The Swedish warship Vasa. It sank in 1628 less than a mile into its maiden voyage and was recovered from the sea floor after 333 years, almost completely intact
Now housed at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm, Sweden. It’s now one of Sweden's most popular tourist attractions and has been seen by over 35 million visitors since 1961. Read More...
Drought-hit Danube River reveals scuttled German World War II ships
Mohacs, Hungary/Prahovo, Serbia
Reuters
—
The wrecks of explosives-laden Nazi ships sunk in the Danube River during World War II have emerged near Serbia’s river port town of Prahovo, after a drought in July and August that saw the river’s water level drop.
Four vessels dating from before 1950 have also come to light in Hungary’s Danube-Drava National Park near Mohacs, where the Danube’s water level stood at only 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) on Tuesday, the lingering effect of severe heat waves and persistent drought in July and August.
The vessels revealed in Prahovo were among hundreds scuttled along the Danube by Nazi Germany’s Black Sea fleet in 1944 as they retreated from advancing Soviet forces, destroying the ships themselves. The wrecks can hamper river traffic during low water levels.
Strewn across the riverbed, some of the ships still have turrets, command bridges, broken masts and twisted hulls, while others lie mostly submerged under sandbanks.
Endre Sztellik, a guard at the Danube-Drava national park, said of one of the ships, “we still don’t know what this is exactly. What is visible and an unfortunate fact is that the wreck is diminishing as people are interested in it and parts of it are going missing.”
The Danube stood at 1.17 meters (3.8 feet) in Budapest on Tuesday, which compares with an all-time record low of around 0.4 meters (1.3 feet) registered in October 2018. During floods, the Danube rises well above 6 meters (19.7 feet).
“Eastern Europe is experiencing critical drought conditions that are affecting crops and vegetation,” the European climate service Copernicus said on its website in its latest drought report, published earlier this month.
Long-awaited rainfall set in on Monday, which is expected to raise Danube levels to around 3 meters (9.8 feet) at Mohacs by the weekend, with the river likely to submerge the shipwrecks again.
The level of Poland’s longest river, the Vistula, has fallen to a record low, leaving sandbanks exposed in Warsaw and water so shallow a moose was filmed walking across it in a section in the countryside.
#news
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Nestled in the heart of Elvas, Portugal, stands the enigmatic Nossa Senhora da Graça Fort, or the Fort of Our Lady of Grace, a true marvel of military architecture.
Constructed between 1579 and 1592 under the reign of King Philip II of Spain, this captivating star-shaped fortress was brought to life by the brilliant military engineer Francisco de Arruda. Its strategic location near the Spanish border made it a bastion of defense critical to the protection of Elvas.
The fort’s ingenious star design, coupled with its formidable walls and bastions, was meticulously engineered to withstand the onslaught of artillery fire, showcasing the military tactics of its time. Throughout history, the fort has witnessed a series of fierce confrontations, playing a vital role in significant conflicts such as the War of the Spanish Succession and the Peninsular War.
As the tides of time shifted, the fort’s purpose evolved, and by the 20th century, it found itself transformed into a military prison. Eventually decommissioned, it has since been restored, standing proudly as a testament to Portugal's intricate tapestry of history—a silent guardian of stories untold.
#NossaSenhoradaGraça #ElvasFortress #MilitaryArchitecture #PortugueseHistory #WarOfSuccession #HistoricalLandmark
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⚔️✨ Warriors of the Pharaoh ✨⚔️
This powerful relief shows the Pharaoh in a dynamic pose, striking down his enemy, symbolizing his strength and dominance in battle. 🏺 The scene illustrates the Pharaoh’s role as both a ruler and warrior, defending Egypt and maintaining order through military might.
