What the hell is going on in New Jersey? Car-sized drones have been flying around for weeks over people’s houses. The UFO subreddit has been going wild. Two important places in the affected region, among others, are the huge US Army weapons R&D center Picatinny Arsenal and the Trump golf club in Bedminster.

The Pentagon says the drones are not US military and they are not from a foreign source, including state-sponsored adversaries. So what are they? Private? Why has no one been able to track down where they come from or go to? If people regularly freak out about tiny consumer drones, wouldn’t these things be a huge risk to air traffic? Why is nothing being done about this? Are we actually to believe the US military can’t track these things? Something is very fishy here.

• Pentagon says mystery drones over New Jersey are ‘not US military,’ not likely foreign — In a press briefing on Wednesday, the Pentagon said it has no evidence that the mysterious drones that have been flying over New Jersey and other parts of the northeast U.S. in recent weeks were coming from a foreign entity, nor were they U.S. military drones. The comments come a day after a U.S. Congressional hearing focused on the increasing drone activity, where several Capitol Hill lawmakers expressed frustration with the lack of information and response to the drone incursions. — TechCrunch
• What We Know About the Mysterious New Jersey Drone Sightings — For weeks, New Jersey residents have spotted mysterious drones in the night sky throughout the state. Some New Yorkers and Pennsylvanians have seen them, too. These sightings have confounded local and federal authorities, who have been unable to determine the drones’ origins or their purpose. Here’s what we know about the ongoing mystery. — New York Magazine
• Mystery New Jersey drones not from Iranian ‘mothership’ - Pentagon — _A spate of mysterious drone sightings in the US are not the work of an Iranian “mothership” lurking off the east coast, the Pentagon says. _ — The BBC

News stories I’ve been reading:

• Belarus has dozens of Russian nuclear weapons and is ready for its newest missile, its leader says — Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko said Tuesday his country is hosting dozens of Russian nuclear weapons and will prepare facilities for the planned deployment of Moscow’s newest hypersonic ballistic missile. — The AP
• Biden commutes 1,500 jail sentences, grants pardons for 39 others: ‘Largest single-day grant of clemency’ — The sentences commuted were for inmates placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic — Fox News
• Donald Trump Invited China’s Xi to Presidential Inauguration: Report — President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to his inauguration, CBS News reported Wednesday evening, citing multiple anonymous sources. — Newsweek
• Trump Picks Tom Barrack to Serve as US Ambassador to Turkey — President-elect Donald Trump said he is tapping Tom Barrack, the founder of Colony Capital LLC, to serve as ambassador to Turkey, elevating a longtime friend to a crucial diplomatic post. — Bloomberg
• US scrambles to quell ISIS resurgence in Syria after fall of Assad — The US’ key anti-ISIS partners in Syria said on Wednesday that the ISIS detention facilities they guard are coming under attack and that they have been forced to halt anti-ISIS operations, complicating the US military’s efforts to prevent the terror group from reconstituting following the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. — CNN
• Syria’s rebel leader vows to dissolve Assad regime security forces, close prisons — The main commander of the fighters who toppled Bashar al-Assad said on Wednesday that he would dissolve the security forces of the former regime, close its prisons and hunt down anyone involved in the torture or killing of detainees. — Reuters
• Australia lays fiendish tax trap for Meta – with an expensive escape hatch — If Zuck and other Big Tech players pay news publishers, their bills vanish — The Register
• Google removes negative reviews of McDonald’s location where suspected UnitedHealthcare killer was arrested — Luigi Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s after an employee recognized him — Fox Business
• UnitedHealthcare shooter gave Unabomber’s manifesto four stars on Goodreads: ‘Political revolutionary’ — New York prosecutors filed first-degree murder charges against Luigi Mangione, 26, hours after he was charged with gun crimes in Pennsylvania — The Independent
• President-elect Donald Trump Announces He Will Not ACCEPT $450,000 Presidential Salary AGAIN — President-elect Donald Trump has announced he will once again forgo the annual $450,000 presidential salary during his upcoming term. — The Gateway Pundit
• Trump picks Ron Johnson as US ambassador to Mexico — President-elect Donald Trump has picked former U.S. ambassador to El Salvador, Ronald Johnson, as the next United States ambassador to Mexico, he said on social media on Tuesday. — Reuters
• Trump names former CIA official Ron Johnson as ambassador to Mexico — President-elect Trump announced Tuesday that Ron Johnson, his one-time ambassador to El Salvador, will serve as ambassador to Mexico in the upcoming administration. — The Hill
• Satellite images show Russian forces still at Syrian air base, navy anchored offshore — Syrian rebels Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have rapidly taken control of the whole country in only 11 days, but they are treading cautiously when it comes to the naval and airports under Russian control. — Intellinews
• Russian Navy Faces Dilemma Over Future of Mediterranean Flotilla — Russia is withdrawing vessels from its naval base in Syria following the downfall of Bashar al-Assad, it has been reported, amid uncertainty over how Vladimir Putin can maintain his stepping stone in the Mediterranean Sea without a key ally in power. — Newsweek
• Parents Sue AI Company After Chatbot Hints Their Son Should Kill Them — The parents of a nine-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy in Texas have filed a federal suit against the AI chatbot service Character.AI after the chatbot seemed hell-bent on completely ruining these children by showing them “hypersexual” imagery and encouraging them to kill their parents. — Vice
• Hundreds of Vials of Deadly Viruses Missing After Lab Breach — Hundreds of vials containing live viruses have gone missing from a laboratory in Australia, sparking an investigation. — Newsweek
• South Korea police carry out arrests, searches over martial law order — South Korea’s previous defense minister was stopped from attempting suicide while in detention over last week’s martial law declaration, officials said Wednesday, as President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office resisted a police attempt to search the compound. — Global News

