Jesse Watters urged Trump and Musk to spare veterans from their federal workforce cuts.Watters said the cuts are hitting home now that he has a friend whose job is on the line.DOGE's cost-cutting affects probationary federal employees, with thousands already laid off.Fox News host Jesse Watters on Wednesday pleaded with the Trump administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to spare veterans in their cost-cutting efforts across the federal government.On Wednesday's episode of "The Five," Watters spoke about a 20-year military veteran he met at a shooting event. The veteran is "one of the guys who has killed a lot of bad guys," Watters told his fellow hosts. "Put his life on the line. He punched out after 20 years of working for the Pentagon. And he's only been there a few months, so his probationary period he just found out he's probably going to get laid off."Watters continued, "He's going to get DOGE'd. He texted me and said: 'Jesse, this isn't good. I'm upset. This is really sad.' This guy is not a DEI consultant. This guy is not a climate consultant. This guy is a veteran. So when you're talking about DOGE-ing people, veterans should get priority. Because if you're going to go out there and kill enemies, put your life on the line for this country, you shouldn't be in the same category as people that are doing DEI."As part of Musk and Trump's efforts to trim government spending and reduce the federal workforce, DOGE officials have been looking into the Department of Defense for areas where they can "save taxpayer dollars and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse," according to a post from DOGE on X.DOGE's work at the Pentagon in recent days includes collecting lists of probationary employees typically, staffers who have been in their roles for less than one or two years with the expectation that many of them could soon be terminated, The Washington Post reported.Thousands of federal workers in probationary roles have already been let go across a wide swath of federal agencies, including the Forest Service, the Office of Personnel Management, the Small Business Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Education, and many others.Several military veterans have told Business Insider they're feeling confused, desperate, and terrified about sweeping cuts to the federal government, which may be disproportionately affecting veterans."I finally found one person I knew that got DOGE'd, and it hit me in the heart," Watters said of his friend.Watters also said that, "besides saving my friend," he wants to see DOGE distribute bigger dividend checks an idea the task force is considering but that would have to clear a number of hurdles to be enacted.Prior to his plea on Wednesday, Watters, a fervent Trump supporter, had frequently praised Musk's cost-cutting work, last week calling the Tesla and SpaceX CEO a "corporate turnaround artist" whose DOGE team is "inspiring every American leader to set their standards sky-high."

Florida's pension board has sued Target over its DEI practices.The complaint argues that Target misled investors about the impact of backlash to its Pride collection.The suit blames Target's stock price troubles on DEI, rather than other business challenges.The state of Florida has joined the growing legal challenges against Target.The State Board of Administration of Florida, an agency that oversees public pension funds that own Target stock, has sued the retailer, arguing it misled investors about the impact of backlash to its Pride campaign and DEI initiatives.Florida argues Target's handling of its 2023 LGBTQ Pride collection was uniquely harmful to shareholders."The Campaign provoked immense consumer backlash and boycotts that caused Target's sales to fall for the first time in six years and wiped out over $25 billion in Target's market capitalizationleading Target's stock to experience its longest losing streak in 23 years," the complaint says.Target did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.The proposed class action lawsuit is related to an earlier shareholder lawsuit filed in August 2023 against Target, as well as one filed last month by the City of Riviera Beach police pension fund. All three lawsuits were filed in federal court in Ft. Meyers.Target executives did say during an August 2023 earnings call that traffic and top-line trends were affected by backlash to its Pride collection, but added that "it's not possible to reliably quantify the separate impact."The company has also recently struggled to compete for inflation-weary consumers against larger rivals like Walmart and Amazon, among other business challenges.Target may be facing the reverse backlash as well, as numerous employees and customers have told Business Insider they no longer support Target after they feel it has caved to anti-DEI pressure.Last month, Target said it was retiring several DEI initiatives to remain "in step with the evolving external landscape."Many other retailers have similarly been retooling their approach to DEI following President Donald Trump's executive order announcing the termination of these practices in the federal government.The January 22 order directs all government departments and agencies to "take strong action to end private sector DEI discrimination."