Such depictions were common in ancient Egyptian art, designed to showcase the Pharaoh's divine authority and ability to protect the land from invaders. 🌍 These carvings serve as reminders of the Pharaoh’s role as protector of Egypt, as well as their divine connection to the gods. 🌟
#AncientEgypt #Pharaoh
#EgyptianArt #WarriorKing #EgyptianHistory #DivineAuthority
#BattleScenes #ProtectorsOfEgypt
#PharaohPower #HistoricalRelief #AncientCivilizations #EgyptianCulture
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Maduro warns he’ll call for a ‘new revolution’ if forced by ‘North American imperialism’
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro warned Wednesday that he will not hesitate to call on the population for a “new revolution” if forced by what he calls “North American imperialism and fascist criminals.”
Maduro’s comments come amid deadly protests across the country following its disputed presidential election victory, which the US and several other countries have refused to recognize.
“I would not like to go to other ways of making revolution, I say it solemnly from political power, we want to continue the path that [Hugo] Chavez outlined,” Maduro said in Caracas during a press conference with international media.
“But if North American imperialism and fascist criminals force us, my pulse will not tremble to call the people to a new revolution with other characteristics,” he added.
The president’s comments come just hours after US National Security spokesman John Kirby called on Maduro to “come clean” on Sunday’s election.
“Our patience, and that of the international community, is running out on waiting for the Venezuelan electoral authorities to come clean and release the full, detailed data on this election so everyone can see the results,” Kirby told reporters during Wednesday’s White House press briefing.
Kirby said the US and other nations share “serious concerns of the reports of casualties, violence and arrests, including the arrests warrants that Maduro and his representatives issued today (Wednesday) for opposition leaders.”
“Alongside the international community, we are watching, and we are going to respond accordingly,” Kirby said.
20 ‘credible reports’ of deaths
The Venezuelan leader’s comments came as Human Rights Watch (HRW) said it had received 20 “credible reports” of deaths connected to the nationwide protests over the election results.
“We are working to document and corroborate each case,” Juanita Goebertus, HRW Director for the Americas, wrote on X.
Foro Penal, a local NGO, reported on Tuesday that a total of 11 people have died during the protests.
Of those killed, five died in Caracas, two in Zulia and Yaracuy, and one in Aragua and Tachira, the head of Foro Penal, Alfredo Romero, told reporters on Tuesday.
CNN has reached out to Venezuela’s Public Prosecutor for comment.
So far, the Venezuelan government has not published any information regarding the death of civilians.
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Typer.me App Now Available on the Play Store!
Typer.me is now on the Play Store! Download the app today and start connecting with others in a whole new way. Whether you’re sharing ideas, organizing content, or exploring trending topics, Typer.me gives you the tools to stay engaged. Install now and join our growing community! Read More...
Israel will say it had no choice, but its airstrikes in Lebanon risks igniting a regional war
Israel carried out "pre-emptive" strikes against Hezbollah overnight, while the militant group says it has completed the "first phase" of an attack on 11 Israeli military sites.
This appears to have been a high-stakes Israeli military operation that risked igniting a regional war.
Israel will say it had no choice: One of the pillars of Israeli military doctrine has long been the principle that offence is the best form of defence.
It is not the first time it has used its air force hoping to defang an imminent threat. Israel insists it sent an armada of warplanes to the skies over Lebanon, more than a hundred strong, to stop an 'extensive planned attack involving thousands of rocket launches' about to be let loose by Hezbollah.
Just as Israel launched audacious air attacks obliterating Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser's air force in 1967 and Saddam Hussein's atomic programme in 1981, Israel says it despatched jets overnight to neutralise Hezbollah.
It is not clear how many enemy drones and missiles were already in the air. Hezbollah claims all 11 of its targets in Israel were hit and it launched 320 Katyusha rockets.
The primary strike it says was aimed at "a qualitative Israeli military target that will be announced later" as well as "enemy sites and barracks and Iron Dome [missile defence] platforms".
Israeli intelligence sources had claimed the airbase used in the strike on Shukr and the headquarters of Unit 8200, the Israeli military intelligence agency, north of Tel Aviv, were on Hezbollah's target list.
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Hezbollah meanwhile says Israel's operation failed to pre-empt its long-awaited retaliation and insists it succeeded in striking targets deep within Israel.
Two questions for now: Hezbollah's next move and what this does to efforts to end the war in Gaza.