News stories I’ve been reading:

• Des groupes contestent des projets de loi de l’Alberta sur les personnes trans — Deux organisations de défense des droits des personnes 2ELGBTQI+ affirment avoir mis en oeuvre leur plan visant à contester devant les tribunaux trois projets de loi sur les personnes trans de l’Alberta. — Radio Canada
• Cambridge University Responds To Backlash Over Thesis Linking Body Odour To Racism — Cambridge University issued a statement supporting Dr Ally Louks after she faced online abuse for her viral social media post. — NDTV
• At least three killed in Netherlands apartment explosion — At least three people have died and a further three people have been taken to hospital after an explosion in an apartment building in The Hague, the Netherlands on Saturday, according to authorities. — 9 News
• Drone captured on camera by Ocean County Sheriff’s Office — The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office says sightings were reported in the western and southern parts of the county. — News 12
• Rep. Nancy Mace Satisfied with Classified AARO Briefing — Congresswoman Nancy Mace discusses a classified UAP briefing by AARO. — News Nation
• Possible drones in New Jersey spotted over critical infrastructure, police chief says — The mystery in the skies over New Jersey continues. One law enforcement official said flying objects, possibly drones, were seen over critical infrastructure, while residents have reported seeing some hovering over their homes in the northern and central parts of the state. — CBS News
• Trump responds after rebels overtake Syria, ousting longtime dictator: ‘Assad is gone’ — ‘Assad is gone. He has fled his country,’ Trump wrote — Fox News
• Trump says US should ‘NOT GET INVOLVED’ in conflict in Syria — President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday the U.S. should not be involved in the conflict in Syria, where rebel forces are threatening the government of President Bashar al-Assad. — Reuters
• Syrian President Bashar Assad flees, war monitor says, as his government collapses and insurgents enter Damascus — Syria’s government appears to have fallen after opposition fighters said they had entered Damascus following a stunning advance, and a Syrian opposition war monitor reported that President Bashar Assad had left the country. — CBS News
• University of Michigan becomes latest school to roll back DEI requirements — _University of Michigan Provost Laurie McCauley on Thursday said the college will stop requiring potential hires to provide a statement on how they will maintain diversity on the campus. _ — Just the News
• Appeals court upholds Sandy Hook verdict against Alex Jones — A Connecticut appeals court on Friday largely upheld a nearly $1.3 billion defamation verdict against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in a case accusing the Infowars founder of spreading lies about the 2012 Sandy Hook mass shooting. — Reuters
• Trump, Zelensky, Macron Meet in Paris — n-person talks between US, Ukrainian presidents are the first since November election — Newser
• South Korea’s ex-defense minister detained over martial law declaration, reports say — South Korean prosecutors on Sunday detained a former defense minister who allegedly recommended last week’s brief but stunning martial law imposition to President Yoon Suk Yeol, making him the first figure detained over the case, news reports said. — CBS News
• Opposition fighters reportedly drive Syrian leader from the country. Who are they and what now? — Syria’s government appears to have fallen after opposition fighters said they entered Damascus following a stunning advance. — The AP
• OpenAI Partners With Anduril to Build AI for Anti-Drone Systems — The deal marks the ChatGPT maker’s biggest push yet into the defense sector. — Bloomberg
