Blackfire

About 10% of embattled social media giant Twitter’s remaining workforce, including staff charged with keeping the platform functional, discovered that they had been laid off over the weekend, according to a report published Sunday by the New York Times. About 200 data scientists, product managers and engineers working on issues like site reliability were among those fired, days after the company took some of its internal communications infrastructure offline, according to the report. These cuts are the latest of several that have afflicted Twitter since Elon Musk’s takeover in late 2022. Fewer than 2,000 employees still work at Twitter, out of roughly 7,500 who were present before the company's go-private deal The Times report said that the company had shuttered its Slack instance early last week, which made it harder for employees to communicate with one another, and that some employees only discovered that they had been laid off when they were logged out of Twitter’s systems, including email accounts and laptops. Additionally, a Google chat platform administered by the company for its employees was closed over the weekend. Esther Crawford, the head of Twitter Blue — the company’s verification service that had begun efforts to charge users a monthly fee for the coveted “blue checkmark” on their profiles — was among those ousted in the latest round of layoffs, according to widespread reports. Crawford was the founder of a social screen-sharing app called Squad, which was bought out by Twitter in 2020 for an undisclosed fee. https://www.computerworld.com/article/3688938/twitter-stealthily-lays-off-10-of-remaining-workers-including-tech-staff.html

Name of the game: ACE COMBAT™ 7: SKIES UNKNOWN Price: 9.59$ Link Store: Click Here Offer ends up after X hours : Offer ends 6 March SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS MINIMUM: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 (64-bit OS required) Processor: Intel Core i3-7100 Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750Ti(2GB) DirectX: Version 11 Network: Broadband Internet connection Storage: 50 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 11 sound card Additional Notes: Estimated performance: 1080p/60fps with graphics settings at "Low". Framerate might drop in graphics-intensive scenes. - 64-bit processor and operating system are required. RECOMMENDED: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 (64-bit OS required) Processor: Intel Core i5-7500 Memory: 8 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (3GB) DirectX: Version 11 Network: Broadband Internet connection Storage: 50 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 11 sound card Additional Notes: Estimated performance: 1080p/60fps with graphics settings at "High". Framerate might drop in graphics-intensive scenes. - 64-bit processor and operating system are required. - Windows 10 (Version 1809 or later) and a 4GB VRAM GPU (graphics board or video card) are required for DirectX 12 API.

Nickname: Blackfire Video author: throneful Name of the game: Call of Duty Mobile Link video:

 It's difficult to find someone oblivious to the world of Harry Potter. For many it was a property that grew up with them, with both the book and film series persisting in the zeitgeist for decades. It's confusing then that it's taken this long to get a game that promises to deliver on the fantasy of becoming a wizard or witch within that universe; attending classes, learning spells, engaging in mischief, and exploring the grandeur of Hogwarts Castle. Hogwarts Legacy delivers on that promise, to a degree. Its adaptation of this universe is undeniably the most extensive yet, allowing you to truly explore Hogwarts and its surrounding areas like never before. But it's also stuck too keenly in the present (and sometimes, past) of open-world game design, reducing much of what you do to repetitive checklist activities in a world that is disappointingly barren. Hogwarts Legacy takes place in the late 1800s, although you might be hard-pressed to notice that from the way characters speak or by the clothes they wear, which look ripped straight out of the films set in the late 1900s. You play as a prodigal witch or wizard of your own creation, this time fighting against a goblin uprising led by one particularly nasty one named Ranrok. This props up a predictable and surprisingly sporadic narrative, with main beats and progression only taking place every few hours as you complete the requisite quests around them, which are often barely related. There's so little screen time for many of the main characters that you struggle to get a sense of their motives, especially so in the case of Ranrok, who only appears to deliver a line or two to some subordinates before he disappears for a couple of hours. It robs him, and the story, of any sense of emotional tension, reducing it to nothing more than "talented good student takes out bad powerful goblin" by the end While trying to stop a potentially cataclysmic uprising, you'll also be required to juggle the duties that come with being a newly inducted fifth-year at Hogwarts. Being both a new and older student means you get to enjoy the thrills of learning some familiar spells from earlier years, but also have access to a wide range of more advanced ones as the year progresses. The initial introduction to each class is captivating, from partaking in duels in Defence Against the Dark Arts or being subjected to a screaming Mandrake in Herbology. These are some of the moments where Hogwarts Legacy is at its strongest, recapturing the sense of wonder that has made this world so enticing to so many. The mechanical components of each class, however, fall woefully short. The small minigame used to convey wand movements for each spell feels ripped out of the series' very first video game entry nearly two decades ago, while many of the activities introduced shortly after are brief, uninteresting, and usually used as a means to fill your map with many more instances of the same thing. They quickly extinguish any glimmers of hope that the school aspect to your time at Hogwarts will be as engaging as many of these classes might seem from the outside. After your introduction to each class, your engagement with each professor and their craft is relegated to even less interesting quests. You're tasked with completing two objectives before they'll dole out another spell, with the chores in question sometimes not even making sense for the class they're required for. Some you'll end up completing naturally as you explore or engage with other quests, such as those that require you to use certain spells on enemies or acquire particular potions. Others will, however, routinely force you to deviate from the fun, such as objectives that ask you to either purchase or grow a particular plant in the Room of Requirement (which can take upwards of 15 real-world minutes, not too unlike the artificial timers you'd find in a free mobile game). It was confusing to have progression routinely stifled by these activities, given that most main quests generally required a certain spell before they could be started. This growing collection of spells is most useful in Hogwarts Legacy's combat, which initially makes a strong impression. Basic attack and protection spells can be fired off with ease, with the combat flow mimicking a familiar setup of timing blocks and parries as you mash away at the attack button in-between. Advanced spells sit on a four-slot weapon wheel, allowing you to cast them using one of the four face buttons. They're filtered into red, yellow, and purple classes, each of which informs you of their overall purpose in battle. Purple spells, such as accio and descendo, are mani[CENSORED]tion attacks that can control and move opponents, while red spells such as the fire spell incendio and disarming spell expelliarmus are all about damage. Used intelligently together, combat has a rhythmic flow to it that shines most when you're pulling off combos. Flinging a foe into the air, firing off some basic attacks and then suspending them there even further makes you feel incredibly powerful, but it's also an effective way to take down enemies that are happy enough to soak up damage from your basic attack. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/hogwarts-legacy-review-sleight-of-hand/1900-6418032/

Nick Movie: The Wonder Time: 2022 Netflix Duration of the movie: 1h 48m Trailer:

GM’s Alfred P Sloan, and cars for every purse and purpose Alfred P Sloan (1875-1966) is a major reason why we car buyers have enjoyed so much choice for so long. He was the architect behind the revival of 1920s General Motors and its mish-mash of money-losing brands accumulated by its co-founder, the fairy-tale charming, corporate shopaholic that was William C. Durant (1861-1947). Sloan arranged brands and models hierarchically to produce “a car for every purse and purpose,” his industrial enabler the canny sharing of bodies across brands, each flaunting a distinctive, add-on décor https://www.autocar.co.uk/slideshow/edsel-story-automotive-disaster-3

At least 59 migrants, including 12 children, have died and dozens more are feared missing after their boat sank in rough seas off southern Italy. The overloaded vessel broke apart while trying to land with at least 150 people aboard near the coastal town of Crotone in the Calabria region. Many bodies have been recovered from the beach at a nearby seaside resort. Large numbers of people fleeing conflict and poverty make the crossing from Africa to Italy each year. A baby thought to be only a few months old was among the dead, according to Italy's Ansa news agency. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who visited the scene, said as many as 30 people may still be missing. The coastguard said 80 people had been recovered alive, "including some who managed to reach the shore after the sinking". The boat, which sailed from Turkey several days ago, was carrying passengers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Iran. President Sergio Mattarella said many were fleeing "very difficult conditions". One survivor was arrested on migrant trafficking charges, customs police said. The vessel is reported to have sunk after it crashed against rocks during rough weather, sparking a large search-and-rescue operation on land and at sea. Video footage shows timber from the wreckage that has been smashed into pieces washing up on the beach, along with parts of the hull. Survivors are seen huddled under blankets, attended to by Red Cross workers. Some have been taken to hospital. There had been landings but never a tragedy like this," the mayor of Cruto, Antonio Ceraso, told Rai News. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni - elected last year partly on a pledge to stem the flow of migrants into Italy - expressed "deep sorrow" for the incident, blaming the deaths on traffickers. "It is inhumane to exchange the lives of men, women and children for the price of the 'ticket' they paid in the false perspective of a safe journey," she said in a statement. "The government is committed to preventing departures, and with them the unfolding of these tragedies, and will continue to do so." Ms Meloni's right-wing government has vowed to stop migrants reaching Italy's shores and in the last few days pushed through a tough new law tightening the rules on rescues. Carlo Calenda, Italy's former economy minister, said people in difficulty at sea should be rescued "whatever the cost", but added that "illegal immigration routes must be closed". According to monitoring groups, more than 20,000 people have died or gone missing at sea in the central Mediterranean since 2014. European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen said she was "deeply saddened" by the incident, adding that the "loss of life of innocent migrants is a tragedy". She said it was crucial to "redouble our efforts" to make progress on reforming EU asylum rules to tackle the challenges regarding migration to Europe. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64776621

The Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority have announced a joint commitment to take immediate steps to end a surge in violence. The move has emerged from rare talks in Jordan, also attended by US and Egyptian officials. The meeting agreed to support confidence-building steps and "to work towards a just and lasting peace". As the talks took place, a Palestinian gunman shot dead two Israelis in the occupied West Bank. Israel's government described the killings as "a Palestinian terror attack" and its military said it was pursuing the gunman. The summit in the Red Sea resort of Aqaba was called following a recent rise in deadly violence that has stoked fears of a wider conflict. It brought together Israeli and Palestinian security chiefs for the first time in many years. The US president's top Middle East adviser, Brett McGurk, was also present. The first point of the summit's communique read: "The two sides [Palestinian and Israeli] affirmed their commitment to all previous agreements between them, and to work towards a just and lasting peace. "They reaffirmed the necessity of committing to de-escalation on the ground and to prevent further violence." According to the statement, Israel made a commitment to stop discussing new settlement building for four months. In return, it is understood the Palestinians will not take action against Israel at the UN. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said he "welcomed" the commitments made by both sides, adding that more work is needed in coming months "to build a stable and prosperous future for Israelis and Palestinians alike". But Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich - the leader of the far-fight grouping in Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition - said "there will not be a freeze on construction and development in the settlement, not even for one day". He added that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) will "continue to act to counter terrorism" without limitations. Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, condemned the Palestinian Authority (PA) for taking part in what they called "worthless" talks. The attack on two Israelis at Hawara in the West Bank on Sunday has underlined the lack of influence the PA has over armed groups and lone wolf attackers. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the shooting, which took place near Nablus, on a busy road which often sees friction between Palestinians and settlers. Local media say the victims were brothers in their twenties who live in Har Bracha, a settlement 8km (5 miles) away. Graphic footage from the scene showed the victims' car riddled with bullets and Israeli medics treating the casualties in the immediate aftermath. In a statement afterwards, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "We will continue to act by all means, with security, operational activity and legislation, to deter the terrorists and maintain Israel's security. Our answer to terrorism is to hit terrorism hard and deepen our roots in our country." Since the start of this year, more than 60 Palestinians - militants and civilians have been killed by Israeli forces - and on the Israeli side, thirteen people have been killed in attacks, all civilians, except for a paramilitary police officer. The recent flare up in violence has included two Israeli military raids - in Jenin refugee camp and Nablus Old City which killed ten and 11 Palestinians respectively - in the most deadly operations of their kind since 2005, when the second Palestinian intifada or uprising ended. In both cases, the IDF said that the aim was to arrest wanted men who had carried out shooting attacks targeting settlers or soldiers and were planning further attacks. Palestinian militants and civilians were killed. Last month, a Palestinian shooting attack outside a synagogue in a settlement in occupied East Jerusalem killed six Israelis and one Ukrainian citizen. That was the most deadly attack of its kind since 2008. There is particular concern about rising tension in the coming weeks when the Islamic holy month of Ramadan will again overlap with the Jewish Passover holiday. In past years, during Ramadan there have often been clashes between Palestinian Muslim worshippers and Israeli police around the al-Aqsa Mosque, located in the Old City in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem. The bitterly contested holy site is the third holiest place in Islam but also the holiest place for Jews, who call it Temple Mount. During Passover, there will be pressure to allow more Jewish visitors to the site. Jordan - which acts as the custodian of the site - has pressed for guarantees that fragile status quo rules applied there will be upheld. These were also given in the joint statement from the Aqaba summit. The five parties also agreed to hold further talks in Sharm el-Sheikh next month. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-64779504