Last week, a Texas judge ordered Dr. Margaret Carpenter a New York abortion doctor to pay at least $100,000 in penalties for failing to appear in court. Carpenter has found herself at the center of two major abortion lawsuits: In December, she became the target of the first-ever civil suit against an out-of-state abortion provider, and officials in Louisiana are now also seeking her extradition, with newly appointed US Attorney General Pam Bondi signaling that shed love to get involved. The mounting legal battles center on whether states with abortion bans can block their constituents from receiving FDA-approved abortion pills from doctors in states with no such restrictions. The cases represent the latest salvo in the fast-evolving fight over reproductive rights in America.The attacks on Carpenter coincide with new federal threats to abortion medication: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now at the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), recently said he was open to reviewing and potentially reinstating stricter safety requirements on the abortion drug mifepristone despite it being incredibly safe, as affirmed by decades of patient data from around the world. RelatedMifepristone is safeAbortion pills have become the most common method for ending pregnancies in the United States, partly due to their safety record, their lower cost, and diminished access to in-person care. While states have ramped up abortion restrictions since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, access to abortion pills has actually significantly expanded since then, helping to explain why there were more US abortions in 2023 than in any year since 2011. Reimposing federal restrictions on the drugs could effectively end telemedicine abortion access, in which patients consult with abortion providers remotely, and which thousands of people in states with bans rely on each month for care. A potent strategy is emerging: revert back to older Food and Drug Administration (FDA) restrictions on mifepristone under the guise of womens health and safety, while simultaneously supporting states attempts to block out-of-state abortion providers. If it works, the anti-abortion movement could achieve many of the same ends as a federal ban without the political backlash. Maggie Carpenters charges underscore an emboldened anti-abortion movementCarpenter, a family medicine physician from New Paltz, New York, has become a focal point in the ongoing war over abortion access.In 2022 she co-founded the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine Access (ACT) to help enact shield laws in blue states to support providers dispensing abortion pills to patients in red ones. Shield laws protections can include barring state agencies from helping another states criminal investigation, and ensuring that an abortion provider does not lose their professional license or face malpractice insurance penalties as a result of an out-of-state complaint. To date, 18 states, including New York, have passed such laws, though Carpenters case represents the first real legal test of this shield strategy. RelatedThe Texas civil suit filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton alleges that Carpenter violated a state law that bans the mailing or online prescribing of abortion pills to people in Texas. The case was initiated by a report filed with Paxtons office by a man who claims to be the father of the pregnancy allegedly affected by the abortion pills. The Washington Post reported that the anti-abortion movement plans to launch a campaign encouraging male partners of women whove had abortions in Texas to come forward and sue.The Louisiana criminal case centers on Carpenter prescribing medication to the mother of a pregnant minor. Abortion pills are banned in the state and Carpenter, her medical practice, and the girls mother, who turned herself into the police, were all charged with felonies. The Louisiana law carries penalties of one to five years in jail and fines ranging between $5,000 and $50,000. In an interview with Talk Louisiana, the district attorney who filed the criminal charges, Tony Clayton, said doctors cant hide behind the borders of New York and ship pills down here, but acknowledged New Yorks shield law prevents me from going there to issue his arrest warrant. Clayton will be prosecuting with state Attorney General Liz Murrill, who warned that Carpenter could face arrest if she leaves New York, as most states honor each others warrants through reciprocal agreements. Julie Kay, Carpenters colleague and ACT co-founder, described this as a watershed moment.This has crossed a line thats never been crossed in this country and is not what people want, she told Vox. Nor is it smart because we have an incredibly high rate of maternal mortality and this pushes people away from licensed practitioners. New York has responded aggressively so far to protect Carpenter. Gov. Kathy Hochul explicitly stated she would never, under any circumstances extradite the physician, while the states attorney general, Letitia James, denounced the prosecution as a cowardly attempt to weaponize the law. Days after Louisianas indictment, Hochul also signed new legislation that allows physicians prescribing abortion pills to keep their names off the drug packaging. This new shield protection, which took immediate effect, lets doctors put their medical practices name on the packaging instead.Mifepristone and misoprostol pills. Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Gety ImagesThese shield laws set the stage for new kinds of legal battles between red and blue states. If Illinois refuses to extradite an abortion provider to Georgia, will Georgia retaliate and refuse to extradite a gun dealer to Illinois? Greer Donley of University of Pittsburgh, David Cohen of Drexel University, and Rachel Rebouch of Temple University wrote in a 2022 paper that was cited directly in the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization dissent.A broader backdoor strategyThe lawsuits against Carpenter are part of a broader legal offensive that seeks to exploit the post-Roe landscape. Louisiana has emerged as a key battleground, in 2024 becoming the first state to classify mifepristone as a controlled dangerous substance putting it in a class of highly regulated drugs that include fentanyl and methamphetamine. According to legislative tracking from the Guttmacher Institute, four more states Indiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas have all introduced or pre-filed bills this year that would do the same thing.Meanwhile Republican attorneys general from Idaho, Kansas, and Missouri are mounting a new federal challenge to mifepristone that represents a more legally sophisticated approach than previous attempts. Unlike the 2024 Supreme Court case brought by anti-abortion advocates that was ultimately dismissed for lack of standing, these attorneys general argue