FaZe Clan’s Quan “dicey” Tran has voiced his concerns about the changes made to VALORANT’S French sentinel Chamber in the latest patch.
The 19-year-old pro player called out the developers for nerfing the wrong abilities. “They’re [Riot Games] doing it wrong,” dicey said in a recent interview with Sportskeeda.com.
The American explained, “these Chamber nerfs aren’t really going to matter that much.” He built his argument by saying in professional matches, where “teams have been playing a lot slower,” the agent’s teleport is rarely used.
“It might change the way that I fight or my timings or things like that, but overall, the agent will still be good. I think people are still going to play him, and I feel like he’ll still be dominant, ”dicey said ella, underlining that in the end,“ he’s just a solid Operator agent. ”
Related: Chamber hit with drastic nerfs in VALORANT Patch 5.03
In VALORANT Patch 5.03, the devs targeted all of Chamber’s abilities with nerfs. But Rendezvous (the agent’s teleport) received the brunt of the changes. The devs reduced the base and recall cooldown of the ability, set a timer of 45 seconds whenever a teleport anchor is destroyed, and decreased the activate range from 21 to 15 diameters.
In the NA VCT Last Chance Qualifier, in which dicey has been competing, Chamber has the highest win rate with 83 percent, according to stats site VLR.GG. The agent has accumulated a 49 percent win rate on the attacking side, and 51 percent on the defending side.
It remains to be seen if the recent Chamber changes will have the dev’s desired effect on the agent.
IS LIKELY TO COME NEXT IN ZHUKOVSKY CASE. JEANNE, THAT IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY SAYS LIKELY. WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW IS VLADIMIR SU KOSKI IS BEING PROCESSED BEFORE BEING TAKEN TO STRATFORD COUNTY JAIL, WHERE FEDERAL DETAINEES ARE HEAD INSTEAD OF BEING RELEASED FOLLOWING HIS ACQUITTAL. VLADIMIR TARKOWSKI REMAINS IN CUSTODY. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, RANDOLPH ZOO KOSKI WAS ARRESTED BACK ON MAY 11TH OF 2019 FOR OPERATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE IN CONNECTICUT IN ORDER TO HOLD ZHUKOVSKY AND ATTORNEY WHO SPECIALIZES IN IMMIGRATION LAW, SAYS THAT MUCH LIKE PREVENTIVE DETENTION IN STATE COURTS, THE FEDS WILL HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT ZUKUNFT IS A THREAT TO THE COMMUNITY OR A FLIGHT RISK. EVENTUALLY, THE FEDS WILL HAVE TO RELEASE HIM OR MAKE THEIR CASE BEFORE AN IMMIGRATION JUDGE, NOTING ZHUKOVSKY STATUS. THE IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY BELIEVES IT WAS UNUSUAL FOR THE FEDS TO GET INVOLVED. I REALLY DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY HE’S BEING PUT IN THIS PREDICAMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FACT THAT HE’S A PERMANENT RESIDENT. AND I THINK THAT’S WHAT’S A LITTLE BIT ALARMING TO ME. ATTORNEY MESSER ADDS THAT ZHUKOVSKY IS ALSO A UKRAINIAN CITIZEN WHO NOW ENJOYS TEMPORARY PROTECTION AND STATUS, SO HE CANNOT BE DEPORTED. TARKOVSKY IS SET TO APPEAR IN A CONNECTICUT COURT ON SEPTEMBER 1ST FOR THE AUI CASE. LIVE IN THE STUDIO R
Volodymyr Zhukovskyy in ICE custody after being found not guilty in deadly crash, officials confirm
A Massachusetts man found not guilty in connection with the deaths of seven motorcyclists in a 2019 crash in New Hampshire is in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, confirmed officials to WMUR. Officials said after Volodymyr Zhukovskyy was found not guilty on 15 charges, including manslaughter, negligent homicide and reckless conduct, he was taken into ICE custody in connection with an immigration detainer issued for him after the crash on Route 2 in Randolph in June 2019. >> Watch video from the courtroom as verdicts were read Zhukovskyy, 26, a citizen of Ukraine, was taken into ICE custody at the Grafton County Department of Corrections facility in North Haverhill and was served a notice to appear.” Zhukovskyy has an extensive criminal history including three prior convictions of charges that included Possession of Cocaine and Heroin, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving Under Suspension, Furnishing False Information to an Officer and Larceny,” John Mohan, public af fairs officer and spokesperson for the New England Region of ICE, said.>> Timeline: Zhukovskyy’s driving history; see how case has evolvedHe will remain in ICE custody until he appears before an immigration judge, officials said.In order to hold Zhukovskyy, much like preventative detention in state courts, federal officials will have to demonstrate that Zhukovskyy is a threat to the community or a flight risk, according to Enrique Mesa, an attorney who specializes in immigration law. Eventually, the feds will have to release him or make their case before an immigration judge, Mesa said. Noting Zhukovskyy’s status, Mesa said he believes that it was unusual for the feds to get involved.”I really don’t understand why he is being put in this predicament, especially with the fact that he is a permanent resident and I think that’s what’s a little bit alarming to me,” Mesa said. Mesa said Zhukovskyy is likely being processed before being taken to Strafford County Jail, where federal detainees are held. Mesa added that as a citizen of Ukraine, Zhukovskyy enjoys temporary protected status, so he cannot be deported. Zhukovskyy has been in jail for the past three years as the case moved through the court system.