Monthly Archives: January 2021

Cyberpunk 2077: The Best Pieces of Cyberware In Every Slot & Where To Get Them – GameRant

Posted: January 13, 2021 at 4:26 pm

Even for gamers who have tuned down the difficulty to a minimum, Cyberpunk 2077 is not a simple game that players can pick up and breeze through in one day. Night City is a tough place to live, filled with netrunners, corpo overlords, war criminals, robots, mobsters, and mercenaries, all of whom have Vsquarely in their crosshairs. Gamers that don't gear up properly will find themselves flatlining in their encounters more often than not.

RELATED: 10 Anime You Need To Watch If You Enjoy Cyberpunk 2077

It's fair for even an expert gamer to make the mistake of getting some great armor and weapons but then forget about a unique system to this game. V can augment various skills, abilities, and weapons with cybernetics, possibly even picking up a few new moves in the process! If V isn't making regular trips to the Viktor or other friendly ripperdocs, then enemies will have the advantage in every skirmish. So go out there and find the very best cybernetics in the gameand make Va champion of the underworld.

If players plan on completing all of the Search & Recover gigs, then they better brace to take some occasional damage. This will make it so kills grant lifesteal.

Of course, V's first choice will be to not get spotted when knocking out those Thievery gigs, but if battle is imminent, it's best to end the combat as soon as possible, and 25% extra crit chance is a good way of accomplishing that.

All of the cyberpsychos pose a serious threat since they rarely can be taken down in a few hits, but this item changes all of that. Boosting crit damage by almost 50% is exactly what makes high-threat targets easier to manage in the game.

RELATED: Cyberpunk 2077: A Complete Guide To Every Agent Saboteur Gig

It's hard to predict what is around the corner for V, who often has to play on opposite sides like when finishing the Both Sides, Now questline. Improving the ocular system increases how many mods can be equipped, which will help in any unpredictable scenario.

Players who want to judge if the various endings are good or bad will have to survive long enough to get there. V is going to love this monitor that prevents death at low health.

RELATED: Cyberpunk 2077: How To Complete The Tapeworm Questline

When debating about whether Final Fantasy VII: Remake or Cyberpunk 2077 is the superior futuristic RPG, some players might hype up Cloud's awesome equipment. But no upgrade can compete with V's ability to come back from the grave every two minutes.

Experts will go about trying to find hidden locations in Night City, and what makes them confident enough to do so is their survival skills. Healing for nearly V's entire health bar is not a move that enemies will expect.

RELATED: Cyberpunk 2077: 10 Unresolved Questions We WantResolved In DLC

There is a mod that negates all poison here, but a skill in the tree can fulfill that role. Plus, this is more versatile at protecting against all mediums of damage.

Again, this is a versatile choice that has no stipulations, it simply reduced all damage by 10% whether it's from falling or fire.

This might seem like a stealthy pick, but it's fantastic for those who love to rush in and attack as it allows them to kill everyone before they can holster their weapons.

This is another time dilation, but it procs when V almost dies, giving players an expanded chance to either retreat or finish off the opponents.

Armor isn't too big of a deal in the deal, but the sheer volume on this makes it impossible to resist. It translates to about five reduced damage from all bullets, which really adds up in battle.

A quick note here, this item has a very small chance to appear in the shop and, were it not for several screenshots, many believe it to be a myth. Just check back often to get a complete invisibility system going.

There is another cybernetic for this spot that negates burn damage, but this does one better by converting any damage taken into increased firepower for V.

There are lots of choices, even legendary choices here, but this one is the best in terms of RAM and combat capabilities.

Casually increasing health by 60% is an absurd value for a single cybernetic slot, it's a must-have on harder difficulties.

With the game being so stingy about giving out eddies, V will have to pawn off items just to make ends meet. Make sure to never leave anything behind with this boost to carrying capacity.

Players can't use smart weapons at all without the right hands cybernetic, but even players who don't plan on using a smart weapon will receive substantial bonuses from this item.

There are three other melee options for this slot, but it's perfectly acceptable to just use a bat or katana. Especially because this is the only method in the game of regularly firing missiles and it's just as powerful as it sounds.

Double jumping gets V to hard to reach access points and weapons caches, but even without that, it's a lifesaver for those who fall off of a building. V can jump before hitting the earth and avoid taking fall damage.

NEXT: 10 Fan Theories About Cyberpunk's Rushed Launch That Explain Everything

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Hodey Johns is a writer for Game Rant based out of the Rocky Mountains in North Ogden, Utah. He's had a passion for video games and literature since he was a child growing up along the beach in San Diego, California. As a graduate of Theology from Liberty University, he puts his experience with religion, philosophy, and debate into his work. His other interests include sports, bike riding, and good old-fashioned barbecue.

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Cyberpunk 2077: The Best Pieces of Cyberware In Every Slot & Where To Get Them - GameRant

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Cyberpunk 2077: The 10 Best Skills To Get In Assault | TheGamer – TheGamer

Posted: at 4:26 pm

There are many tools of destruction in Cyberpunk 2077, some of which are assault rifles, SMGs, and sniper rifles. These are actually some of the best choices to go for in terms of character build, since they allow main character and mercenary V to stay further away from enemieswho tend to generally go for cover as well rather than run straight at you.

