Connecting Iran's Shetab interbank network to the Russian system enabled collaboration, reducing reliance on the global SWIFT network, which has excluded Iranian banks since 2018.

Israel's military campaign against Hamas and Hezbollah could reshape Middle Eastern alliances and weaken Iran's regional influence.

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Mari­time Affairs has prepared the draft of a new shipping policy, which includes provisions aimed at providing financial sec­u­rity to the owners of registered ships.

‘Pakistan Shipping Policy 2024’ will replace Pakistan Merchant Marine Policy 2001, as well as the amended version of 2019. The ministry organised a workshop of stakeholders on Wednesday to discuss the draft of the new shipping policy.

Maritime Affairs Secretary Syed Zafar Ali Shah, chairpersons of port authorities, senior officials of the maritime affairs ministry and stakeholders from the private sector participated in the workshop.

The policy makes it possible by legislation to furnish a bond of adequate amount to owners of any registered ship if it is detained or seized for any reason within the territorial jurisdiction of Pakistan, and it should be within 24 hours after taking the surety bond.

The secretary of maritime affairs informed participants of the workshop that the Shipping Policy 2024 has been made in accordance with the standards and rules of the International Maritime Organisation.

It was noted that the government should ensure that if the case is settled, the bail bonds are returned within one month.

In this regard, a help desk should also be established within the ministry of maritime affairs and special courts related to maritime affairs should also be set up having powers equal to high courts.

The draft proposes that the newly registered Pakistani shipping company will pay $0.75 per gross registered tonnage for five years, while currently the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) is paying $1 per gross registered tonnage on its revenue.

The rebate of $0.25 to new companies is likely to encourage domestic and national investors to show interest in maritime industry.

The draft has proposed that the registered Pakistani shipping companies would be allowed to seek financing from foreign financial institutions and banks.

A proposal to grant tax exemption for 10 years to new foreign shipping companies was brought forward by the participants of the workshop, and they stressed for assistance by state authorities to Pakistan shipping companies in opening foreign currency accounts.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

Blizzard Entertainment has announced and released Warcraft: Remastered and Warcraft II: Remastered for PC. They are available on Battle.net for $9.99 each.

The Warcraft Remastered Battle Chest is also available on Battle.net for $39.99. It includes Warcraft: Remastered, Warcraft II: Remastered, and Warcraft III: Reforged.

View a trailer below:

Read details on the two remasters below:

Warcraft: Remastered

Relive the original Warcraft tale of Orcs & Humans.

Journey back to the beginning of a 30-year legacy with the first Warcraft story created in 1994, now remastered with vivid, all-new visuals and modernized controls!

Experience the inciting war between Orcs and Humans that shook Azeroth to its core. Defend the realm as the noble Alliance, or seek to conquer it as the bloodthirsty Horde across thrilling faction campaigns or custom skirmish games. Whichever side you take, there has never been a better time to charge into the legendary battles of Azeroth’s greatest heroes in the Warcraft universe.

Rediscover Iconic Sights and Sounds

Toggle between the classic art and the lovingly updated hand-painted artwork. Take in the full view of epic battles with widescreen support and numerous visual updates for the user interface. Enjoy the classic musical themes, now uncompressed and rebalanced.

Classic Gameplay, Modern Controls

Modern improvements, such as health bars, increased unit selection, hotkey indicators, and more have been added to build a seamless experience for a modern audience.

A Preservation Of History

Having excavated original concept art from 1994, Warcraft: Remastered includes a plethora of never-before-seen pieces that heralded the beginnings of the Warcraft legacy! Enjoy the lore and history as it was told in the past.

Warcraft II: Remastered

Master the tides in Warcraft‘s second iconic title.

Captain your own fleet in the second Warcraft title created in 1995, now remastered with vivid, all-new visuals and modernized controls!

War between orc and humans rages on across the seas, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance as the great tacticians of the Horde and the Alliance clash. Only one thing is certain: winning this war will demand unprecedented cunning, courage, and nerves of steel.

The Tides of Darkness Rise Again

After you’ve experienced the campaign for Tides of Darkness, prepare to take your honed skills into the Beyond the Dark Portal campaign, which is also included in this complete Warcraft II: Remastered package.

Rediscover Iconic Sights and Sounds

Toggle between the classic art and the lovingly updated hand-painted artwork. Take in the full view of epic battles with widescreen support and numerous visual updates for the user interface. Enjoy the classic musical themes, now uncompressed and rebalanced.

Join the Frenzy

Integrated with your Battle.Net account, test your friends in multiplayer on classic or custom maps that support up to eight players at once! Connect globally with players around the world by hosting or joining custom game lobbies.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463061/warcraft-1-and-2-remasters-out-now-for-pc/

The Penguin is in pretty good company.