>> Analyst: Jurors likely focused on narrow issue Massachusetts officials confirmed after the verdict was read that Zhukovskyy’s commercial driver’s license is disqualified, and his passenger license is suspended. Zhukovskyy has an unresolved operating-under-the-influence case in Connecticut since May 11, 2019. The case is scheduled to be heard on Sept. 1 in Hartford, Conn. Re-watch the trial:Verdicts read in courtroom Judge gives final instructions to jury before deliberations beginClosings: Jury instructions | Defense | ProsecutionJudge rejects final defense motion to dismiss Day 10 of testimony: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4Day 9 of testimony: 2 troopers testify | Hearing over instructionsDay 8 of testimony: Defense begins caseDay 7 of testimony: Part 1 | Part 2 | Defense motions to dismiss | Judge dismisses some chargesDay 6 of testimony: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 (WARNING: Language used during the Day 6 proceedings contains expletives. Viewer discretion is advised)Day 5 of testimony: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Day 4 of testimony: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6Day 3 of testimony: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Day 2 of testimony: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4Day 1 of testimony: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3Opening statements: Prosecution | Defense Jury view instructions: Judge speaks to jurors; both sides give statementsComplete trial coverage:Final day: Volodymyr Zhukovskyy found not guilty in crash that killed 7 motorcyclists in Randolph Day 10: Defense rests in trial of man charged in Randolph motorcycle crash Day 9: Pair of defense witnesses testify at Randolph motorcycle crash trial Day 8: Defense begins case in Randolph motorcycle crash trial Day 7: Judge dismisses 8 charges against Zhukovskyy; 15 charges remain Day 6: Video of police interview with defendant played at Randolph motorcycle crash trial Day 5: Toxicology expert testifies as Randolph motorcycle crash trial continues for second week Day 4: Police interview with man accused of causing crash that killed 7 played in court Day 3: First responders testify about suspect’s behavior after Randolph crash that killed 7 Day 2: Witnesses testify about crash that killed 7 motorcyclists on second day of trial Day 1: Witnesses describe scene of crash that killed 7 motorcyclists as trial begins Jury view: Volodymyr Zhukovskyy trial jurors receive instructions, view crash scene
NORTH HAVERHILL, NH—
A Massachusetts man found not guilty in connection with the deaths of seven motorcyclists in a 2019 crash in New Hampshire is in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, officials confirmed to WMUR.
Officials said after Volodymyr Zhukovskyy was found not guilty on 15 charges, including manslaughter, negligent homicide and reckless conduct, he was taken into ICE custody in connection with an immigration detainer issued for him after the crash on Route 2 in Randolph in June 2019.
>> Watch video from the courtroom as verdicts were read
Zhukovskyy, 26, a citizen of Ukraine, was taken into ICE custody at the Grafton County Department of Corrections facility in North Haverhill and was served a notice to appear.
“Zhukovskyy has an extensive criminal history including three prior convictions of charges that included Possession of Cocaine and Heroin, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving Under Suspension, Furnishing False Information to an Officer and Larceny,” John Mohan, public affairs officer and spokesperson for the New England Region of ICE, said.
>> Timeline: Zhukovskyy’s driving history; see how case has evolved
He will remain in ICE custody until he appears before an immigration judge, officials said.
In order to hold Zhukovskyy, much like preventative detention in state courts, federal officials will have to demonstrate that Zhukovskyy is a threat to the community or a flight risk, according to Enrique Mesa, an attorney who specializes in immigration law.
Eventually, the feds will have to release him or make their case before an immigration judge, Mesa said.
Noting Zhukovskyy’s status, Mesa said he believes that it was unusual for the feds to get involved.
“I really don’t understand why he is being put in this predicament, especially with the fact that he is a permanent resident and I think that’s what’s a little bit alarming to me,” Mesa said.
Mesa said Zhukovskyy is likely being processed before being taken to Strafford County Jail, where federal detainees are held.