• Why bitcoin is booming — The crypto industry is excited about a second Trump presidency. — Vox
• West drawing near to ‘third nuclear age,’ says head of UK armed forces — UK Chief of the Defence Staff Adm. Tony Radakin, also said there is only a “remote” chance that Russia attacks the UK — a projection that is also true for NATO as a whole — while Moscow understands that a retaliatory response would be overwhelming, “whether conventional or nuclear.” — Breaking Defense
• Dragon Age The Veilguard review: after a month in Thedas, we’ve got some thoughts — BioWare’s RPG epic sheds many sacrosanct genre trappings - does it work? — Top Gear
• TikTok defiant after federal court upholds law to force its sale — TikTok signals it will appeal after a federal court sided with the Justice Department and upheld a law to force its sale or ban it. But Donald Trump could offer a way out. — Politico
• Earthquakes under a volcano near Alaska’s largest city raise concerns — An increase in the number of earthquakes under a volcano near Alaska’s largest city this year has geologists paying attention. — The AP
• South Korea’s ruling MPs thwart impeachment vote to save president — Almost all the members of Yoon Suk-yeol’s ruling party walked out of parliament for the ballot after the president apologised for imposing martial law — The Times
• Emmanuel Macron says he will appoint new prime minister ‘within days,’ vows to fight on — French President Emmanuel Macron said he will appoint a new prime minister in the next few days after Michel Barnier, his previous pick, resigned after losing a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly that brought down his government after just 90 days in office. — United Press International
• Hawk Tuah Girl Launched a Memecoin and Everyone Lost Their Money — People are accusing the “Hawk Tuah Girl” Haliey Welch of a “pump-and-dump” scheme after the launch of her HAWK memecoin. — Vice
• Trump appoints ‘AI and crypto czar’ — US President-elect Donald Trump on late Thursday named former PayPal chief operating officer David Sacks as White House “AI and crypto czar.” — The Inquirer
• Lummis Joins Elon’s DOGE Push In “Herculean Effort” To Cut Government Pork — Wyoming U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis has joined the DOGE Caucus in Congress to help Elon Musk and the incoming Trump administration’s efforts to cut government pork. Lummis said Friday it will be “a Herculean effort” to slash spending by $2 trillion. — Cowboy State Daily
• Russia’s longtime foreign minister describes the war with the United States and how to end it — Tucker Carlson interview with Sergey Lavrov — Tucker Carlson
• Former national security officials urge caution on Gabbard — A group of nearly 100 former national security officials urged the Senate to “carefully scrutinize” former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), President-elect Trump’s nominee to serve as director of national intelligence. — The Hill
• Russia’s Lavrov Tells Tucker Country Not at War With U.S., But Will Use All Means to Defend Itsel — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gave broadcaster Tucker Carlson the official Kremlin line that while the country doesn’t consider itself at war with the U.S., nevertheless it expects its warnings to be heeded. — Breitbart
• Google says its new AI models can identify emotions — and that has experts worried — Google says its new AI model family has a curious feature: the ability to “identify” emotions. — TechCrunch

I streamed some games for the first time in a long while on Friday. First some Elden Ring with a new character:

And then I tried out Delta Force together with Halefa and Jonathan:

Bioware fucked up so bad with their too overt woke shit…

News stories I’ve been reading:

• Voyager 1 is Back Online Again, but NASA’s Iconic Probe is Losing Something it Crucially Needs to Remain Operational — NASA’s iconic Voyager 1 probe is back online after the spacecraft experienced another pause in communication last month. — The Debrief
• A look at the context behind South Korea’s shocking martial law edict — It may seem that the wild scenes in Seoul, with hundreds of armed troops and frantic lawmakers storming South Korea’s parliament building after the president suddenly declared martial law, came out of nowhere. — The AP
• South Korean Lawmakers Move To Impeach President Over Short-Lived Martial Law Order — “I think the implications are that Yoon, perhaps, is a dead man walking." — The Daily Wire
• French Government Collapses After National Assembly Ousts Prime Minister in No Confidence Vote — The French government collapsed Wednesday after its lower house of parliament voted to oust Prime Minister Michel Barnier, the Wall Street Journal reported. — The Washington Free Beacon
• Mexico nabs over a ton of fentanyl in largest ever seizure — Mexican security forces said on Wednesday they had made the largest fentanyl seizure in the country’s history, impounding 1,100 kilograms of the synthetic opioid in the state of Sinaloa. — Reuters
• In diesem Hamburger Stadtteil leben fast nur noch Migranten — Neue Daten zur Demographie in Hamburg: Fast jeder Zweite hat einen Migrationshintergrund, jeder Fünfte ist Ausländer. Eine Zahl schockiert besonders. Die AfD sieht eine vermeintliche Verschwörungstheorie bestätigt. — Junge Freiheit
• Polizeigewalt: Beamter wirft Mann von Brücke — In Brasilien sorgen mehrere Fälle von Polizeigewalt für Empörung. So ist auf Aufnahmen lokaler Fernsehsender zu sehen, wie ein Polizist in der Millionenmetropole São Paulo einen Mann von einer Brücke in einen Fluss wirft. — Kronen Zeitung
• Residents of Barrhead vote in favour of bylaw banning rainbow flags, crosswalks — Residents of a northern Alberta town have voted in favour of a bylaw banning Pride flags and rainbow crosswalks from municipal property. — The Albertan
• Canada can become 51st state if it can’t handle tariffs, Trump tells Trudeau — Donald Trump reportedly wants to accomplish what the War of 1812 did not. — The Washington Times
• Congressional probe determines COVID-19 ‘most likely’ leaked from Chinese lab — The coronavirus that killed millions of people “most likely” leaked from a Chinese lab where researchers were intentionally manipulating the virus, a two-year congressional investigation concluded Monday. — The Washington Times
• House COVID-19 panel releases final report: 3 key takeaways — The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic released its final report Monday, laying out numerous conclusions from its review of the federal pandemic response, including what the Republican-controlled panel believes to be the likely origins of the virus. — The Hill
• House Oversight Report Says Biden DOJ Opened Criminal Investigation Into Covid-19’s Origins — A congressional oversight subcommittee released the results of a two-year probe into the Covid-19 pandemic Monday, stating that the Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation related to the pandemic’s origins. — The Daily Caller
• Covid-19: Republican-led committee backs Chinese lab leak theory after two-year probe — The 520-page report from the Republican-controlled American House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic released on Monday looked at the federal and state-level response, as well as the pandemic’s origins and vaccination efforts. — Le Monde
• DOJ secretly investigated nonprofit at center of Wuhan COVID lab leak questions, bombshell House report reveals — The Department of Justice secretly launched a grand jury investigation into a US nonprofit that steered American taxpayer funding to the Chinese lab suspected of leaking the COVID-19 virus and causing the global pandemic, according to a bombshell report released by a House committee on Monday. — The New York Post
• House Covid-19 panel releases final report criticizing public health response to the pandemic — A Republican-led House committee investigating broad aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects in the US released a final report Monday summarizing its two-year effort, saying it hoped the work would “serve as a road map for Congress, the Executive Branch, and the private sector to prepare for and respond to future pandemics.” — CNN
• GOP-Run COVID Panel Releases Conclusions — Lockdowns were harmful, report says, attributing virus origin to lab — Newser
• France, state of delusion — Ridiculous borrowing, impossible promises and an unwillingness to face reality have led to budget deadlock and talk of a Greek-style financial crisis — The New European
• Russia races ahead of NATO in weapons production for Ukraine war: SIPRI — Despite a defence budget 10 times Russia’s, new report lays bare how NATO is unable to turn spending power into firepower in a crisis. — Al Jazeera
• Bernie Sanders: ‘Elon Musk Is Right’ on Defense Spending — _Pentagon budget is ‘full of waste and fraud,’ senator says _ — Newser
• Zelensky urges Scholz to ramp up ‘fundamental’ support against Russia — _Despite Germany pledging a €650 million aid package on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged its second-largest backer not to reduce its backing of Ukraine’s efforts to defeat Russia, saying Ukraine’s allies could only “ensure peace through strength” by sending more weapons, financing, and diplomatic support. _ — France 24
• Russian Attack Submarine Intercepted in South China Sea — The Philippines said that the “intrusion” into its economic waters in the South China Sea by a Russian submarine, which is armed with missiles, was “very worrisome." — Newsweek

