Digital Phablet

Tag: parties

  • Bangladesh’s Political Turmoil Disrupts Daily Life and Stability

    Bangladesh’s Political Turmoil Disrupts Daily Life and Stability

    Protests Intensify in Dhaka Amid Political Turmoil


    Supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party demonstrate in Dhaka’s Naya Paltan area. — Reuters/File

    • Thousands gathered to support the Bangladesh National Party in Dhaka.
    • Leftist parties are preparing protests against the release of a Jamaat-e-Islami leader.
    • At least six different demonstrations occurred in Dhaka on Wednesday.

    Protests have become a routine part of life in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Many residents either participate in the events as political factions vie for power after last year’s upheaval or try to avoid the chaos altogether.

    Since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in August 2024—having fled by helicopter as demonstrators stormed her palace—the South Asian nation of approximately 170 million has been embroiled in political strife.

    Hasina’s 15-year-long authoritarian governance stifled dissent, holding back protests until a student-led uprising led to her downfall.

    On Wednesday, Dhaka, a city with over 20 million residents, witnessed at least six protests, encompassing political rallies, counter-protests, labor strikes, and even celebrations surrounding the release of a leader from death row.

    “I was freed this morning after spending 14 years in prison,” exclaimed ATM Azharul Islam, waving to thousands of supporters from the Jamaat-e-Islami party.

    As the crowd erupted in cheers following his release from a prison hospital in central Dhaka—a day after the Supreme Court overturned his death sentence and acquitted him of war crimes—Islam communicated his past grievances and expressed hope for future justice.

    “Previous rulings lacked fairness… We anticipate that the court will uphold justice moving forward,” he stated.

    In contrast, leftist factions have condemned his release and plan to hold counter-demonstrations.

    Across Ramna Park in the Naya Paltan district, a massive crowd filled the streets in a show of support for the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), as political groups brace for much-anticipated elections scheduled by the interim government for no later than June 2026.

    ‘Unpredictable’ Atmosphere

    While tens of thousands of protesters gather at key intersections in Dhaka, others struggle through the congested streets.

    “All major roads are blocked during the day,” lamented Zakir Hossain, a chicken vendor. “I’ve had to adjust my working hours and now start my day at midnight, even though the security situation is deteriorating, and muggings are becoming frequent.”

    This instability is a reminder of the violence that erupted last year when police attempted to suppress protests that ultimately led to Hasina’s exit.

    “The situation is unpredictable—protests can escalate into violence at any time,” voiced a housewife who wished to remain anonymous due to her husband’s government employment. “I used to refrain from calling him often, but now I worry whenever he is late returning home.”

    Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, an 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate heading the caretaker government, has called for unity among political factions to ease the intense competition for power.

    The government issued a warning on Saturday about “unreasonable demands” impeding its efforts.

    ‘Finding Balance’

    Yunus has proposed that elections could occur as soon as December, although he indicated a later date would allow more time for governmental reforms.

    Rallies organized by the influential BNP are demanding the government set a date for the elections and address a range of other issues, including the dismissal of certain cabinet members.

    Tax authority employees have been staging a partial strike for two weeks in response to reforms that would place their agency under the finance ministry’s purview.

    This tension intensified over the weekend when security forces cordoned off the national tax headquarters, subsequently prompting the government to reconsider its proposals.

    Civil servants also staged protests this week at major government office complexes against directives altering employment regulations, which the government indicated it would review.

    The demonstrations continue as everyday life is disrupted.

    “Customers rarely visit the bank when the roads are blocked,” remarked bank manager Muhammed Sazzad. While he supports the right to protest, he suggested that authorities might designate specific areas for demonstrations.

    Rakib Hasan Anik, a lecturer at the Bangladesh University of Professionals, expressed concern about the academic disruptions caused by the unrest, with students frequently caught in traffic and missing classes.

    “There needs to be a balance,” he said. “We hope all parties can come together to prioritize the needs of the public.”

  • Instacart Aims for New App to Be Essential for Parties

    Instacart Aims for New App to Be Essential for Parties

    Hey Alexa, cue up “Don’t Stop The Party” by Pitbull for Fizz, a brand-new food delivery app from Instacart. This grocery delivery service has rolled out an app designed to become essential for parties, particularly for those hosted by Millennials and Gen Zers aged 21 and older.

    Fizz was launched on Tuesday to simplify the process of ordering drinks and snacks for get-togethers. Here’s how it works: if you’re throwing a party for any occasion—like the NBA Finals, the Fourth of July, or Halloween—you can share a link to your Fizz cart in your group chat. Your friends can add their contributions, whether it’s chips, dip, soda, charcuterie, healthy snacks, beer, or mocktails. Once your cart is packed with all the party essentials, you can choose to have everything delivered immediately or schedule it for a specific time, all for a flat $5 delivery fee. Just remember to show your ID to the driver if your order contains alcohol.

    Guests aren’t required to download the Fizz app to help fill the cart. They also won’t have to select a specific store; the app automatically finds the nearest grocery store to your location. Additionally, purchases generate “snack bucks,” which provide discounts on future snack orders.

    Group orders on Fizz.
    Instacart

    As reported by TechCrunch, Daniel Danker, Instacart’s chief product officer, stated that the concept for Fizz emerged from recognizing a shift in how different generations approach social gatherings. While Baby Boomers and Gen Xers typically cover all food costs themselves, Millennials and Gen Zers often prefer to split expenses among friends and accommodate various dietary preferences.

    Currently, Fizz is available for download in 30 states, including California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Washington, as well as certain regions of Louisiana, New Mexico, and Nevada. There’s no word yet on when it will expand to other parts of the U.S.

  • Top March 7th Party Builds in Honkai: Star Rail

    Top March 7th Party Builds in Honkai: Star Rail

    Quick Links

    From the start, March 7th has been a part of Honkai: Star Rail, first appearing during the tutorial. As players progress to the second Xianzhou Luofu storyline, subsequent to visiting Penacony, she can adopt a new Path and element, transforming into Imaginary March 7th through the Saga of Primaveral Blade event. This version of March 7th significantly enhances any team she joins.

    Imaginary March 7th excels in teams alongside other follow-up attack specialists. Thankfully, various configurations allow her to thrive, including some that are accessible for free-to-play players.

    The Ultimate Imaginary March 7th Team: Premium Follow-Up Strategy

    Character Role
    Imaginary March 7th Sub-DPS/Buffer
    Feixiao Main DPS
    Aventurine Shield/Sustain
    Robin Support/Buffer

    This team setup has Imaginary March 7th taking the role of a follow-up attack enabler, effectively substituting for the limited 5-star character Topaz. A major advantage of this team is how smoothly everything operates, even with auto-battle turned off. The typical flow of combat can follow these steps:

    • Cast March 7th’s Skill on Feixiao, followed by her Ultimate to enhance Feixiao’s Basic Attack.
    • Utilize Feixiao’s Skill to initiate her first follow-up, which will link to March 7th’s follow-up, then back to Feixiao’s. This synergy grants three stacks to Feixiao’s Ultimate gauge, March 7th’s enhanced basic attack, and Aventurine’s follow-up.
    • Employ Robin’s Skill to boost party damage, and use her Ultimate to specifically increase follow-up attack damage.
    • Activate Aventurine’s Skill and Ultimate as needed to maintain shields for the team while also allowing follow-ups.

    Deciding whether to use Feixiao’s Ultimate immediately once he reaches six stacks, or to wait for additional stacks, should be based on the situation. The same applies to whether to use Aventurine’s Skill or Basic attack. Imaginary March 7th should focus on Basic attacks after using her Skill on Feixiao, as the Skill’s effects do not transfer until directed.

    Ensure March 7th has ample Energy Regeneration to use her Ultimate before hitting seven stacks, ideally every two cycles. This guarantees she takes full advantage of her enhanced Basic attack. Missing out occasionally won’t completely derail your strategy, but it will lower your damage output overall.

    If you have Lingsha but not Aventurine, she can serve as an adequate replacement. Lingsha offers enhanced Break efficiency that synergizes well with Feixiao’s damage bonuses against broken targets while also adding Fire damage to the mix.

    Yunli Follow-Up Team

    Imaginary March 7th team featuring Yunli, Huo Huo, and Robin in Honkai: Star Rail.
    Character Role
    Imaginary March 7th Sub-DPS/Buffer
    Yunli Main DPS
    Huo Huo Healer/Buffer
    Robin Support/Buffer

    This configuration focuses on leveraging Yunli’s counter-attack abilities and Huo Huo’s Ultimate, which bestows Energy to the entire team, allowing Yunli to remain in her Ultimate counter-state as much as possible. March 7th contributes the usual bonuses: added damage and her own supplementary damage.

    The combat rotation may play out as follows:

    • Deploy Imaginary March 7th’s Skill on Yunli to stack effects for both characters.
    • Activate Yunli’s Skill to enter her counter state and use her Ultimate when it’s ready for extra damage.
    • Use Robin’s Skill to enhance overall party damage. Time her Ultimate appropriately to maximize your team’s advantage on the turn order.
    • Utilize Huo Huo to provide two rounds of healing, and use her Ultimate whenever available to grant 15 Energy to the team.

    Consider using Huo Huo’s Ultimate as an interrupt to give Yunli her own Ultimate during critical moments to maximize damage.

    Maintaining Yunli’s counter state should be the goal, and this team is particularly effective against enemies weak to Physical damage, as both Yunli and Robin can dish out Physical hits, alongside March who provides bonuses for Yunli. When built correctly, Yunli can handle tough opponents effectively.

    Free-To-Play Team Composition

    Free-to-Play team featuring Imaginary March 7th, Moze, Tingyun, and Gallagher in Honkai: Star Rail.
    Character Role
    Imaginary March 7th Sub-DPS/Buffer
    Moze Main DPS
    Gallagher Healer/Breaker
    Tingyun Support/Buffer

    While the roster in Honkai: Star Rail may have few free follow-up attack options, using Moze as your main DPS, supported by three Skill Point-positive teammates, enables rapid damage output.

    Imaginary March 7th brings her usual prowess, alongside Tingyun who continuously supplies Moze with damage bonuses and Ultimate energy. Gallagher stands out as the best 4-star healer available, providing sustain that can rival even 5-star characters.

    The rotation for this team can be organized as follows:

    • Apply Imaginary March 7th’s Skill to Moze, followed by her Ultimate to enhance his Basic.
    • Cast Tingyun’s Skill and Ultimate on Moze to amplify his damage output and provide him with Ultimate Energy.
    • Moze’s Skill should then mark an enemy with Prey to start building stacks for follow-up attacks and use his Ultimate for added damage.
    • Employ Gallagher’s Skill for healing and debuff removal as needed, followed by his Ultimate for emergency healing and Fire damage.

    Feel free to substitute Tingyun with any top-tier Support option you have at your disposal, such as Bronya or Sparkle.

    This team composition follows a more traditional hypercarry model, with Imaginary March 7th and the rest of the team enhancing Moze’s effectiveness. While other March 7th team setups may offer more synergy, you can still achieve great results with this focused strategy.

  • Joining and Creating Parties in Throne and Liberty: A Guide

    Joining and Creating Parties in Throne and Liberty: A Guide

    Quick Links

    How to Invite Players to Your Party

    Throne and Liberty is a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) that allows for solo play but encourages players to team up. Being part of a guild is a major component of the game, and working with guildmates can lead to more reliable rewards.

    That said, you don’t need to join a guild to play with others. There are always players in Throne and Liberty searching for teammates, and knowing how to form or join a party can make this process much easier.

    How to Join Parties

    Getting into a party is straightforward. Usually, you’ll receive an invitation that you can either accept or decline. Invitations can come your way for various reasons, such as when you’re working on the same mission as another player or when someone is gathering a group for specific activities.

    Keep in Mind: Party invites will expire after a while, so if you don’t respond quickly, the invitation will need to be resent.

    Once you join a party, part of your user interface will display information about your teammates, including their health and mana levels. This is especially important if you play as a healer.

    Queuing for Dungeons

    You might also join a party by queuing for activities like cooperative dungeons. To do this, select the content you want to complete from the co-op dungeon section in your menu, choose your role, and be ready for the activity when you get the notification.

    Most of the time, the game will automatically team you with players who fill the necessary roles for the dungeon, typically including damage dealers, healers, and tanks. Once you’re in the dungeon, the party functionality remains the same.

    How to Create Parties

    If you’re looking to lead an adventure, you’ll want to create a party. To do so, go to your Quick Menu and locate the Manage Party section. From there, you can generate party invitation links and activate matchmaking, allowing you and your party members to queue for activities based on your roles.

    How to Invite Players to Your Party

    You can invite players to your party by creating a party invitation link and sharing that link in any relevant chat. Whether you post it in a general chat for wide access or privately message it to someone for a personal invite is up to you.

    If you are near another player, you can also select them and invite them directly from the menu.

    How to Join or Create a Guild

    If you want a consistent group of players to team up with, joining a guild is the way to go. A guild typically offers a stable group of members with whom you become familiar, sharing goals and fulfilling specific roles.

    Joining a Guild

    Joining a guild is a simple process: you receive an invite, and you can either accept or decline it. When you receive the invite, you can view details about the guild, such as its level and number of members.

    Make sure to keep an eye on the Global Chat to spot guilds that are recruiting.

    Creating a Guild

    Establishing a guild is a more involved process but is perfect if you aim to lead one. To create a guild, you first need to design a banner and choose a name for your guild; the process costs 30,000 Sollant. After your guild is set up, you can start inviting players and forming your group.

    Servers, Regions, and Platforms

    Regardless of which platform you play on, you’ll be able to team up with friends as long as you’re on the same server.

    Server Regions

    Throne and Liberty includes several server regions: North America East, North America West, Europe, Japan, and South America. Joining a server in your region usually results in better connection quality, but you can also opt for a server outside your region to play with friends globally.

    Server Swapping

    You can switch servers in Throne and Liberty if you want to collaborate with someone on a different one. However, it costs 750 Lucent, so think carefully before making the change.

    Which Modes Are Multiplayer?

    Most activities in Throne and Liberty can be done in multiplayer mode if you’re grouped with friends, with two exceptions: Taedal’s Tower and specific solo missions during leveling, particularly in Chapter Two. Taedal’s Tower is a solo challenge focusing on boss fights accessible at level 15.

    Aside from those instances, you can participate in everything else with fellow players, including open-world events, arenas, co-op dungeons, and various explorations.