Mesa added that as a citizen of Ukraine, Zhukovskyy enjoys temporary protected status, so he cannot be deported.
Zhukovskyy has been in jail for the past three years as the case moved through the court system.
>> Analyst: Jurors likely focused on narrow issue
Massachusetts officials confirmed after the verdict was read that Zhukovskyy’s commercial driver’s license is disqualified, and his passenger license is suspended.
Zhukovskyy has an unresolved operating-under-the-influence case in Connecticut since May 11, 2019. The case is scheduled to be heard on Sept. 1 in Hartford, Conn.
Last night the Splatoon 3 Direct was jam-packed full of all the Splatty splat info you could hope for. It covered online modes, single-player, new customization options, new characters, Splatfests and even a brand new in-game card game.
Let’s start at the beginning with Turf War – which returns obviously. Included in the game at launch are 12 maps made up of new maps and some returning from older games. There are five brand new ones Scorch Gorge, Eeltail Alley, Mincemeat Metalworks, Undertow Spillway and Hagglefish Market. Nintendo promises more maps will be added to the game as time goes on.
Speaking of updates, Splatoon 3 will receive both paid and free updates, and the free updates span maps, weapons, and fashion items and will be added to the game every three months for the next two years.
A brand new type of weapon was also announced. The Splatana Wiper sends out ink blades or can do a charged slash.
The new locker room feature can further customize yourself and show off your style. This section of the lobby will show recent people you have played against, and in their lockers, you can see what gear they have on, and you and they can add other flourishes to the lockers to style them however you like.
Customize your locker’s colour, slap on some snazzy stickers, and fill it with weapons, gear and items to show off your signature splatting style! #Splatoon3pic.twitter.com/fNoYhundUy
Tableturf Battle is an entirely brand new mode in Splatoon 3. It’s one on one competitive card battle game within the game. You’ll get a pack to start, but then you’ll be able to unlock more to add to your deck and battle other players in card battles. There are over 150 cards to collect in the game.
Get ready for a dazzling deck duel with Tableturf Battle, a 1 vs 1 competitive card-battle spinoff of Turf War you can play on the go! #Splatoon3pic.twitter.com/e39ym72nWf
Deep Cut is the brand new band in the game; they’re hosts of the in-game news, which announce what maps and modes are in rotation at any given time. Deep Cut is a trio with Shiver, Fryre and Big Man.
Splatfests will also be back, with Nintendo showing off Splatsville rocking out when they’re on. The first Splatfest is on even before the game is out. We’ve got info on that here. The addition of Trio Turf Wars is new to Splatfests in Splatoon 3, where three teams battle it out for the chosen cause.
Brace yourselves for Big Run, a once-in-a-while Salmon Run phenomenon in which Salmonids invade Splatsville! #Splatoon3pic.twitter.com/oZxpv4Oxwz
The game’s story mode was touched on, but only briefly. It promises to be the third and final part of the story.
New amiibo were also announced. There’s three new ones based on Shiver, Frye and Big Man. They’re due out this “summer”, we’ll have more local information here when they’re available and how to get them.
If you’ve played Splatoon 2 there’s also some bonuses for having the save game on your system. You’ll get extra Gold Sheldon Licenses, be able to join Anarchy Battles and even start the game with a higher rank. More information about that and everything else in the Direct can be found here.
Splatoon 3 is out on September 9th, just under a month away now. Check out our bargain guide for the game here.
House Republicans added one new member to their number Tuesday as former Agriculture Department official Brad Finstad won a special election to serve out the term of the late GOP Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who died of cancer this past February.
Finstad, who emerged from a primary field of eight for the special election in Minnesota’s First Congressional district, led Democrat Jeff Ettinger by 4,920 votes with all precincts reporting.
In a victory statement released by his campaign, Finstad said the election was about the “direction of the country,” and he promised to fight the “extreme” agenda of President Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Congress.
“I will work to slash inflation, get control of the border, restore American energy independence, and put our families first. You have my commitment that I will bring our Southern Minnesota values to Washington, DC and work hard for you every single day,” he said.
Agriculture Department official Brad Finstad said he would focus on issues like inflation and supply chain shortages.Mark Zdechlik/Minnesota Public Radio via AP, File
While Finstad won the special election, the results of a separate primary election ensured he’ll face Ettinger again in November to decide who will represent the redrawn First District for a full two-year term.
Ettinger, the former CEO of Hormel Foods and a first-time candidate, expressed optimism that he would pull off a surprise win next time.
“We both knew going into this that there was going to be a rematch in November,” he said, according to the Star Tribune. “A November race typically gets four times the turnout of an August race in Minnesota.”