they have standing because their states incur costs for emergency medical care, and say they have an interest in enforcing their state abortion bans.The states rights strategy will likely appeal to Trump, who campaigned for reelection by insisting the Supreme Court had made abortion a states issue going forward. Trump also claimed he would avoid signing any federal abortion ban if elected. His flip-flopping on abortion worked: Most voters believed that Trump would not be a threat to abortion rights and that he would not prioritize the issue. As Vox reported last month, anti-abortion activists have signaled theyre willing to accommodate compromises with the White House that allow Trump to say hes kept his campaign pledge, even as they push other restrictions and promote fetal personhood language in policy wherever possible. (Trumps recent executive orders have already begun incorporating language about sex at conception a win for the fetal personhood movement.) State Rep. Mandie Landry, a Democrat from Louisiana, told Vox that her state was already deeply hostile to abortion, even before the charges against Carpenter. The way forward, according to Landry, will be to build more political power state by state, not file more lawsuits or push more federal bills. The way to dig out of the hole were in with reproductive rights and LGBTQ rights is to do the grunt work that takes a long time through the state legislatures, she said. The anti-abortion movements embrace of states rights arguments might seem to conflict with their ultimate goal of ending abortion nationwide. But experts say this strategy could actually advance their broader aim of establishing the national standard of fetal personhood. If the Supreme Court accepts red states argument that they can block their residents from getting abortion care from blue states, it would help establish precedent for state authority to protect unborn life precedent that could later support arguments for fetal rights more broadly.Kirsten Moore, the director of the Expanding Medication Abortion Access Project, says the red state charges against Carpenter reveal the anti-abortion movements hypocritical logic. Theyre saying you blue states dont get to do what you want, and we red states get to do what we want, she said. Can red states preempt the federal government?Over the objections of groups like the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the FDA long has long had mifepristone on its Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) list, a designation used when the government determines that increased restrictions are necessary for a drugs benefit to outweigh its risks. As a result, until relatively recently, patients had to visit doctors in person to receive the medication, meaning telehealth was off limits, and patients couldnt just fill a prescription at their local pharmacyIn 2017, the ACLU sued the FDA, arguing its mifepristone restrictions were not medically justified, and during the pandemic the FDA temporarily lifted its requirement that mifepristone be dispensed in person at a clinic or a hospital. In December 2021, the FDA announced it would permanently lift the in-person requirement, leading to the robust abortion telemedicine abortion industry that exists today. But many leaders in the anti-abortion movement cast these actions as proof that lawmakers had lowered medical standards. They pushed a number of baseless and misleading arguments about protecting womens safety which Vox examined in 2023. Its widely expected that anti-abortion lobbyists will try to push the FDA to reinstate the national restrictions that the Biden administration eased. Moore, of the Expanding Medication Abortion Access project, emphasizes that this would take time, and almost certainly face legal challenges from drug companies that have invested millions into the FDA drug approval process already. Another option though, could be for an official at HHS to write a memo on behalf of Kennedy claiming mifepristone represents an imminent harm. Under federal law, that could empower the HHS Secretary to pull the drug from the market. Moore suspects, however, that a less politically conspicuous states rights strategy would be more attractive to Trump.The fight over whether states can restrict FDA-approved medication isnt new. In 2022, the manufacturer of generic mifepristone sued Mississippi over its restrictions on the abortion pill, arguing that federal approval should preempt state regulations under the supremacy clause of the Constitution. While that case was ultimately deemed moot after Roe was overturned, the same fundamental tension now animates the Republican attorneys general lawsuit and the prosecution of Carpenter. Legal scholars see a strong, though legally uncertain argument that federal authority should prevail when state and federal law directly conflict. But anti-abortion forces are betting that the current Supreme Court, which emphasized state authority in overturning Roe, will be receptive to arguments for state power to restrict abortion pills even if that means overriding federal drug approvals.For providers like Carpenter, these federal developments add another layer of uncertainty to an already precarious and shifting landscape. Even if she and her colleagues successfully fight off state-level prosecution, FDA rule changes could effectively limit their ability to provide telehealth abortion care to patients in restricted states.What comes nextThe legal challenges to Carpenter will likely take months, if not years, to play out. A spokesperson for ACT declined to comment on the new Texas penalties.For now, advocates emphasize that abortion remains accessible and affordable to people in all fifty states. Should that change be it through new FDA restrictions, new aggressive enforcement of the Comstock Act, or other developing tactics even the backup option of international providers like Aid Access might not be enough to prevent a significant increase in people forced to carry unwanted pregnancies.Still, a broader aim of the anti-abortion movement is to deter providers like Carpenter from choosing to offer care at all. While the immediate battles center on medication abortion and the provision of care to red states, the long-term goal for the anti-abortion movement is to end access in all states, with fetal personhood established nationwide. When asked how other providers have been reacting to the charges, Kay, the ACT co-founder, said the new attacks follow a long history of violence, harassment and intimidation against people who offer this care. Nobody becomes an abortion provider lightly, she said. They do it because theyre mission-driven and because they recognize that one in four women in America will have an abortion, with more than half of those already mothers. See More:

Marvel Rivals Season 1.5 is here, arriving with two new characters, a whole bunch of tweaks for the existing roster, and more here's everything included, and when you can play itTech17:14, 20 Feb 2025Updated 17:15, 20 Feb 2025The Fantastic Four will finally be complete in Marvel Rivals this week(Image: Netease/Marvel)It's been a bizarre week for Marvel Rivals. While the game keeps pulling in new players, Netease laid off the entire US-based development team on a week where main rival Overwatch kicked off its new Season 15.Whether you're playing Rivals or have switched back to Blizzard's shooter, this week sees the full might of the Fantastic Four combine for the first time Season 1 added Mr Fantastic and The Invisible Woman from Marvel's 'First Family', but now it's time for the dynamic duo of The Human Torch and The Thing to finally join the roster.Here's when you can play the game, and we have the full patch notes nice and early from the team at Netease, too.Marvel Rivals has attracted a lot of Overwatch players(Image: NetEase Games)Season 1 Part 2 of Marvel Rivals is expected to arrive at 8 AM GMT on February 21 (the same day as the latest Fortnite season) for UK gamers. For everyone else, you'll find the timings below, which is an hour earlier than we'd anticipated.12 AM PST3 AM EST9 AM CETAs for those new Heroes, here's all we know about their abilities.Human Torch:Primary - Fire Cluster - Launch forward a splittable fireball.Q - Supernova - Unleash shockwaves to deal damage to enemies within range. During skill activation, the flame field will transform into a fire tornado.Right Click - Blazing Blast - Launch a fireball that creates a flame field.LSHIFT - Plasma Body - Hold LSHIFT to enter a state of accelerated ascent.E - Pyro Prison - Connect flame fields to form a fire wall that deals burning damage to enemies.F - Flaming Meteor - Dive towards the ground and stun nearby enemiesTeam-Up - Storm consumes fire tornado into her Ultimate, or Human Torch can add fire to her Tornado.The Thing:Primary - Combination Punch - Quick and continuous punches.Q - Slam Moment - Uses tremendous force to knock all enemies in front of you into the air.Right Click - Thunderbolt Punch - Deliver a devastating punchLSHIFT - Furious Charge - Continuously charge forward, lifting up enemies in your path, leaving behind a seismic zone that prohibits displacement.E - Battlefield Support - Jump towards teammates and add damage reduction to them and yourself.Passive - Solid as a Rock - Immune to knockback and other displacement effects.Team-Up - Wolverine can interact with Hulk or The Thing. Once confirmed by both sides, Hulk or The Thing can raise Wolverine. Press the button to throw him toward the crosshair.Here are the full patch notes, courtesy of Netease.New content - All PlatformsHeroes and Costumes- The Thing and Human Torch are ready to rock out and flame on!- New Costumes: The Thing - Trench Coat and First Family, along with Human Torch - Negative Zone Gladiator and First Family!Maps and Modes- Enter the new Convergence map - Empire of Eternal Night: Central Park.- New: An extra 0.5 seconds of grace time will be added at the end of the overtime in all modes, optimizing situations where games may end abruptly (like when players cannot be detected due to certain hero abilities or when accidentally drift slightly outside the valid range).- New: In Quick Mode, matchmaking for substitutes will no longer occur when a quick match is about to end.- Optimization: Improved loading speed at the start of matches.Season Battle Pass and Season Story Events- The season event Midnight Features II is here!- The first round of the season 1.5 Twitch Drops event is live! Players can earn the "Two-in-One" spray and Hela's "Great Galaxy" emote. Also, stay tuned for a second round, expected to arrive mid-season 1.5, featuring a brand-new costume reward! (Keep an eye on official announcements for exact times!)- Players who purchase the Luxury Battle Pass and redeem all its rewards can now convert any leftover Chrono Tokens for Units at a specific ratio.Ranked- New: Season 1 has been split into S1.0 and S1.5, with S1.0 concluding on February 21, 2025, at 8:00 AM (UTC+0). Rewards including the costume and Crest of Honors will be distributed accordingly. In S1.5, players will retain their ranks from the end of S1.0.- New: S1.5 Gold Rank costume rewards include Invisible Woman - Blood Shield and Human Torch - Blood Blaze.- New: Crest of Honor rewards for S1.5 will feature distinct designs for Grandmaster, Celestial, Eternity, and Top 500.- New: A "Hide Own Name (Competitive)" feature is now available for players at Diamond III and above. Once activated, your true identity will be under wraps during the loading screen, hero selection, and the start of the match. Other players won't be able to see your name right away! After a short period in the battle, your real name will pop back up.General- Career System: Season statistics will now distinguish between S1.0 and S1.5, with the added ability to filter Tournament data only.- Account Deletion: A new account deletion option has been added under Settings - Other, allowing players to initiate the account deletion process.- Inactivity Detection: AFK timers will pause during the wait to respawn.- Reticle Customization: All changes will now automatically upload to server storage, preventing loss due to local issues.- Graphics and Settings: Optimized the brightness of some scene floors when "Reflection Quality" is set to "Off."- Discord Binding Interface: Adjusted to generate an invitation code only upon clicking "Generate."New Content - PCGraphics and Settings- NVIDIA DLSS 4 is available now, featuring DLSS Multi Frame Generation for GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU. DLSS Multi Frame Generation generates up to three additional frames per traditionally rendered frame, providing even faster performance for gamers.- AMD Radeon Anti-Lag 2 is available now, reducing the system latency (the time between user inputs and visual responses). It works best in GPU-limited scenarios. (Anti-Lag 2 Requires AMD Radeon RX 5000 Series or newer GPU)- Fixed AMD FSR3 Frame Generation frame pacing for smoother experience.New Content - Console- Adjusted the "Model Detail" graphics setting tier for Xbox Series S to enhance performance and stability.- Improved focus navigation in the mail system for easier content management.- Optimized aim assist range and mechanics, making crosshair deceleration more visually intuitive.Fixes - All PlatformsGeneral- Fixed an issue where some UI prompts in the team voice system would occasionally delay or disappear.- Resolved a rare issue where players couldn't operate after reporting a player.- Corrected a variety of language and text issues.Maps and Modes- Fixed terrain issues that could cause characters to become stuck or clip through odd locations.- Resolved various issues including floating broken objects, collision errors, etc.- Addressed several sound issues on maps.- Corrected a rare bug in Doom Match, that displayed multiple players in first place.