Latest news with #Doom:TheDarkAges
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bill Ackman makes shocking allegation about Zohran Mamdani; rakes up his father's 'suicide bomber' theory - what you need to know
Billionaire hedge‑fund manager Bill Ackman trained his guns at New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani after his father's controversial takes on "suicide bombers" and recognising them as "soldiers" went viral on social media. Ackman, responding to a post pointing out Mahmood's stance, in an effort to target Zohran, said, "The apple @ZohranKMomdani doesn't fall far from the tree." The excerpts that have gone viral are from the book 'Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror' published in 2004 written by Mahmood Mamdani. The highlighted text read: "We need to recognize the suicide bomber, first and foremost, as a category of soldier. Suicide bombing needs to be understood as a feature of modern political violence rather than stigmatized as a mark of barbarism." But why did Mahmood make such a claim? Hear it from the man himself Zohran's father Mahmood Mamdani, who is a professor at Columbia University, had made several arguments about suicide bombers and how they should be viewed in the current political context in his 2004-published book. In an interview with Asia Society, he talked about his stance over terrorism. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Doom: The Dark Ages on Click Here Undo Mahmood said that to understand terrorism today, one needs to look beyond ideas like "self-defense" or "anti-colonial struggles" and focus on the "deeper link between state and non-state violence." "To understand terrorism, we need to go beyond self-defense, beyond the violence of liberation movements, beyond the violence of anti-colonial struggles and liberation movements. To understand non-state terror today, we need to understand the historical relationship between state terrorism and non-state terrorism," he said. Using this as the context, he talked about the need to "rethink" the suicide bomber, which he claimed, western media views "as a throwback to pre-modernity, either as adult irrationality or as a response of adolescents coerced by patriarchal authority." Calling this noting "too easy and too self-serving", Mahmood presented his own understanding of the term: "The reality is more likely the opposite; the suicide bomber is more likely born of a youth revolt than of patriarchal authority. The suicide bomber comes out of the history of the Intifadah." His comment on calling suicide bomber a "soldier" comes in the context of prolonged political occupation and generational failure, according to the interview. He argued that unlike Vietnam war or apartheid South Africa, both of which eventually ended, the occupation in Palestine continues, becoming a "brutal reality." "The failure of the older generation to find a humane alternative in Palestine in part explains the desperation of the younger generation, resorting to violence in politics. Even then, we need to recognize that the term suicide bomber is a misnomer. The suicide bomber is a category of soldier whose objective is to kill - even if he or she must die to kill," he said.
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
'…One of the Long-Term AI Winners in Software': Microsoft Stock (NASDAQ:MSFT) Notches Up With Oppenheimer Praise
Tech giant Microsoft (MSFT) just scored a serious win with praise from Oppenheimer, which revealed that there was plenty of opportunity for gains still to be claimed within Microsoft stock. Investors were, perhaps, a little skeptical of this, but sent shares up fractionally in Wednesday afternoon's trading. Don't Miss TipRanks' Half-Year Sale Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week. The word came from Oppenheimer analyst Brian Schwartz, who has a five-star rating on TipRanks. Schwartz upgraded Microsoft from Perform to Outperform, and also set a $600 price target on Microsoft stock. That implied a roughly 21% upside potential against the closing price on Tuesday. The biggest reason for this is that Microsoft stands to gain substantially from artificial intelligence (AI) thanks to its current partnership with OpenAI, parent of ChatGPT. Microsoft also has its own AI system, Copilot, which should also help. But Schwartz notes that it is not just AI that will drive Microsoft forward. Its growth in Azure is also likely to remain strong, serving as a potent competitor to Amazon (AMZN) and its Amazon Web Services ecosystem. Moreover, Schwartz notes, the sheer power of Microsoft's growth in this sector is not yet fully reflected in the share price, so there is a substantial potential win afoot. Game Pass is Too Profitable! Yesterday, we had a report come in that noted that Microsoft's Game Pass was 'unsustainable.' Not everyone, however, agrees with that assessment. In fact, depending on how you look at the numbers—and what numbers you refuse to look at—Game Pass might actually be profitable. Reports noted that Microsoft has specifically said it does not factor in 'first-party sales cannibalization.' This means, essentially, that games made available on Game Pass are basically hurting game sales. Fewer people are opting to buy the games directly when they can simply play said games through Game Pass for the monthly subscription fee instead. Indeed, Microsoft noted that, for Doom: The Dark Ages, it reached the three million player mark fully seven times faster than Doom Eternal did. This suggests some cannibalization at work, as Doom: The Dark Ages ' numbers on Steam were less than inspiring. However, reports note that Microsoft has some noteworthy accounting tricks for how it factors in that cannibalization, which make Game Pass look better for Microsoft. Is Microsoft a Buy, Hold or Sell? Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on MSFT stock based on 31 Buys and three Holds assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 6.51% rally in its share price over the past year, the average MSFT price target of $527.37 per share implies 5.21% upside potential.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Awareness first line of defence against cybercrime, says Gurgaon top cop