Former Hormel CEO Jeff Ettinger accused his opponents of focusing on President Biden and not the race.Mark Zdechlik/Minnesota Public Radio via AP
In the Republican primary, Finstad defeated state Rep. Jeremy Munson, while Ettinger beat financial CEO George Kalberer and attorney James Rainwater on the Democratic side. In the days before the special election, Finstad told Minnesota Public Radio that he will concentrate on issues close to regular Americans whom he says have been ignored by the Biden administration.
“Everywhere I go in southern Minnesota, I’m hearing the exact same thing,” said Finstad, who spent six years in the Minnesota legislature before working in the Trump USDA.
“It’s family pocketbook issues. It’s gas prices. It’s food prices. It’s grocery store shelves being half full. It’s disruption in supply chain things like baby formula and other necessities that we’re just not normal to have shortages with. And people are just frustrated with it,” he said to MPR.
Rep. Jim Hagedorn passed away from cancer in February. Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call
Ettinger defended the Biden White House as it struggles with high prices caused by the global supply chain backlog, and wondered why Finstad is focusing on the national political environment instead of him.
“I feel like he’s apparently running against Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi, and not me,” Ettinger told MPR.
He said voters he talked with are worried about the logjam in Congress.
“I’m receiving great feedback from Democrats, independents and moderate Republicans who are sick of the gridlock and hostility in Washington and recognize that I have a long track record of getting things done,” Ettinger said. “And that’s what they’re looking for.”
Finstad’s win means the House now has 220 Democrats and 211 Republicans, with four vacancies. Three of the vacancies will be filled by special elections later this month.
Voters in Indiana’s Second District will choose the replacement for Rep. Jackie Walorski, who died in a car crash last week, on Election Day.
The next-gen Triton is set to take the fight to the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux.
Mitsubishi is hard at work on its new Triton, which is expected to amp up the tech, luxury and size factors to better fight the likes of the new Ford Ranger. But, according to a new report from Australia, it won’t feature six-cylinder power to rival the new Ranger and its mechanical twin, the Volkswagen Amarok.
Mitsubishi Australia’s senior manager of product strategy, Owen Thomson, hinted to carsales that emissions are the biggest reason why the Triton will eschew a V6.
“Emissions regulations are important and we’re yet to see how that will play out [in Australia]because everybody’s going to have to manage their fleet CO2,” he said.
Richard Bosselman/Stuff
The big difference between the Triton and the Ranger will be cylinder count.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out for Ford,” he said, regarding the high level of Australian demand for diesel V6-powered Ford Rangers.
READMORE: * Next-gen Triton to be the first major ute with a PHEV option * Ford Ranger loses top spot as high cost of living bites into new car sales * Mitsubishi ASX knocks off the Toyota Hilux in June car sales * Road test review: Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R 2WD
“Internal combustion engines are becoming increasingly harder to engineer because the emissions regulations are getting tighter and tighter. Diesels for example, even now, run on a knife’s edge to balance emissions, driveability, combustion noise, all those factors.”
Instead, Mitsubishi will likely offer a new four-cylinder diesel or a heavily-revised version of its current 2.4-liter unit, along with a performance-oriented plug-in hybrid model.
According to Internet rumblings, the PHEV Triton will use a similar set-up to the Outlander PHEV SUV. That means a 20kWh battery, an 85kW motor on the front with a 100kW motor on the rear, along with a 98kW 2.4-liter atmospheric petrol engine allowing a respectable output of 185kW and 450Nm.
In the Outlander, all-electric range is a claimed 87km (according to the WLTP test cycle). It’s unclear if that will change for the ute, but we’d imagine loading up the tray or adding a trailer will cut this down some.
Supplied
The rumored plug-in Triton will use the powertrain from the Outlander PHEV.
That’s not the end of the world, as PHEVs can drive as hybrids if needed to retain the full offering of torque, but it would likely segment the plug-in Triton as a lifestyle ute rather than a workhorse.
Other additions to the Triton will include a bunch of new and improved safety gizmos, with Thomson targeting a five-star ANCAP rating.
“It’s always part of the Australian requirement for Triton – it must be ANCAP five-star, no bones about it. So it will have a pretty comprehensive ADAS suite.”
Towing will also receive a bump, currently rated at 3000kg braked, to match the 3500kg ratings of its main rivals, the Ranger and Hilux.
Mitsubishi is expected to reveal its new ute in the first half of 2023. It will also form the basis of the next Nissan Navara.
You don’t need to be a splatoon fond of being able to recognize good. Mr. Coco, an enormous wife-beater-wearing crab-like who runs a shoe shop, is purest goodness. That’s just solid good. The store is called Crush Station, and that makes no sense on any level. perfection.
