
Google Proposes Alternatives to a BreakupWe're only weeks away from the February 4 release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and you may still find yourself a bit lost as to what all the fuss is about. All month long, we've been covering different aspects of this medieval action RPG in detail as part of IGN First. But let's not get too ahead of ourselves. This digital treatise is here to cover all the basics, and tell you where you can go next to find out more about any given topic. What is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? The real highlight for me is the combat system, which is based on real European martial arts and looks to evolve and streamline the mechanics of the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance. It's highly technical and skill-centric, but it doesn't require amazing twitch reflexes. Attacking from one of four cardinal directions, timing parries and counters, and a combo system similar to fighting games that rely on a specific sequence of directional inputs, are at the heart of it. It may sound intimidating, but KCD2 is making an effort to help new players get up to snuff. You can check out our developer-aided survival tips , or an explanation of how combat has evolved from the first game . What is the setting of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? The year is 1403, right in the middle of what are often called the Late Middle Ages. The venue is central Bohemia, in the vicinity of Prague, and what is today the heart of the modern Czech Republic. It's been about 50 years since the Black Plague – recent enough that there are still people alive who remember it – and 50 years before the fall of Constantinople. Europe, including Bohemia, is watching one age coming to a close and a new one just starting to take shape. While KCD presents a fictional and dramatized version of history – many of its characters are based on historical ones, but their actions and personalities have been tweaked and embellished – it doesn't contain any outright fantasy elements. No trolls, dragons, or magic – although the people living at the time certainly believed in them. You can do alchemy, which is the one place where this series feels the most like a fantasy RPG. I'm not aware of any herbs or nectars that can make you better at sword fighting. But even these require you to pick real plants and cook them up using period-accurate technology. To be more specific, KCD2 picks up almost immediately where the first game left off. Which brings us to our next question... Do I need to play the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance before I play the sequel? In my opinion, not really. It's kind of a soft reset in terms of your character progression, and it will introduce you to all of its systems as if you've never touched them before. The extended intro sequence even catches you up to speed on the events of the first game, which aren't overly intricate. If you want to see for yourself and decide if you need more context, you can watch our first 43 minutes of gameplay . I certainly wouldn't discourage you from playing the first one, though. I replayed it earlier this year and found that it holds up really well. Some of the technical issues that were present during my original review have even been fixed. Who are the major characters in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? Well, well, well... we happened to put together a whole article about the major characters . But to put it simply: You play as Henry, a young man who has gone from some random nobody to a trusted retainer in the service of Sir Radzig Kobyla. Kobyla and his buddies support King Wenceslaus IV, who has been kidnapped by Wenceslaus' half-brother, the pretender Sigismund. Our pal Sigismund has been riding around the country dealing harshly with anyone he sees as a supporter of Wenceslaus, including burning down Henry's hometown and killing his parents. Now, Henry is part of the conspiracy to free Wenceslaus and restore him to the throne. At the start of KCD2, he's off on the road with his spoiled, womanizing best "friend," Sir Hans Capon, to try and figure out who else among the nobility is willing to help the cause. The two young men frequently butt heads, since Henry was raised as a commoner and sees Hans as sort of stuck-up man-child, and Hans feels Henry doesn't treat him with the respect a noble deserves. When is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 coming out? February 4, 2024 on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 5. The original also received a Switch port earlier this year, six years after the original release, but we don't know yet whether or not the sequel might eventually be on Switch 2. What about the PC system requirements? The Steam page recommends a Core i7-13700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, 32 GB RAM, and a GeForce RTX 4070 or Radeon RX 7800 XT. Thankfully, from what I've played, it's much better optimized than the first game, which I still can't play on max settings to this day even with a rig that meets all of the recommended specs for KCD2. Can you pet the dog? Yes! Your trusty Mutt can even help you out in combat. Anything else I should know? The devs were nice enough to highlight 8 Little Things Not to Miss in KCD2 for us. If you want to hear my in-depth impressions of the 12+ hours I've played so far, you can check out my hands-on preview . We also got a guided in-game tour of Kuttenburg, the biggest city Warhorse has ever created . It's mostly based on a real city that's still standing, too, and we also got to go walk around it in real life! So take a peek at our comparison of in-game and real-world locations . I can't prepare you for everything. The forests of 1403 Bohemia are vast and full of surprises. But at least now you have some idea of what you're dealing with. Thanks for riding along with us on our journey through Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 as the final IGN First of 2024!
