Categories
Technology

Unity defense Initiative set up with CACI

Unity defense Initiative set up with CACI

Unity has just signed a new deal with the tech firm CACI. This multi-billion dollar company works with the US government to provide homeland security and national defense tools, and with this three-year multi-million-dollar contract, Unity will become the preferred real-time 3D platform for the US government.

First reported by GameDeveloper, Unity went on to state,

“This win is the single largest Digital Twin Solutions deal for Unity to date and is a strategic deal that helps to solidify Unity as the preferred real-time 3D platform for future systems design and simulation programs across the US Government”

While this of course sounds like good news, this announcement comes less than a year after employees at Unity voiced their concerns about the company’s ethics in regard to working on military projects. It has been said that the employees have been working on technology over the last few years, that could be used as a vital asset within the US government, without even realizing they had been doing so. This is when the workers decided to ask the engine maker to be more transparent about each of their development processes.

It has also been claimed that Unity had been a part of an initiative called GovTech, where they were pursuing government and military contracts that would help the government learn more about AI developments and technologies. In Unity’s final statements, they stated that this is a very exciting project for them and that this will be the most substantial Digital Twins Solutions deal thus far.

It has also been noted that this deal was announced just mere days after AppLovin attempted to sign a merger with Unity, offering the company a valuation of $20 billion. This new deal could mean that Unity will no longer be pursuing that merger, which in turn means that the IronSource merge will also be put on the back burner. The news that Unity would be merging with the app monetization platform left a bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths, even triggering some of the company’s users, such as game developers, to resign from using the engine’s services.

But why exactly were the users of Unity so angry with the IronSource merger deal? Well, this addition to the company shows that Unity is focusing more and more on its ad business. To be exact, Unity stated that they will have a perfect 50/50 balance between the Creation side of things and the ad growth. The community believed that the ads business should never have been made the main focus of the company. Some people also believe that they changed their strategies due to possibly losing the battle between themselves and Epic Games in the gaming engine department. It is also worth mentioning that IronSource is known for being Malware, which seems like a step in the wrong direction for Unity.

Another thing that may strike the engine users as odd is the fact that this multi-million dollar contract with CACI comes only a few months after Unity decided to lay off over 200 employees to “realign their resources.” After the job cuts were announced, a spokesman for Unity went on to state,

“As part of a continued planning process where we regularly assess our resourcing levels against our company priorities, we decided to realign some of our resources to better drive focus and support our long-term growth. This resulted in some hard decisions that impacted approximately 4 % of all Unity workforce. We are grateful for the contributions of those leaving Unity and we are supporting them through this difficult transition.”

The worst thing about these layoffs was the fact that just two weeks prior to the severeing of employees, CEO John Riccitello was allegedly telling his employees that the company was not in any form of financial trouble, and in turn, would not be letting anyone go . This meant that those who believed their jobs were secure may have been blindsided by the abrupt turn of events.

Categories
Entertainment

Inside Olivia Newton-John’s secret romance: Grease star was in love with an Aussie TV icon

Olivia Newton-John was in love with Aussie TV icon Ian Turpie before breaking his heart by moving to London. The pair are pictured together in 1965

It’s no secret Olivia Newon-John had a turbulent love life marred by heartbreak, divorce – and the bizarre disappearance of boyfriend Patrick McDermott.

But fans may not know the tale of Olivia’s first true love – an Australian TV presenter by the name Ian Turpie.

The Grease star was just 16 when she first crossed paths with Ian, then 19, on the set of the Australian variety show Time For Terry in 1964.

Olivia Newton-John was in love with Aussie TV icon Ian Turpie before breaking his heart by moving to London. The pair are pictured together in 1965

Olivia Newton-John was in love with Aussie TV icon Ian Turpie before breaking his heart by moving to London. The pair are pictured together in 1965

Ian, an up-and-coming singer and actor, would later go on to host the long-running Australian gameshow The Price Is Right in the 1980s.

Friendship quickly blossomed into a romance behind-the-scenes, with a source close to the pair telling Woman’s Day magazine Ian was Olivia’s ‘first big love’.

‘Olivia was a gorgeous girl with a sweet voice, and as soon as she and Ian sang together there was amazing chemistry – he was bowled over by her and she fell hard for him,’ the insider said in 2012.

