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Brendan Greene is largely credited with making the iconic PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds , also known as PUBG , and inventing the entire battle royale genre. We knew he left PUBG’s publisher to form an independent studio back in 2021, but now we know what he’s been working on the past few years. His studio, PlayerUnknown Productions, is prepping a handful of titles, which it refers to as “an ambitious three-game plan.” First up, there’s Prologue: Go Wayback! , which is described as “a single-player open-world emergent game within the survival genre.” It uses the developer’s “in-house machine-learning-driven terrain generation technology” to create “millions of maps.” These maps are also easy on the eyes, as seen below. PlayerUnknown Productions We don’t know much about the gameplay, beyond the description and the aforementioned terrain generation technology. However, it’s available to wishlist right now on Steam . The company says it’ll launch as an early access title sometime in the first half of next year, following a series of playtests. There’s also a nifty-looking tech demo called Preface: Undiscovered World . It’s free and available to download right now . This demo is being released to showcase the company’s in-house game engine, called Melba. Preface allows players to explore an “Earth-scale world generated in real-time.” PlayerUnknown Productions Greene says that this “digital planet is still quite empty for now, but every person who enters it and shares their feedback, contributes to its future development.” To that end, the Melba engine will be used to develop other games in the future. One such future game is called Artemis , which is described as a “massive multiplayer sandbox experience.” We don’t know a whole lot about the title, except that it’s likely years away. Greene says that his company will be releasing two unannounced games after Prologue: Go Wayback! that will each address “critical technical challenges” that will help with the development of the more ambitious Artemis . In any event, it looks like PlayerUnknown Productions is certainly off to a promising start.Undercover FBI agents were not present during the 2021 attack on the US Capitol by Donald Trump supporters, a Justice Department watchdog said Thursday in a report debunking a popular right-wing conspiracy theory. "We found no evidence in the materials we reviewed or the testimony we received showing or suggesting that the FBI had undercover employees in the various protest crowds, or at the Capitol, on January 6," Justice Department inspector general Michael Horowitz said in an 88-page report. Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6 in a bid to prevent congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's election victory. Right-wing media and even some Republican lawmakers have spuriously claimed that undercover FBI agents provoked the attack on Congress, which followed a fiery speech by Trump in which he falsely claimed the election had been stolen. The inspector general said that while no undercover FBI agents were present at the Trump rally or the Capitol, 26 FBI informants known as confidential human sources (CHS) were in Washington at the time. Three of the informants had been tasked with reporting on domestic terrorist suspects while the others were there on their own. "None of these FBI CHSs were authorized to enter the Capitol or a restricted area, or to otherwise break the law on January 6, nor was any CHS directed by the FBI to encourage others to commit illegal acts on January 6," the report said. The inspector general also said there had been an intelligence-gathering failure by the FBI ahead of the January 6 attack. "While the FBI undertook significant efforts to identify domestic terrorism subjects who planned to travel to the Capital region on January 6," the report said, "the FBI did not take a step that could have helped the FBI and its law enforcement partners with their preparations. "Specifically, the FBI did not canvass its field offices in advance of January 6, 2021, to identify any intelligence, including CHS reporting, about potential threats to the January 6 Electoral Certification," it said. FBI deputy director Paul Abbate was quoted as saying this was a "basic step that was missed" in "understanding the threat picture prior to January 6." Trump was impeached by the Democratic-majority House of Representatives following the attack on the Capitol, but acquitted by the Senate. He is to return to the White House on January 20 after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the November presidential election. More than 1,500 people have been charged in connection with the assault on Congress. Trump has lauded them as "patriots" and "political prisoners" and pledged to pardon many of them when he returns to the White House. cl/stNEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. People are also reading... The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Be the first to know
Gavin McKenna will suit up for Canada at the world junior hockey championship. Set to turn 17 next week, the star forward with the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers headlines the country's 25-player roster for the annual tournament announced Friday. McKenna, who is projected as the potential top pick at the 2026 NHL draft, will be joined by a pair of fellow youngsters battling for the No. 1 selection spot in June — 18-year-old winger Porter Martone and 17-year-old defenceman Matthew Schaefer. Five of seven eligible returnees from last year's squad that finished a disappointing fifth in Sweden are back, with forwards Easton Cowan, Brayden Yager and Carson Rehkopf getting the nod, while defencemen Oliver Bonk and Tanner Molendyk will anchor the blue line. The two players unable to hold onto their spots for the event set to run Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Ottawa are forward Matthew Wood and goaltender Scott Ratzlaff. Making up the rest