Latest news with #Expeditions
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
LEGO Fortnite Expeditions set to launch with hero classes and new adventures
Image via Epic Games Epic Games has officially teased the upcoming mode, which introduces a new layer of gameplay through 'Hero Classes.' The first of these, Shadow Caller, has already been unveiled, and early speculation suggests the class will feature enhanced mobility and mystical abilities. Interestingly, the character resembles Morgan Myst, hinting at the crossover potential Epic is known for. 'Shadow Caller is the first of three Hero Classes coming with Expeditions. Switch between them for a different gameplay experience and level them up as you play,' Epic said in an official post. While details remain limited, the new mode is expected to offer progression-based gameplay where each Hero Class will provide a distinct play style. Whether that translates to specific roles, similar to RPG-style party dynamics - or simply alternate mechanics remains unclear. However, fans are already drawing comparisons to Fortnite's Hero Items from Chapter 6 Season 3 and speculating that the experience may adopt elements from RPGs or even roguelites. LEGO Fortnite 's expanding universe LEGO Fortnite has seen rapid evolution since its initial debut in December 2023. Starting as a survival crafting experience, the game mode quickly became a fan favourite. The addition of LEGO Fortnite Brick Life brought life-sim elements to the table, including the recent inclusion of AI NPCs like Noir and Slurp Leviathan, who interact dynamically based on player actions. With Expeditions on the horizon, Epic continues to double down on LEGO Fortnite's appeal, especially among younger audiences and creative builders. On June 17, just a day before Expeditions launches, the LEGO Brick Editor will also be integrated into the Unreal Editor in Fortnite. This will give players access to 50 LEGO Bricks in 42 colours, allowing even more customisation within the metaverse. More details about the remaining two Hero Classes are expected soon, with speculation hinting at melee and ranged specialists. Some fans believe these may draw inspiration from existing Fortnite characters, while others hope for original LEGO-style heroes. Epic's history of unexpected crossovers leaves the door wide open. Players are also curious about how these Hero Classes will evolve during gameplay. Could we see RPG-style progression, skill upgrades, or team-based mechanics? While nothing has been confirmed, the potential for deeper engagement is promising. With Expeditions launching on June 18, Epic Games appears ready to expand LEGO Fortnite into something much larger. As class-based combat, storytelling, and creative tools come together, players can expect a richer, more layered experience moving forward. LEGO Fortnite Expeditions will be free to play across all major platforms including Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Also Read: Fortnite leak hints at big changes: Weapon mastery, ranked shops, and more in the pipeline
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Telegraph
The new regulations threatening Arctic cruises
When our waiter pointed through the restaurant window and exclaimed 'polar bear', I could swear the MS Spitsbergen listed, such was the rush to starboard. I was on a cruise up the coastline of western Svalbard, and we all wanted to see one. Yet this distant 'bear' sighting turned out to be a plump, white-coated reindeer – and the queue for omelettes soon reformed. How close we would actually get to one during Hurtigruten Expeditions' first 'Return of the Sun' voyage of the season, as winter's sea-ice cracked apart, was, however, another matter. That's because strict new conservation regulations governing how to see polar bears in Svalbard have just come into effect. The Norwegian government's new regulations mean ships cannot carry more than 200 passengers (we were 98), sites deemed fragile have been closed to landings, and there is firm guidance on not disturbing or pursuing polar bears. Which all seems sensible. What has caused some uproar is a diktat that between March 1 and June 30 (a period when females have young cubs) the closest distance a ship can view polar bears from is 500 metres. This drops to 300 metres for the rest of the year. One local Norwegian small-ship operator irately told me it would be the death of Svalbard cruising as even with powerful cameras and binoculars sightings would be too distant. He also showed me a recent video posted online of a scientific research helicopter harassing a polar bear with cubs. 'No cruise ship ever behaved so badly to the bears – it's a different rule for them,' he said. Still, I was optimistic – perhaps due to the serotonin overdose of midnight sun that blazed all night through my cabin window as we traversed a snowbound coastline of Toblerone-shaped mountains and glistening glaciers. Maybe I'd roll up my blackout blind to see a bear bobbing shipside on a piece of ice floe? Although if I did, the new regulations would require the ship to withdraw immediately to 500 metres away. Monica Votvik, the ship's Norwegian expedition leader, laughed: 'We don't tend to get those National Geographic encounters'. She was uncertain as to whether the regulation's rationale was conservation or to control tourism. 'I have been up around Svalbard for 15 years and had a lot of bear encounters and never once seen our operation disturb them. Mostly the bears are unbothered by our presence,' she added. Their population, she said, has been stable and last year's bears were fat with big bellies. Around 300 inhabit Svalbard, part of the Barents Sea population of 3,000, which roam across the ice eastwards to Russia's Franz Joseph Land. Since 1973 it has been illegal to hunt them here. An estimated 28,000 were killed during the century prior to the ban. Polar bears are not the sole focus of Svalbard voyages, Monica insisted. 'We don't call these wildlife cruises. It's about being in nature, among the glaciers and mountains,' she said. And she was right. During landings by zodiac dinghies we saw hauled-out walruses at Smeerenburg, squeezed together on a beach, some flat on their voluminous backs with ivory tusks pointing skywards. At Calypsobyen, the thwarted ambition is palpable of the abandoned workings of the British Northern Exploration Company's failed attempt at coal-mining between 1918-20. At Gravnesodden, the souls within the 17th-century graves of English, Dutch, and Basque whalers felt present in wavy murmurations of little auks overhead. One night a minke whale arched beyond the ship's bow. The perpetual soundtrack was barnacle geese migrating here in their thousands. Our polar bear moment arrived in the majestic snowbound Raudfjörden. At around 9pm, after a Norwegian seafood buffet, we crowded on Spitsbergen's bow when two bears had been spotted from the bridge. We edged closer, still well outside the new limit, but were halted by impenetrable ice, imprinted by a bear's heavy paw prints. I could make out the bears through binoculars virtually motionless staring at each other. They were pinpricks on the horizon, but this felt an authentically real way to experience their free-roaming lifestyles in the context of this immense Arctic wilderness. 'These distant sightings are the norm,' said Monica's assistant, Joshua van der Groen. 'If we saw them on the shoreline like this we would never land but previously would've launched the zodiacs to get closer whilst maintaining a respectful difference,' he said. The remote bear sighting however didn't worry fellow passengers, Ian and Jackie Ross, from Skye. 'We hadn't heard about the regulations before booking but they wouldn't have put us off,' they said. 'We didn't expect to see bears but came for nature and scenery. Any wildlife has been a bonus'. There is a suggestion that operators will sail beyond Svalbard's territorial waters, 12 miles out, to where the new regulations have no authority. It was in that zone, beyond 80°N, we saw one of Europe's most sublime spectacles: the southern edge of the polar ice front. Ahead of us was a white barrier that spanned the entire horizon. It was 600 nautical miles from there to the North Pole. Across its expanse polar bears can roam all the way to Russian islands. 'It will be interesting to see if ships do come here looking for bears, although you'd be very unlikely to see them due to the ice's extent,' said Joshua. Only early-season spring voyages are likely to sail to this ice-front because in summer it retreats. 'That would mean ships using a lot more fuel to reach it and more sea days, which would mean less landings, which guests enjoy,' he said. The biggest threat polar bears face is the retreat of Arctic sea ice – this winter's extent was the lowest on record – which undermines their ability to hunt seals on the ice floe. These new cruise regulations will therefore make little difference to wider efforts to conserve polar bears, but nor, thankfully, do they significantly diminish the experience of witnessing wild and magnificent Svalbard. Mark Stratton was a guest of Hurtigruten Expeditions. Its voyage costs from £5,540 per person including regional flights and hotel accommodation.
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Ford F-150, Broncos among over 280,000 vehicles recalled: Check car recalls here
Ford F-150, Broncos among over 280,000 vehicles recalled: Check car recalls here Show Caption Hide Caption Car recalls: Why they happen and what buyers should know Why do car recalls happen? Here's what to know if your car has an open recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued multiple recalls last week, including notices for over 270,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Are you looking to see if any recalls were issued on your vehicle? If the car isn't listed below, owners can check USA TODAY's automotive recall database or search NHTSA's database for new recalls. The NHTSA website allows you to search for recalls based on your vehicle identification number, or VIN. Here's what you need to know about the vehicle recalls published by NHTSA from May 12 to May 18. Expeditions, Navigators recalled for faulty brake line Ford Motor Company recalled certain 2022-2024 Ford Expeditions and 2022-2024 Lincoln Navigators as they may have leaking brake lines. The front brake lines in the recalled vehicles may contact the engine air cleaner outlet pipe and become damaged, according to the NHTSA. Ford said in the recall announcement that the front brake line may have been bent during the engine installation process at Ford's final assembly plant. Dealers are to inspect the front brake line and replace the brake line or air cleaner outlet pipe, as necessary, for free. Owner notification letters are to be mailed May 26. Affected vehicles: 273,789 Ford recalls F-150s for loose fasteners Ford also recalled certain 2025 F-150 vehicles as they may have loose fasteners that may result in a loss of steering control. The lower intermediate shaft fasteners may be improperly attached to the steering gear, allowing the shaft to come loose or detach. Dealers are to inspect and replace the lower intermediate shaft fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are to be mailed May 26. Affected vehicles: 9,181 Broncos recalled for child safety lock malfunction Ford recalled certain 2024 Bronco vehicles as they may have a child safety lock that allows a rear door to be opened unintentionally. The left-side rear door in the recalled vehicles may be opened from the inside of the vehicle when the child safety lock is in the "ON" position, according to the NHTSA. Dealers are to inspect the child safety locks and replace the rear door latch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 26. Affected vehicles:2,002 Contributing: Saleen Martin, USA TODAY.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford to Recall More Than 273K SUVs Over Potential Brake Defect
Ford Motor Company F is set to recall 273,789 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs from model years 2022 to 2024 due to a potential brake defect, per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The issue stems from the front brake lines possibly coming into contact with the engine air cleaner outlet pipe, which could damage the lines and cause a fluid leak. A brake fluid leak may lead to longer brake pedal travel and a reduction in the rate of deceleration. A sudden loss or complete depletion of brake fluid can increase the distance needed to bring the vehicle to a stop, increasing the likelihood of a collision. The problem may have originated from the front brake line being bent during affected vehicles were produced between April 15, 2021, and Nov. 20, 2024. Only about 1% of the recalled SUVs are expected to have this issue and haven't led to any crashes or injuries. Owners of recalled vehicles are advised to bring their SUVs to a Ford or Lincoln dealership for inspection. If needed, the front brake line and/or air cleaner outlet pipe will be replaced at no cost to the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator have been key models in Ford's lineup since their introduction in the late 1990s. Last year, Ford sold more than 78,000 Expeditions and 15,000 Navigators in the United States. F carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks Waymo LLC, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. GOOGL, is recalling 1,212 autonomous vehicles to address software issues that could cause them to collide with road barriers, such as chains and gates. Waymo operates more than 1,500 vehicles across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, providing over 250,000 fully autonomous paid rides each week. The company also has plans to expand its services to Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, this month, Volvo VLVLY issued a recall affecting 413,151 U.S. vehicles, including 2021–2025 XC40 models, due to a malfunctioning rearview camera system. Volvo will fix the issue through a software update either at dealerships or via over-the-air installation. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ford Motor Company (F) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report AB Volvo (VLVLY) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Ford recalls nearly 2,74,000 navigator and expedition SUVs due to risk of loss of brake function
Ford is recalling nearly 274,000 of its Expedition and Lincoln-branded Navigator SUVs across the U.S. due to an issue that may cause a loss of brake function while driving, increasing crash risks. According to documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , the front brake lines in these now-recalled cars "may be in contact" with their engine air cleaner outlet pipe due to a potential installation defect. That can result in a brake fluid leak and/or a loss of brake function. The recall covers 223,315 Expeditions and 50,474 Navigators between model years 2022 and 2024. Ford expects that just 1per cent of these vehicles have the defect, per a recall report dated Friday. Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this recall - but the Michigan-based auto giant had received 45 warranty reports of front brake line leaks as of April 17, NHSTA documents note. As a remedy, Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the front brake line of impacted vehicles and replace it or the air cleaner outlet pipe if necessary, free of charge. Dealer notifications were planned to begin Wednesday, the recall report notes, with owner letters set to be mailed out between May 26 and May 30. In the meantime, drivers can also confirm if their specific vehicle is included in this recall and find more information using the NHTSA site or Ford's recall lookup. The company's number for this recall is 25S47. Impacted drivers may experience an increase in pedal travel, NHSTA documents warn, meaning the pedal would need to be pressed harder to apply the brakes. And if there's a leaking brake line, the fluid level will decrease over time - potentially causing the red brake warning indicator to light up. A spokesperson for Ford had no additional comments when reached by The Associated Press on Wednesday.