- Rectified an issue in Conquest mode where, after reconnecting to a match, indicators, such as KO Streaks would not be displayed.HeroesPlenty of heroes and villains are getting tweaks(Image: NetEase Games)- Fixed various hero SFX issues.- Resolved a series of quirky pairing performance issues between various heroes.- Spider-Man's Wall Crawl Woes: Fixed an issue where Spider-Man sometimes couldn't use his abilities while falling from the top of a wall. The web-slinger can now strike without a hitchno more sticky situations!- Hulk's Banner Backtrack: Resolved a glitch where Hulk couldn't be detected by vehicles or mission areas during his transformation back to Bruce Banner. The big guy's identity shift is now seamless!- Doctor Strange's Portal Precision: Fixed a bug where Doctor Strange's portals could get destroyed if they intersected with broken Recursive Destruction objects during the rewind phase in Empire of Eternal Night: Midtown. The Sorcerer Supreme's portals are now as reliable as his magic!- Iron Fist's Jumping Jack: Addressed an exploit that allowed Iron Fist to perform rapid consecutive jumps under specific conditions. The martial artist's acrobatics are now finely tuned!- Loki's Revival Riddle: Fixed an issue where Loki would incorrectly indicate he was out of Adam Warlock's revival range while transforming within Adam Warlock's ultimate range.- Mister Fantastic's Elasticity Error: Fixed an unexpected interaction where Mister Fantastic's ultimate bounce range preview was affected by Cloak's Phased state. The stretchy hero's powers are now back on track!- Captain America's Unbound Shield: Corrected an issue where during Captain America's ultimate, he couldn't be stunned by Spider-Man's ultimate.- Squirrel Girl's Sonic Surprise: Resolved a sound issue where Squirrel Girl's hit sound effect was occasionally too sharp. Her acorns now land with a perfect pop!- Venom's Damage Dilemma: Fixed a problem where Venom's ultimate sometimes failed to deal damage. The symbiote's ferocity is now fully unleashed!- Mister Fantastic's Elastic Aim Adjustment: Fixed an issue where Mister Fantastic's arm orientation sometimes didn't align with the targeting reticle when using his abilities. Now, the stretchy hero can hit the mark with precisionno more twisted arms!- Magneto's Magnetic Misfire: Addressed an issue where Magneto's ultimate could pass through characters without dealing damage due to discrepancies between collision models and visual effects. The collision body is now properly optimized to better suit the visual presentation.- Portal Peril Prevention: Fixed an issue where if certain heroes were eliminated by terrain after using their abilities to pass through Doctor Strange's portals, it would sometimes not count as a KO for the Sorcerer Supreme. Now, every portal pitfall will be counted!- Doctor Strange's Visual Vanishing Act: Fixed a problem where other players sometimes couldn't see Doctor Strange's ultimate effect. The Eye of Agamotto will now dazzle everyone on the battlefield!- Doctor Strange's Control Conundrum: Resolved an issue where Doctor Strange's ultimate control effect could be overridden by Luna Snow's or Scarlet Witch's control effects, prematurely ending his control. The Sorcerer Supreme's spells now hold strongno more magic mix-ups!- Cloak & Dagger's Ice Imprisonment: Resolved an issue where, while using their ultimate, if being frozen by Luna Snow, Cloak & Dagger would remain frozen even after taking damage. They can now break free from Luna's icy grips!- Peni Parker's Cyber Conundrum: Fixed a quirky situation where if Peni Parker was defeated while using Cyber-Bond and resurrected by Rocket Raccoon's beacon, she would be stuck in her Cyber-Bond animation. She will now be revived without any lingering effects!- Mister Fantastic's Stretch Cancel: Fixed a glitch where Mister Fantastic's Stretch Punch could be interrupted by Distended Grip during its wind-up phase, yet still erroneously deal damage. Now, the stretchy hero's attacks are consistentno more bouncing back from unfair hits!- Loki's Ultimate Illusion Fix: Resolved an issue where, after transforming into another hero and using their ultimate, the ultimate's effects could remain in the scene if Loki was defeated during the process. We've ensured that his tricks vanish appropriatelyno more ghostly ultimates haunting the battlefield!- Rocket's Revival Resurgence: Fixed an issue where heroes revived by Rocket Raccoon's B.R.B. occasionally became unable to move. Now, everyone can get back into the action without a hitchno more stuck-in-place moments after a heroic comeback!- Moon Knight's Bounce Damage Fix: Resolved an issue where Moon Knight's bounce attack would occasionally fail to deal damage. Now, his strikes hit true.Article continues below- Winter Soldier's Targeting Trouble: Addressed an issue where Winter Soldier's ultimate sometimes visually appeared to hit targets but would actually miss. The sharpshooter's aim is now spot on!For more on Marvel Rivals, check out what the devs had to say about a potential Switch 2 port of the free-to-play phenomenon.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Free-to-play Xbox and Playstation video game eFootball has now taken on one of the hottest young prospects in world soccer as a brand ambassadorTech17:10, 20 Feb 2025Lamine Yamal in eFootballOne of the hottest young names in world sport has signed up as a brand ambassador of the eFootball video game alongside Lionel Messi.Barcelona and Spain ace Lamine Yamal joins the likes of the Argentine legend and fellow footie kings Luis Suarez and Neymar Jr as the latest face of the game.The 17-year-old has become a household name in the last year after wowing soccer fans with his silky pitch side skills.And game makers Konami hope his new star power will help to boost the millions of players theyve got enjoying the free-to-play Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X hit on consoles.Lamine's character in the gameREAD MORE: Daily Star's newsletter brings you the biggest and best stories sign up todayTo celebrate Lamine joining the game, they released a glitzy new trailer for his inclusion.Theres also new in-game content featuring the lad, including a new epic player character in his likeness and a new Carnival Campaign, where players can earn free eFootball coins and exclusive in-game rewards.A spokeswoman for the game said: At just 17 years-old, Yamal has already made history as one of the most exciting young talents in football.His incredible skill, vision, and passion for the game align perfectly with eFootballs mission to deliver an authentic and immersive football experience to players worldwide.Late last year, Neymar Jr and Suarez signed up alongside old teammate Lionel Messi to star in the game.Article continues belowThe trio - known as MSN in their heyday - were a global footballing force together in the mid twenty teens, winning leagues and cups galore over three seasons.

