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As it celebrates its 20th birthday, online video game "World of Warcraft" has demonstrated a rare longevity thanks to its loyal following and constant evolutions. "It is inspiring to be able to work on this rare game that has touched so many lives, and to also feel the burden of carrying that forward," Ion Hazzikostas, the current director of the game, told AFP at the Gamescom trade show in Germany in August. As an early fan of "WoW" he joined California-based Blizzard, the American developer of the title, in 2008 before climbing the ranks. Although it was not the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game (a genre known as MMORPG) when it was released in 2004, "World of Warcraft" was an instant success, quickly attracting several million players worldwide. It benefited from the popularity of the Warcraft brand, a saga of real-time strategy games launched ten years earlier by Blizzard, which was bought by Microsoft in 2023. In the game, two factions face off in a fantasy universe populated by orcs and elves where thousands of players can connect and cooperate simultaneously, in exchange for a monthly subscription of $15 a month. It was the social aspect of the experience, still in its infancy at the time, that appealed to players. "It was a precursor," said Olivier Servais, a specialist in online communities. "Blizzard focused on guilds and communities on a human scale, bringing together between 30 and 200 players." In these groups, "people flirt, they confide about their daily lives", weddings and funerals are organised, and the game becomes "a pretext to socialise", he said. "WoW" was born the same year as Facebook, and comprised key elements such as online interactions and communities that would help create today's globalised social networks. "It was many people's first real exposure and connection to people in a digital virtual environment. And that was part of the magic, and that's a hard thing to replicate," Hazzikostas said. Since then, other popular games such as "Fortnite" or "League of Legends" have adopted similar codes. At its peak in the 2010s, "World of Warcraft" claimed more than 10 million active accounts, though the number could be higher because many people often share one account, in Asia, in particular. Blizzard no longer reveals the number of accounts, but "WoW" remains popular across the world. "We are not resting on our laurels, or coasting gently off into the sunset," Hazzikostas said. Its 10th extension, "The War Within", was released in August with new domains to explore and other changes. "Twenty years later, it remains a monument but in a gaming market that has completely changed," Servais said. Hazzikostas said Blizzard is "trying new ambitious things to shake up what we've done and keep that vibrant". "I don't see an end point to 'World of Warcraft' on the horizon today," he said, drawing parallels with franchises such as Marvel or "Star Wars."US sex-abuse watchdog fires investigator after learning of his arrest for stealing drug money DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Center for SafeSport abruptly fired one of its investigators last month after learning he’d been arrested for stealing money confiscated after a drug bust he was part of during his previous job as a police officer. Jason Krasley left his job with the Allentown Police Department in Pennsylvania in 2021 and was hired by the Denver-based SafeSport center to look into sensitive cases involving sex abuse and harassment. The center said it conducts multiple interviews and a “comprehensive background check” of potential employees. The center said it was looking into cases Krasley handled to make sure they were dealt with appropriately. Jim Larrañaga steps down at Miami, Bill Courtney takes over to finish season CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Jim Larrañaga has stepped down as Miami’s men’s basketball coach effective immediately. Larrañaga will be replaced by associate head coach Bill Courtney — one of Larrañaga’s best friends for the past three decades or so — for the remainder of the season. The now-former coach says he loves the university but believes it's the right time to step away. Larrañaga says "I’ve tried every which way to keep this going.” Larrañaga joins a long line of prominent college basketball coaches who have left their jobs in recent years citing the changes in the game and the challenge of coaching in the name, image and likeness era. Cowboys shutting down CeeDee Lamb with 2 games to go over receiver's shoulder issue FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are shutting down CeeDee Lamb with two games remaining after their 2023 All-Pro receiver spent the second half of the season dealing with a sprained right shoulder. The team says additional exams revealed enough damage to keep Lamb off the field Sunday at Philadelphia and in the final game at home against Washington. The team says surgery isn't expected to be required. Dallas was eliminated from playoff contention a few hours before last weekend’s 26-24 victory over Tampa Bay. NBA's Christmas Day ratings skyrocket, even going up against NFL games The NBA got viewers for Christmas, even while going up against NFL games. The NBA’s five-game Christmas lineup was the league’s most-watched in five years, with the games averaging about 5.25 million viewers per game across ABC, ESPN and its platforms, the league said Thursday based on Nielsen’s preliminary numbers. It’s an 84% rise over the NBA’s Christmas numbers from 2023. Pat Riley says the Miami Heat will not trade Jimmy Butler ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — If Jimmy Butler wants a trade, the Miami Heat have no plans to make him happy. Heat President Pat Riley — in a rare move — spoke out to address rumors Thursday, saying the team has no plans to trade Butler. It’s a clear sign that, if necessary, the team will be willing to let Butler leave as a free agent and get nothing in return. Riley says in a release distributed by the team "we usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches.” Penn State offensive coordinator Kotelnicki's creativity has the Nittany Lions humming in the CFP Penn State's offense is thriving under first-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. The Nittany Lions are one of a handful of Power Four schools averaging 200 yards per game rushing and receiving heading into their College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Boise State. Penn State has one of the most unique offensive weapons in the country in tight end Tyler Warren. Warren has 92 receptions this season and has become a threat out of the backfield, rushing for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Organizers say two sailors have died in Sydney to Hobart yacht race amid wild weather conditions SYDNEY (AP) — Organizers said that two Sydney to Hobart sailors have died at sea amid wild weather conditions that forced line honors favorite Master Lock Comanche to withdraw among mass retirements. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which administers the yacht race, has said that one sailor each on entrants Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline were killed after being struck by the boom, a large horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail. The race will continue as the fleet continues its passage to Constitution Dock in Hobart, with the first boats expected to arrive later on Friday or early Saturday morning. Haaland penalty failure and Fernandes red card pile on woes for City and United in Premier League Erling Haaland’s failure from the penalty spot and Bruno Fernandes’ latest red card have compounded the woes of Manchester City and Manchester United on another tough day for the two Premier League giants. City dropped more points in its improbably poor run of form by drawing 1-1 at home to Everton. Haaland had a spot kick saved by England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. The defending champions have only won one of its last 13 games in all competitions. City is languishing in seventh place while United is 14th after a 2-0 loss at Wolverhampton. Fernandes was sent off in the 47th. First-place Liverpool beat Leicester 3-1 in foggy conditions at Anfield and leads by seven points. Simona Halep withdraws from Australian Open qualifying because of knee and shoulder pain MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has pulled out of Australian Open qualifying and a tuneup tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, because of pain in her knee and shoulder. Thursday's news represents the latest interruption of her comeback from a drug suspension. Halep posted on social media that she was feeling poorly after participating in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi. The 33-year-old Romanian said she is planning to next enter the Transylvania Open in her home country, where play begins Feb. 3. Halep was granted a wild-card entry for qualifying in the Australian Open last week. Mahomes throws 3 TDs as Chiefs clinch AFC's top seed by breezing past the skidding Steelers 29-10 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns and the Kansas City Chiefs locked up the top seed in the AFC for the fourth time in seven seasons with a 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The two-time defending Super Bowl champions raced to an early 13-point lead and were never really threatened by the Steelers (10-6). Pittsburgh has dropped three straight to see its chances of capturing the AFC North take another hit. Travis Kelce caught eight passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Kelce also became the third tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 receptions, joining Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten.By Kemberley Washington, CPA, Bankrate.com The IRS Direct File program, which lets taxpayers file their federal income tax return directly with the IRS for free, is doubling its reach to 24 states for the 2025 tax season, up from 12 states in 2024, the program’s pilot year. The Direct File program will also accept more types of tax situations for the 2025 tax season. While taxpayers who used the system in 2024 could claim a handful of tax credits, including the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit , that list is expanding in 2025 to include the child and dependent care credit , among others. Related Articles An estimated 30 million taxpayers will qualify for the Direct File program in 2025, the IRS says. More than 140,000 taxpayers filed their federal tax returns through the Direct File program in 2024. About 90% of users said their experience was excellent or above average, according to a survey of about 11,000 Direct File users in 2024, conducted by the General Services Administration. “We’re excited about the improvements to Direct File and the millions more taxpayers who will be eligible to use the service this year,” said Danny Werfel, the IRS commissioner, in a statement. “Our goal is to improve the experience of tax filing itself and help taxpayers meet their obligations quickly and easily.” The IRS says that taxpayers can use Direct File when the 2025 tax season kicks off in January, and it will be available until Oct. 15, 2025. But the program’s future is somewhat unclear: In December, 29 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, calling for him to end the Direct File program on his first day in office. Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives also introduced legislation in July to end the Direct File program. For now, here’s what you need to know about how the IRS Direct File program works, and how to qualify for it. The Direct File program is a new initiative, about to enter its second year, that allows taxpayers to file their federal tax returns electronically with the IRS. The no-cost tool guides taxpayers through every part of their federal income tax return. Taxpayers can file using a smartphone, computer or tablet. One of the program’s advantages is that, if you have questions as you’re working on your return, you can get live support directly from the IRS via chat or phone. IRS representatives can answer basic tax questions and help with technical issues in English and Spanish. The Direct File program has income limits, as well as limits on the types of income, deductions and credits you can enter on your tax return. For the 2025 tax season: To be eligible for Direct File, your income can come from the following sources: But if you’re self-employed, or have business or rental income, you can’t use Direct File . Same goes for IRA contributions or distributions: If you have either, you can’t use Direct File. You can use the IRS Direct File program only if you claim the standard deduction — the program isn’t available to people who itemize. But you can claim certain above-the-line deductions: student loan interest , educator expenses and health savings account contributions . You can’t use Direct File if you want to deduct your IRA contributions. The Direct File program allows for the following tax credits in 2025: However, if you want to claim education credits , credits for energy efficient home upgrades or the adoption expense credit , you can’t use the Direct File program. More taxpayers will have access to the IRS Direct File program in 2025. In 2024, the IRS kicked off the program with only 12 states; that number has expanded to 24 states for the 2025 tax season. For some of the states that participate in the IRS Direct File program, your federal return information will be transferred automatically to the state tax website, but in some cases you’ll have to re-enter your information. Visit this IRS Direct File page to get the details for your state. Here is a list of the participating states: If you don’t qualify for the IRS Direct File program, you may have other options to file your tax return for free. In addition to Direct File, the IRS offers the Free File program, in which it partners with online tax software providers to provide free federal income tax return filing. Some providers also allow you to file a state income tax return. For the 2024 tax season, your adjusted gross income had to be less than $79,000 to qualify for the Free File program. That dollar threshold is likely to rise slightly for the 2025 tax season. The IRS also offers the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which provides certified volunteers to prepare basic tax returns if you earn less than $67,000 a year, are disabled, or speak limited English. You can find a site near you by visiting this IRS page . ©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Maharashtra Assembly Sees Lowest Number Of Women MLAs, Says PRS Report
Late kickoff return TDs by Turpin and Thomas spark the Cowboys as they end their 5-game skidGeorgia Tech cruises past Alabama A&MMatteo Berrettini is carrying the Italian flag high in the sport as he aims to come back strongly from injuries. Berrettini is popular in his country for not just his professional exploits, but also his colorful personal life. He is apparently in a relationship again after breaking up with Melissa Satta, a TV presenter and model. The 28-year-old Berrettini is currently dating Federica Lelli, who is 2 years younger than him, as per a Il Messagero report. Lelli is more famously known in Italy to be the ex-girlfriend of singer Ultimo. However, she has a strong identity of her own with 156,000 followers on Instagram alone. Lelli is an influencer and model who resides in Rome. It is believed that she first met Berrettini at a social event in France where she studied political science and international relations in a reputed university. Berrettini resides and trains in Monte Carlo but is shuttling between the French city and Rome, since he is allegedly in a live-in relationship with Lelli. The Italian paparazzi snapped Berrettini and Lelli walking on the streets of Rome hand in hand, looking extremely happy with each other. While the couple hasn’t put up any pictures and videos together on social media, their privacy can be understood. Berrettini has had a difficult last 3 years in his personal and professional lives both, more so after making the finals of the Wimbledon 2021 competition. Berrettini’s last two relationships before Lelli Before Lelli, Berrettini seemed to be going strong with Satta. In an interview with The Sun , he called the relationship an ‘intense one’ while explaining why he broke up with her in February 2024. It seems that Berrettini is prioritizing his tennis career more and Satta was a distraction for him, despite the fact that she showed her support by turning up for some of his matches. On the other hand, Satta has quite a history with dating other sportspersons. Infamously, she was said to be responsible for the late Kobe Bryant cheating on his wife Vanessa, which nearly made her file for divorce. So lack of trust in the relationship could have made Berrettini break up with her. Before Satta, Berrettini was in another highly-publicised relationship with a WTA player from Australia, Ajla Tomljanovic. They were together for 3 years and shot together for the Netflix docuseries, Break Point. But Berrettini was unhappy with the way their relationship was portrayed as he was accused of throwing out Ajla from his room once as well. Eventually, both the players were dissatisfied with each other because of having separate lives and finding it difficult to spend time with each other. While Berrettini has had it difficult in love matters, he and his fans too would hope that Lelli is the right match for him.
SM Cinema proudly launched the new IMAX® at SM Mall of Asia alongside the highly anticipated release of “Moana 2” on Nov 23, offering guests the ultimate immersive film experience. Described as the biggest IMAX with Laser screen in the Philippines, SM Mall of Asia’s upgraded theater features IMAX® with Laser technology—a cutting-edge projection system paired with a multi-channel sound setup, exclusive to IMAX theaters. Designed for total immersion, IMAX with Laser delivers stunningly clear, lifelike visuals and precise audio, redefining the moviegoing experience like never before. IMAX with Laser is set apart by its 4K laser projection system featuring a new optical engine and a suite of proprietary IMAX technology that delivers crystal clear images, increased resolution, deeper contrast as well as the most distinct, exotic colors ever available on-screen. The new experience also features next generation IMAX precision sound, delivering greater dynamic range and precision for the ultimate in audio immersion. Check the SM Cinema website for showtimes, special screenings, and more. Dive into the world of IMAX with Laser, and let the adventure unfold.Motion Control Software in Robotics Market Is Booming Worldwide with IRockwell Automation, Siemens
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