Chinese film about Covid-19 wins Taiwan's top Golden Horse prizesIn October 2024, a scientific study published in the journal "Chemosphere" made its rounds online. The study's conclusion — that dangerous levels of flame-retardant chemicals had been found in a variety of plastic household items, including kitchen utensils — was alarming to many on social media. Several readers wrote to Snopes to ask us to examine the study, its findings and what actions, if any, consumers should take to protect themselves. The study was conducted by a U.S.-based nonprofit called Toxic-Free Future in partnership with a researcher at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands. In a Zoom interview with Snopes, Megan Liu, the study's main author, described Toxic Free Future as an environmental health advocacy group that both performs scientific research and advocates for market and policy changes based on its findings. Liu's study looked at a family of related chemicals called brominated flame retardants, or BFRs, which she said are added to plastic parts of electronics in order to reduce the flammability of the plastic. However, when these electronics are thrown away, they are stripped for parts that might be recyclable. Liu wanted to test to see if plastics contaminated with BFRs were being recycled into everyday household objects — kitchen utensils, takeout containers and children's toys. Her study found they were. Andrew Turner, an associate professor of environmental sciences at the University of Plymouth who was not affiliated with the study, said that plastics need to be sorted into... Jack IzzoChinese film about Covid-19 wins Taiwan's top Golden Horse prizes
Legendary former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is reportedly being linked to multiple teams ahead of the next NFL head coaching cycle. Dianna Russini of The Athletic spoke to 10 anonymous NFL head coaches and executives, asking them to name the best possible landing spot for Belichick, and the teams most often mentioned were the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Russini previously noted that Belichick has a strong relationship with Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, but is is expected that Belichick would want to make changes to the front office in Jacksonville, which would impact general manager Trent Baalke. This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis. For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app , homepage and social feeds—including Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok .Phone service has been restored at PIH Health’s three hospitals where a debilitating ransomware attack purportedly compromised 17 million patient records. The Dec. 1 breach downed computers and most phone systems at PIH Health Downey Hospital, PIH Health Whittier Hospital and PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. It also compromised systems at the organization’s urgent care centers, doctors’ offices and a home health and hospice agency. PIH announced on its website that services at hospitals for incoming and outgoing calls are available, while phone systems at physician offices should be functional this week. “We are still facing some limited functionality, which we are working on internally,” PIH said in the statement. “However, patients can call the hospitals’ main phone numbers to reach services and patient rooms.” PIH said it has increased staffing to handle an anticipated high volume of phone calls, but noted some medical procedures and surgeries may be cancelled due to ongoing technology issues. “We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this incident, and all our teams continue to work diligently to resolve this issue quickly and bring the rest of our systems back online securely,” Amanda Enriquez, a spokesperson for PIH, said in an email. Last week the Southern California News Group obtained a copy of a threatening typewritten letter purportedly faxed by the unidentified hackers to PIH outlining the scope of the attack. The cyber thieves said they found PIH’s network “highly vulnerable,” with data stored insecurely on servers, and claimed to have stolen about 2 terabytes of files, documents and reports, including: It is unknown if PIH has paid a ransom to the hackers. No known group has publicly claimed responsibility for the attack. PIH said it is working with a cyber forensic specialist and the FBI to unravel the breach. If the hackers’ claims of stealing 17 million records are accurate, the PIH ransomware attack could potentially become the second-largest health data breach this year, according to bankinfosecurity.com. The incident marks the second time hackers have successfully targeted PIH. In June 2019, a targeted email phishing campaign against PIH employees compromised personal and protected health information for nearly 200,000 patients. However, PIH didn’t report the breach to the U.S. Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights until seven months later. According to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, covered entities must report breaches affecting protected health information within 60 days of discovering the breach. The recent ransomware attack has prompted several law firms to aggressively solicit plaintiffs online for class-action lawsuits against PIH. “Our attorneys believe that any health entity that collects and stores your sensitive data has a duty to properly protect it from ransomware attacks,” the Lyon Firm, which has offices in Irvine, said in on its website. “If a company is deemed negligent and has not maintained reasonably secure IT security systems, they may be held accountable.”