Jason Sudeikis thinks Ted Lasso’s season-three critics lack imagination because they did not engage with the show like “live theater.”

The giant statue of her was better.

Director Jeff Fowler wants to remind fans that Shadow is more than a gun-toting speedster.

For $5,000, the Lightfoot scooter promises to charge up to a max of 20 additional miles a day, if you dare park it outside.

President-elect Donald Trump's selection of Fox News host Pete Hegseth as his nominee for defense secretary would place atop the Pentagon a combat veteran and political ally who has assailed the military as ineffective and "woke," mused about firing the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and blasted the top brass as having failed to safeguard American strength.

As Americans voted decisively for a candidate who explicitly rejects nearly everything that Bernie Sanders advocates, Vermont's senior senator insists that the Democratic Party just wasn't liberal enough. The mindset of the far left seems to be that the working class just needs more of what they just voted against. For Bernie, the answer is always, "more cowbell."

Sarah Palin was very nervous before her VP debate with Biden in 2008 and then she realized she just had to memorize the talking points on each issue and give that answer no matter what the specific question was. Are we sure that's not what Kamala Harris did this entire campaign?

Trump has shattered the Dems' blinkered assumption that racial minorities are defined by their race.

President-elect Trump has chosen South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security. This is what to know about her background.

Interest rate policy divergence is a re-emerging threat for the Canadian dollar

House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that Rep. Matt Gaetz, who was tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to run the Justice Department, issued his resignation letter on Wednesday.

Entire continents, even in the tropics, seem to have been under sheets of ice.

Super Bowl champion Heath Evans offered advice to ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark after the former player said he would not and does not respect President-elect Trump.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce empathized with Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb about fighting the sun glare at AT&T Stadium.

Sydney Sweeney blasted Hollywood's "women empowering other women" mantra as "fake" and a "front." The actress said that "none of it's happening."

Gable Steveson, who won the coveted Hodge Trophy an unprecedented two times, is not quite ready to bring his wrestling career to a close.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., didn't hold back in his criticism of Rep. Matt Gaetz being nominated to serve as attorney general in President-elect Trump's second administration.

After back-to-back hurricanes triggered millions of power outages in Florida, power companies are trying to make the grid more resilient while also elastic enough to handle all the solar power flowing into the system.

From physics to greyboxing, Half-Life 2 broke a lot of new ground.

1. 'Red Monster' galaxies in early universe challenge current models of galaxy formation  Nanowerk
2. James Webb Space Telescope’s data unveils galaxies that could lead to a dark matter revolution  The Times of India
3. NASA James Webb Telescope Data Points to Dark Matter Alternative: 10 Key Insights  Moneycontrol
4. ‘Red Monster’: Scientists discover three ultra-massive galaxies, challenging previous formation theories  Business Today
5. James Webb Space Telescope finds galaxies pointing toward a dark matter alternative  Space.com

1. ‘Cricket at crossroads. Keep egos in check…’: Afridi attacks India without taking names for Champions Trophy row  Hindustan Times
2. Should Men In Blue play in Pakistan?  The Times of India
3. Champions Trophy 2025: ‘Not BCCI’s Issue, It Is…’ – Former PCB Chairman Najam Sethi Makes Controversial Claim  News24
4. "Countries Once Divided...": Shahid Afridi's Big Appeal To BCCI Amid Champions Trophy Row  NDTV Sports
5. ‘ICC should snatch hosting rights from India and Pakistan for 8 years’: Rashid Latif to HT on Champions Trophy muddle  Hindustan Times

1. Gold price today: MCX gold rate falls below ₹74,000 per 10 grams; silver price drops by ₹1,100 | Stock Market News  Mint
2. Gold prices fall for 4th straight day, silver remains steady; check the latest prices in your city  Upstox
3. Gold Price Today: Yellow metal prices continue their fall, tumble by Rs 2,000/10g this week  The Economic Times
4. Today Gold Rate 14-11-2024: Check latest prices in your city  Hindustan Times
5. Gold off Rs 4,775 per 10 gm from all-time highs; trade at Rs 75,000/10 gm  Zee Business

1. U.S. Republicans complete power takeover with House majority  The Hindu
2. After Senate Win, Republicans Retain House Majority; Trump Secures Clear Path To Enact His Policies  The Times of India
3. Republicans claim US House, achieving ‘trifecta’ of election victories  Al Jazeera English
4. Trump has full control of government - but he won't always get his way  BBC.com

1. Wayanad, where Priyanka Gandhi made election debut, sees lowest-ever voter turnout  Hindustan Times
2. Wayanad Bypoll, Where Priyanka Gandhi Made Poll Debut, Records Its Lowest-Ever Voter Turnout  Times Now
3. Assembly bypolls: Voting held in 31 seats across 10 states in big INDIA vs BJP contest  India Today
4. Rahul Gandhi Takes Kerala's Longest Zipline In Landslide-Hit Wayanad  NDTV
5. 64.98% cast votes in Malappuram in Wayanad bypoll  The Hindu

North Korea and Russia each ratified a mutual defense treaty within days of each other. The pact means the countries will defend one another if attacked. And some say it may mean more involvement by North Korea in the war between Russia and Ukraine. We hear about the ramifications from our correspondent in Seoul.

A Durham company progressing toward its first utility-scale clean power plant says the Trump agenda actually fits its business model.

For Canadian men's soccer goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, it's all about winning the small contest in front of you, and accumulate enough of those wins in succession, and greatness will follow.

In addition to the skyrocketing prices of hotel rooms, inflated Uber rates and hysteria around her presence, Taylor Swift hugely affects the sports ecosystem around her. Whether or not skeptics want to admit it, her connection to sport creates a cultural impact that can not be denied.

Hydrow, a company that makes smart rowing machines, just announced the Core, a new model that eschews monthly subscription fees. The Hydrow Core Rower features the “same award-winning design” as the original Pro Rower, which we said was positioning itself to be “the Peloton of smart rowing machines.”

Obviously, the hook here is that the Core is a one-and-done purchase with no recurring subscription costs. It still comes with an attached display, which lets users “row through stunning destinations.” All told, this machine offers access to 30 self-paced rows through these exotic locales.

The Core Rower supports unlimited users, which is nice, but there is one major caveat. There’s no subscription, so there’s no access to instructor-led workouts, badges, milestones and other premium features. However, customers can add a membership later for all of that stuff. Hydrow charges $44 per month for a subscription. It could be useful to try it out for a month to see if all of those additional bells and whistles are worth it.

The Hydrow Core Rower is available right now and costs $1,995. This is the exact same price as the flagship Pro Rower. The company also recently released a trimmed down version called the Hydrow Wave. This one is smaller and cheaper, clocking in at around $1,700.

Amazon is marking down a slew of its products for Black Friday and that includes its streaming devices. Currently, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is down to $33 from $60 — a 45 percent discount that brings it to a new all-time low price. This device is Amazon's most powerful streaming stick, supporting a 4K Ultra HD display, with an enhanced Alexa Voice Remote and Wi-Fi 6E support. You can, of course, use it to access Amazon Prime Video, along with Netflix, Disney+ and all your favorite streamers. 

While the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a good option for streaming, we also use it for something a bit different: playing retro games. Our senior reporter Jeff Dunn bought one to play games from the PS1, Game Boy, Genesis, old arcade games and more. He finds it works much better than having to lug around any bigger devices. However, using your Fire TV Stick 4K Max to play old games requires a bit of setup so, if you're interested in trying it, may I direct you to Dunn's helpful guide here. 

Amazon's Fire TV Cube is also discounted as part of a larger sale on Fire TV devices for Black Friday. Right now, you can pick up the streaming device for 29 percent off, dropping to $100 from $140. The Cube is your pick if you want access to ethernet and hands-free use with Alexa. It's more powerful than the 4K Max, but, for the price difference, it's a tough call if it's worth it. 

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

Select YouTube creators can now produce their own remixes of existing songs. YouTube has announced a new feature for its AI-powered Dream Track tool that allows individuals to "restyle" a song and create a 30-second tune to use in a Short. 

Creators in the experiment group for this feature can choose from eligible songs and then give an explanation to AI about how they want to remix it. These changes could focus on giving the song a different genre or mood — whatever twist they're imagining. From there a new song gets produced "that reimagines the music while maintaining the essence of the original song’s vocals and lyrics," YouTube's announcement states. "These restyled soundtracks will have clear attribution to the original song through the Short itself and the Shorts audio pivot page, and will also clearly indicate that the track was restyled with AI."

YouTube rolled out Dream Track in November 2023, powered by Google DeepMind's Lyria model. It allowed a select group of US creators to make songs using the AI-generated voices of participating artists. The feature included a deal with Universal Music Group and partnerships with a slew of musicians, including John Legend, Charli XCX and Troye Sivan. It has expanded its availability to all US creators in the year since. 

Amazon has released a new trailer for Secret Level, the upcoming Prime Video show that tells stories set in the worlds of beloved, popular or even upcoming games (and also Concord). Given that it’s an anthology series, there’s unlikely to be an overarching plot, so there’s not much to grok here from a narrative perspective. And the sooner there's a mortarium on trailers being soundtracked to that overused M83 song, the better.

However, the visuals sure do look pretty. The quality of the animation is genuinely impressive. At least in some cases, the art style apes that of the game the episode is based on. That’s particularly true for what we see of the Sifu episode, but Secret Level is not, for instance, retaining Spelunky's aesthetic.

Other episodes are based on the likes of Armored Core, Crossfire, Dungeons & Dragons, Exodus, Honor of Kings, Mega Man, New World: Aeternum, Pac-Man, The Outer Worlds 2, Unreal Tournament and Warhammer 40,000, along with "various" PlayStation Studios games. One of those is Concord, which Sony unceremoniously killed for good after its disastrous debut.

Some major mainstream stars have lent their voices and even likenesses to the series, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves (who appears in the Armored Core episode), Ariana Greenblatt and Gabriel Luna. Video game stalwarts, including The Last of Us stars Merle Dandridge and Laura Bailey, are involved too.

Secret Level — which is from the creative team behind Netflix's Love, Death and Robots — will debut on December 10. More episodes will be released over the following week.

Blizzard pulled off a rare surprise today by shadow launching remasters of the original Warcraft and its sequel to commemorate the franchise’s 30th anniversary. These updates of the hit RTS games are available right now and look to merge retro goodness with some modern sensibilities.

The remasters feature “brand new, hand-drawn visuals that capture the original art style from each game.” Players will be able to swap between the original graphics and the remastered versions in real time. If the trailer is anything to go by, the games look purdy. The simple animations match the vibe of the two games nicely.

The original Warcraft is getting some serious quality-of-life changes to make the game more appealing to modern audiences. The update includes 16:9 resolution support and modern control options. For instance, players can now right-click to move units instead of having to rely on hotkeys.

Both remasters have also received "various UI and UX improvements such as tooltips and health bars, mission select screens, and increased unit selection." The original games placed strict limitations on how many units could be selected at once, so that last one is a nice improvement.

Warcraft 2 will even be available for multiplayer sessions. Franchise manager Brad Chan said during today’s 30th anniversary livestream that “all legacy custom maps will still be fully compatible and playable.” These remasters are available right now. Warcraft 1 is $10 and Warcraft 2 is $15.

Today’s 30th anniversary stream also dropped all kinds of other nuggets beyond the remasters. Warcraft 3: Reforged got a major update today that fixes many long-standing issues. Blizzard also announced that the affiliated mobile title Warcraft Arclight Rumble will be playable on PC starting on December 10, albeit as a beta.

The developer is relaunching WoW: Classic, complete with “all-new, fresh realms.” WoW: Classic 20th Anniversary Edition will be available on November 21 and will include PvE and PvP servers, in addition to Hardcore realms.

WoW Classic is even getting a new (old) expansion. Mists of Pandora Classic will be available next year. Check the trailer above for proof.

Black Friday deals are already popping up around the web, and that includes some Apple devices. You can pick up a four-pack of Apple AirTags for just $70, which brings the price per tag down to $17.50. That's a record-low price for the four pack and just about the cheapest we've seen on the price per unit.

Apple AirTags easily made our list of the best Bluetooth trackers, particularly for regular iPhone users. We love the vast finding network, which really helps when you misplace a tag. Just think of all of those AirTags, iPhones and other Apple devices out there helping to create this network.

Apple AirTags also offer the ability to tap into the ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless protocol. This creates a sort of game out of finding lost items, as long as the object is within 25 feet of the phone. The screen will display directional arrows and a distance meter so you can zero in on the lost item without having to ring the AirTag.

There are some caveats. These trackers only really work with iPhones, so Android users should buy something else. Also, the ringer only goes for seven seconds at a time, which isn’t always enough time to track something down. Finally, there’s no attachment point for connecting to a keychain or a related item. However, there are plenty of good AirTag accessories to solve that problem.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

If Frenchmen can do it, Americans can.  

Social media platform Bluesky, a major competitor to Elon Musk’s X, has gained more than 1.25 million users since last week's U.S. presidential election. Bluesky posted Wednesday morning it had reached more than 15 million users, up from nine million in September.

With its rich resources, uranium mining companies want Canada to play a key role in fuelling nuclear reactors worldwide.

Bariatric surgery is still the gold standard for morbid obesity treatment, yet patients and medical professionals will likely seek less invasive weight loss drugs before considering bariatric surgery. 

The post The Rapid Growth of GLP-1s and Their Impact on Bariatric Surgery appeared first on MedCity News.