RELATED: Cyberpunk 2077: The Best & Worst Things About Each Romance

Moreover, there are plenty of unique weapons that make the skill tree of Assault, found within the Reflex attribute, worthwhile leveling up. That being said, with so many interesting perks available, it's difficult to know what to prioritize and where to start. This perk tree is pretty forgiving, and every choice is valid, but these are some of the stronger perks recommended for a rifle build of any kind.

By far the best perk to get as early as possible, Executioner gives you a significant boost in damage at the beginning of combat. It only requires one perk point to be unlocked completely and it becomes available at level 7 of the Assault skill.

When enemies are above 50% of their health, you'll do an added 25% more damage with rifles and SMGs against them. Usually these passive perks involve the end of a combat when enemies are already low, but to have something like this to help you at the start is incredibly useful.

At level 9 of Assault you should pick up Duck Hunter, which comes with two unlockable levels. This is a bit more of a niche perk, but can be useful towards mid-game where more enemies will try to engage with you face to face and run around rather than automatically taking cover.

RELATED: Cyberpunk 2077: 5 Best Areas Of Night City (& 5 Not To Bother With)

Duck Hunter gives you 10% more damage against enemies who are moving, and at level two that's bumped up to 20% more damage. You'll never know what kind of challenges you'll face next in Night City, and since not every enemy fights like your typical gang member who tries to take cover, you'll absolutely want this unlocked.

If you're going for more of a sniper build, you'll want to ensure that your headshot damage is through the roof. Nerves Of Steel, which becomes available at level 11 of the Assault skill, increases your headshot damage significantly in two different levels.

At level 1, you'll do an additional 20% damage with sniper rifles and precision rifles when hitting headshots. At level 2, the percentage is increased to 30%. It's a basic damage multiplier perk, but these are your bread and butter perks that should always be prioritized whenever possible.

Reload times won't usually be a problem in the game, since a lot of the combat in Night City has you fighting against enemies who are taking cover just as you should be. That being said, you want to maximize your efficiency even in cover, since the enemy will try to flank you, which is why Feel The Flow at level 11 of Assault is a great option.

The perk has two levels, and at its first tier it reduces your reload time forassault riflesand SMGs by 10%. At level two, this gets bumped up to 20%.

Precision is another huge aspect of gunplay in the game, and while Cyberpunk 2077 isn't a pure FPS game, having good aim will make your time in the city ten million times nicer. To help you secure those shots, make sure to grab Hunter's Hands at level 12 of Assault.

RELATED: Cyberpunk 2077: Everything You Need To Know About Gorilla Arms (& Their Upgrades)

The perk comes in two levels, and basically reduces recoil of your rifles and SMGs. At level 1 the recoil is down by 20% and at level 2 it's down by 40%, which is a huge jump. The catch? You need to be shooting from behind cover for this perk to be active, but given how that's a basic aspect of combat in the game anyway, this shouldn't be a problem for any rifle builds.

Speaking of staying in cover, another fantastic perk to have you covered (see what we did there?) is Trench Warfare, which can be unlocked at level 12 of Assault. It's just another great reason to make sure you find cover during combat and know how to move through the map to advance towards the enemy.

Trench Warfare has two levels, both of which increase your damage with rifles and SMGs while shooting from behind cover. At level 1, the increase is 5% and at level 2 it's at 10%.

Another detail to consider with precision weapons like rifles and the like is Crit Damage. You'll want to ensure you hit those juicy Crit Shots with your weapons and actually deal some seriously devastating damage to the enemy. Named Bullets, unlocked at level 14 of Assault, bumps your Crit Damage by quite a bit.

The perk only requires unlocking it once, and you'll instantly get a 35% increase in Crit Damage for your rifles and SMGs. Another bread and butter perk that everyone specializing in rifles of any type should get.

Fighting at range usually means your armor and resistances won't be the best. However, there's one perk in particular that mends that just a bit, and that's Bunker, available at level 16 of Assault. Again, its effects require you to be in cover, so make sure to play accordingly in combat.

RELATED: Cyberpunk 2077: The 10 Best Upgrades For Limbs

This perk comes in a single level, which boosts your armor and resistances by 15% while you're using rifles and SMGs from behind cover. It's a decent increase, given that sniper and rifle builds tend to not be very tanky.

If you've picked this skill tree, then chances are you prefer to take down your enemies from afar. Luckily, there's a perk that actually rewards you from being as far away as possible from your enemies (within the limits of combat, of course). At level 18 of Assault, Long Shit is a near overpowered perk that shouldn't be overlooked.

Long Shot increases your damage depending on how far you are from your enemies. The further, the better. It's particularly good for any sniper builds that rely on staying as far back as possible.

Excellent range, combined with cover, usually means you'll be standing still in combat and fighting the enemy from a set spot before rotating to a better location. That means a lot of your time fighting is spent not moving, and as one would expect, there's a perk that rewards that, too.

At level 20 of Assault, pick up Savage Stoic. Your damage with rifles and SMGs will bump up by 35% when you're standing still. This, on top of all the previous perks involving cover, will turn you into a deadly opponent.