News stories I’ve been reading:

• Joe Biden pardons his son, contradicting his own pledge — The outgoing US president insists that his son, convicted of tax fraud and possession of an illegal weapon, has been ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.’ Both cases were investigated by an independent prosecutor. — Le Monde
• Biden seen holding anti-Israel book during Black Friday shopping excursion — Biden was spotted holding a copy of ‘The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017’ — Fox News
• Zelenskyy Finally Says He Will Give Up Ukrainian Territory – In Return For Joining the ‘NATO Umbrella’ — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he will give up territory to achieve an end to the war with Russia. — The Gateway Pundit
• Sex workers in Belgium granted employment rights including maternity pay and pensions — The new law puts them on a par with other professionals after the industry was decriminalised in 2022. — Sky News
• Trump threatens 100% tariff on BRICS countries if they pursue creating new currency — President-elect Donald Trump said he would require countries that are part of BRICS — a China- and Russia-backed group of emerging economies — to commit to not creating new currency or face 100% tariffs during his administration. — CNN
• Crypto executive eats banana artwork bought for $9.6 million, says it tasted ‘quite good’ — A cryptocurrency entrepreneur who bought a piece of conceptual art consisting of a simple banana, duct-taped to a wall, for $US6.2 million ($9.6 million) last week, ate the fruit in Hong Kong on Friday. — The Sidney Morning Herald

News stories I’ve been reading:

• South Korea reluctant on Ukraine’s weapons request – media — Seoul is not eager to sell Cheongung air defense systems to Kiev, according to a report — Russia Today
• ‘Delete CFPB’: Musk calls for elimination of consumer bureau — Republicans and the financial industry have long targeted the CFPB for what they consider its overly aggressive regulation. — Politico
• Russian strike on Ukrainian energy grid leaves more than 1M without power — A Russian strike on energy infrastructure in western Ukraine on Thursday left more than 1 million people without power, according to local officials. — The Hill
• Australian Senate debates world’s 1st social media ban for under-16 kids — The Australian Senate was debating a ban on children younger than 16 years old from social media Thursday after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly supported the age restriction. — The Inquirer
• Missing Maui woman’s family says police are investigating suspicious Venmo payments — _Hannah Kobayashi’s last texts suggested she was being ‘intercepted’ by someone near a LA Metro station _ — The Independent
• Chinese ship dragged anchor for over 100 miles cutting comm lines: Report — Officials have released new details in the probe into a Chinese ship detained by Danish authorities earlier this month. The ship is believed to be responsible for severing critical communication lines in the Baltic Sea. — Straight Arrow News
• USA raten Kiew zu Wehrpflicht ab 18 Jahren — Bei Verbündeten herrscht offenbar Sorge, der Ukraine könnte es bald an Soldaten mangeln. Aus US-Regierungskreisen wurde nun der Vorschlag bekannt, das Alter für die ukrainische Wehrpflicht zu senken - von 25 auf 18 Jahre. — Tagesschau
• US to expand training opportunities for Kiev if it copes with manpower shortage — official — “We believe manpower is the most vital need the Ukrainian authorities have,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said — TASS
• Zuckerberg dines with Trump in Mar-a-Lago — Donald Trump dined on Wednesday with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the president-elect’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, bringing together the Facebook founder and the former president who was once banned from that social network. — The AP
• Trump claims a win on immigration after a call with Mexico’s president. But she suggests no change — President-elect Donald Trump declared a win on stopping illegal immigration through Mexico on Wednesday after talking with that country’s leader. But Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested Mexico was already doing its part and had no interest in closing its borders. — The AP
• Trump claims Mexico’s president agreed to ‘stop migration’—but she suggests Mexico was already doing its part — President-elect Donald Trump declared a win on stopping illegal immigration through Mexico on Wednesday after talking with that country’s leader. But Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested Mexico was already doing its part and had no interest in closing its borders. — Fortune
• Homan taking death threats against him ‘more seriously’ after Trump officials targeted with violent threats — Nearly a dozen Trump appointees were targeted with threats on Tuesday night — Fox News