The Grease star was just 16 when she first crossed paths with Ian, then 19. The pair are pictured on the cover of TV Week magazine 1965

The Grease star was just 16 when she first crossed paths with Ian, then 19. The pair are pictured on the cover of TV Week magazine 1965

In 1965, the young sweethearts also starred together in Olivia’s first movie, Funny Things Happen Down Under.

‘Ian and Olivia were inseparable. They often sang together, went everywhere together – to the car races, the football, dances, concerts. Olivia even joined in games of footy with Ian and his four football-mad brothers,’ The Australian Women’s Weekly reported in 1981.

The couple would date for five years before their diverging career paths forced them to part ways for good.

Olivia is pictured left in 2018, and Ian right in 2006

Despite knowing he may lose her to the clutches of Hollywood, Ian was dedicated to supporting Olivia in her quest for stardom, even lending her his guitar when she auditioned for Johnny O’Keefe’s Sing, Sing, Sing’s talent quest.

Olivia ended up winning, but was reluctant to accept the prize – a trip to England.

However Olivia’s starry-eyed mother Irene had other plans, convincing her daughter to take the opportunity and expand her career internationally.

'As soon as the romance started getting really serious [Olivia's mother] whisked Olivia off to London, leaving a broken-hearted Ian behind,' a source said. Olivia is pictured in 1973

‘As soon as the romance started getting really serious [Olivia’s mother] whisked Olivia off to London, leaving a broken-hearted Ian behind,’ a source said. Olivia is pictured in 1973

During her absence, Ian went on to find love with Jan Hamilton (right) a stunning blonde model. The pair married in 1968 and had three children. Pictured in 2006

During her absence, Ian went on to find love with Jan Hamilton (right) a stunning blonde model. The pair married in 1968 and had three children. Pictured in 2006

Ian, a heavy smoker, had been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in February 2011, and died just over a year later in March 2012. Olivia was reportedly by his bedside during his final days. Pictured in 2006

Ian, a heavy smoker, had been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in February 2011, and died just over a year later in March 2012. Olivia was reportedly by his bedside during his final days. Pictured in 2006

Ian and Olivia reportedly vowed to each other they wouldn’t break up unless they’d been separated for three months.

‘As soon as the romance started getting really serious [Olivia’s mother] whisked Olivia off to London, leaving a broken-hearted Ian behind,’ a source told Woman’s Day magazine.

Despite her best efforts to return home for a visit, Olivia ended up spending much longer in the UK as her career took off.

In a cruel twist of fate, it would be cancer too that took Olivia's life a decade later. Pictured in 1979

In a cruel twist of fate, it would be cancer too that took Olivia’s life a decade later. Pictured in 1979

Ian spoke of his heartbreak back in 1981, saying ‘[Olivia] was away for more than three months. She’d phone me every month with reports of how she was going, and of her big hopes of landing a recording contract.’

Ian ended up finding love with Jan Hamilton, a stunning blonde model. The pair married in 1968 and had three children.

‘By the time [Olivia] came back [from England]things had changed with her and I’d found Jan,’ Ian said.

After dating Ian, Olivia went on to experience a series of failed relationships. Pictured in 1981

After dating Ian, Olivia went on to experience a series of failed relationships. Pictured in 1981

Despite this, the exes would remain friends until Ian’s death at age 68.

Ian, a heavy smoker, had been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in February 2011, and died just over a year later in March 2012.

Olivia was reportedly by his bedside during his final days.

She married dancer Matt Lattanzi (right) in 1984 but they split in 1995 after he was confronted over his 'very close' relationship' with the couple's young babysitter Cindy Jessup

She married dancer Matt Lattanzi (right) in 1984 but they split in 1995 after he was confronted over his ‘very close’ relationship’ with the couple’s young babysitter Cindy Jessup

In a cruel twist of fate, it would be cancer too that took Olivia’s life a decade later.

After dating Ian, Olivia went on to experience a series of failed relationships.

She enjoyed a romance with guitarist Bruce Welch between 1968 and 1972, before dating cowboy boot importer Lee Kramer from 1974 to 1979.

Olivia began dating Hollywood cameraman Patrick McDermott (right) on-and-off in 1996, but things took a tragic turn nine years later when Patrick went missing in 2005. Pictured in 2001

Olivia began dating Hollywood cameraman Patrick McDermott (right) on-and-off in 1996, but things took a tragic turn nine years later when Patrick went missing in 2005. Pictured in 2001

She later married dancer Matt Lattanzi in 1984 but they split in 1995 after he was confronted about his ‘very close’ relationship’ with the couple’s young babysitter Cindy Jessup.