NEXT: Cyberpunk 2077: 5 Best Characters (& 5 That Were Just Annoying)

Minecraft: Where To Find Pandas

Tea lover and video game obsessed writing enthusiast with her very own Overwatch team, Anastasia writes about games that leave an impression on her and make her come back time and time again.

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Divided We Stand Iconic Weapon location – Cyberpunk 2077 – Shacknews

Posted: at 4:26 pm

Learn how to get your hands on the Divided We Stand Smart Assault Rifle, one of many Iconic Weapons in Cyberpunk 2077.

There are a ton of weapons and items that you can find and equip in Cyberpunk 2077, but some of the best come in the form of Iconic Weapons, which can only be earned by completing different quests and objectives. In this guide, we will show you how to get the Divided We Stand Iconic Smart Assault Rifle in Cyberpunk 2077.

Players wanting to get their hands on the Divided We Stand Iconic Weapon are going to need to make their way down to Santo Domingo, where they can find the side job Stadium Love. This particular job takes place in a 6th Street Gang hangout, and youll be in enemy territory while completing the mission.

To complete Stadium Love, and get Divided We Stand, youre going to need to do one of two things:

Once you complete the mission (by scoring higher or killing everyone) youll be able to grab Divided We Stand from the stable next to the quest start area. This Iconic Weapon is a nice addition to your arsenal, and the added Smart Rifle ability allows you to target your enemies without having to aim all that much.

Now that youve got your hands on Divided We Stand, you can also grab some other Iconic Weapons like Skippy, the talking Smart Pistol. Weve also written a guide for that, so make sure you check it out as the weapon holds a special quest once youve used it enough. If youre looking for more help, you can also head back over to our Cyberpunk 2077 guide, where youll find tons of other useful information waiting to help you find your way in Night City.

Joshua holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and has been exploring the world of video games for as long as he can remember. He enjoys everything from large-scale RPGs to small, bite-size indie gems and everything in between.

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Super Smash Bros. Melee: No more hidden bosses: 4 Melee talents on the rise in the Slippi era – InvenGlobal

Posted: at 4:25 pm

Source: Nintendo

No one can hide on rollback.

This was Zane Epengu Bhansalis commentary during Haxs Nightclub Season 2 Episode 2 the first large online Melee tournament of 2021. In the idle moment between sets, he and Aziz Hax$ Al-Yami mused about how the rollback era of Melee was an all-new one for hidden bosses.

Hax$ likened Slippi to the tech-skill IRS coming to audit your regions favorite up and comer to see if they were really all that. Prior to Slippi implementing rollback netcode, Melees online play wasnt robust enough for top players to take it seriously. In turn, online results didnt prove much.

However, traveling to a major Melee event is costly, walling unsponsored regional bosses off of the big stage. With rollback implemented and the competition at least close enough to what it once was, the travel john is now gone. In this bold new world of Melee, everyone (except Europeans) have a chance to tweet about beating top 10 players.

In truth, the bold new world probably favors the usurpers. Mang0, Zain, Hungrybox theyre all used to the cadence of offline competition, the hum of CRT setups, the rhythm of crowd noise, the many irritants of travel, all that jazz. Regional bosses are normally used to none of that jazz.

But this article isnt about overcoming cold hands, early morning pools, and venue food. Its about the usurpers.Specifically, its about four players you should watch, not only because theyre on the rise but because theyre entertaining and interesting.

Ive tried to highlight players that havent been on Melees player rankings and dont have too large a following. Ive also tried to break down specifically what makes the player potent and unique.

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The data doesnt exist yet, but the Nordic countries have to be up there when it comes to top esports players per capita. In Melee, Sweden obviously comes to mind first, but right now Finland not only has a strong community but also Europes strongest Puff.

Solobattle currently tops Finlands PR and has a strong case to make for being a top 100 player in the rollback era. While some think of Solobattle as an aggressive Puff, hes more scrappy. Like most Puffs, Solobattle will circle and ledge camp some, especially with a lead. However, he actively seeks trades, stray hits, and bizarre scramble scenarios where his opponent falls off guard and into a tech chase scenario.

That tech chase is where Solobattle thrives. Playing much more off reaction, Solobattle seems to have a flowchart worked out based on what scramble option hit, where his opponent landed, and what tech option they chose. Given that Puff dies early on stages not named Dreamland, this is a high-risk style to run. Even if the rest lands, enough trades can put Puff in a vulnerable position/

However, Solobattles style makes it so he can easily equalize the game, steal the momentum, and fluster the opponent. To top it all of, Solobattle loves Yoshis Island, sometimes opting to go there instead of Dreamland. Though odd at first glance, the close quarters on Yoshis Island increase both his openings and his rewards.

In the rollback era, Solobattle became one of Europes top competitors. He has a great record against Trif (though he has a big matchup advantage). Hes increasingly matching his bracket demon Professor Pro and hes consistently beating in-region threats like Levingy. And his record with up-and-comers like Pipsqueak is pretty even too.

Though hes yet to crack Leffen, its clear his style has even more room for optimization. There are moments where the flowchart isnt fully built out or where his execution is just that tiny bit off. A scenario that looks fantastic in one second turns into a disaster the next. Such is the nature of Puff.