News stories I’ve been reading:

• Artists say they leaked OpenAI’s Sora video model in protest — “Artists are not your unpaid R&D,” their open letter reads. — The Verge
• Jair Bolsonaro wollte Armeespitze laut Bericht zu Putsch überreden — _Ein fast 900-seitiger Polizeibericht zeigt neue Details zum Sturm auf Brasiliens Kongress 2023. Demnach versuchte Bolsonaro, das Militär zum Staatsstreich zu überreden. _ — Die Zeit
• Drake claims Spotify, Universal schemed to boost Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ — Kendrick Lamar’s song topped the Billboard charts and was a summer hit, but a company owned by Drake claims in a court petition that it was rigged against him. — The Washington Post
• NASA just released a stunning new image of the Sombrero galaxy captured by the JWST — It looks less like a broad-brimmed Mexican hat and more like an archery target. — Engadget
• VW sells plant in Chinese region of Xinjiang — German carmaker cites ‘economic reasons’ for move to offload controversial facility — The Financial Times
• Canada, Mexico Bend the Knee to Trump 24 Hours After Tariff Threats — Even before he takes office, Trump’s tariff threats are causing leaders in China, Canada, and Mexico to scramble — The Maine Wire
• Anti-police activist accused of using charitable donations to fund lavish lifestyle — TA leftist anti-police activist is accused of spending thousands in donations on “lavish vacations and shopping sprees.” — American Wire News
• Germany plans to turn buildings into bomb shelters — The country’s interior ministry said that an app would be designed for citizens to find their closest bunker. — *Euro News
• Starbucks baristas forced to manually track hours worked after ransomware attack — The ransomware attack did not impact customers directly, Starbucks said. — Scripps News
• ‘Welcome Back’: Trump And Biden Promise Smooth Transition In Cordial White House Meeting — ‘Politics is tough, and in many cases it’s not a very nice world,’ Trump said. ‘But it is a nice world today.' — The Daily Wire

Holy shit, look at that smile! Biden seems really happy they lost after being stabbed in the back by his own party…

• Top NATO official calls on business leaders to prepare for ‘wartime scenario’ — A top NATO military official on Monday urged businesses to be prepared for a wartime scenario and adjust their production and distribution lines accordingly, in order to be less vulnerable to blackmail from countries such as Russia and China. — Reuters
• Twelve British soldiers injured in six-vehicle pile-up in Estonia — Soldiers were in two minibuses transporting NATO troops to their base when the six-vehicle crash happened — The Standard

I’m 913 deaths into my Elden Ring playthrough and I’ve just killed Consort Radahn and thus finished the game’s DLC. Next up: finishing the base game.

I know that people have already mostly forgotten about Dragon Age: The Veilguard. This long awaited blockbuster sequel turned out to be so bad, most players dropped it like a hot potato. And after endlessly fawning over it for about two weeks, even the gaming press is losing interest. We are now even seeing the first stories that the launch might have not been stellar and that Veilguard might never be able to catch up to Inquisition’s sales numbers at this rate.