Olivia was battling breast cancer at the time.

The Xanadu star then began dating Hollywood cameraman Patrick McDermott on-and-off in 1996, but things took a tragic turn nine years later when Patrick went missing in 2005.

She went on to marry Amazon Herb Company founder John Easterling (left), tying the knot at an Inca ritual in Peru in 2008

She went on to marry Amazon Herb Company founder John Easterling (left), tying the knot at an Inca ritual in Peru in 2008

He had embarked on an overnight fishing trip in Los Angels but mysteriously never returned. He has never been found.

Olivia confirmed they weren’t dating at the time of his disappearance.

She went on to marry Amazon Herb Company founder John Easterling, tying the knot at an Incan ritual in Peru in 2008.

The icon died peacefully at the age of 73 at her home in southern California on Monday, surrounded by her family and friends.

Olivia’s death was announced by her husband on her social media pages.

Olivia's death was announced by her husband John Easterling on Monday on her social media pages

Olivia’s death was announced by her husband John Easterling on Monday on her social media pages

Olivia had been battling stage-four metastatic breast cancer for years

Olivia had been battling stage-four metastatic breast cancer for years

‘Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends,’ he wrote.

‘We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.

‘Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer.

‘Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer.’

Olivia is survived by her 36-year-old daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, 36

Olivia is survived by her 36-year-old daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, 36

The family asked for donations to be made to her cancer organization, the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, instead of flowers.

She is survived by her 36-year-old daughter, Chloe Lattanzi.

The actress famously beat breast cancer twice but was diagnosed again in 2017.

She spent the last few years at home, campaigning for animals’ rights and raising money for her charity online.

Olivia is most known for her famous role as Sandy in the 1978 movie Grease. She is pictured in the film with co-star John Travolta

Olivia is most known for her famous role as Sandy in the 1978 movie Grease. She is pictured in the film with co-star John Travolta

She was also a strong campaigner for the use of medical cannabis for treatment in Australia.

In a haunting interview with The Guardian in 2020, she said of the disease: ‘It’s been a part of my life for so long.

‘I felt something was wrong. It’s concerning when it comes back, but I thought “I’ll get through it again”.’

Olivia's iconic sweet-to-sexy transformation was recreated for years to come in costumes and tributes

Olivia’s iconic sweet-to-sexy transformation was recreated for years to come in costumes and tributes

In other interviews, when asked how she battled the disease so bravely, she said: ‘I’ve had and am having an amazing life so I have no complaints.

‘I really don’t. Everyone goes through something. We all have something we need to go through in life. This has been my challenge.’

Earlier this year, Olivia said how she tries to keep positive amid her battle, telling Who magazine: ‘I focus on the positive side of things, no matter what the challenge.’

In light of her diagnosis, Olivia said at the time that she doesn’t focus on statistics or time limits.

‘Positive thinking is so important to living a healthy and happy life,’ she said.

Earlier this year, Olivia said how she tries to keep positive amid her battle, telling Who magazine: 'I focus on the positive side of things, no matter what the challenge'

Earlier this year, Olivia said how she tries to keep positive amid her battle, telling Who magazine: ‘I focus on the positive side of things, no matter what the challenge’

.

Categories
Sports

Joseph Suaalii reported for high hit as Roosters shake up top eight with win over Cowboys

Sydney Roosters young gun Joseph Suaalii has found himself in hot water over a high hit, with the incident the only sour note in an impressive performance.

Up against the second-placed North Queensland Cowboys, Suaalii scored the opening try of the match and ran for 158m as the Roosters ran out 32-18 winners at the SCG.

After a dominant first half, Suaalii found himself placed on report by referee Ashley Klein following a dangerous high tackle on Cowboys halfback Tom Dearden.

READMORE: Veteran NRL referee’s shock grand final confession

READMORE: AFL legend blasts Saints’ handling of young star

READMORE: Wallabies rocked by third concussion casualty

Dearden attempted to step past a number of would-be tacklers, he ran head first into the swinging left arm of Suaalii.

The incident caught Panthers great Greg Alexander by surprise on Fox League’s telecast, with the 1991 premiership winner exclaiming: “He does nothing half-hearted.”