In today’s astonishingly dreary Splatoon 3 Direct, where they were able to take a moment away from describing the shades of gray appearing in the game’s lobby, we suddenly sat up and took notice at the appearance of Mr. Coco.
“Get a variety of cool kicks here,” says the paid-to-be-enthused voiceover lady, “from trainers to sandals, and even leather footwear.” I love that “even”! Like, wow, somehow they managed to program in that most difficult and elusive of textures! She then adds, “It’s owned by Mr. Coco. He might look intimidating, but…”
Wait, stop! looks bullying?! He looks like the friendliest stack of circles you could hope to meet. I genuinely have kabourophobia (I just looked up the name) — I literally cannot look directly at a crab without my entire body wanting to rip itself apart at an atomic level — and I want to give this guy a hug. Intimidating he is not.
Why are we not on first-name terms with this…well, we’re calling him a crab. He’s got crab pincers, and wears a t-shirt with a crab on it, but man-alive, that is not a crab’s face. He appears to have a proboscis? And apparently only four limbs, two of which are tiny legs. The hairy chest is a whole other matter. I think maybe he’s more lobster than crab? Look, I’m not a crustalogist. I just had to Google Image Search for lobsters to see if they have such protrusions, which they do, but now my insides are made of wiggling worms of upset and danger.
The shoes he sells will apparently give you advantages in the game, such as upping running speed, or ink resistance. Although you then have to unlock said abilities by wearing the item in battles. Which is not really how shoes work, unless you count this as “wearing them in.” What I’m saying is, have a walk around Mr. Coco’s emporium a few times before you buy them.
Mr. Coco, you are Splatoon 3‘s break-out feature, despite close competition with that dumbass manta ray, Big Man.
Animal rights activists have lost a landmark high court case against New South Wales laws criminalizing the use of secretly recorded vision from farms and abattoirs, which they said prevented their attempts to blow the whistle on animal cruelty and abuse.
The state, through its Surveillance Devices Act, makes it a criminal offense to use or possess footage or audio that was obtained using a listening device or hidden camera, and gives no public interest exemptions for doing so.
The Farm Transparency Project, an Australian animal advocacy group, launched a case last year arguing the laws were an unfair burden on freedom of political communication. The laws have previously been used to pursue activists on criminal charges and have prevented media outlets From using footage depicting alleged cruelty or abuse in abattoirs and knackeries across the state.
In the months leading up to filing of the high court case, the laws stymied attempts by the Guardian to show secretly recorded footage of ex-racehorses being sent for slaughter at NSW pet food factories, a clear breach of industry rules.
The laws, through sections 11 and 12 of the act, prohibit the communication or publication of a “record or report” of activities that were obtained as a “direct or indirect result” of the use of an unlawful optical surveillance device. They also prohibit the possession of records obtained using such devices.
The high court on Wednesday morning ruled that the laws do not pose too great a burden on speech. The laws were upheld and the Farm Transparency Project ordered to pay costs.
“The high court, by majority, held that [sections 11 and 12 of the Surveillance Devices] Act did not impermissibly burden the implied freedom in their application to, respectively, the communication or publication by a person of a record or report, or the possession by a person of a record, of the carrying on of a lawful activity, at least where the person was complicit in the record or report being obtained exclusively by breach of [section eight of the surveillance devices act],” the court said in a summary of its judgment.
It ruled the laws had a legitimate purpose to protect privacy.
The court also said the schemes of other states and territories were “not obvious and compelling alternatives”, because they did not “pursue the same purpose and were broader in application”.
“Sections 11 and 12 achieved an adequate balance between the benefit they sought to achieve and the adverse effect on the implied freedom,” the court’s summary said.
The case split the court. Three high court justices dissented from the ruling majority.
Justice James Edelman, one four judges who found against Farm Transparency Australia, noted that still images from some recordings presented to the court as examples involved the “considerable suffering of non-human animals”.
“They reveal shocking cruelty to non-human animals,” he wrote.
“They may very well have been unlawful as well as immoral. But even apart from the lack of submissions about the basis for any illegality, the special case does not assert that any of the recorded activities had been found to be unlawful.”
He said that the “special case was presented on the basis that the activities, albeit undeniably cruel, were not established to be unlawful”. That meant the court was left to consider whether freedom of political communication could be contravened where someone was committing trespass in order to record and publish something that was not illegal.
During the hearing of the case in February, the activists also pointed to the greyhound live baiting scandal as an example of a public interest served by the publication of such footage. The vision of that practice, published by ABC’s Four Corners, helped to spark a huge backlash and reforms to the sector after a public inquiry.
Sign up to receive the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning
Chris Delforce, a Farm Transparency Project activist, said the ruling would not stop his organization from conducting its important work.