Were no historians but were pretty sure Yasuke didnt drive a car back then (Steam)While Ubisoft faces yet another controversy over Assassins Creed Shadows, a parody game starring Yasuke has popped up on Steam.Whether its a huge success or a dismal failure, Assassins Creed Shadows will certainly be remembered for the constant stream of discourse surrounding its historical accuracy, particularly regarding the inclusion of African samurai Yasuke as a playable character.Ubisoft has been accused by some of not being historically accurate and even appeared to apologise for it (maybe? It was never clear) even though historians say Yasuke did exist. Although that seems irrelevant anyway, given the Assassins Creed games have never been very accurate and have plenty of fantastical elements.Even so, the amount of arguing has reached such a level that indie developers have decided to create a parody game bluntly titled Yasuke Simulator.In case it wasnt more blatant what the games doing, its developer is listed as HistoryAccurateDevelopers and its slated to launch on Steam on March 20 the same day as Assassins Creed Shadows.Its clearly made on the cheap, but it doesnt present itself as an Assassins Creed game, as theres much more focus on combat than stealth. Its claims of historical accuracy clearly arent meant to be taken seriously either, since gameplay footage shows Yasuke driving cars and firing guns.We couldnt tell you whether Yasuke Simulator is meant to mock Ubisoft or the games critics, but its probably both. Its certainly going to be interesting to see whether Ubisoft knows about it and if they try to get it removed.Probably not, since its not like it owns the rights to Yasukes existence, and, as far as we can tell Yasuke Simulator doesnt include any material lifted directly from Ubisofts work. If anything, it has more in common with a GTA game than Assassins Creed.At the moment Assassins Creed Shadows is scheduled for release on March 20 for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC. You, er, you doing okay there, Yasuke? (Steam)Its not just Yasukes inclusion in Assassins Creed Shadows that has attracted complaints. A tie-in statue for the game that featured a ruined, one-legged Torii gate was decried as insensitive, prompting it to be removed from sale and be redesigned.This is because theres a famous one-legged gate at the Sann Shrine in Nagasaki, which was partially destroyed by the atomic bomb that dropped during the Second World War.More TrendingSimilar complaints were made about gameplay footage where the player entered a shrine (one based on the real-life Itate Hyozu Shrine) and destroyed parts of it.According to Sankei News (as translated by Automaton), representatives of the real-life shrine have said they will be taking appropriate action regarding the shrines portrayal, adding they were never contacted by Ubisoft about the shrines inclusion in the game.This in turn is reminiscent of the Church of England objecting to Manchester Cathedral being featured in PlayStation 3 launch title Resistance: Fall Of Man.Its unclear if an attempt will be made to push Ubisoft into removing the shrine or just ensuring it cant be interfered with by players. Either way, lets just hope this doesnt lead to another delay. Were starting to think this game is cursed (Ubisoft)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Xbox AI plans already getting roasted by devs: Nobody will want thisMichael BeckwithPublished February 20, 2025 5:30pmUpdated February 20, 2025 5:30pm Are AI tools really for developers benefit? (Microsoft)Game developers have publicly hit back against Microsofts new AI tool, with one suggesting the company is being led by yes-men.For as much as the idea of using AI for game development has been mocked and derided by regular gamers, its clearly something several publishers are interested in pursuing.Just this week, Microsoft announced a new AI development tool called Muse that its training on its own Xbox games, with the hope that it will empower game creators.Maybe Microsoft sincerely believes such a tool will be beneficial for developers and make their lives easier, but a number of game creators have declared theyre not interested in Microsofts AI promises or anyone elses for that matter.Speaking with Wired, one developer, who remained anonymous, said, [Microsoft] dont see that nobody will want this. They dont care that nobody will want this.They even suggested that theres little internal pushback because people are afraid of speaking out against it: Internal discussions about these sorts of things are quiet because everyone fears being against this and losing their jobs due to the tumultuous time in our industry.Another anonymous developer believes that the real audience for Muse is not game creators, but shareholders: to show that Microsoft is all in on AI, which has yet to deliver a product that anyone wants.That is certainly a believable statement, as everything from live service games to mass layoffs have more to do with performative actions for investors than it does the actual needs of a company.The developer also said they asked for anonymity because they worry facing repercussions from Microsoft: I also still need to beg them for money for a Game Pass deal, and attaching my name would reduce my chances.If this is accurate, it perhaps recontextualises Microsofts statement about interviewing 27 studios to make sure the research was shaped by the people who would use it.David Goldfarb, founder of Metal: Hellsinger studio The Outsiders, is far less concerned with upsetting Microsoft, bluntly posting F*** this s*** on X in response to the news.He followed up with a more detailed explanation of his distaste for using AI, telling Wired, The people who are promoting it are doing it to reduce capital expenditure and whether they intend to do it or not, are effectively disenfranchising and devaluing millions of collective years of aesthetic effort by game devs and artists.The primary issue is that we are losing craft. When we rely on this stuff we are implicitly empowering a class of people who own these tools and dont give a f*** about how they reshape our lives.Elsewhere, AI researcher and game designer Dr Michael Cook also wrote up a response to Muse with his own blog post. Its mostly to clear up misconceptions about how Muse actually works, but Cook did share his own criticisms.More TrendingFor starters, while Cook does find the tech impressive, he doesnt think Muse is at all practical, at least at this stage, since the demonstrations Microsoft shared are based on years of player data: Most developers couldnt afford to do this, and the ones that could do not have years and years of player data to show an AI, because by definition if they did their game would already be out.Cook was especially critical about Xbox boss Phil Spencers comments, about how an AI model can help with preservation by feeding it gameplay and video data from older games and thus emulate them on current hardware.He bluntly called these claims idiotic and absolutely not a solution for game preservation, adding that by that logic, a childs drawing of the end cut scene of Final Fantasy 8 is preservation.Preservation is not just about gameplay, and its not just about video, continued Cook, A generative model of what game footage maybe looked like once might be a nice curio on the side of a real preservation process, but it is always going to be inferior to other ways we approach the problem. The YouTube announcement for Muse currently has only 489 likes compared to the 2,100 dislikes (Microsoft)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