Gurgaon: The city saw an uptick in cybercrime cases, with more than a 17-fold increase in 2024 compared to 2021. Cybercrime recorded a skyrocketing trend from 79 to 1,300 cases by last year. Meanwhile, police action in terms of arrests also reflected a corresponding rise, though there was a substantial gap between the cases reported and arrests made. According to data obtained by TOI through a Right to Information (RTI) query, the number of cyber fraud cases registered by the city police showed a steep and alarming rise over the past few years, highlighting the growing threat of digital crimes in the region. Cyber fraud cases rose significantly to 216 in 2022, from 79 a year ago. The upward trend continued in 2023, with 589 cases recorded, and surged further in 2024, reaching a staggering 1,358 cases. However, there were zero arrests in 2021 despite the 79 cases registered that year. In 2022, 157 people were arrested in connection with cyber fraud cases, followed by 403 arrests in 2023. The number jumped to 1,064 in 2024. While this shows an improvement in enforcement, the growing number of cases continues to outpace arrests, underlining the urgent need for enhanced cyber policing and investigation infrastructure. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Doom: The Dark Ages on Click Here Undo You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon A police official said, "The complex and technical nature of the investigation often involves cross-border digital trails, use of encrypted communication and anonymous transactions through crypto-wallets or fake accounts. This makes it a time-taking process." City police commissioner Vikas Arora said, "Cybercrime doesn't target one group anymore. It affects anyone with a phone or internet access. We aim to make people understand the mechanics behind these frauds and the importance of swift reporting. It's not about being naive — it's about being misled under pressure. Awareness is the first line of defence." Arora said this while interacting with IT professionals at a cybersecurity awareness workshop organised by Gurgaon Police, Nagarro, NASSCOM and GACS (Global Association for Corporate Services) on Monday. The commissioner said among the key types of cyber frauds are investment scams, parcel and customs frauds, vishing (voice phishing), task-based online scams and fraudulent listings in search engines.
The Star
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Review: 'Doom: The Dark Ages' reinvents run-and-gun formula … again
LOS ANGELES: The rebooted Doom series has been a masterclass in reinvention. Bucking the trend of military shooters, the id Software team crafted a brilliant gameplay loop that's the spiritual successor to the run-and-gun action the developers pioneered in 1993. It relied on movement, herding enemies and creating satisfying combo-based combat while introducing exploratory elements. The sequel Doom Eternal refined that formula, emphasising vertical gameplay that made the Doom Slayer protagonist feel like a fighter jet, according to game director Hugo Martin. The third entry for the reboot goes in a different direction. A vision that works Doom: The Dark Ages is a prequel to the first two games and lets players discover the events leading up to the original reboot. It finds the Doom Slayer as a tool of the Maykrs as he's deployed to help the Sentinels in their battle against the minions of hell. Over the course of 22 levels, players will be in the heart of the Argenta Unholy Wars' politics and drama as the villain Prince Ahzrak searches for the Heart of Argent, a power capable of making him a god. He and his hell minions attack the Sentinels, who are hiding that power and trying to keep it out of his hands. The beauty of The Dark Ages is that players don't need to know much about the past games. They can jump into this chapter and enjoy the spectacle of seeing the Doom Slayer become the ultimate demon-fighting machine. When playing The Dark Ages , veterans will notice that this version of the Doom Slayer is a different beast from the past games. Developers at id Software revamped the combat to emphasise a more ground-based approach. If Doom Eternal made players feel like a jet pilot, The Dark Ages will make them think they're controlling a zippy modern tank. Most of the combat revolves around a shield that can deflect attacks and protect against projectiles while dicing fodder with a Captain America-like throw. Further in the campaign, the shield is imbued with runes that give it other ways to attack. Aside from offence, the shield also has a role in exploration, with players using it almost like a grappling hook at certain nodes. They can also crash through weakened walls or destroy pulleys that hold doors shut. It's a simple tool that's controlled by two buttons, but