Although 65% of managed service providers (MSPs) expect their business customers to increase the use of Macs over the next 12 months, many companies may not be managing their devices well, according to new survey data from Addigy. Apple is the only vendor to see market share growth in both PC and mobile devices during the past year, which has translated into growing Mac market share even as the overall PC market declines Moving out of the current slump, Apple’s advantage is that next-generation employees already prefer the company, certainly in the US. Those born after 1996 now represent around 34% of US iPhone owners, which makes them far more likely to use a Mac. That’s reflected in the world of MSPs, Addigy explains. It claims the number of Apple devices in use across managed devices has also significantly increased in the last year; 76.1% of MSPs report an increase in the number of Apple devices in their fleets. It’s also interesting the extent to which this growing use comes from the top, with C-suite executives now the second-largest group of Apple users in the work place among Addigy survey respondents. Bias threatens enterprise security That’s an important demographic, of course, given that the data held on devices used by corporate leaders is valuable. “Devices used by company executives are more likely to contain valuable and confidential information,” Addigy said. “This makes them more vulnerable to hacking.” The problem is that in many cases IT has not been securing these systems effectively, with a sizeable number (34%) of the survey sample group believing Macs to be so secure they need “very little day-to-day management." That reflects a prevalent feeling among Apple users (and those who’ve never used Apple), but who don’t quite understand the platform. And while it is true Apple’s security is good, it is not completely foolproof. https://www.computerworld.com/article/3688364/apple-in-business-use-accelerates-but-device-management-still-an-issue.html

As well as vastly improved setup and connectivity, the PS VR2 is generations ahead of the original headset when it comes to the VR experience, drawing on the huge advancements made in VR tech since 2016. The PS VR2 uses a pair of OLED lenses, which can show very bright things and very dark things at the same time. This means scenes inside the PS VR2 can more closely recreate the wide range of brightness our eyes deal with in the real world – nighttime scenes aren’t washed out by an LCD backlight, and a burst of unexpected sunlight filtering through a cave opening in Horizon Call of the Mountain can feel dazzling. Each lens has a 2,000 x 2,040px resolution, eliminating the “screen door” effect found on lower-spec devices. The more expensive HTC Vive Pro 2 (£719, Vive.com) has a higher resolution, but the PS VR2 has more than enough pixel density to offer decent visual detail, from inspecting tiny objects up close to gazing wistfully at distant horizons While impressive, the PS VR2 is still limited by what it’s technically possible to do with VR in 2023. The 120Hz refresh rate paired with the OLED display does a great job at reducing motion blur and cementing your sense of presence inside the virtual world, but there’s still some fuzziness and loss of detail around fast-moving objects. Like other VR headsets, there’s mild distortion and flare around objects that appear near the edges of the lens. The 110-degree field of view is wider than you’ll find on the Meta Quest 2, but still nowhere near enough to get rid of the binocular vision that’s typical of every VR headset. While impressive, the PS VR2 is still limited by what it’s technically possible to do with VR in 2023. The 120Hz refresh rate paired with the OLED display does a great job at reducing motion blur and cementing your sense of presence inside the virtual world, but there’s still some fuzziness and loss of detail around fast-moving objects. Like other VR headsets, there’s mild distortion and flare around objects that appear near the edges of the lens. The 110-degree field of view is wider than you’ll find on the Meta Quest 2, but still nowhere near enough to get rid of the binocular vision that’s typical of every VR headset.

I can see where you're coming from, but I don't think that idea aligns with Server goals/needs/interests at the moment. The suggested items above are not good ( Unsuitable items) for Zp 6.2 servers, They will only cause more lag and bugs, which may lead to a disastrous end for the server. I think it's best to keep things as they are Thank you for your suggestion, Regards

Claiming to follow the mandate laid down by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), tech giant Google has told developers that they have time till April 26 to comply with the new Google Play payments policy which will permit alternative billing. Google said this was being done in response to the recent regulatory developments in the country. More options: "This change means that developers can now offer an alternative billing system, alongside Google Play's billing system. to users in India making in-app purchases within Play-distributed apps on mobile phones and tablets," the search giant said in an email reviewed by ET. South Korea way: Developers, however, said this was a direct violation of CCI guidelines and alleged that Google was 'finding loopholes' in the CCI's verdict and 'going the South Korea way' wherein they introduced user choice billing after coming under fire from regulatory authorities in South Korea. Violation of mandate: “The CCI mandated that they should permit third-party payments but in doing this Google is ensuring that the payments are routed through them. It is exactly what they did in South Korea by launching user-choice billing after the South Korean authorities mandated that they should allow users multiple payment options,” Snehil Khanor, cofounder and chief executive of TrulyMadly.com, told us. Catch-up quick: The CCI in its two rulings — one on October 20 and the second on October 25 — had directed the American company to make close to 20 changes in the operation of its services in India which included providing alternative payment options to developers.