One of the worlds richest people is already playing with his latest toy. Thursday morning, news broke that the James Bond franchise, which was already owned by Amazon due to its 2022 purchase of MGM, was changing creative leadership. Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, whose families had been controlling the franchise for 60 years, retained ownership but are passing creative control to Amazon. The move instantly sparked all sorts of speculation and debate about the massive corporation owning such a crucial piece of pop culture and the head of Amazon was more than happy to weight in. Whod you pick as the next Bond? Jeff Bezos tweeted soon after the news. The question sparked all manner of fans flooding him with ideas, especially fans of Henry Cavill, who auditioned for the role back in 2005. Cavill, for the record, is currently 41 years old, which is about the age the last several Bond actors were when they took over the role. Whoever sips the next shakenbut not stirredmartini aside, the fact that Bezoshas a role to play in this feels hugely disconcerting. Part of the reason why the Bond franchise has remained so beloved is the high quality demanded by its producers. Now, under Amazon, even if they cast Cavill or another fantastic actor, theres every chance the franchise will get watered down: too many spinoffs, too many brand deals, not enough consideration. Look what has happened to Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Marvel, DC, Star Trek, you name it in the past few decades. Once a major corporation takes hold, it squeezes those brand names for everything theyre worth. And, in the end, while some good things do come of that, theres also the danger of oversaturation and a dip in quality. Which, obviously, has happened in basically all of those cases. And, in all of those cases, at least there were still some strong creative voices in the room: Kevin Feige, James Gunn, Peter Jackson, Kathleen Kennedy, etc. People with experience telling stories. Not Jeff freaking Bezos.Let us know what you think about this all below. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By Thomas Maxwell Published February 20, 2025 | Comments (7) | A new WSJ report suggests advertisers are returning to Elon Musk's X to avoid litigation or possible regulatory problems. Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Musks nearly $300 million gamble on the re-election of President Trump continues to show dividends. A new report in the Wall Street Journal suggests that advertisers are returning to X in order to avoid being added to an ongoing lawsuit by the company or see their own business dealings targeted by the Trump administration. The report starts by noting that a major advertising agency called Interpublic is currently seeking to merge with rival Omnicom for $13 billion. While that might have stoked normal anti-trust concerns under the Biden administration, as a consolidated marketer would have more leverage to seek favorable ad prices, it appears that X sees it as an enviable opportunity to strike a quid pro quo deal: A lawyer at advertising conglomerate Interpublic Group fielded a phone call in December from a lawyer at X. The message was clear, according to several people with knowledge of the conversation: Get your clients to spend more on Elon Musks social-media platform, or else. Advertisers abandoned Twitter, now X, in droves immediately following Musks $44 billion purchase of the company, while they waited to see how Musks loosening of content moderation would play out. Musk famously told corporate executives including Disney CEO Bob Iger to go f**k themselves over their cessation of spending, saying they were directly silencing free speech by opting out of the service. It is important to understand in context that X has never been a great place to advertise, with an audience much smaller than the likes of Google, Facebook, or Amazon; and comparatively crude targeting abilities. The last year before Musk took over the company, Twitter reported annual revenue of $5.1 billion, far below its rivals. Furthermore, advertisers tend to be risk averse, seeking to appear alongside safe content so as not to appear to be endorsing harmful material like Nazi imagery. X has added some tools that are supposed to let advertisers avoid being placed around questionable content, though being on the platform at all could be seen as an indirect endorsement. But Musk won the gamble of a lifetime, so X does not need to be a good place to advertise. CEOs across industry have been lining up to placate President Trump, and by proxy that means Musk as well. Musks growing power in Washington includes using X as a megaphone to move legislators in whatever direction he sees fit, with President Trump essentially giving Musk the remit to slash entire agencies and make policy on his ownDOGE was Musks own idea. When he posts, Republican lawmakers follow. Directing lawmakers to scrutinize deals like the Interpublic-Omnicom merger could be as easy as throwing off a quick post.Recent reports suggest that Xs revenue remains far below where it was immediately prior to Musks acquisition, raising into question whether advertisers are returning to previous spending levels or are merely tossing X some token dollars. It may well be the latter: We now see brands returning in quite significant numbers, because the easiest route is to just spend a minimum viable amount on the platform, said Ebiquitys Schreurs. Not because they want to advertise there and run their ads adjacent to the content on X, but because they are afraid of legal and political ramifications of not doing so. Following Musks takeover of X and the sudden drop in advertising, the company sued a group of advertisers claiming collusion. An industry group called GARM was created and outlined a series of safety guidelines brands should use to decide whether to advertise on a platform; X said it targeted the company directly.Whether the case has merits or not, X has dropped advertisers from its lawsuit when they have shown a willingness to restart spending on its platform, and the Journal reports that CEO Linda Yaccarino has directly implied new advertisers could be added to the lawsuit if they do not buy ad packages: One ad-buying executive said Yaccarino brought up Xs antitrust litigation during their recent discussion and detailed Xs intention to find out which agencies and advertisers colluded to withhold spending from X. The Journal has reported that the likes of Amazon, Apple, and Verizon have recently returned or are planning to return to X. Musks $44 billion deal to buy Twitter once seemed like the worst business deal ever, but may end up being the best. He has managed to quickly spin up a related AI company that uses Xs data for training, and can now seemingly get an endless supply of cash from investors seeking to be close to power. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that X is looking to raise new funding at its original $44 billion purchase price after the valuation of the company had been slashed for years.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matt Novak Published February 20, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published February 19, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published February 18, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published February 18, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 18, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 13, 2025