Will Hezbollah draw a line under the Shukr/Haniyeh affair? The organisation says today's action is over but is more planned in the coming days? All eyes are on its commander Hassan Nasrallah who will address his faithful by video link tonight.
He has not been seen in public since Hezbollah's war with Israel in 2006 for fear of being assassinated by Israeli jets himself.
Hezbollah attacked Israel in the wake of Hamas atrocities on 7 October and has been locked in an almost daily artillery duel with Israel over their border ever since.
Israeli intelligence claims Hezbollah has amassed an arsenal of 150,000 missiles secreted in the hills of southern Lebanon since 2006, 10 times the amount it possessed back then.
It has so far refrained from unleashing that firepower: Analysts believe its paymasters and patrons in Tehran prefer to keep that armoury in reserve as an insurance policy for the day Israel may attack Iran itself, as well as its alleged nuclear programme.
But Israel has been testing that theory for months now, responding with force to Hezbollah's attacks in the north. Each exchange of fire has the potential to escalate the region into a wider war through miscalculation and unintended mass civilian casualties.
So far, events overnight do not seem to have upended the fragile efforts towards a ceasefire in Gaza. Delegations are still on their way to Cairo for the next round of talks. If anything the escalation reemphasises the urgency behind the diplomacy.
But it could also offer the Israelis a distraction, should they want one, from huge pressure from the US to make the concessions required to reach a deal.
Most Israeli observers believe Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not want a ceasefire on the terms currently being negotiated for fear it could lead to his coalition government falling apart.
But US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators insist the truce terms are the best and possibly last chance of bringing home Israel's hostages and ending the war.
They also believe a ceasefire in Gaza is the best way of reducing tensions in the north - which have exploded overnight so spectacularly.
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A farmer, Eric Howard, trying to save a field from fire in Weld County, Colorado.
Eric is actually the neighbor of the farmer who owns the field. Once alarmed, he ran home and grabbed his equipment to help out.
#FarmLife #FireRescue #ColoradoFarmers #NeighborlyHelp #WeldCounty
#FarmHeroes #FieldFire #CommunitySupport #FarmEquipment #EricHoward
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NCSoft Just Announced Guild Wars 3
You know it’s a good day when you wake up and see news that one of the largest, most influencial, arguably most popular free to play MMOs get a confirmed sequel. That’s what just happened with Guild Wars 2.
When I first mentioned NCSoft were potentially developing a Guild Wars 3, people told me I was crazy, that there was no way that could be the case.
When I followed up several years later with confirmation that NCSoft were hiring programmers to create an MMO in an already pre-existing intellectual property, people said there was no way that could be Guild Wars 2. The game is too healthy, a staple of NCSoft’s roster of games, and by association, potential to make a quality game.
Yet according to multiple sources online – Inven – which documented NCSoft’s shareholders’ meeting on the 28th, and several websites that have since covered the reveal, Guild Wars 3 is already deep in development. Much further than any of us likely even thought possible after this announcement.
But what would a Guild Wars 3 look like? Will it differ from Guild Wars 2? Is it the same team working on it, and how will this ultimately affect Guild Wars 2? Especially given ArenaNet’s commitment to releasing more frequent expansions each year.
That’s what we’re going to try and find out.
The investor’s meeting began by acting chairman, Park Byeong-moo – who we’ll refer to as Park for the remainder of this video – stating that the global gaming market in 2023 is very unstable, and NCSoft has experienced difficulties both internally and externally, resulting in a decline in stock price.
With how poorly Throne & Liberty did in Korea, and NCSoft’s recent statement confirming it’s up to Amazon with the Global release to save the game, with Aion, Blade & Soul, and their mobile games all doing poorly – this was to be expected.
Park followed this up with a statement referring to the companies history over the last 20 years. “If you look back at NC’s history, there are a number of successful IPs that were developed independently in Korea.”
Which is true. Aion, Lineage, Blade & Soul. All exceptional MMORPGs that did fantastic, financially, until they were ruined by NCSoft’s mismanagement and greed.