Solobattle leans into that nature so much that he often exemplifies it. Take his Summit set against Professor Pro, where he attempted a waveland, falling up air, rest at 0 percent. Fox had slightly too little damage to be knocked down and the whiff turned the momentum back into Professor Pros favor.

Some people struggle to see the spirit of Melee in the floaties, but Solobattle shows it well in the high risk, high reward battles he creates. Hes a player to look for if youre tuning into an EU event and feel lost outside of EUs big names. Disregard any region or character bias you may have, and hes a player to watch for his talent alone.

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No list of hype players is complete without a Falcon player.

When I watch Puff upthrow-rest a Marth after eating 17 straight fairs in neutral, I am irate. When I watch a Falcon down throw-knee a Marth after eating 21 straight fairs in neutral, I am elated. I watch I Killed Mufasa on repeat until I pass out of fatigue.

All jokes aside, Falcon embodies the constant give-and-take that germinates from Melees high octane engine. Most things combo Falcon, Falcon combos most things, and combos are exciting to most people. Especially if those combos come from Sufyan Android 0 Hassan.

You might guess Android 0s region just from his play. He carries the creative and stylish legacy of SoCal players like S2J and has landed plenty of impressive hard-read combos in bracket. However, these combos are only the entry point into Android 0s game.

The core is movement.

According to Jeremy Squid Deutsch, one of the first techniques Android 0 mastered was the Hax dash,which allows Falcon to get up and then refresh ledge invincibility before it runs out. In his earlier sets, Android 0 would spam this option along with ledge cancels.

Android 0s weird, frenetic style answers a question which few ever thought to ask: What if Captain Falcon was a bit more like Luigi? This is especially true in the earlier sets Ive watched, including my personal favorite: Android 0 vs Niconics.

This set pays homage to the idea that Melee always has more to show you. In it, Niconics plays a more orthodox Falcon. He just wants to hit Android 0 with some cool combos and tech chase. Meanwhile, Android 0 plays a Falcon that is coated in vegetable oil and he really wants to kill Niconico using a hard read, a special move, or both.

Android 0 slips around the stage getting weird combos and conversions while Scar and Toph question why he didnt just use knee there every thirty seconds. The set is close but for some reason, it never felt like Android 0 was in danger of losing.

Fast forward almost a year after that match and Android 0 has seriously improved! In November he had a number of strong placings and wins over players like Azel, Bones, Kodorin, KJH, bobby big ballz, Kalamazhu, and Ginger.

Because his movement is so clean, hes somewhat a reaction-based Falcon in the school of Wizzrobe. He tech chases very efficiently and gets a lot of percent off a single grab. Unlike Wizzrobe and more like most Falcons, he wants to style on his opponents.

Hell opt for reads more often and hell add difficult extra steps to a kill to make it look cooler. Where Wizzrobe will crouch and stare at his opponent like a computer waiting for input, Android 0 will dance around in advantage as though a forbidden Gamecube controller cursed his hands and he has to move his joystick every 10 frames.

This style makes Android 0 a blast to watch. Melees movement is one of its core tenets and Android 0 clearly has a love for it. To top it off, hes pretty new to the scene and fastly improving, so it feels like theres much more movement to come.

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Bones represents another kind of rising star that doesnt get the attention they deserve: the veteran who hits a breakthrough.

Bones has been around for a while but 2020 is easily his best year. He has wins over Golden, Ben, LSD, bobby big ballz, Ryobeat, Aklo, Gahtzu, Rishi, Llod, Magi, Ginger, and more. These wins came throughout the year as well, offline, on less legitimate delay, and on more legitimate rollback.

As a veteran, Bones' style is knowledgeable, patient, and balanced. He doesnt struggle playing aggressively or defensively as Falco. His conversions can vary wildly from using odd hitboxes or rare glitches to literally just five lasers and an f-smash.

In the way that change is exciting, Bones is too. It feels hard to know exactly what to expect going into his matches. Perhaps because he often takes a risk on an early getup shine or maybe out of raw luck his sets often go back and forth with both sides getting highlights.

Few sets show it better than his 3-2 win over Ginger at LACS 2. These 5 games fly by in under 12 minutes, both Falcos maintaining a relentless pace coupled with fantastic punishes and creative conversions. However, the real star of the set is the laser.

Arguably the best projectile in the game, Falcos laser isnt only potent for controlling space but for creating follow-ups. Very few Falcos have the laser down as well as Ginger and Bones, so the set is an absolute shootout where many other Bones sets are just a shooting gallery. His laser usage is very lethal and very smart, leading to sharpshooter edgeguards and surprising punishes.

Bones is a player you can expect to see around and a player youll want to watch. His Falco has its own unique cadence and only seems to be improving.

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Unless you were tuned into upstate New Yorks Melee scene, you probably didnt know about Jake Jmook DiRado Arvonio until he made his huge run at Haxs Nightclub earlier this month. He earned 5th place by beating Zains surprisingly solid Fox, Aklo, Magi, bobby big ballz, and Bones.

If you are a part of Melees New York scene, then this boss probably wasnt hidden. You could see him coming in the locals upstate, where Jmook quietly became king. As far back as 2016, he was notable, beating iBDW as the future top Fox player was leveling up.

