure, though. In its unscored, positive review, Polygon expresses "mixed feelings" over the "MMO-ification of Sanctuary," for example. One caveat to these reviews: the battle pass and real-money cosmetics shop were not live during the pre-release review period. Reviewers did see a video of the features, though, and that was another focus of the live service-related criticism. Destructoid, for instance, found the shop's placement in an in-game menu unseemly. "If we're treating the game like an MMORPG, I can allow some leeway for cosmetic microtransactions," Destructoid writes. "However, the avenue to purchase them has no business within the core gameplay loop of a $70-$100 game. Not only is this immersion breaking, but it also subtly inflicts a psychological temptation that builds over hours of playing and seeing that 'SHOP' tab stare you in the face." A comparison between legendary armor earned in game, and cosmetics purchased from the Diablo 4 shop. Blizzard explains more here. (Image credit: Blizzard) That complaint didn't hold Destructoid back from awarding Diablo 4 an 8/10, and that's representative of the overall landscape of Diablo 4 opinions so far: Fun game, even where the modern live service features may be detrimental. It's reminiscent of Diablo 3's reception: That game futzed around with 2012's hottest new games-as-a-service ideas, with its unpo[CENSORED]r always-online requirement and real-money auction house, but was also a critical success at the time, despite now being seen as a black sheep in the series. (Diablo 3 improved a lot over the years, though, and is a great game if you ask me.) We'll publish our final review after we've spent more time in Diablo 4's live environment—here again is our review-in-progress with our preliminary judgments. https://www.pcgamer.com/diablo-4-earns-multiple-perfect-review-scores-heres-what-critics-are-saying-about-blizzards-return-to-darkness/

Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Aleinik and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.—The News ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Belarus on Tuesday agreed to take practical measures to translate the mutual goodwill between the two governments and their peoples into tangible cooperation in different fields. The bilateral ties were discussed during the official visit of Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Aleinik to Islamabad, on the invitation of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. During the visit, Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, in addition to holding comprehensive delegation-level bilateral talks, according to a joint statement issued by the Foreign Office here. Sergei Aleinik also held a meeting with the Minister of Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. During their meeting, the two foreign ministers had a wide-ranging and substantive discussion on a variety of topics, including political, economic, technological, cultural, educational and multilateral cooperation in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding. They expressed satisfaction at the friendly relations based on mutual respect, friendship and trust established between Belarus and Pakistan, and highly appreciated the bilateral meetings and interaction at the highest and high levels that have taken place in recent years. They also appreciated the holding of the 6th Session of the Joint Belarusian-Pakistani Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation on January 12-13, 2023 in Minsk under the chairmanship of the Minister of Energy of Belarus Viktor Karankevich and Federal Minister of Energy Khurram Dastgir Khan. The two foreign ministers expressed their interest in strengthening cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the United Nations and other international organizations on matters of mutual interest and reaffirmed their readiness to mutually support each other. Foreign Minister Aleinik and Foreign Minister Bilawal expressed the desire of both countries to expand the legal framework of bilateral relations and welcomed the signing of the agreement between the two governments on the Abolition of Visas for holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports as well as between the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad and Belarus Institute of Strategic Research. The ministers intend to support business initiatives aimed at the development of trade and industrial cooperation between the two countries, among other things, through the participation in exhibitions and fair events in both countries, holding face-to-face and online negotiations, and business councils. Taking into consideration, that February 3, 2024, would mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Belarus and Pakistan, the ministers welcomed the intention to develop a plan of joint events dedicated to the anniversary of diplomatic relations. The Belarusian minister expressed his gratitude for the reception given to his delegation and invited Foreign Minister Bilawal to visit Belarus at a convenient time. The invitation was accepted with gratitude and the dates of the visit will be finalized through diplomatic channels. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1075584-pakistan-belarus-agree-on-cooperation-in-multiple-fields

Stunning new video shows a pod of orcas attacking two adult gray whales in California's Monterey Bay, in a rare case of predation. Monterey Bay Whale Watch videographer Evan Brodsky, who captured the dramatic footage March 30 using a drone, counted more than 30 orcas. The attacked whales split up and eventually made it to safety in shallower waters after a 6-hour melee, Brodsky wrote in an Instagram post(opens in new tab). The video, which was posted to Facebook(opens in new tab) April 2, shows the gray whales huddled together as the orcas swoop in from the sides. Monterey Bay Whale Watch said both whales were "badly wounded" during the encounter. Orcas (Orcinus orca), also known as killer whales, are the only major predators(opens in new tab) of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. But killer whales usually hunt calves rather than adults, opting to "take advantage" of calves that migrate up the coast with their mothers in the first year of their lives, Ari Friedlaender(opens in new tab), a marine mammal ecologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, told Live Science. And even going after a young whale is no easy feat as the pod must still contend with its protective mother. That makes the newly filmed attack on the adults unusual. Related stories: Killer whales spotted for the first time killing blue whales Still, one attack doesn't necessarily imply a troubling pattern, Friedlaender said. "A single event is really something you don't want to raise too big a flag over," Friedlaender explained. However, if orcas continue to attack adult gray whales, scientists might see the behavior as a sign of an underlying problem, Friedlaender continued. For instance, one potential reason for orcas to continually attack adults is that significantly fewer gray whale calves are available. In that case, the attacks could signify an underlying problem with the gray whale po[CENSORED]tion. While taking on adults is a big challenge, hunger is also a potent motivator. Friedlaender said the gamble to attack two adults was a matter of "risk-reward," meaning the reward of feasting on more whale meat must be weighed against the higher risk of sustaining injury. At the moment, he said there's not enough information to determine whether the orca po[CENSORED]tion is suffering from food deprivation. Should this trend continue, drone footage showing the whales' size and thickness could be a clue to their wellness. He added that orcas have been known to prey on adult blue, fin and humpback whales, all of which can grow to be bigger than grays. Orcas can grow up to 32 feet (8 meters) long and weigh over 12,000 pounds(opens in new tab) (5,400 kilograms), according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries(opens in new tab). An adult gray whale(opens in new tab) can reach up to 49 feet (15 m) long and weigh about 90,000 pounds (40,800 kg). Gray whale newborns are around 15 feet (4.6 m) long and weigh 2,000 pounds (900 kg). Friedlaender said that the whale-watching community will keep an eye out for future oddities. For now, this isolated incident offers an insight into the orcas' hunting prowess and ambition. "It never ceases to inspire a lot of awe for the animals," Friedlaender said. "Killer whales are pretty amazing and there's nothing that's too big for them." https://www.livescience.com/animals/whales/in-rare-attack-30-orcas-badly-wounded-2-adult-gray-whales-in-california