“I am confident that NC will be able to develop its capacity for sustainable development again.” – With regards to new intellectual properties? Unlikely. Potentially, by expanding on already existing intellectual properties like Lineage, Aion or Blade & Soul because they already carry a fanbase.
He then goes on to confirm “Innovation for change has already begun,” further elaborating on NCSoft’s Global vision by stating “this year is NCSoft’s first step forward as a global game company.”
“I dare say it’s the first year,” explaining that they’re in the process currently of releasing numerous games that fill a variety of different genres – some of which haven’t been done before, like the new open-world Trailblazer game, among many others.
The CEO, Kim Taek-jin is in the process of traveling around the world at present, in an active effort to expand not only their brand, but also their scope and games by engaging in Global collaborations.
As noted, one of the most important routes for the companies’ success moving into the future, is “establishing a foundation for globalization,” along with “continuous investment to increase new IPs.”
2024 is going to be a very important year for NCSoft and its shareholders, with much of its potential success riding on how well received Throne & Liberty is Globally.
A question was asked of Park, “NC West has been running a deficit for 8 years, and I don’t understand why the person in charge remains the same.” NC West is the North American studio in charge of Lineage, Aion, Guild Wars, and Blade & Soul across America, Europe and Oceania.
Park goes on to respond to this by confirming that originally, NCSoft had six studios within the United States, and after extensive work, with likely quite substantial costs, every studio was integrated into one: ArenaNet. ArenaNet is the developer behind Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2, and it’s at this point that the revelation was made concerning Guild Wars 3.
“ArenaNet are currently working on Guild Wars 3, looking at this process, we have considerable competitiveness. Although it is not completely profitable” – referring to ArenaNet – “I believe that it has increased its competitiveness.”
ArenaNet and the Guild Wars intellectual property have proven to be the continued driving force behind NCSoft in recent years, looking at their sales breakdown by region from the 4th quarter of 2023, you’ll see that “NA/EU sales grew by 15% quarter over quarter due to strong sales of Guild Wars 2.”
Park further elaborates on NC West by reiterating this is their “first year Global leap forward,” but they are also “reorganizing the Global headquarters.”
Park talked a little about he, the COO and CEO’s claims of excessive financial compensation, even in light of their continued stock price decline, but navigating further down, we see a question asked concerning NCSoft’s reputation – and how brand value has fallen recently.
I just want to point out, this isn’t a recent occurence. This is a reputation that has been deteriorating for the better half of 2 decades.
Park states that NCSoft has a “negative image among streamers in the gaming industry,” and that these creators will likely change their opinion about them after seeing the quality games they plan on releasing in 2024.
I haven’t seen a single game announced by NCSoft that screams a significant alteration in terms of quality. Or a drastic departure from what they’ve become synonymous with.
The rest of the Investor’s meeting went over topics that were unrelated to Guild Wars, but it looks as though they’re anticipating Guild Wars 3 will be a large driving force behind the studio’s expansion into the Western gaming market.
Which could very well be true. Guild Wars 2 is keeping the studio afloat right now. Guild Wars 3 could bring an entirely new audience to their games. But let’s take a look at what people have to say.
Honestly, I think Guild Wars 3 has the potential to be a phenomenal game so long as the people that made Guild Wars 2 stick to a formula that people love. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel, just optimize and improve on what worked.
But at the same time, I don’t forsee this game releasing for many years. Probably sometime after 2030. So they have plenty of time to craft the perfect formula.
Until then, there’s always Blue Protocol or Throne & Liberty, right? Right?
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She's a model
She’s a model
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#jenniferlopez
#alexandradaddario #AngelinaJolie #MeganFox #margotrobbie
#chrisevans #ChristianBale #AnneHathway #BrieLarson
#ScarlettJohansson #elizabetholsen #JenniferLopez
#JenniferAniston #JenniferLawrence #priyankachopra
#KristenStewart #HaileeSteinfeld #emiliaclarke #galgadot
#wonderwoman #DC #mcu #MeganFox #kyliejenner
#kimkardashian #kendalljenner❤️❤️❤️
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That's a little bit to! Yeah nice Warning
#warning #meme #funny
Thanks for warning 😉
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