of the group up front are Bradly Nadeau, Jett Luchanko, Luca Pinelli, Berkly Catton, Ethan Gauthier, Calum Ritchie, Tanner Howe, Cole Beaudoin and Mathieu Cataford. Nadeau didn't attend selection camp in Ottawa this week, but was guaranteed a spot after being made available by the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes from their American Hockey League affiliate. Canada's defence corps also includes Andrew Gibson, Sam Dickinson, Caden Price, Sawyer Mynio and Beau Akey. The hockey powerhouse's three-headed crease contingent is made up of goaltenders Jack Ivankovic — another 17-year-old eligible for June's NHL draft — Carter George and Carson Bjarnason. "We believe we have assembled a competitive and talented roster that will give us the best opportunity to win a gold medal on home ice," Hockey Canada's Peter Anholt, who leads the under-20 program's management group, said in a statement. "We look forward to them wearing the Maple Leaf with pride." The Canadians, who will be looking to add to a record 20 gold medals at the annual showcase, were ousted in last year's quarterfinals thanks to a last-minute loss to Czechia. Among the other notable cuts Friday were Calgary Flames defence prospect Zayne Parekh and Beckett Sennecke, who was selected No. 3 overall by the Anaheim Ducks at the 2024 draft. Both players were late injury additions for selection camp and are eligible to try out again next year. Canada will now hold training camp in Petawawa, Ont., before pre-tournament games against Switzerland, Sweden and Czechia. The hosts open Group A at the Canadian Tire Centre, home of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, on Boxing Day against Finland. The defending champions United States, Latvia and Germany make up the rest of the field. Group B at TD Place, home of the Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa 67's, includes Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Kazakhstan. Russia remains banned by the International Ice Hockey Federation due to that country's ongoing war in Ukraine. Ottawa last hosted the world juniors in 2009 when Canada defeated Sweden to secure a record-tying fifth straight gold. Cameron, who guided the country atop the podium in 2022 after winning silver in 2011, was an assistant coach on the staff of the late Pat Quinn at that tournament 15 years ago in the nation's capital. "This group of 25 players is excited for the opportunity to wear the Maple Leaf in front of Canadian fans in Ottawa, and to represent their country in our quest to win a gold medal," he said in a statement. "This is a great accomplishment for these players and their families. "We know they will enjoy the world juniors experience while bringing the competitiveness needed for us to be successful and accomplish our goal." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024. Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian PressLPGA, USGA to require players to be assigned female at birth or transition before pubertySNP cut funding to public services while splurging extra £1.3bn on benefits payments
RANGERS return to Premiership action this weekend after a two week absence due to the international break. But Philippe Clement 's will be without one star player for the Ibrox clash after Neraysho Kasanwirjo became the latest player to be struck down with injury while on duty for his nation. Advertisement 2 Philippe Clement's men return to Ibrox this weekend Credit: Willie Vass 2 They face Jim Goodwin's side in Govan Credit: Willie Vass The full-back was forced off against England while playing for the Netherlands U21s and now faces a lengthy wait on the sidelines. Clement fears the loanee will be out for a considerable amount of time but the club will learn the full extent of the injury after they hear back from a specialist this weekend. They know he suffered a knee ligament damage which will require surgery . But with Kasanwirjo out, Clement may look to James Tavernier to start against Dundee United. Advertisement read more football stories LEAVE IT OUT Rangers boss Clement shuts down reporter who quizzed him on his future FAB FIFTY Rangers vs Dundee United: Get £50 in free bets for Premiership clash with Betfred The skipper has been in and out of the Gers team with Clement swapping between him, Kasanwirjo and Dujon Sterling . Tavernier's future at Ibrox looks rather bleak at the moment so it would be very telling if the Belgian opts for Sterling instead of him this weekend - especially with Kasanwirjo sidelined. That's perhaps Clement's biggest decision to make at Ibrox. And he will need to get the big calls right as his team face a tough test against Jim Goodwin 's high-flying Tannadice outfit. Advertisement Most read in Football LEAVE IT OUT Rangers boss Clement shuts down reporter who quizzed him on his future JIM DELAHUNT Our man's tips on Gers v United, Hearts v Hoops & all the weekend action Breaking 'LONGER-TERM' Rangers boss Philippe Clement provides grim Neraysho Kasanwirjo update UNHAPPY BHOY Furious Celtic fan calls out fellow Hoops supporters who 'discredit our brand' Here's everything you need to know ahead of the clash. What time does Rangers vs Dundee kick off? Rangers vs Dundee United takes place on Saturday, November 23. The match kicks off at 3pm. It will be held at Ibrox. Don Robertson is the referee for this one. He will be assisted David Roome and Gordon Crawford, while Kevin Clancy is on VAR duties. Kris Boyd names his Player of the Year in NOVEMBER and says Clement's Rangers concerns are far from over What channel is Rangers vs Dundee United on ad can I live stream it? Unfortunately this game has not been selected for TV coverage. There will be highlights of the match shown on BBC Sportscene at 10.30pm though. There will be live radio commentary from BBC Sportsound. Alternatively, you can follow the action here via SunSport's LIVE blog. Team news Rangers will of course be without Kasanwirjo following the right-back's sickening setback. Ross McCausland and Ridvan Yilmaz are both expected inthe squad after shaking off their knocks. The match could come too soon for Oscar Cortes who will be back in training next week. Advertisement Rabbi Matondo will not be available for this one. For Dundee United , Louis Moult will return but Ross Graham and Kristijan Trapanovski are still out with hamstring injuries . Craig Sibbald won't feature for the away side either Latest Odds Rangers 2/9 Advertisement Draw 21/4 Read more on the Scottish Sun COMIC'S CASTLE Still Game star takes £150,000 hit to offload luxury £4m Scots castle HITTING THE HIGH NOTES Much-loved pub named best music bar in Scotland Dundee United 10/1 *Latest odds correct from SkyBet as of 5pm Friday, November 22. Keep up to date with ALL t h e latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page Advertisement