In 2018, you had to fear the name if you were a pro going to upstate New York. He took Alvaro Trif Garcia Moral to game 5 and clean sweeped La Luna.

Jmook made all of these upsets using a very technical, fast, and creative Sheik, which is especially great right now. In the rollback era, Sheik has entered a mini-dark age, with Mew2king retiring and Plup taking a mental health break. While players like Shroomed, Captain Faceroll, and Ben still showing up, the character is far from abandoned but also isnt breaking into a ton of top 8s.

Jmook understands the ins-and-outs of his character very well and seems to know how much extra space Melees tech can afford him. Many of his creative extensions come from simply applying a tech where you wouldnt expect it. In that 2018 3-0, you can see it when he slips from the platform, nairs La Luna, then boost grabs to give Sheik a Marth-esque grab range.

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City Releases the First Set of ‘Report Cards’ Highlighting Progress Towards Affordable Housing Goals – AustinTexas.gov

Posted: at 4:24 pm

Austin, Texas The City of Austins Housing and Planning Department, in partnership with HousingWorks Austin, have released the first set of scorecards that analyze and track the communitys progress towards affordable housing goals set forth in the Strategic Housing Blueprint. The Blueprint Scorecards show that the Austin community is making progress towards the 10-year goals outlined in the Strategic Housing Blueprint adopted in 2017, but significant work remains.

The Scorecards measure goals outlined in the Strategic Housing Blueprint including ensuring the creation, preservation, and equitable spread of affordable housing units across our City, while aiming to create affordability accessible to a wide range of incomes.

The Blueprint Scorecards may be viewed online here.

Additionally, these first-ever reporting scorecards grade each goal with Making Progress, Slow Progress, and Losing Ground indicators to clearly and quickly determine the progress made that year towards achieving that goal.

HousingWorks Austin consulted many community partners to track development patterns in Austin since the adoption of the Strategic Housing Blueprint, said Nora Linares-Moeller, Executive Director at HousingWorks Austin. Austin has made some progress toward meeting goals to provide housing affordable to households earning 60% Median Family Income and above. However, much work remains to address the significant need for more housing dedicated to families experiencing chronic homelessness and those earning below 60% MFI.

Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint Overview

The Citys first Strategic Housing Blueprint, adopted by Council in 2017, is a 10-year plan to help align resources and facilitate community partnerships around a single, strategic vision to create 60,000 affordable housing units to those making less than 80% of the median family income and ensure that there is affordable housing throughout the city. The Blueprint establishes a clear timeframe with which to track progress, outline clear, numeric and trackable goals, build partnerships, and identify needed resources and funding mechanisms.

The Strategic Housing Blueprint identifies five community values that are reflected in the seven housing goals outlined in the Blueprint. The community values are:

Blueprint Scorecard

The Scorecard analyses and tracks progress toward achieving the seven housing goals that are key to implementing the Blueprint. This annually reported scorecard can help Austin track its efforts to sustainably achieve affordability goals, expand housing opportunities, and ensure Austin remains a livable city for all.

Current reporting data shows Austin has made considerable progress towards achieving strategic housing goals, but significant work remains. To achieve these goals would require leveraging existing funding sources, increasing future funding opportunities, ensuring that existing regulations and programs align with affordability goals, and expanding collaborations with non-profit and private sector partners. Continued progress also depends on a strong community commitment, such as the voter approval of Project Connect in 2020, which includes $300 million for anti-displacement activities, to address the needs of the most vulnerable and create a more equitable and inclusive Austin.

Scorecard Presentations

The Housing and Planning Department, along with HousingWorks Austin, will present the Scorecards to the Planning Commission on January 26 and the City Council Housing and Planning Committee on February 23.

To learn more about the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint and to view the Blueprint Scorecards for 2018 and 2019 in full, visit: austintexas.gov/blueprint

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City Releases the First Set of 'Report Cards' Highlighting Progress Towards Affordable Housing Goals - AustinTexas.gov

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Significant progress made in new COVID-19 vaccine developed by the team of Prof Salanti – PRNewswire

Posted: at 4:24 pm

STOCKHOLM, Jan. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday January 12th, in Nature Communications, strong preclinical results for a new COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the team of Prof. Salanti from University of Copenhagen, ExpreS2ion Biotech, its joint venture partner AdaptVac and the PREVENT-nCoV consortium, was published. Based on these results, aclinical trial application (CTA) for a clinical Phase I/II study for the COVID-19 vaccine has been submitted.

About the preclinical resultsReadouts from the data show that ABNCoV2 has the potential to be the best-in-class COVID-19 vaccine with a more than 100-fold higher level of neutralizing antibodies compared with published preclinical animal data from currently approved COVID-19 vaccines, such as Pfizer-BioNTech's, Moderna's, and AstraZeneca-Oxford's vaccines. The full paper is available online and can be read here.

About the CTAThe Clinical trial application (CTA) for the ABNCoV2 capsid virus-like particle (cVLP) based COVID-19 vaccine was submitted to the Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (CCMO) in the Netherlands last week. It is expected to be approved under a COVID-19 fast-track review progress. This can be seen as another significant milestone following theNovember 2020 announcementof the successful GMP manufacturing of the vaccine. ExpreS2ion expects to present preliminary clinical Phase I/IIa results before end of Q1 2021.