Varanasi, Dec 21 (IANS): The United Nations (UN) has declared December 21 as Meditation Day. Reactions from across various sections of society have been pouring in following this announcement. The people of Varanasi have also welcomed this declaration by the United Nations. The people of Varanasi believe that this initiative will not only promote the religious and cultural identity of Varanasi but will also highlight the importance of meditation and mental peace worldwide. This step, honouring Varanasi's traditions and spiritual heritage, is seen as a move in a positive direction. Advocate Anurag Pandey congratulated the United Nations for this initiative, calling it a wonderful step for health, similar to the celebration of Yoga Day. He believes that this announcement will be very beneficial and hopes that more people will be drawn to this practice. Advocate Avnish Rai expressed that this is a moment of great pride for India. He mentioned that India's traditions are being recognised worldwide, which is a matter of pride for the country and its people. He also pointed out the recent shift in people's daily routines, with more individuals adopting yoga and meditation, leading to a broader acceptance of spiritual traditions. Rajeev Rai said this is a very positive step. After yoga, this is another excellent initiative for health. He further stated that declaring December 21 as Meditation Day is a remarkable move by the United Nations. Pawan Singh also praised this declaration, expressing confidence that it will yield positive results in the future. On this announcement by the United Nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on the X: "Today, on World Meditation Day, I call upon everyone to make meditation a part of their daily lives and experience its transformative potential. Meditation is a powerful way to bring peace and harmony to one’s life, as well as to our society and planet. In the age of technology, Apps and guided videos can be valuable tools to help incorporate meditation into our routines."The United States Postal Service might have found a way to unite a nation bitterly divided after this month's election: It will release a Betty White stamp. The beloved actor known for roles in "The Golden Girls," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Boston Legal" and others will be on a 2025 Forever stamp, USPS announced this past week. White died in late December 2021 , less than three weeks before her 100th birthday. The Postal Service hasn't announced a release date for the stamp. Betty White speaks Sept. 17, 2018, at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. “An icon of American television, Betty White (1922–2021) shared her wit and warmth with viewers for seven decades,” the Postal Service said in announcing the stamp, which depicts a smiling White based on a 2010 photograph by celebrity photographer Kwaku Alston . “The comedic actor, who gained younger generations of fans as she entered her 90s, was also revered as a compassionate advocate for animals.” Boston-based artist Dale Stephanos created the digital illustration from Alston's photo. "I'd love to send a letter back to my 18-year-old self with this stamp on it and tell him that everything is going to be OK," Stephanos posted on Facebook . Regardless of personal politics, self-proclaimed supporters of Republican President-elect Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris reacted with delight on social media. "Betty White was my hero, all of my life! I actually had a doll when I was a little girl I named Betty White," one Trump supporter posted on X , formerly Twitter. “Something to make this awful week a little better: We’re getting a Betty White stamp,” a pro-Harris X account posted. White combined a wholesome image with a flare for bawdy jokes . Her television career began in the early 1950s and exploded as she aged. “The only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party," Seth Meyers posted on Twitter after her death. "A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end.” Allen Ludden and his wife Betty White, who love to play games, continue a two year gin rummy battle in which she's ahead by a cumulative 6,000 points in Westchester, N.Y. on April 29, 1965. They do it professionally on TV. He's the master of ceremonies on "Password," and she makes frequent guest appearances on game shows. They play games to relax at home. (AP Photo/Bob Wands) Allen Ludden and his wife Betty White admire magnolia blossoms on the lawn of their country home in Westchester, N.Y. on May 14, 1965. (AP Photo/Bob Wands) Actress Betty White in 1965. (AP Photo) Betty White shares a moment backstage at the 28th annual Emmy Awards with Ted Knight after they each won an Emmy for their supporting roles in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." On the series Miss White played Sue Ann Nivens while Knight played newscaster Ted Baxter. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 17, 1976: (L-R) "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" co-stars - Ed Asner, Betty White, Mary Tyler Moore and Ted Knight - all won awards at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 28th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Shubert Theatre on May 17, 1976 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by TVA/PictureGroup/Invision for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences/AP Images) Actress Betty White with Ted Knight at the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, Sept. 13, 1981. (AP Photo/Randy Rasmussen) Betty White and Anson Williams don't seem to faze Buckeye, a St. Bernard, during an awards ceremony during which Williams was honored by the Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as a friend and lover of animals. Ms. White presented a humanitarian plaque to Williams at the event, which was held in Hollywood, California, Friday, May 1, 1982. (AP Photo/Marc Karody) Actress Betty White with actor John Hillerman arriving at Emmy Awards, Sept. 22, 1985 in Pasadena, California. (AP Photo/LIU) Actresses Betty White Ludden, left, and Mary Tyler Moore, right, smile at each other in Los Angeles, Friday, June 22, 1985 during Annual Meeting of Morris Animal Foundation, at which Ludden announced her retirement as President of the animal health group, held at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) These four veteran actresses from the television series "The Golden Girls" shown during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Actress Betty White poses in Los Angeles, Ca. in June, 1986. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) Betty White stands backstage at the NBC TV Bob Hope "I Love Lucy" special on Sept. 16, 1989. (AP Photo/Djansezian) Michael J. Fox and Betty White, winners of Emmys for best actor and actress in a comedy series, stand backstage at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, Sunday, Sept. 21, 1986 after receiving their honors. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac) Comedienne Betty White places her hand on the star that was presented posthumously to her husband, Allen Ludden, during ceremonies inducting him into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Thursday, March 31, 1988. Ludden was honored with the 1,868th star of the famed walkway — between those of White and Tyrone Power. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Estelle Getty, who plays Sophia, poses with her new husband, who plays Max, and the other "Golden Girls" after taping of episode on Friday, night, Nov. 5,1988 in Hollywood. Left to right are Rue McCLanahan (Blanche), Getty, Gilford, Bea Arthur (Dorothy) and Betty White. (AP Photo/Ira Mark Gostin) Former cast members of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, sans Mary Tyler Moore, are reunited for the Museum of Television and Radio's 9th annual Television Festival in Los Angeles Saturday, March 21, 1992. From left are Gavin MacLeod, Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, Betty White and Ed Asner. (AP Photo/Craig Fujii) Actress Betty White, left, writer/producer David E. Kelley, actress Bridget Fonda, and actor Oliver Platt pose at the premiere of their movie "Lake Placid," Wednesday night, July 14, 1999, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Betty White, from "Golden Girls," and Mr. T, Lawrence Tureaud, from "The A Team," pose for photographers at NBC's 75th Anniversary Party, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2002, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Rene Macura) Actors Betty White, left, Georgia Engel, second left, Gavin MacLeod, center, Valerie Harper, second right, and John Amos pose for photographers during arrivals at CBS's 75th anniversary celebration Sunday, Nov. 2, 2003, in New York. (AP Photo/Louis Lanzano) Actress Betty White laughs as an African eagle roosts overhead at the Los Angeles Zoo Monday, Feb. 20, 2006, in Los Angeles, where White was honored as Ambassador to the Animals by the city for her decades of dedication to the humane treatment of animals. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Rene Macura) Betty White arrives at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, on Friday, June 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Beatrice Arthur, left, Betty White, center, and Rue McClanahan, of the Golden Girls, arrive at the TV Land Awards on Sunday June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Actor Henry Winkler, center, is seen Beatrice Arthur, right, and Betty White at the TV Land Awards on Sunday June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) In this Nov. 24, 2009 file photo, actress Betty White poses for a portrait following her appearance on the television talk show "In the House," in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) Actress Betty White poses for a portrait on the set of the television show "Hot in Cleveland" in Studio City section of Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 9, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Actress Betty White is seen on stage at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010 