“Regrettably, the case avoids deciding whether the [secret recording] law itself is invalid, and decides only that a person who has unlawfully trespassed to obtain footage of animal cruelty can be forbidden from publishing that footage,” he said in a statement after the decision. “We were found to have been such persons.
He said the strong implication from the ruling was that a media outlet would have won if it had challenged the case.
“We call on a media outlet to challenge this [secret recording] law in the high court.”
In its written submissions to the high court, the Farm Transparency Project urged the court to consider the consequences of the law for publishers, and not the way that activists were perceived publicly.
“It is about the law that is challenged,” it said.
“Whether the plaintiffs are viewed as admirable activists, or vulgar vigilantes, or something in between, is irrelevant. If anything, the case is about the publishers whose freedom to publish is curtailed.”
The court was told that other states had similar laws, including Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory. Those laws, however, used carve-outs to allow the use of such footage in a way accommodates the implied right to freedom of political communication.
Troops in military vehicles take part in the military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, on its National Day in Beijing, China October 1, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Register
BEIJING, Aug 10 (Reuters) – China has withdrawn a promise not to send troops or administrators to Taiwan if it takes control of the island, an official document showed on Wednesday, signaling a decision by President Xi Jinping to grant less autonomy than previously offered .
China’s white paper on its position on self-ruled Taiwan follows days of unprecedented Chinese military exercises near the island, which Beijing claims as its territory, in protest against US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit last week. read more
China had said in two previous white papers on Taiwan, in 1993 and 2000, that it “will not send troops or administrative personnel to be based in Taiwan” after achieving what Beijing terms “reunification”.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Register
That line, meant to assure Taiwan it would enjoy autonomy after becoming a special administrative region of China, did not appear in the latest white paper.
China’s ruling Communist Party had proposed that Taiwan could return to its rule under a “one country, two systems” model, similar to the formula under which the former British colony of Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
That would offer some autonomy to democratically ruled Taiwan to partially preserve its social and political systems.
All mainstream Taiwanese political parties have rejected the “one country, two systems” proposal and it enjoys almost no public support according to opinion polls. Taiwan’s government says only the island’s people can decide their future.
A line in the 2000 white paper that said “anything can be negotiated” as long as Taiwan accepts that there is only one China and does not seek independence, is also missing from the latest white paper.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council condemned the white paper, saying it was “full of lies of wishful thinking and disregarded the facts” and that the Republic of China – Taiwan’s official name – was a sovereign state.
“Only Taiwan’s 23 million people have the right to decide on the future of Taiwan, and they will never accept an outcome set by an autocratic regime.”
The updated white paper is called “The Taiwan Question and China’s Reunification in the New Era.” The “new era” is a term commonly associated with Xi’s rule. Xi is expected to secure a third term at a Communist Party congress later this year.
Taiwan has lived under the threat of Chinese invasion since 1949, when the defeated Republic of China government fled to the island after Mao Zedong’s Communist Party won a civil war.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Register
Reporting by Yew Lun Tian; Editing by Robert Birsel and Raju Gopalakrishnan
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Kaicheng Yang, a researcher at Indiana University’s Observatory on Social Media, received quite the surprise last week.
Botometer, a tool he helped build to examine automated activity on Twitterhad been mentioned in court documents in the legal battle between Twitter and Elon Musk over their $63 billion ($USD44 billion) acquisition deal.
Musk, who originally said part of his plan for owning Twitter was to “defeat the spam bots,” has more recently accused Twitter of lying about the number of bots on its platform, and has argued he should be able to walk away from the deal if Twitter won’t provide the information necessary to back up its publicly reported estimates. Twitter has sued Musk in an effort to compel him to complete the deal.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk. (REUTERS)
Musk’s answer to Twitter’s lawsuit, which was made public last Friday, states that the billionaire’s team used Twitter’s “firehose” of tweets and Botometer to analyze the number of bots on the platform.
Musk’s answer claimed that based on his analysis, “false or spam accounts” comprised 33 per cent of visible accounts on the platform during the first week of July, and about 10 per cent of its monetizable daily active users during the period.
Twitter has long maintained in public filings that such accounts represent less than five per cent of its monetizable daily active users.
Yang, one of the creators of Botometer, said he hadn’t heard from Musk’s team and was surprised to see the world’s richest man had used his tool.
“To be honest, you know, Elon Musk is really rich, right? I had assumed he would spend money on hiring people to build some sophisticated tool or methods by himself,” Yang told CNN Business on Monday.
Instead, Musk opted to use the Indiana University team’s free, publicly available tool.