Attana's involvementSince March 2020, Attana has been assisting the team of Prof. Ali Salanti at the University of Copenhagen in the development of this COVID-19 vaccine with two of Attana's QCM Biosensors combined with research intelligence. As can be seen in the paper published, Attana's technology has foremost been used to analyze kinetic interactions between RBD antigens and CLP-RBD to hACE2. Furthermore, Attana and ExpreS2ion recently established a strategic partnership including a supply agreement of proteins. In addition, Attana technology has been used to quality control the vaccine for the IND submission.

Attana CEO Teodor Aastrup comments: "I'm thrilled for our partners sake and for the future of vaccine development and wish to congratulate all parties involved for achieving such exciting results. I'm now looking forward to explore this collaboration further and to hopefully work more closely with both Prof. Salanti and the team at ExpreS2ion in the near time future."

For more information, please contact:

Teodor Aastrup[emailprotected]+46 (0)8674 57 00

The Board of directors for Attana consider that the information in this press release is not likely to have a significant effect on the share price but is of general interest for the shareholders and hence should be communicated.

About Attana

Attana was founded in 2002 with the vision ofin-vitrocharacterization of molecular interactions mimickingin-vivoconditions. Since then, Attana has developed proprietary label free biosensors for biochemical, crude, sera, and cell-based assays and the Attana Virus Analytics (AVA) platform, a proprietary in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) tool. Attana products and research services are used by Big Pharma, biotech companies and academic institutions within the life sciences. To learn more about our latest services and products, please visitwww.attana.se or contact [emailprotected].

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/attana/r/significant-progress-made-in-new-covid-19-vaccine-developed-by-the-team-of-prof-salanti,c3267204

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Netflix releases first-ever inclusion report: ‘We don’t think privilege is a dirty word’ – USA TODAY

Posted: at 4:24 pm

Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and James Corden play Broadway actors who help an Indiana teen attend a dance with her girlfriend in Netflix's 'The Prom.' USA TODAY

Netflix released its first-ever inclusion report Wednesday, highlighting progress the company has made and further steps itneeds to take to be more inclusive such as achievingpay equity for underrepresented employees.

A video accompanying the report highlights strides the company has made in diversity and inclusion, like having the first transgender director nominated for an Oscar;Laverne Cox's historic Emmy nomination; putting together theBlack British Stories collection;and the representation of a gay man with cerebral palsy in series "Special." But on-screen progress begins behind the lens, saysVern Myers, vice president ofinclusion strategy at Netflix.

About half of the company's overall workforce is female, as is the make-up of its leadership level. Nearly 48% of director-level employees and above are female, an improvement since 2017 when about 41% were female.

Also, about half of the company's U.S. workforce (46%) are people from underrepresented racial and/or ethnic backgrounds (i.e. Black;Latinoor Hispanic;Indigenous, Middle Eastern;Asian;and Pacific Islander). White staff make-up dipped from 46.1% to 45.5% since 2017.Black employees make up 8% of the company's workforce in the U.S.and 9% of its leadership; this number has doubled in the last three years.

Netflix's report also touches on pay equity, and says the company does "open compensation," meaning the top 1,000 leaders at the company can see what employees are paid. The company also has held more than 120 workshops on subjects likeprivilege, bias and intersectionality across employee levels.

"In the last year, weve shifted our consciousness towardallyship," Myers writes. "It can be uncomfortable to talk about privilege. But we dont think privilege is a dirty word. And once weve located our privilege, how can we use that privilege to offset inequities for others?"

This topic became critical for the company after the events of George Floyd's death; Floyd was a Black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck, sparking renewed calls for racial justice last summer around the U.S.

Going forward, Myers says the company needs to improve its Hispanic or Latino and other underrepresented people across areas of the company especially at the leadership level. Netflix also wants to expand its inclusion efforts internationally and focus on work beyond demographics and hiring goals.

"Hiring is important, for sure, but so is retention, promotion, tenure and compensation among underrepresented colleagues," Myers writes.

In case you missed: Trio of best children's group Grammy contenders decline nominations over lack of diversity

And here, too: After Grammy nominations outcry, Recording Academy steps up efforts to support Black musicians

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Has the IRS mailed your stimulus check yet? Track its progress with this free USPS tool – CNET

Posted: at 4:24 pm

Stimulus check or junk mail? Know what to look for so you don't toss it in the trash.

Most of the second stimulus checks have already been delivered to people in the US, throughdirect deposit--with some problems-- and mail in the form of a paper check orEIP debit card(more people are getting them this time). And if you're eligible for a second payment of up to $600 per person, but haven't received it in your bank account yet, you may need to pay attention to what's arriving in your mailbox.

There are two easy (and free) ways to track your stimulus check. The first is by using the IRS'stimulus check tracker tool, which can give you information about your payment schedule, how it's arriving,your second stimulus check totaland if there's been anerror processing your check. Then, if you learn your payment is coming in the mail, you can sign up for a free USPS service that shows you when your letters -- including your second stimulus check -- have been scanned, are in transit and have been delivered to your home.