Suaalii’s hit on Dearden was one of two penalties the 19-year-old was hit with during the match, and despite being placed on report, Suaalii was not sin-binned for the incident.

Stream the NRL premiership 2022 live and free on 9Now

It was an otherwise impressive performance from the Roosters, with Suaalii one of five try-scorers alongside Matt Lodge (16th minute), Daniel Tupou (36′), Sam Verrills (52′, 67′) and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (64′ ).

After a patchy start to the season, the Roosters have hit their stride at the perfect time, with this win extending the team’s current win streak to five. Trent Robinson’s side currently sits seventh on the ladder with a 12-9 record through 21 matches.

For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!

The backstories and controversies that have ignited feuds involving athletes

Categories
Australia

Flood warnings as heavy rains fall across Tasmania

Flood warnings as heavy rains fall across Tasmania

Heavy rains have brought flooding to parts of Tasmania, with flooded roads and emergency crews kept busy — but weather forecasters say the worst has passed.

Thousands of people were without electricity on Sunday morning, with Tasmania’s electricity utility TasNetworks reporting outages in Eaglehawk Neck, Highcroft, Koonya, Nubeena, Port Arthur, Premaydena, White Beach and surrounds “believed to be weather related”.

At 10am, the SES’s Leon Smith said there had been 40 call outs for “minor flood damage”.

“Things like water coming in through rooves, gutters overflowing, and water coming into homes.”

He said the calls starting coming from the northern suburbs and Greater Hobart area, but “as the system is moving south, crews are now active in the Huonville and Franklin areas.”

Mr Smith said there was “potential for thunderstorm activity”.

The SES will hold a press conference at 1pm today to update the situation.

Excavator machine in floodwaters, photo taken from a car.
A wet scene at Mountain River, south of Hobart.(Supplied: Kinnan Brightman)

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Deb Tabor said “certainly, the worst of it has happened.”

“But it will still be wet for the rest of the day, particularly in the east and south the winds will start to ease off, and they will get a little bit gustier in the afternoon on the east coast.

“Up to 9am this morning, the highest rainfall has been kunanyi/Mt Wellington at 109mm.”

Ms Tabor said there had been 91mm of rainfall at Nugent, 71mm at Mt St John, 68mm at Gray in the north-east, 67mm at Buckland and 56mm in Fern Tree.

Water has cut roads in the flood-prone area of ​​Huonville, 38 kilometers south of Hobart, with Tasmania Police advising the Esplanade is closed due to water from the Huon River over the roadway.

Some residents have reported sandbagging their homes on Flood Road, with assistance from SES volunteers.

Tasmania Police are updating their list of road closures due to the weather.

In Baghdad, 37 kilometers north of Hobart, roads were flooded and residents watched as waterways swelled.

A resident in the town said the “rain was very heavy and the water came up really fast from the time I got up at seven till now”.

“We flood a bit in winter but this is crazy and seems to be getting worse every year.”

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.
Heavy rains hit Tasmanian orchard at Grove

loading

A Cygnet resident said she had “not seen this kind of rain for about 17 years.”

“Last time it washed away our little water crossing at the bottom of our street, this morning it’s starting to overlap that crossing.

“It’s incredible how much water is coming down the creeks, our rain tanks were nearly empty yesterday and today they’re overflowing.”

Stay up to date with the latest warnings on the Bureau of Meteorology’s weather warnings for Tasmania website.

Aurora and Violet enjoy the wet weather.
Aurora and Violet could see the bright side of the gloomy weather in Huonville.(ABC News: Daniel Miller)

.

Categories
Technology

Tower Of Fantasy: How To Get Dark Crystals

Tower Of Fantasy: How To Get Dark Crystals

Dark Crystals are the “Primogems” of Tower of Fantasy and can be used to purchase a small assortment of items but are primarily used for pulling Special Orders. More specifically, Wanderers will need Dark Crystals to buy Red and Gold Nuclei, which are equivalent to Intertwined Fates or Acquaint Fates in Genshin Impact. Players will naturally find and receive these two Nuclei as they complete quests and explore the world. Still, the majority of their gacha pulls will eventually be funded by Dark Crystal currency. Therefore, it is essential for Wanderers to know how to farm Dark Crystals in Tower of Fantasy.

Farming Dark Crystals In Tower Of Fantasy

Farming Dark Crystals In Tower Of Fantasy

The first and most straightforward way of getting Dark Crystals in Tower of Fantasy is through the cash shop, where the resource is converted from Tanium, a Genesis Crystal-like currency only acquired through real-world money. There are several limited packs and bundles that offer Dark Crystals for real money as well.

Related:

Tower of Fantasy: How to get Firecore

However, most Wanderers will be interested in how they can earn Dark Crystals for free through in-game activities. Naturally, players will receive Dark Crystals as they progress through the story, complete quests, explore locations, and discover secrets. Yet, most of these sources are a one-time deal, meaning that they do not replenish once a Wanderer has received the reward for the first item. Conversely, there are plenty of renewable ways to earn Dark Crystals through gameplay. Thank you YouTuber Gateoo, Tower of Fantasy fans can learn how to farm Dark Crystals on a regular basis. Remember that most of these sources must be manually claimed in-game. In other words, they will not be added automatically to the player’s account.

Source Details
7-Day Sign-In By logging into the game for a 7-day period, players can receive a small sum of Dark Crystals.
passes Tower of Fantasy‘s Pass is a Battle Pass-style system that offers rewards in tiers leveled via Merit XP.
Crew Membership and Crew-related Tasks Being part of a Crew has its benefits, with higher ranking members receiving an increasingly higher income of Dark Crystals. Achieving specific milestones by doing Crew-related tasks also provides Dark Crystals.
PvP Seasonal Rank, Activities, and Events Participating in anything PvP related in Tower of Fantasy has a high likelihood of rewarding players with Dark Crystals.
Adventure (Menu/Handbook) Completing tasks within the Adventure menu will unlock rewards, some of which contain Dark Crystal packs.

Tower of Fantasy is available on PC, Android, and iOS.

Source: gateoo

Categories
Entertainment

JK Rowling sent death threat after posting support for Salman Rushdie

JK Rowling sent death threat after posting support for Salman Rushdie

JK Rowling has been sent a chilling death warning “you’re next” after she posted support for Sir Salman Rushdie.

Rushdie, 75, suffered horror injuries as he was knifed up to 15 times in front of a horrified crowd at New York’s Chautauqua Institution.

Now Ms Rowling is working with the police after receiving a potential threat from a Twitter user, The Sun reports.

the Harry Potter author, 57, shared screenshots to Twitter of a message from a user who had written “don’t worry you are next” in response to her tweeting that she felt “very sick” after hearing the news and hoped the novelist would “be OK ”.

Rowling tagged Twitter’s support account in the post and said, “Any chance of some support?”

She later updated her followers on the situation saying, “To all sending supportive messages: thank you. Police are involved (were already involved in other threats).”

Rowling is among the authors and notable faces who have voiced their disbelief after Sir Salman was stabbed on stage in New York state.

The Indian-born British author, 75, whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was to deliver a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution when the incident occurred, leaving him with an apparent stab wound to the neck.

He is on a ventilator and may lose an eye and has sustained nerve damage to his arm and liver, according to his agent.

On Friday, New York state police named the suspected attacker as Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, New Jersey, who was taken into custody following the incident.

Since the suspect was identified, people on social media have speculated if the attack was in relation to Iran’s former leader Ayatollah Khomeini previously issuing a fatwa calling for his death.

The call was issued following the publication of his book The Satanic Verseswhich has been banned in Iran since 1988 as many Muslims view it as blasphemous.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

.

Categories
Sports

Nicho Hynes post-game interview, Paul Green, mental health, news, scores, death, age, Cronulla Sharks

NRL 2022: Niche Hynes post-game interview, Paul Green, mental health, news, scores,

Cronulla Sharks star Nicho Hynes has been praised by NRL fans after delivering a moving speech in his post-game interview.

Hynes and the Sharks secured a 36-12 victory over the Wests Tigers, but Hynes’ mind was elsewhere.

The star halfback instead turned his focus towards Paul Green who’s death rocked the rugby league community this week.

Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

“Can I just give a quick shout out to Paul Green’s family. All of us here at the Sharks are thinking of you,” Hynes said on Fox.

“He was an important part of this club and I just want to pay my respects and condolences to you guys, we’re thinking of you.”

Hynes then went on to highlight the upcoming ‘RU OK’ day, but said more needs to be done towards mental health.

“There’s ‘RU OK’ day every year and it’s coming up soon but I think we need to have ‘RU OK’ day every single day of the year,” he said.

“We need to think about it a bit more and spread the message of mental health. It’s such an important thing at the moment.

“Once again our love to you guys.”

MORE NRL NEWS

‘NO WORDS’: Taumalolo’s emotional press conference in wake of Paul Green’s death

WHISPERS: Knights half eyes early exit, Panthers link to Tigers star heats up

‘IT’S JUST WRONG’: Outrage after Warriors’ ‘shoey’ fan cops lifetime ban

‘WASTE’: Key Hunt call could force gun out as NRL great explodes at Dragons

Ten News journalist Veronica Eggleton wrote: “Class act.”

Dykes lands SENSATIONAL first NRL try | 00:28

Without regular halves partner Matt Moylan or free-running fullback Will Kennedy, Hynes was the central fulcrum for all that was good about Cronulla’s attack. He ran 23 times for 205 meters (33m post-contact) and broke two tackles. As a playmaker he recorded one try assist and two linebreak assists. I have kicked 13 times for 291m.

– with Matt Cleary, NCA Newswire

Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!

.

Categories
Australia

Two women killed after shots fired into a car in south-west Sydney

Two women killed after shots fired into a car in south-west Sydney

Two women have died following a shooting in Sydney’s south-west overnight.

Emergency services were called to Weston Street in Revesby around 9pm Saturday following reports of a shooting.

Neighbor Peter Aitkin was outside his house when he saw a number of cars arriving at high speed.

“Three cars came rushing down the street to my right and pulled up out the front,” he said.

“There was a lot of moaning from the men. They were obviously distressed about something.”

Several people got out of the cars and appeared to be highly agitated.

“There were people walking from one car to another,” he said.

“The men were speaking in a language I could understand.”

Around the same time, I have heard police sirens blaring in the background.

“The first police car that turned up, the two guys got out and everything calmed down.”

Mr Aitkin said he did not hear any gunshots and believed the shootings must have happened earlier at another location.

aerial crime scene
Aerial shot of the crime scene. (ABCNews.)

I have watched as police officers pulled two injured women from one of the cars.

“These two policemen went to work on the lady and they worked so hard on her,” he said.

Despite their efforts, a 48-year-old woman died at the scene from gunshot wounds.

A 39-year-old woman was rushed to Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition but has since died.

Two other occupants in the car, a man and a woman, were unhurt.

“I brought a flower out and the police put it on the lady that was lying on the footpath here,” said Peter.

Forensic police officers take photographs of a burnt-out car.
Forensic officers examine a burn-out car found nearby.(ABCNews)

Residents in nearby Panania reported hearing an explosion and seeing a billowing tower of smoke after a car was set alight.

Four burnt-out cars have now been found and are being examined by forensic experts.

Police are investigating whether they are linked to the shootings.

A crime scene has been established in Revesby with police still at the scene.

More to eat.

.

Categories
Technology

Nintendo won’t be increasing the price of Switch, despite rising costs

Nintendo won't be increasing the price of Switch, despite rising costs

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has revealed the company has no plans to increase the price of the Nintendo Switch, despite rising manufacturing costs.

Earlier this month, it was revealed sales of the Switch had dropped by 23 per cent in recent months due to a shortage of semiconductor components, while profits for the 2022 to 2023 financial year are currently forecast to be down 29 per cent.

speaking to Nikkei though, Furukawa said Nintendo wants to “avoid pricing people out.”

Talking about increasing production after a shortage of manufacturing supplies, Furukawa said “we’re on track for improvement from the latter half of this summer.” He went on to say things are also on track for Nintendo to sell 21million Switch units this financial year but “beyond that, things are uncertain.”

“[The Switch] is in its sixth year since its launch. All I can say is that we’ll try to keep up sales at the same pace. Having hit software also gives a boost to hardware,” he continued. ”We have a lineup of new games that will allow us to take a crack at meeting our sales forecast, including Splatoon 3 coming out in September and Pokémon Scarlet And Violet in November.”

Pokemon scarlet and violet starters
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Credit: The Pokemon Company

He added: “For the time being, our OLED model will continue to be less profitable than our other models. Costs have undoubtedly increased for shipping not only by air, but also by sea. We’re thinking about what we can do.”

He went on to say Nintendo are not considering price increases “at this point. In order to offer unique entertainment to a wide range of customers, we want to avoid pricing people out. Our competition is the variety of entertainment in the world, and we always think about pricing in terms of the value of the fun we offer.”

This comes as Meta (formerly Facebook) recently announced that it would be increasing the price of its Meta Quest 2 VR headsets by £100 while last month, Riot confirmed it would be increasing the cost of League of Legends‘ in-game currency in “most” regions due to “worldwide inflation.”

In other news, Guillermo del Toro has shared his frustration at the cancellation of silent hillsas fellow director Hideo Kojima commemorates the eight-year anniversary of its playable teaser.

Categories
Sports

Renowned Mount Isa Rodeo launches inaugural Indigenous Championships

Renowned Mount Isa Rodeo launches inaugural Indigenous Championships

As skilled stockman Peter Jupiter prepares for a saddle bronc ride behind the chutes of Mount Isa’s Buchanan Park, it’s clear that this is not his first rodeo.

Renowned for being the biggest and richest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere, the Mount Isa Rodeo drew a record 1,000 nominations.

But for Indigenous riders like Mr Jupiter, this year’s event was a first.

It marked the launch of the inaugural Mount Isa Rodeo Indigenous Championships on Thursday.

At least 85 cowboys and cowgirls from some of the most remote Aboriginal communities in the country converged on the iconic red-dirt arena to showcase their talents.

A group of Aboriginal rodeo riders wearing cowboy gear pose in front of a large, dusty arena
Indigenous riders from across Australia competed in the event.(ABC North West Qld: Larissa Waterson)

For Mr Jupiter, the event meant a lot more than bucking broncos and shiny buckles.

“It’s really important. It means a lot to us,” he said.

“With the first Indigenous rodeo, especially here at Mount Isa competing with the big boys, it means so much to us.

“This is probably going to light Mount Isa up.”

A cowboy rides a bucking bronco at a rodeo
The rodeo is an opportunity for talented Aboriginal stockmen and women.(Supplied: Mount Isa Mines Rodeo)

Aboriginal cowboys and cowgirls of all ages were recognized on the arena while performances by local artists celebrated culture.

A cowgirl wears a blue sash and holds up a buckle prize at a rodeo
Kalkadoon woman Maisy Hetherington won the breakaway roping championship.(Supplied: Mount Isa Mines Rodeo)

Indigenous rapper Baker Boy traveled from Birmingham, England, where he had performed at the closing of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, to put on a show at the Indigenous Championships.

loading

Paving the way for future generations

Patrick Cooke, chief executive of the Mona Aboriginal Corporation, who coordinated the event, said the Indigenous rodeo fostered connection and representation in the community.

“From our perspective, this brings our community together,” he said.

“It’s not just a rodeo, it’s a celebration of our culture and our people.

An Indigenous man wearing brown and orange clothes and a cowboy hat dances in a rodeo arena
Deadly Dexter was the newest edition to the Mount Isa Rodeo’s protection team.(Supplied: Mount Isa Mines Rodeo)

“It’s fantastic. We’ve also got about six new Indigenous businesses that have run over the four days because of this rodeo.

“It showcases Indigenous stock men and women who were once the backbone of this industry.”

Little boy and older man, both Aboriginal and wearing cowboy clothes, hold up rodeo buckle prizes
Eight-year-old Rueben Craigie won the poddy ride while his dad, Jason, won the bareback title.(Supplied: Mount Isa Mines Rodeo)

Mr Cooke said the rodeo provided an avenue for young people to carve out careers in the industry.

“Mona runs on-country programs for disengaged youth and this Indigenous rodeo shows them a different industry and a different way of life that is available to them,” he said.

A group of young people and an older man, all wearing blue shirts and cowboy hats, stand in front of a hay bale
Patrick Cooke hopes the rodeo will create pathways for young people across the region.( ABC North West Qld: Larissa Waterson)

“This sort of event highlights that there are opportunities out there if they’re willing to take it and shows them the amazing things Indigenous people can do.

“These events are all about partnerships and continuing partnerships into a better future.”

A group of Indigenous rodeo riders and dancers, all wearing colorful shirts and traditional garments pose for a group photo
Locals have praised the event as an opportunity for better representation of Indigenous talent from across the region.(ABC North West Qld: Larissa Waterson)

.