Boleslavova 3 Building / Plus One ArchitectsSave this picture! BoysPlayNiceArchitects: Plus One ArchitectsAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:780 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:BoysPlayNiceManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: Grohe, Laufen, TON, Alpi-dha, Bomma, Brokis, Capacity System, DECHEM studio, De Dietrich, Frantiek Jungvirt, Gerflor, Lexov&Smetana, Maimana, Master&Master, Mikolkov&Drobn, Novavita, PLOVE, Palet, Penocze Lead Architects: Petra Ciencialov, Kateina Prchov, Tereza Throv More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Honoring the Original and Reviving It with Modernity - In Prague's Nusle district, a redevelopment project at Boleslavova 3 has brought new life to a courtyard gallery building from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The reconstruction preserved the historical essence of the structure while enhancing its common spaces and creating apartments with modern layouts tailored to contemporary living needs. The floor plan allowed for the creation of 15 unique residential units, offering views of the Nusle Valley. New striking interventions are represented by an unconventional palette of powdery shades that runs throughout the entire house.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Courtyard Gallery Building - The comprehensive transformation of the building focused on creating compact layouts and spatial details, redefining several outdated functions of the structure. The galleries, previously serving as common open-air walkways with entrances to the units, now take on the role of private balconies. The facade, in a light cashmere tone, has been insulated on the rear side of the building. The distinctive character of the courtyard is emphasized by the arched ceiling of the galleries, softened by ceramic chess-patterned tiles and the subtle metalwork of the railings. The courtyard, accessible to all residents, is complemented by well-maintained front gardens belonging to the ground-floor apartments. The gabled roof, covered with concrete tiles, is opened up by generous studio windows.Save this picture!Common Spaces - The focus was placed on the common spaces, which historically held a representative role in urban residential buildings. The same principle has been applied here, preserving both the original layout and, to some extent, the material design. The stucco walls of the hallways, rendered in powdery shades of grey and pink, draw inspiration from period muralstheir irregular patterns subtly reference decorative elements of local historical buildings. Complementing these tones are the dark-toned paneled entrance doors to individual apartments and mailboxes made from a mottled brown veneer. The hallway floors combine cast flooring with areas of small-format tiles, thoughtfully arranged in front of apartment entrances. Staircase - The centerpiece of the shared spaces is the original curvilinear staircase, whose stone steps were gently brushed and finished with a protective coating. The rough texture of the steps creates a distinctive contrast to the vividly colored walls of the corridors and the apartment entrance doors. The spiral form of the staircase is highlighted by subtle linear lighting that winds through all the floors. The lighting design was developed in collaboration with the designers and engineers from the Penocze studio.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Layout of the Apartments - Each apartment unit is unique, with no layout repeated across the floors. "The apartments on the first and second floors were redesigned to better suit contemporary living with more spacious bathrooms, improved layouts, and some even having balconies. The reinforcement of the ceilings with concrete slabs not only enhanced the structural stability of the floors but also added an attractive visual element in the form of exposed concrete ceilings. Between the first and second floors lies the only maisonette in the house, featuring its entrance directly from the street. The most extensive modifications were made in the attic, where the former loft space was divided into four units of varying sizes. One of the key challenges was avoiding suspended ceilings while maximizing the placement of skylights, even in spaces like bathrooms. Rounded lightwells above the bathroom doors bring daylight into the entry corridors. Natural lighting was a priority in the attic and was successfully integrated into rooms across other floors as well," explains architect Kateina Prchov, describing the layout solutions.Save this picture!Apartment Interiors - The new layout of each apartment has created an ideal framework for adapting them to the individual needs of future residents. All units share a unified standard that includes flooring with integrated electric heating and modern bathrooms combining earthy and white tones. These are complemented by heated towel rails and sanitary fixtures from the brands Grohe and Laufen. In the ground-floor apartments, original structural elements such as barrel vaults and niches have been preserved, enhancing the historical character of the residential house while providing both visual and functional value. A show apartment on the ground floor, designed also by Plus One Architects, features a stainless steel kitchen with red-pink glazed tiles by the Dutch brand Palet and practical profiled shutters for privacy and cooling during hot summer days. The building's only maisonette stands out for its monolithic concrete staircase. Additionally, the top floor is equipped with air conditioning units to ensure a comfortable indoor climate.Save this picture!Investor - The approach of Plus One Architects studio is based on discovering and highlighting the qualities of existing spaces in a modern way, driven by an understanding of the individual needs, visions, and limitations of each client. "The success of the entire process was built on the freedom and trust we received from the investor, Castle Rock Investments. The client supported the otherness of our design and wasn't afraid of bold solutions in materials and colors," says architect Petra Ciencialov, describing the collaboration with the developer. The result is a developer project that is unusual for the Czech environment, respecting the historical character of the building while offering functional and aesthetically refined living spaces. Although the building is intended for private housing, it serves as a broader inspiration for the renovation of urban buildings with historical value.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Boleslavova 141/3, Prague, Czech RepublicLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officePlus One ArchitectsOfficePublished on February 20, 2025Cite: "Boleslavova 3 Building / Plus One Architects" 20 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026817/boleslavova-3-building-plus-one-architects&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream