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Xbox Game Pass subscriptions hit 10 million

Pay-monthly service sees huge surge in players and gaming time due to Coronavirus lockdown

Microsoft has announced that its Xbox Game Pass subscription service has passed 10 million members. The initiative, which adopts a similar model to Netflix and other streaming platforms, gives subscribers unlimited access to more than 100 Xbox and PC games for a monthly fee.

Commenting on the figure, Xbox chief Phil Spencer said that use of Game Pass, as well as the company’s online multiplayer gaming service Xbox Live, had increased substantially in recent weeks due to Covid-19. “Since March, Xbox Game Pass members have added over 23 million friends on Xbox Live, which is a 70% growth in friendship rate,” he said. “Game Pass members are also playing twice as much and engaging in more multiplayer gaming, which has increased by 130%.”

We saw record engagement in gaming this quarter:
• Xbox Live has nearly 90 million monthly active users
• Xbox Game Pass has more than 10 million subscribers
• Project xCloud has 100s of thousands of active users in preview across 7 countries, with more coming

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Assassin’s Creed Valhalla among 13 games announced for Xbox Series X

Xbox livestream showcases new titles designed to support the advanced features of the forthcoming console

Microsoft has revealed 13 games coming to its Xbox Series X console when the machine launches this winter. In an hour-long presentation, streamed live on Thursday, the company announced that well-known titles such as the recently announced Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, as well as Madden NFL 21 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, will all be on Xbox Series X.

Also featured was Paradox Interactive’s vampire adventure, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. Codemasters presented its racer DiRT 5 complete with impressive lighting and mud splatter effects, and an option to run it in 4K at 60 frames-per-second or in a lower resolution at 120fps. Namco Bandai showed a new anime-style sci-fi thriller named Scarlet Nexus, about a group of psychic law enforcers.

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Xboxes and anxiety: how Crystal Palace are helping kids in lockdown

Club’s charity has adjusted swiftly amid Covid-19 and faces challenges with youngsters previously involved in crime

Like most workers in the charity sector, George Henry knew he had a problem when the UK entered lockdown on 23 March. As the targeted interventions manager at the Palace for Life Foundation – Crystal Palace’s charity – Henry uses football to help disadvantaged young people in south London and organises a team of mentors who try to keep them on the straight and narrow.

“Most of them have been arrested or been in gangs and we try to get them into positive outcomes,” he says. “We’re based in schools and a custody suite for our Divert programme, which aims to get them back into employment and training. Around this time of year we usually help with the transition from year six to year seven but because of the lockdown that couldn’t happen.”

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Релиз эмулятора DOSBox Staging 0.75

Спустя 10 лет с момента прошлого значительного выпуска DOSBox опубликован релиз DOSBox Staging 0.75, разработку которого подхватили энтузиасты в рамках нового проекта, собравшие в одном месте многочисленные разрозненные патчи. DOSBox представляет собой мультиплатформенный эмулятор среды MS-DOS, написанный с использованием библиотеки SDL и развиваемого для запуска старых DOS-игр в Linux, Windows и macOS.




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Jack in the Box




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DIY- Vintage Easter Egg Dye Garland or Treat Boxes

I don’t have a lot of Easter decorations (when you compare it to my Christmas and Halloween goodies) so I decided I wanted to make a garland this year using scans from old boxes of egg dye. You could turn these little boxes into a garland like me, or use … Continue reading




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Cake Slice Treat Boxes paper craft DIY

Today I wanted to share a free DIY printable that I made. Little cake slice treat boxes. They make great party favors, or print one out and fill it up with treats for a birthday. Twelve boxes will make a whole cake. They are very easy to assemble printed on … Continue reading




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Toaster Pastry Boxes

Toaster Pastry box for your printable pleasure. You can print them here: toasterpastryboxes










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Gogglebox favourite June Bernicoff dies aged 82

Bernicoff had appeared on the Channel 4 series alongside her husband, Leon, who died in 2017

June Bernicoff, best known as a cast member on the Channel 4 series Gogglebox, has died at the age of 82.

Bernicoff appeared on the hit series – in which members of the public commentate on television programmes from their living rooms – alongside her husband Leon, who died in 2017.

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Bandai Namco Studios Announces Scarlet Nexus Game for Xbox Series X, Xbox One (Updated)

Trailer previews sci-fi action game from Tales of Vesperia team




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Yakuza: Like a Dragon Game Gets Release on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC

7th game in Yakuza series debuted in Japan for PS4 on January 16




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Xbox: Microsoft reveals first games for Series X console

The Xbox team shows off new footage of the highly anticipated Assassin's Creed: Valhalla.




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Staging a 'socially distanced' boxing match

Inside the Nicaraguan boxing event that caught the world's attention during the pandemic.




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Henderson’s Liverpool 'box set' hinting at big crescendo




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Boxing coach Santiago Nieva expects Nat camp next month

Indian boxing's High Performance Director Santiago Nieva expects the national camp to resume at least partially next month and foresees no hiccups in fans rushing back to live sport in the age of social distancing as he feels people always "look for risks". The seasoned coach, who has been with the Indian team since 2017, is quite optimistic of things improving by the beginning of next month despite the rising COVID-19 cases as well as the number of deaths in the country. "I think the camp will restart next month. If not full strength, then at least the core group," he told PTI. The core group comprises the ones who have already qualified for the Olympics and those who are seen to be strong contenders to make the cut in future qualifiers.

Asked what gives him the belief that camps would be good to go if the national lockdown ends on May 3, the Swede said, "That's my hunch. Of course I can be wrong but I think we will be able to restart early next month." "Humans have the ability to adapt to different situations. And I think here, people are facing up to the reality quite well even though it is an unprecedented crisis." Talking of the crisis and its impact on sports, Nieva said things would never be the same again but asserted that people will not give up on live sports either. "In amateur boxing, we are used to fighting in empty halls, so no fan concerns for us," he joked. "But seriously speaking, yes, there will be more restrictions on movement of people, the security is going to be tighter, it won't be that easy to travel. But fans, they are going to rush back at the first opportunity," he predicted. "People don't care. I think they should be more careful but mostly they are not. They will come back easily because they have been confined at homes for too long.

"They like to be risky. You can see it even now. Look at Europe and US, people are just refusing to follow the lockdowns, they are flocking bars, restaurants despite strict measures. You think they will stop once all these restrictions are lifted?" Nieva is currently in Patiala's National Institute of Sports, busy delivering lectures in online classes for coaches by the Sports Authority of India. "The technology has to be better for these classes to have more impact but overall, I think it is the future as far as complementing live training is concerned. Obviously, it cannot replace live training," he said of his experience so far. "It can be a bit disconcerting when you are not able to see the 250 odd people who are listening to you but you get used to it," he added. Asked if boxers have been reaching out to him while being at their respective homes during this period, Nieva said, "Sometimes, not often. They call up to tell if they are struggling with the equipment but overall they have adapted well." "It's not an optimum situation and as I said earlier, we have to face up to the reality," he signed off brushing aside any concerns of his own when quizzed about the considerable time he has spent away from his family in Sweden.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




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COVID-19 impact: Boxing resumes in Nicaragua with small audience

With the world pretty much devoid of sports events because of the Coronavirus pandmeic, boxing resumed in Nicaragua with a televised eight-fight card in front of a live, though sparse audience in Managua.

Promoter Rosendo Álvarez, a former two-time world champion, had dismissed the threat of the virus. "Here we don't fear the Coronavirus, and there is no quarantine. The three deaths [reported so far by the Ministry of Health] came from outside and nobody within the country has been contaminated," Álvarez said before the event on Saturday night. But his offer of free tickets appeared to fill only about a tenth of the 8,000 seats in the Alexis Argoello gym. Officials did not announce attendance figures. Alvarez said he signed up the 16 local boxers for the card because they needed to work. "Nicaragua is a poor country and the boxers have to eat. They can't stay shut up in their house," he said.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring or nearby countries the regional Central American Integration System has reported roughly 13,000 cases and about 500 deaths. The Nicaraguan baseball and soccer leagues are still playing, and Saturday's local sports pages included stories on a triathlon and school wrestling tournaments.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




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Mumbai Food: Mahim takeaway delivers world cuisines in meal boxes


Barbecue Chicken Wings; Kheema Mutter Pav; Veggie Manchurian Style and Chilli Chicken RiceBarbecue Chicken Wings; Kheema Mutter Pav; Veggie Manchurian Style and Chilli Chicken Rice

A meal in a box may sound convenient, but not terribly appetising. Those were the thoughts running through our minds as we decided to check out The Bowl Box, a recently opened takeaway in Mahim. And we're glad we were proved wrong!

The Bowl Box dishes out an extensive menu with Asian, Indian, Italian and even Mediterranean meal boxes. In addition, they have options for 8-inch pizzas, rolls, appetisers, the kids' menu, stuffed pav, salad bowls, tandoori cuisine, and a separate one-bowl meal section too.


The meals arrived in sturdy boxes

We placed the order and were promised delivery in 45 minutes. But it took an hour. In their defence, we had ordered a total of seven items. Strangely, we couldn't try out dishes from the kids' menu, as we were informed that those dishes need a day's notice to be made.


Asian Meal Box

The food came packaged in sleek black containers with see-through lids. A label printed with The Bowl Box's name and logo also bore the name of the dish, and had tick boxes to help you instantly tell the difference between vegetarian and non-vegetarian items.

We started with one of the quirkier offerings: the 8-inch Mumbai Pav Bhaji Pizza (Rs 225 not inclusive of taxes). Fusion can go terribly wrong ; an Indian street food stall and a ristorante didn't seem to go well together in our heads.

But the pav bhaji came with a chatpata flavour, while the cheese spread out lavishly on top tickled the palate. Surprisingly, the spicy and cheesy flavours complemented each other perfectly.

Next came an Asian meal box - Basil and Burnt Garlic Rice, with Thai Curry and Chicken Fry (Rs 300). The Thai curry didn't taste very Thai, reminding us a bit instead of the Chinese Schezwan sauce. The Chicken Fry was crunchy and flavoured with spices. The meal also came with a salad - strips of carrots and cucumber - and a generous chunk of brownie with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. The brownie was rich and moist, and the perfect way to end the meal (box).

Then came the Italiano meal box - veggies in a creamy basil sauce, with garlic bread and tossed potatoes (Rs 300). On the menu, this meal, too, is advertised with a salad and dessert. But it came without either, or even the garlic bread. The dish itself was filling, though, thanks to the sinful white sauce and a generous portion of vegetables.

The one-bowl meal of Chilli Chicken Rice (Rs 250) lived up to its name and had bite, making it perfect for a palate that craves spices. There was a generous amount of rice; we only wish that there had been a few more chicken pieces.

From the stuffed pav section, we opted for Kheema Mutter (Rs 250), which made it to our list of favourites (along with the pizza). It came packaged with crunchy fryums on top. The pav was overflowing with kheema-mutter, which was mildly spiced and yet tangy, and the portion was big enough to make this a meal in itself.

While we tried the appetisers at the time of delivery (so we'd know what they tasted like hot and fresh), saving them for later in the day, they tasted just as good when re-heated in their microwave-friendly containers.

The tangy Barbecue Chicken Wings (Rs 225) was sweet and spicy thanks to the homemade barbecue sauce with honey. The Veggie Manchurian Style (Rs 200) had greens doused in spices, though it would have been better had they mentioned in the menu that this dish is dry.

But in spite of the few lapses, overall, The Bowl Box offers delicious treats at reasonable rates. And we'll be sure to give it another shot.

Time: 12 pm to 1 am
Delivery areas Lower Parel to Bandra.
Call: 9004097371





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Lunchbox actress Nimrat Kaur: Can't imagine I am talking about Irrfan Khan in past tense

Actress Nimrat Kaur worked with Irrfan Khan in the much-feted film "The Lunchbox" that went on winning several award and accolades internationally. The news of his sudden demise came as shock to her.

"It is a personal loss for everyone at this point in time. For everyone who watched his movies or worked with him and met him personally, this is absolutely shocking. I think the face of Indian cinema will not be the same without Irrfan Khan. He was a one-man army. Every film and film stars are on one side and his films are on the other. My heart goes out to his family at this point in time, when we all are suffering under a specific situation. Losing a loved one is always painful but I think this (the COVID-19 lockdown) is worse. I cannot imagine I am talking about Irrfan in the past tense," Nimrat told IANS.

Nimrat worked with Irrfan in "The Lunchbox", the directorial debut of Ritesh Batra, which released in 2013. The film screened in several prestigious international festivals, and notably won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award at the 66th Cannes Film Festival.

Sharing her memory of working with Irrfan in the film Nimrat said: "We did not have many scenes together but we got a chance to converse extensively during the premiere of the film at the Cannes Film Festival. I was quite overwhelmed by the response to the film, the way it was celebrated and what it became overnight! I remember I asked him, ‘how do you handle so much appreciation, adulation when a film meets a great success like this?' he smiled and told me, ‘sock up to good times and don't be shy of celebration. This is the gift that God has given us. The bad time is around the corner.'

"This moment does not come very often in life. So take it as a gift after all the struggle we have gone through.' He always said to embrace the good time because that's when we celebrate life," recalled Nimrat.

Irrfan had been admitted in Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection on Tuesday and passed away on Wednesday. The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour a while back and has been under medical attention for the same. He even went abroad for treatment.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news




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Tax-News.com: Luxembourg Gazettes New IP Box Regime

The Government of Luxembourg has published in its Official Gazette the law for the introduction of the new intellectual property tax regime.




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Tax-News.com: Italy Finalizes Rules For New Patent Box Regime

Italy's tax agency on July 30, 2019, published a definitive version of the rules for the operation of the country's patent box regime.




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Tax-News.com: Italy Launches Consultation On Patent Box Rules

On February 10, 2020, the Italian tax agency commenced a short consultation on the rules surrounding the patent box self-assessment regime.