Musk previously said his planned takeover of Twitter would move forward if the company could confirm some details about how it measures whether user accounts are ‘spam bots’ or real people. (AP)
Twitter has repeatedly argued bots are not actually germane to the completion of the deal, after Musk signed a binding contract that does not include any bot-related carve-outs. Still, the company hit back in a response to Musk’s answer noting that Botometer uses a different method than the company to classify accounts and “earlier this year designated Musk himself as highly likely to be a bot.”
Botometer does indeed look at the issue somewhat differently, according to Yang. The tool does not show whether an account is fake or spam, nor does it attempt to make any other judgment about the account’s intent.
Instead, it shows how likely an account is to be automated — or managed using software — using various considerations such as the time of day it tweets, or whether it’s self-declared to be a bot.
“There’s overlap of course, but they’re not exactly the same thing,” he said.
The distinction highlights what could become a key challenge in the legal fight between Musk and Twitter: There is no singular, clear definition of a “bot”.
Some bots are harmless (and in certain cases, even helpful) automated accounts, such as those that tweet out weather or news updates. In other cases, a human might be behind a fake or scam account, making it hard to catch with automated systems designed to weed out bots.
Musk is headed into a lawsuit with Twitter over the botched deal. (AP)
Botometer provides a score from zero to five that indicates whether an account appears “human-like” or “bot-like”. Contrary to Twitter’s characterisation, the tool has at least since June rated Musk’s account as around one out of five on the bot scale — indicating there’s almost certainly a human behind the account.
It shows, for example, that Musk tweets fairly consistently across all days of the week and the average hours of his tweeting mirror a human schedule. (A bot, by contrast, might tweet all throughout the night, during hours when most humans are sleeping.)
But in many cases, Yang said, the difference between bot and not can be blurry. For example, a human could log in and tweet from what is normally an automated account. With that in mind, the tool isn’t necessarily useful for affirmatively classifying accounts.
“It’s tempting to set some arbitrary threshold score and consider everything above that number a bot and everything below a human, but we do not recommend this approach,” according to an explanation on the Botometer site.
“Binary classification of accounts using two classes is problematic because few accounts are completely automated.”
Celebrity tweets that cost companies billions
What’s more, Twitter’s firehose only shows accounts that tweet, so evaluating it would leave out bot accounts whose purpose is, for example, simply to boost the follower counts of other users — a form of inauthentic behavior that doesn’t involve tweeting, Yang said .
Musk’s legal team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this story. But Musk’s answer does acknowledge that his analysis of him was “constrained” due to limited data provided by Twitter and the limited time he had to conduct the evaluation. It added that he continues to seek additional data from Twitter.
There is private data from Twitter — such as IP addresses and how much time a user spends looking at the app on their devices — that could make it easier to estimate whether an account is a bot, according to Yang.
However, Twitter claims that it’s already provided more than enough information to Musk. It may be hesitant to hand over such data, which could be a competitive risk or undermine user privacy, to a billionaire who now says he no longer wants to buy the company and has even hinted at starting a rival platform.
Keeping track of all the latest video games coming out is an increasingly complex task, what with multiple PC storefronts, Xbox One, PS4, Switch, mobile, and more to keep track of, but don’t worry, I’m here to help . Every month I’ll be running down the games you need to be keeping an eye on, from the big triple-A headliners, to the intriguing indies you might otherwise overlook.
August may seem a bit slow at first glance, but there’s plenty to look forward to if you just scratch the surface. Headliners include the rebooted Saints Row, Atlus’ latest demon-training adventure Soul Hackers 2, and the latest Genshin-style anime-infused F2P RPG, Tower of Fantasy. On the indie front, players can look forward to the dark ‘n’ cuddly Cult of the Lamb, roller skating shoot ’em up Rollerdrome, Bloodborne-esque action-RPG Thymesia, and more.
Note: While I may have played demos or got early access to some of the games recommended in this article, in most cases I’m simply choosing games that look promising, and can’t vouch for the end product. Do wait for reviews before buying!
That said, here are the games you should be looking out for in August…
The Headliners
Two Point Campus (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 9)
From the makers of Two Point Hospital comes another attempt to make institutional bureaucracy fun. Much like its predecessor, Two Point Campus is a management sim that offers a combination of relatively deep mechanics and goofy British humor. Campus may provide even more opportunities for the latter, with an array of silly majors like clown college and “Knight School.” Sometimes you have to accept a few groans with your fun. You can pre-order the game here.
Madden NFL 23 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Aug. 19)
As always, August is Madden month. With Madden NFL 23, the big new bullet-point is the “FieldSense” system that promises to deliver more realistic, adaptive animations and gameplay. EA is also promising some new features for the game’s Franchise and Career modes. Of course, if you’re a Madden fan, you don’t really need me to tell you to buy it. You can pre-order the game here.