Never heard of Nextorage? Join the club. It's an upstart brand but born of technological aristocracy. Born in 2019, Nextorage was created by Sony with a very specific remit, to create SSDs for the PlayStation series of games consoles. That original plan has already shifted dramatically. In 2022, Phison took a controlling stake in Nextorage. Phison, of course, is best known for its SSD controller chips as used by all manner of SSD brands from Sabrent to Corsair and Kingston to Seagate. Anyway, the net result is that Nextorage is now Phison's creature and this Nextorage NEM-PA 2TB SSD unsurprisingly runs the E18 controller, Phison's top-spec PCIe Gen 4 chip. It's the very same chip we've seen in numerous high-performance Gen 4 SSDs, including the PNY XLR8 CS3140(opens in new tab), Seagate Firecuda 530(opens in new tab), Corsair MP600 Pro XT, Sabrent Rocket 4.0 Plus(opens in new tab) and many more. Indeed, this is a well specified drive all round. Along with the Phison E18 chip running over a quad-lane PCIe 4.0 interface, there's 2TB of quality TLC NAND memory and 2GB of DDR4 cache. All told, the hardware makes for very competitive looking claimed performance that's very much in line with other Phison E18-powered drives.

Nick Movie: Unlocked Tme: 2023 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: Netflix Duration of the movie: 1H 57m Trailer:

A “breathtaking” discovery has been made in Borneo with the sighting of a black-browed Akalat, an endemic bird species, for the first time in 172 years. It is breathtaking to think that it is not extinct”. This is how Indonesian ornithologist Panji Gusti Akbar responded to the sighting in Borneo of a black-browed Akalat (Malacocincla perspicillata). This small, shy passerine was last sighted in 1848 – the year when it was first described. Finally, however, what has often been defined as Indonesian ornithology’s most mysterious enigma has perhaps been solved. An Akalat specimen was observed in a forest in Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. This news was revealed by Global Wildlife Conservation, an NGO working to protect wildlife and their habitats. Confirmation of the discovery arrived after ornithologists examined photographs taken by two Kalimantan locals in October 2020. Naturally, the news has rekindled scientists’ hopes by showing that there’s still time for us to save a precious animal like the Akalat. The species is threatened by deforestation – caused mainly by the creation of palm oil and rubber tree plantations – and drought, which often leads to devastating wildfires. https://www.lifegate.com/akalat-borneo

Vote counting is under way in Nigeria's tightest presidential election since military rule ended in 1999. Voting was marred by long delays as polling stations failed to open on time in some areas because of logistical problems and security incidents. Turnout appeared to be high, with many young, first-time voters arriving before dawn to cast their ballots. The elections are the biggest democratic exercise in Africa, with 87 million people eligible to vote. Politics has been dominated by two parties - the ruling APC and the PDP - since the restoration of multi-party democracy 24 years ago. But this time, there is also a strong challenge from a third-party candidate in the race to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari - the Labour Party's Peter Obi, who is backed by many young people. Tens of thousands of polling stations are counting the results, which will be collated and sent to the electoral headquarters in the capital Abuja. The final result is not expected until at least Tuesday. Nigeria decides: Voting day as it happened At a press briefing, the electoral chief, Mahmood Yakubu, apologised for the delays in voting, but he said that everyone who was in a queue by 13:30 GMT (14:30 local time) would be allowed to cast their ballots, even though polling stations were officially supposed to close by then. Voters in the biggest city, Lagos, cheered as electoral officers arrived at a polling station in the suburb of Lekki nearly four hours after polls had officially closed. There have also been reports of violence and ballot boxes being snatched in Lagos. Although some voters were angry at the delays, others waited patiently to vote. "As a Nigerian you expect any eventuality, so I came out with my power bank and a bottle of water. I will wait till they arrive so I can vote," first-time voter Edith told the BBC. Mr Yakubu said that armed men had attacked some polling units in the southern state of Delta and the northern state of Katsina, where voter card verification machines were carted away. They were subsequently replaced and security boosted to allow voting to take place, he added. But voting was postponed to Sunday at 141 polling stations in the oil-rich southern state of Bayelsa because of disruptions. In the north-eastern state of Borno, Mr Yakubu said that militant Islamists had opened fire on electoral officers from a mountain top in the Gwoza area, injuring a number of officials The lead-up to the polls was overshadowed by a cash shortage caused by a botched attempt to redesign the currency, leading to widespread chaos at banks and cash machines as desperate people sought access to their money. The new notes were introduced in order to tackle inflation, and also vote-buying. On the eve of the election a member of the House of Representatives was arrested with almost $500,000 (£419,000) in cash, and a list of people he was supposed to give it to, police say. Whoever wins will have to deal with the currency redesign, a crumbling economy, high youth unemployment, and widespread insecurity which saw 10,000 killed last year. Voters also cast their ballots for 109 federal senators and 360 members of the house of representatives, with another vote for state governors in March. The election has seen a huge interest from young people - a third of eligible voters are below 35. Mr Obi, 61, is hoping to break up Nigeria's two-party system after joining the Labour Party last May. Although he was in the PDP before then, he is seen as a relatively fresh face and enjoys fervent support among some sections of Nigeria's youth, especially in the south. The wealthy businessman served as governor of the south-eastern Anambra State from 2006 to 2014. His backers, known as the "OBIdients", say he is the only candidate with integrity, but his critics argue that a vote for him is wasted as he is unlikely to win. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-64772763