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Outgoing Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Krekorian will serve as executive director of the Office of Major Events as part of preparations for sporting events coming to the LA region in the coming years, officials announced Thursday. According to Mayor Karen Bass’ office, the councilman will take on this role on Monday after Krekorian formally steps down from his role as the representative of the Second Council District due to term limits. Councilmember-elect Adrian Nazarian, a former aide to Krekorian and state Assembly member, will serve as the district representative, spanning east San Fernando Valley neighborhoods such as North Hollywood, Sun Valley, Toluca Lake and Valley Glen, among others. In his new position, Krekorian will coordinate city departments and external stakeholders for the upcoming 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games , eight games of the 2026 World Cup , and a Super Bowl in 2027 , among other events. “President Krekorian is uniquely positioned to do just that — drawing on his decades of experience handling local and statewide budgets and firsthand institutional knowledge of city government as well as the Olympic bid process,” Bass said in a statement. “Today marks a new phase of urgent preparations for Los Angeles.” The 64-year-old politician served as a state Assembly member from 2006 to 2010. Krekorian joined the City Council in 2010. “As I conclude my service on the City Council, I know how much more work needs to be done ahead of the 2028 Games,” Krekorian said in a statement. Krekorian described it would be an honor to serve as the executive director for this office. He added, “I look forward to hitting the ground running and partnering with Mayor Bass, the City Council, our city departments and LA28 to deliver the 2028 Games in a way that benefits everyone.” As executive director of the Office of Major Events, he will also ensure that sporting events create positive economic impacts for local businesses, and that city policies are being implemented. LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover hailed Bass’ appointment. He described Krekorian as a “longtime advocate of the Olympic and Paralympic movement.” “His (Krekorian’s) dedication and leadership will undoubtedly continue to drive excellence in his new role ... in this next chapter of our journey to deliver an incredible Olympic Games in 2028,” Hoover said in a statement.No. 10 Georgia scores nearly at will, destroys UMassArewa Professionals knock Atiku for criticizing Tinubu’s $2.2bn foreign loanEducators at San Rafael City Schools are forming a committee on artificial intelligence to explore its potential effects and benefits. Christy Novack, the district’s technology director, told trustees on Monday that the panel’s goal will be to develop recommendations for the best uses of the technology in the schools. Novack is recruiting 12 to 15 parents, employees and students to serve on the panel. “We feel the student voices are very important,” she said. Novack said the committee will have four online meetings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 22, Feb. 26, March 26 and May 14. Applications to join the panel are online at shorturl.at/QYknR . Only teachers and staff have access to the district’s ChatGPT and Google Gemini artificial intelligence programs, Novack said. Some students might use ChatGPT, which is publicly available, at home, but the Google program is embedded in the district’s domain server and not accessible to students or the public, she said. The committee may seek to determine the point at which teachers will be able to share the AI tools in classes, for example, and teach children how to use them, Novack said. Trustees said they are excited about the AI exploration but want more details on the parameters. “This is growing so quickly and so fast,” said Carolina Martin, vice president of the board. She told Novack she is curious how the district’s digital literacy coaches would be involved. Novack said she is working with the coaches to establish safety and ethics guidelines for AI; determine how the technology can be used to increase efficiency and productivity for staff; and determine how to prevent bias and misinformation. Novack said she gave AI presentations to all the district’s schools earlier this year. Laura Trahan, assistant superintendent at the Marin County Office of Education, said Novack is a “key part of our countywide AI work and leading and designing the community of practice.” “The focus of the community of practice is to connect teachers and leaders with tools to increase efficiency,” Trahan said. “Christy is particularly good at making the learning accessible and the use of AI approachable.” Martin said that “integrating AI and computer science in schools isn’t just about teaching technology.” “It’s about equipping students with the skills and mindset to thrive in a world driven by innovation and computational thinking,” Martin said. “Technology is part of our lives. Whether students are going to make, create or use these technologies in the future, we have a responsibility to ensure they are responsible and prepared.”
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