Saints Row (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Aug. 23)
The Saints Row series eventually took things to such crazy heights that there wasn’t really anywhere else to push the bar. And thus we have the Saints Row reboot, which is developer Volition’s attempt at a (somewhat) more grounded, realistic open-world adventure. That said, the game’s character creator will allow for all manner of wackiness and there’s still some more subtle humor to be found, particularly if you tackle the game’s unique side hustles. This isn’t the Saints Row of old, but hopefully, it can find its own groove. You can pre-order the game here.
Soul Hackers 2 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Aug. 26)
For those who can’t keep track of Atlus’ sprawling Shin Megami Tensei franchise, Soul Hackers 2 is the sequel to the spinoff of a spinoff. Shin Megami Tensei spawned Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner, which led to Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers, which finally led to Soul Hackers 2. But don’t get too hung up on the lineage – this is classic Shin Megami Tensei, which is to say, challenging dungeon hacking and demon recruiting. This time around, some Persona-style social elements have also been included. This one ought to hack into Atlus fans’ happy places. You can pre-order the game here.
Promising Indies
Cult of the Lamb (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 11)
Haven’t we all wondered what it might be like to lead our own cult from time to time? Come on, I know it’s not just me. Well, Cult of the Lamb lets you do just that – build your flock of loyal followers, build up your cult’s home base, and then delve into a challenging procedurally-generated world to defeat the unbelievers. This one looks adorably dark. Here’s the Steam page for Cult of the Lamb.
Rollerdrome (PC, PS4 & PS5, Aug. 16)
From the creators of the acclaimed OlliOlli world comes something a little more aggressive. In Rollerdrome, tricks are still important with players flipping and grinding on roller skates, but this time around, you’re also equipped with a pair of guns and have enemies to worry about. Test your skills in more ways than one! Here’s the Steam page for Rollerdrome.
Thymesia (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Aug. 18)
Still pining for that Bloodborne remake or sequel that’s probably never going to come? Well then, you might want to give Thymesia a look. The game is clearly inspired by FromSoftware’s works, to the point of perhaps being a bit derivative, but its action looks solid, and it should be every bit as punishing as you Souls freaks like it. Here’s the Steam page for Cult of the Lamb.
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist (PC, Aug. 25)
Being a teenager is hard. Being a teen growing up on a distant space colony is harder. I Was a Teenage Exocolonist largely focuses on your social life as you grow up amongst the stars, but there’s also a card-based combat system, with your deck being determined by your experiences and choices. And there are a lot of different directions your teen drama can go, with the game promising over 30 “wildly different” endings. Here’s the Steam Page for I was a Teenage Exocolonist.
Tinykin (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 30)
One part Mario 64, one part Pikmin, with a stylish 2D-3D hybrid art style, Tinykin looks to deliver no small amount of charm. The bug-sized Milo must make his way around various household environments with the help of dozens of tinykin with unique powers — can he find his way home? It ought to be an entertaining (and cute) journey. Here’s the Steam page for Tinykin.
Full List of Games Worth Watching in August:
Frogun (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 2)
Hard West II (PC, Aug. 4)
Hindsight (PC & Switch, Aug. 4)
Sword and Fairy: Together Forever (PS4 & PS5, Aug. 4)
GigaBash (PC, PS4 & PS5, Aug. 5)
Two Point Campus (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 9)
Lost in Play (PC & Switch, Aug. 10)
Tower of Fantasy (PC & mobile, Aug. 10)
Arcade Paradise (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 11)
Cult of the Lamb (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 11)
Rumbleverse (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Aug. 11)
Rollerdrome (PC, PS4 & PS5, Aug. 16)
Way of the Hunter (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Aug. 16)
Cursed to Golf (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 18)
Thymesia (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Aug. 18)
A Tale of Paper: Refolded (PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X/S, Aug. 19)
Madden NFL 23 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Aug. 19)
Deadwater Saloon (PC, Aug. 22)
Midnight Fight Express (PC, Xbox One, PS4 & Switch, Aug. 23)
Saints Row (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Aug. 23)
Yars: Recharted (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, Stadia & Atari VCS, Aug. 23)
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist (PC, Aug. 25)
SD Gundam Battle Alliance (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 25)
Soul Hackers 2 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Aug. 26)
Pac-Man World Re-Pac (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 26)
Destroy All Humans! 2: Reprobed (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Aug. 30)
F1 Manager 2022 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Aug. 30)
Immortality (PC, Xbox Series X/S & mobile, Aug. 30)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 30)
Tinykin (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Aug. 30)
Scathe (PC, Aug. 31)
Mondealy (PC, Aug. 31)
And those are the games you should be keeping an eye on this coming month. What games are you planning to pick up in August? Did I miss anything you’re looking forward to?