With adeadline of Friday, Jan. 15-- just two days away -- the IRS has to finish sending out stimulus payments, as set in the December stimulus bill. If you don't receive your money in the mail shortly after that date, you'll have to file a claim during tax season to get it, and that could affect how quickly your money arrives. (Here's what to know about athird stimulus check, too.) We'll walk you through how you can use the USPS service to monitor your stimulus payment in the mail. This story was recently updated.

Informed Deliveryis a free mail-tracking service from the USPS that automatically scans your letters and can alert you with an image each time a letter with your name on it is about to be delivered -- this includes, of course, your second stimulus payment.

When the USPS runs mailed letters through its automated mail sorting equipment, it automatically creates a digital image of the front of all letter-size mail. Anyone who signs up for Informed Delivery can access the information by asking the USPS to notify you when each piece of mail with your name on it is on the way. Note that it can take three days to activate your account.

As part of the program, you'll receive an email each morning, Monday through Saturday, to notify you of any mail being delivered to you. You'll also see a grayscale image of the front of the letter. Informed Delivery has free apps forAndroidandiPhonethat you can use.

Just be aware that signing up means you'll seeallyour mail scanned by the post office, not just your stimulus check. You can cancel the service at any time.

Now playing: Watch this: Second stimulus checks: Everything you need to know

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Informed Delivery does have some limitations. For example, it'll work with many residential and personal post office box addresses but not businesses. It also won't work for some residential buildings where the Postal Service hasn't yet identified each unit.

To check whether Informed Delivery is available in your area, head to the Postal Service's Informed Delivery page.

1. TapSign Up for Free.

2. Enter your mailing address and confirm it'll work with the service; then accept the terms and conditions and tap Continue.

3. On the next page, choose your username, password and security questions. Then, enter your contact information and tap Continue.

4. On the next page, you'll need to verify your identity. TapVerify identity online if you want to receive a verification code on your phone or tap Request invitation code by mail if you want the Postal Service to mail you a code. You may also have the option to visit a post office to verify your identity in person.

For more stimulus check details, here's how to calculate an estimate of your total, what we know about a third stimulus check and how some of your rights have changed for the better with a second stimulus check.

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Top stories of 2020 in the Jackson Progress-Argus, Part 2 – jacksonprogress-argus

Posted: at 4:24 pm

While the COVID-19 pandemic and the presidential election will probably rank in most peoples minds as the top stories nationally in 2020, Butts County had its own fair share of top local stories during the last 12 months, including pandemic-related news.

The Progress-Argus is presenting a four-part series on the top story for each week of 2020, along with honorable mentions, based on the opinions of the staff. The Jan. 6 edition had the months of January-March, this week will be April-June, followed on Jan. 20 by July-September, and ending Jan. 27 with October-December.

Butts County prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more

The Butts County Board of Commissioners has amended their Declaration of Local Emergency to prohibit community gatherings of 10 or more people; require bars, taverns, nightclubs and similar establishments outside of city limits to be closed; require restaurants outside of city limits to close to the public except to provide takeout, delivery, drive-through, or curbside service, and require all businesses remaining open to ensure everyone in them remain six feet apart as much as possible.

School Meals on Wheels: Butts County School System providing almost 3,000 meals a week to students

Manhunt after Sunday murder narrows to two suspects

A search for a suspected killer and possible female hostage has changed into a search for two suspects after the Butts County Sheriffs Office determined Autumn Keara Finlay, 21, may be aiding Cody Bryce Matthews, 20, to evade apprehension. Matthews is wanted for the shooting death of William Ryan Ray, 30, of Jenkinsburg. Ray was gunned down near the pool and tennis courts on Sunday, April 3, in the Jackson Glenn subdivision west of Jackson off of Ga. Highway 36 near I-75. Witnesses told investigators several children were playing near the pool when shots rang out.

Cody Matthews captured in Williamson; Autumn Finlay found safe

The hunt is over. The Butts County Sheriffs Office, Georgia State Patrol, and United States Marshalls apprehended Cody Bryce Matthews. Autumn Keara Finlay was also found and is safe. Matthews was wanted for the shooting death of William Ryan Ray, 30, of Jenkinsburg. Ray was gunned down near the pool and tennis courts on Sunday, April 3, in the Jackson Glenn subdivision west of Jackson off of Ga. Highway 36 near I-75. Matthews was hiding in at a residence in Williamson in Pike County. He is being transported to the Butts County Jail.

Spirit of service: Churches are stepping forward to assist community during COVID-19 pandemic

Two deaths, 82 cases reported in Butts County

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed the first two deaths from COVID-19 in Butts County, both patients at Westbury Medical Care and Rehab, and 82 confirmed cases countywide.

126 confirmed cases, 3 deaths in Butts County

As of noon on Tuesday, April 28, Butts County had a total of 129 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, 3 deaths, and 9 residents who were hospitalized at the time their doctors reported to the Georgia Department of Community Health (DPH). Two of the deaths occurred at Westbury Medical Care and Rehab. The third was not a patient at Westbury.