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Toolbox for Diagnosing Urological Cancer Identified

New method enables timely diagnosis and treatment of urological cancer which includes prostate, bladder and kidney cancers. Biomarkers are biological




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Protection Box Downs Risk of Infection Among Health Workers

New cost-effective Infection 'Protection Box' protects physicians and nurses during the COVID-19 patient intubations, reducing their risk of infection.




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DIY Tools TalkBox (and) SenseBox may Help People with Disabilities to Communicate

DIY Assistive Technology offers exciting opportunities to engage stakeholders in various countries in the making and customization of novel interfaces for people with disabilities.




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Time for the Hotel Industry to “Remove the Box”

The hotel industry is one of the worst-hit industries during this crisis. A lot of studies have been conducted to help us understand the impact on the economy and our organization's bottom-line. Industry experts, through their various associations, ...





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Microsoft Reveals Badge Indicating Xbox Series X Optimized Games

Full power. Microsoft has created a badge that will be used to indicate games optimised for the Xbox Series X platform.




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Every Third-Party Studio Working on Xbox Series X Games

A list of developers and publishers currently working on Series X games. A full list of third-party developers and publishers currently developing next-gen games for Xbox Series X.




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Scorn Was the Surprise Hit of Inside Xbox… and We Saw It 3 Years Ago

Not so alien, after all. Scorn was the surprise hit of Inside Xbox, but players actually saw and played the game before... back in 2017.




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Destiny 2 Confirmed for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5

"Destiny 2 will be on next-gen platforms! More details to come." Bungie has confirmed that Destiny 2 will make its way to both Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.




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Here's the Xbox Series X Startup Screen

Here's what the Xbox Series X startup sound looks and sounds like.




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The Golf Club 2019 is Free on Xbox One and PC For Limited Time

You can now grab The Golf Club 2019 featuring PGA Tour free on the Xbox One and PC at either of the platform’s store.




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Xbox Series X & PS5 's Potential Call of Duty: Warzone Release - IGN Daily Fix

Xbox Series X & PS5 's Potential Call of Duty: Warzone Release - IGN Daily Fix In today's Fix: Warzone forever, free Jedi Fallen Order DLC , and new VR tech for Sony!




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Inside Xbox: Aaron Greenberg Addresses Fan Response

What is "gameplay" anyway? Many fans were critical of the lack of gameplay shown throughout the presentation, which seemingly ran counter to the stream's marketing.




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Public Procurement Toolbox

Online resource to help implement the OECD Recommendation on Public Procurement. This website provides policy tools, country examples and indicators to measure public procurement systems.




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United States Imports - Other Boxes, Belting, Glass & Abrasives (Census)

Imports - Other Boxes, Belting, Glass & Abrasives (Census) in the United States decreased to 2919.64 USD Million in March from 2937.97 USD Million in February of 2020. Imports - Other Boxes, Belting, Glass & Abrasives in the United States averaged 1574.92 USD Million from 1989 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 3316.99 USD Million in December of 2018 and a record low of 282.37 USD Million in January of 1989. This page includes a chart with historical data for the United States Imports of Other Boxes, Belting, Glass & Abrasives.




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Fury over boxer smacks of hypocrisy

Boxer’s ideas don’t have to make sense — he just has to hit people




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Recipe box sales surge under lockdown

Consumers have been looking for something to do as well as something to eat




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Jake LaMotta, US boxer, 1922-2017

World champion whose life and career inspired the Oscar-winning ‘Raging Bull’




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EA games on PS4 and Xbox One could be ‘upgraded free’ to next-gen console versions

2020 and 2021 will be one of the periodic transitional eras in gaming as Sony and Microsoft debut their shiny new consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. To ease the process (and spur adoption of the next generation), EA may make its upcoming titles free to “upgrade” to your chosen console. On an […]




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Microsoft showcases 13 new titles for the Xbox Series X

With conferences canceled indefinitely, companies are increasingly reliant on online events to hype product launches. As they prepare to release a next-gen console before the end of the year, expect plenty of live streams and blogs from both Microsoft and Sony in an attempt to flesh out all that their respective systems have to offer. […]




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Box is now letting all staff work from home to reduce coronavirus risk

Box has joined a number of tech companies supporting employees to work remotely from home in response  the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. It’s applying the policy to all staff, regardless of location. Late yesterday Box co-founder Aaron Levie tweeted a statement detailing the cloud computing company’s response to COVID-19, the name of the disease caused […]




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Google Meet shows up in Gmail inboxes, a few years too late

Google Meet — the video call service formerly known as Hangouts Meet, which itself was an offshoot from Hangouts, not to be confused with Google Chat, Duo, Allo or any of the company’s other communications products — is finally making its debut on Gmail accounts, where it probably should have been since 2010. Everyone with […]