Over the past year the West has tried to cajole China to help them end the Ukraine war. Now Beijing has given its firmest response yet - and it's not something many in the West would like. In recent days, China has launched an assertive charm offensive, kicking off with top diplomat Wang Yi's tour of Europe which culminated in a warm welcome by Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Beijing has released not one but two position papers - the first offering the Chinese solution to the war and the other outlining a plan for world peace. These largely retread the talking points China has reiterated in the past year, calling for respect for sovereignty (for Ukraine) and the protection of national security interests (for Russia), while opposing the use of unilateral sanctions (by the US). The West may come away unimpressed - but convincing them was never likely the main goal for Beijing. Firstly, it clearly seeks to position itself as a global peacemaker. An obvious clue about who it's really trying to charm lies in one of its papers where it mentions engaging South East Asia, Africa and South America - the so-called Global South. In preaching an alternative vision to a US-led world order, it is wooing the rest of the globe which is watching to see how the West handles the Ukraine crisis. But another goal is to send a clear message to the US. "There is an element of defiance," said Alexander Korolev, an expert in Sino-Russian ties with the University of New South Wales. "It is signalling: 'If things get ugly between us, I have someone to go to. Russia is not alone, which means that I will not be alone when there is a confrontation… don't get comfortable in bullying me.'" The timing, say observers, is a giveaway. Relations between the US and China have hit a new low, exacerbated by the spy balloon saga. Some have also questioned why China has made its big diplomatic push for Ukraine peace only now. "China had ample opportunities to display leadership, it was invited early on to contribute to ending the war… If the goal was to truly display the image of a global leader, you don't have to sit on the fence for one year and try to perform a diplomatic dance," said Dr Korolev. There was a third goal, and it could be seen in Mr Wang's itinerary. By visiting France, Germany, Italy and Hungary, whose leaders China perceives as taking less of a hardline stance on Russia, Mr Wang may have been testing the waters to see if China could lure some of Europe into China's orbit. Beijing sees a "logical convergence of interests" with these countries, said Zhang Xin, an international political economy expert with the East China Normal University. "It believes the US has hegemonic power, and that a large part of the Transatlantic world could benefit from detaching from that system." But whether China will succeed in that particular goal is questionable. Mr Wang's speech at the Munich Security Conference where he criticised the US did not play well in a roomful of America's staunchest allies and, according to diplomats, only spawned greater distrust of China's true motives. His tour "was a very overt push to say: 'We don't have problems with Europe, we have problems with the US, we can fix things with you Europeans and you need to understand that the US is leading you down a problematic road'", said Andrew Small, a senior fellow specialising in Europe-China relations at the German Marshall Fund think tank. "But I think in most places in Europe, this message doesn't have much traction." The key question now is whether Beijing will live up to its word of making peace as it tightens its embrace of Russia. The US has warned this week that China was considering supplying lethal weapons to Russia, and that Chinese firms had already been supplying non-lethal dual-use technology - items which could have both civilian and military uses, such as drones and semi-conductors. Publicly China has reacted with angry rhetoric. But behind closed doors, Mr Wang made it clear to they will not provide weapons to Russia. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-64754510

Voted.