Body of missing Henry County kayaker found in Butts County

Butts County child found safe on Friday

Multitudes of concerned Butts County residents turned out to search by foot and on ATVs Friday afternoon and evening for a lost 8-year-old non-verbal autistic child. Thankfully, the boy, Kayden Reaves, was found safe on a paintball field near his home on Harkness Road at 9:47 p.m. about 6 and a half hours after he went missing.

Westbury has 15 of the 17 COVID-19 deaths in Butts County, according to DPH

No deaths in 7 days, reports DPH; Westbury celebrating recovery of 92 residents from virus

As of 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12, both Butts County and Westbury Medical and Rehab have cause for celebration, with the numbers of deaths in the county reported by the Department of Public Health (DPH) remaining at 17 for the last 7 days, and with 92 Westbury residents having recovered from the virus and only 10 others remaining symptomatic. As of May 12, Westbury has reported 24 deaths from the virus, with 92 residents recovered, 10 residents that remain symptomatic, and only one new case. The difference in the number of deaths reported by Westbury and the DPH is because deaths are not included in the DPH report until they can be confirmed as COVID-19 related.

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JHS Class of 2020 Senior Procession set for Friday

Due to COVID-19, May 22 will be a day the Jackson High School Class of 2020 will remember for years to come, but not for the usual reason, which would have been their graduation before a cheering crowd of family and friends. Instead, May 22 will be remembered as the Jackson High School Class of 2020 Car Procession. Hosted by the Butts County Sheriffs Office, the procession will begin at Jackson High School, go through downtown Jackson with family and friends cheering them on, and end with a balloon release at Red Devil Hill.

Cause for celebration: Westbury residents, families mark COVID-19 recovery with parade

Butts County Administration Building reopened to the public

Inmate, girlfriend captured following manhunt

An inmate awaiting trial on drug charges is now facing additional charges, including aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer, after he fled from a work detail, allegedly attempted to strike Butts County Sheriff Gary Long with a vehicle, and was captured 28 hours after his escape. His girlfriend is also facing charges in connection with the escape.

City of Jackson cancels 4th of July Red, White & Boom

Third suspect in shootout surrenders to Jackson police

The third suspect in the May 27 shootout on the square in Jackson surrendered to Jackson Police Chief James Morgan Friday afternoon. Courtney Deon Marshal, 31, of Jackson, is facing charges of aggravated assault, reckless conduct, terroristic threats, and two counts of criminal damage to property. Also under arrest and facing similar charges are Xavier Walker, 26, of Flovilla, and Deon Jermaine Smith, 29, of Jackson.

No programs this summer at Parks and Recreation

Butts County proposes increase in millage rate

For the first time in five years, the Butts County Board of Commissioners are proposing to raise the countys millage rate by one mill, from 12.209 mills to 13.209 mills. It will mean an increase of 16.06% in property taxes.

Ward wins Clerk of Superior Court; Marshall wins BOE District 4

Guest of honor: Bride and groom travel to Westbury to share wedding with his grandmother

BOE taking wait and see approach on 2021 budget

The Butts County Board of Education is taking a wait and see approach toward the school systems Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) budget, waiting to see what the Georgia General Assembly will decide on in the states budget. The largest portion of school system revenues come from the state, so how large a cut in school funding the legislators decide on will have major effect on school system budgets.

We deserve to be supported: Peaceful protest march, celebration in Jackson ends with call for collective action

More than 200 people took part in a peaceful Juneteenth march and celebration on Friday, June 19. Hosted by the Jackson Renaissance Group, the march through downtown Jackson and celebration had a four-fold purpose. The first was to celebrate Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. The second was to march against police brutality, the third was to begin a collective seeking better conditions for blacks in Jackson, and the fourth was to encourage voter registration.

Officer Gilroy, Deputy Vick honored for saving the life of another officer

Residents protest rate increases, county budget

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AG Slatery and Bipartisan Coalition Push FDA to Examine Progress in Opioid Fight – tn.gov

Posted: at 4:24 pm

Nashville- Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III joined a broad coalition of 48 attorneys general in pushing federal regulators to examine recent progress in their fight against opioid abuse.

The bipartisan coalition seeks a progress report regarding recent steps taken by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to combat the opioid crisis, given the new authorities Congress granted the agency in 2018.

In their letter to FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, the attorneys general contend the requested information will help reduce prescription opioid abuse and accidental deaths.

In Tennessee we see every day the devastating effects of opioid addition- the lives lost and the cost to our healthcare systems and local economies, said General Slatery. Every tool should be used- from the federal level on down-to protect consumers, educate patients, and provide relief as we work to abate the ongoing crisis.

The coalitions letter seeks clarification of how the FDA is using and plans to use powers granted under the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act). Those provisions include safer opioid packaging and disposal features, research and issuance of new regulations on non-addictive alternatives to opioids and guidelines for opioid prescribing.

The attorneys general believe the FDA plays a critical role in ensuring both the safety and efficacy of opioids and encouraging non-addictive, non-opioid alternatives for treating pain.

General Slatery signed the West Virginia- and New Mexico-led letter with attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Read a copy of the coalitions letter here: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/attorneygeneral/documents/pr/2021/pr21-02-letter.pdf

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#21-02:AG Slatery and Bipartisan Coalition Push FDA to Examine Progress in Opioid Fight

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