Still, I think it is important to, once more, point out just how bad the game’s launch was. The Steam player numbers continue to speak volumes. This is a prime example of go woke, go broke if I’ve ever seen one:

News stories I’ve been reading:

• Dad who flew to LAX to find missing daughter Hannah Kobayashi dies by suicide near airport — TA Hawaii woman’s father who flew to Los Angeles looking for her after she was reported missing has been found dead near Los Angeles International Airport. — LA Times
• Litauen: Bundesregierung sagt nach Absturz von DHL-Flugzeug in Vilnius Hilfe zu — Ein DHL-Frachtflugzeug, das in Leipzig gestartet war, ist in Litauen abgestürzt. Ein Mensch kam ums Leben. Die Bundesregierung sagt zu, bei der Aufklärung zu helfen. — Die Zeit
• Why Elon Musk wants US to do away with manned fighter jets — TCiting the growing potential of autonomous drones, Elon Musk has criticised the Pentagon’s $1.8 trillion F-35 programme, calling it outdated. While hundreds of F-35s are operational globally, Musk is attempting to highlight inefficiencies in defence spending and is advocating for AI-driven solutions — Firstpost
• Джеорджеску лидирует на выборах после подсчета голосов внутри Румынии — Джеорджеску лидирует на выборах в Румынии после подсчета голосов внутри страны — RIA Novosti
• Germany suspects sabotage after undersea internet cables are severed — The C-Lion1 cable between Finland and Germany was severed in the Baltic Sea, its operator said, after damage was reported to another cable linking Lithuania and Sweden. — The Washington Post
• OpenAI is considering launching its own browser to challenge Google — OpenAI is going after Google in a big way. After the artificial intelligence giant launched its own search engine earlier this month, the company is now considering releasing a web browser. The product would combine with ChatGPT to create a browser that could eventually challenge the dominance Google’s Chrome has enjoyed for so many years. — Techspot
• The Philippines VP publicly threatens to have the president assassinated — The Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte said she has contracted an assassin to kill the president, his wife and the House of Representatives speaker if she herself is killed, in a brazen public threat that she warned was not a joke. — The Sidney Morning Herald
• Musk Muses About Buying MSNBC — ‘How much is it?’ he asks in response to Donald Trump Jr.’s idea — Newser
• Buddhist monastery ‘using human bodies for meditation’ — Police working to ID 41 cadavers found at Phichit site and clarify their origins — Bangkok Post
• The Emperor Has No Brains — America’s post-electoral military escalation might amount to nothing, or it could be the last act of an empire gone mad. On ATACMS, ICBMs, and more nuclear poker — Racket News

News stories I’ve been reading:

• Rumänien: Rechtsextremer holt mehr Stimmen als Regierungschef — Der prorussische Călin Georgescu ist unerwartet in die Stichwahl um das Amt des Staatsoberhaupts in Rumänien eingezogen – und das sogar als knapper Sieger der ersten Wahlrunde. — SZ
• Israel Cuts Ties With Haaretz for Supporting Terrorism — Israel has officially cut ties with the Haaretz newspaper after its publisher “expressed support for terrorism” and called for Israel’s government to be sanctioned. — Newsmax
• Zu regierungskritisch? Israelische Regierung boykottiert Zeitung “Haaretz” — Die Zeitung “Haaretz” kritisiert die Regierungspolitik Netanjahus schon lange. Eine Rede des Verlegers nimmt die Regierung nun zum Anlass, jegliche Zusammenarbeit zu stoppen. Darin sprach er von “palästinensischen Freiheitskämpfern”, die Hamas will er damit aber nicht gemeint haben. — n-tv
• Hezbollah claimt Israëlische tanks te hebben vernietigd, drones richten verwoesting aan — In aanzienlijke delen van het Midden-Oosten is sprake van onrust en wanorde. Zo’n honderd Israëlische gijzelaars worden na vierhonderd dagen nog altijd vastgehouden in Gaza. Hezbollah en andere terreurorganisaties blijven de Joodse staat bestoken met vijandige projectielen. Het Israëlische leger slaat ondertussen hard toe in de regio en het land is woest om het arrestatiebevel wat het ICC heeft uitgevaardigd tegen Netanyahu. Volg hier de laatste ontwikkelingen in ons liveblog. — De Telegraaf
• Saskatchewan parties to focus on affordability as legislature resumes — Saskatchewan’s legislature is set to resume Monday for a short two-week sitting, with Premier Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party planning to get to work on addressing affordability issues after a challenging election campaign. — Thompson Citizen
• Michael Moore Rips Joe Biden Going Out in a ‘Blaze of Horror’: Pushing Us ‘Right into World War III’ — Radical left-wing documentary filmmaker Michael Moore is roasting outgoing President Joe Biden for starting World War III on his way out of office. — Breitbart