in Universal City, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Betty White, a cast member in "You Again," poses with fans holding Betty White masks at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Actress Betty White wears a U.S. Forest Ranger hat after being named an Honorary Forest Ranger by the US Forest Service, at the Kennedy Center in Washington Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010. White has stated in numerous interviews that her first ambition as a young girl was "to become a forest ranger, but they didn't allow women to do that back then". (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Betty White, left, Bradley Cooper and Scarlett Johansson arrive at the MTV Movie Awards in Universal City, Calif., on Sunday, June 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Betty White, left, Kristen Bell, center, and Jamie Lee Curtis, cast members in "You Again," pose together at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Betty White, left, accepts the Life Achievement Award from Sandra Bullock at the 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) From left, actresses Betty White, Wendie Malick, Valerie Bertinelli, and Jane Leeves pose for a portrait on the set of the television show "Hot in Cleveland" in Studio City section of Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 9, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Alec Baldwin, left, and Betty White are seen on stage at the 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Betty White attends a book signing for her book 'If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't)' at Barnes & Noble in New York, Friday, May 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes) Actress Betty White attends a press conference prior to the taping of "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute To America's Golden Girl" on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Vince Bucci) Actress Betty White arrives on a white pony as she is honored at a Friars Club Roast sponsored by Godiva, Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at the Sheraton Hotel in New York. (AP Photo/Starpix, Marion Curtis) Betty White, at left, attends her wax figure unveiling at Madame Tussauds on Monday, June 4, 2012 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Katy Winn/Invision/AP) From left, Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck, Actress Betty White and The 2012 American Hero Dog Gabe pose during 2012 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Invision/AP) Betty White and Cloris Leachman onstage at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the JW Marriott on Saturday, April 20, 2013 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision/AP) Ellen DeGeneres, left, presents Betty White with the award for favorite TV icon at the People's Choice Awards at the Nokia Theatre on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Betty White, left, speaks at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Looking on from right are Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
US Fed rate cut impact on Mortgages, Home Loans, Credit Cards, Car prices, Savings, Student loans. Details hereThe San Francisco 49ers have announced the following roster moves ahead of Sunday's game in Green Bay against the Packers: Placed LB Tatum Bethune (knee) on IR (injured reserve) Promoted S Tashaun Gipson to the active roster Elevated LB Jalen Graham from the practice squad (standard elevation) Elevated CB Nick McCloud from the practice squad (standard elevation) Bethune injured his knee last week against Seattle. In nine games this season, he has one fumble recovery and one tackle. The rookie out of Florida State has primarily played on special teams. Gipson, a 13-year veteran, was a key part of San Francisco's defense in 2022 and 2023. He was elevated to the active roster the previous two weeks, making Sunday his third game in a row to be active. Gipson has 33 career interceptions, 68 passes defended, and 684 total tackles. He was a Pro Bowler in 2014 while with the Cleveland Browns. Graham is in his second season with the 49ers. In August, the team waived Graham, who then signed to the Washington Commanders practice squad. In October, the 49ers claimed Graham from the Commanders' practice squad. San Francisco waived Graham again in early November but re-signed him to their practice squad. McCloud is in his fourth season and started five games for the New York Giants this season. The 49ers signed him to their practice squad on November 11th after he was released by New York. In the five games he started for the Giants, McCloud defended one pass and had 14 tackles. He is primarily a special teams player for the 49ers. Per Matt Barrows, of The Athletic , "Graham's and McCloud's elevation means no elevation for rookie QB Tanner Mordecai. Which means no emergency third QB for tomorrow's game." The 49ers also downgraded OL Jon Feliciano from questionable to out. This article first appeared on 49ers Webzone and was syndicated with permission.