id Software does a remarkable job of giving it versatility, so that it can do much more, especially when combined with weapons. Weapon versatility The Dark Ages has an arsenal with enough versatility that players won't be leaning on two weapons. The fan favourite Super Shotgun can handle a wide range of encounters, but the Doom Slayer will encounter enemies that move too quickly or have attacks that take advantage of its limited range. That's when players will have to rely on other weapons and their properties, which emerge when they're powered up at the Sentinel Shrine. The team at id smartly crafted weapons to encourage players to switch them up, depending on the circumstances. If players need to stun enemies, the Cycler can shock swarming adversaries, giving players the opportunity to thin the herd. The Rocket Launcher has the ability to regain health when players parry an attack and enter the splash damage zone. Combine this with the melee weapon and shield rune upgrades, and players have several strategies to survive the demon horde onslaught. The weapons and shield forge a fascinating offshoot from the combat of the first two games. It's ground-based but manages to feel fast while satisfying players' desire to combo attacks, showing off the Doom Slayer's maneuverability. The gameplay echoes the original Doom titles that reward players who can circle strafe around attacks and dodge the shower of projectiles that flash across the screen. In The Dark Ages , series veterans do the same thing, albeit with a bigger arsenal and solid defensive moves that make dodging unnecessary. In fact, the campaign has moments where it feels as though the Doom Slayer is slugging it out with Cyber Demons, trading blows while blocking the enemy's melee attacks. At times, combat is essentially a heavyweight prize fight in mid-fisticuffs. A flow state The developers mix up the main gameplay with levels, in which players control an enormous mech called an Atlan and pilot a dragon named Serrat. The giant robot action gives players a sense of scale in these battles where they fight enormous demons mainly with melee attacks. The simple fighting mechanics work as the behemoths don't have much in terms of subtlety of movement. Meanwhile, the dragon levels are less successful but still exhilarating. Flying Serrat is more complicated than controlling the mech and requires a different set of skills. Players have to locate aircraft and shoot them down while also locking in on other adversaries, while dodging attacks, in order to blast them away. The developers do a notable job of mixing these elements of play through the campaign. For example, players fly their dragon and take down a massive enemy hell-icarrier (for lack of a better word) and they can land Serrat atop the vehicle, enter it and wipe out the enemies inside. All of this flows remarkably well, and that's the driving force behind the gameplay. Amid the whirlwind of extreme violence, The Dark Ages builds a momentum in its level design and pushes players along. And though it has secrets and rewards exploration, the team lays out these secrets in way that keeps propelling the Doom Slayer forward. In other words, it's a game that keeps the energy going forward and doesn't stop until its epic conclusion. – The Mercury News/Tribune News Service
The Citizen
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
NAG magazine unveils winter edition with Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal. The winter issue of NAG magazine, featuring Doom: The Dark Ages on the cover, has been praised for its artwork. NAG magazine launched its latest gaming read on a cold winter Friday afternoon in Johannesburg. Artwork NAG publisher Len Nery said that previous issues of the magazine had been much sought after, with the winter issue expected to garner the same interest. 'Chris, our incredible designer, had a chat about the look and feel of this cover and he's always been pushing for it to be purely about the artwork, having as little as possible writing on here. The issue looks so well-designed and amazing, and we are proud of this'. WATCH Len Nery speaking about NAG's winter edition ALSO READ: Assassin's Creed Shadows transports gamers to feudal Japan What is Doom: The Dark Ages? The new Doom is likely to enthral gamers with its gameplay. Doom: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal that tells an epic cinematic story worthy of the Doom Slayer's legend. In this third instalment of the modern Doom series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the Doom Slayer in a never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell. The Dark Ages is a dark fantasy, sci-fi single-player experience that delivers the searing combat and over-the-top visuals of the incomparable Doon franchise, powered by the latest idTech engine. Availability As the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favourites like the Super Shotgun while also wielding a variety of new bone-chewing weapons, including the versatile Shield Saw. Players will stand and fight on the demon-infested battlefields in the vicious, grounded combat the original Doom is famous for. Doom: The Dark Ages is now available, having launched on May 15, 2025, on PlayStation 5, PC (via Steam, and the Microsoft Store), and Xbox Series X/S. It is also available as a day one launch title for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. NOW READ: WATCH: 'Resident Evil Requiem' release date revealed: A new era of survival horror begins
