FazzNoth

Study shows that OutSystems delivered up to 66% in efficiency gains and paid back its investment in less than six months Dubai:– OutSystems, a global leader in high-performance low-code development, today announced the results of the new Total Economic Impact™ of OutSystems, a commissioned study from Forrester Consulting on behalf of OutSystems. The study reports that the OutSystems high-performance low-code platform paid for itself in less than six months and delivered a 506-percent return on investment over three years. These findings come on the heels of the Forrester Wave™: Low-Code Development Platforms for Professional Developers, Q2 2021 report recognizing OutSystems as a leader in low-code development platforms and the “developers' choice” platform. “Companies of all sizes need to deliver business critical apps with tight developer resources and are increasingly turning to low-code application development methods to meet their goals — but not all low-code is created equally,” said Paulo Rosado, CEO of OutSystems. “It’s time for organizations to finally experience the radical productivity, power and speed required to crush their backlog and deliver the software they need to succeed. This new research uncovers the power of OutSystems high-performance low-code development.” The Total Economic Impact™ of OutSystems examined the benefits achieved by four enterprise organizations that previously relied on traditional frameworks for software development before deploying OutSystems. While OutSystems serves companies of all sizes and industries, the study calculated the financial benefits based on a composite organization, which represents the value achieved by the organizations Forrester interviewed. Overall, the study found significant quantifiable cost savings when comparing the time and expense of creating and maintaining internal custom software development versus deploying the OutSystems platform. The analysis revealed a net present value for OutSystems of $14.77 million over three years by calculating the platform’s financial benefits versus costs. This included: $5.5 million in cost savings for application development as well as continuous changes and maintenance (31% of total benefits) $4.6 million in incremental income from revenue-generating business initiatives (26% of total benefits) $6.7 million in cost savings from improved operational efficiency (38% of total benefits) The study showed that OutSystems improved developer productivity by enabling teams to deliver more applications with the same number of developers and deliver applications in a shorter time frame. Customer findings also revealed that OutSystems simplifies the ongoing maintenance of and changes to those applications, which can make a major impact on the bottom line. A director of software engineering and technology initiatives at a pharmaceutical company noted that OutSystems projects were 25% to 50% less expensive than comparable prior projects, while a director of custom development projects at a manufacturer reported a 2x development time savings in the first year. Companies also noted that quantifiable benefits are achieved through greater corporate agility, improved security, and fewer bugs from higher-quality code: “As a result of an acquisition, we needed to make a change to one of our apps. We did that in less than eight hours. Prior to OutSystems that probably would have taken 40 to 50 hours.” - Director of software engineering and technology initiatives, pharmaceutical company “The OutSystems platform takes care of the nitty-gritty mechanical aspects of creating mobile capabilities in a very smart way, so you can focus on the application’s functionality and business value.” - Director of software development, distribution company https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/research-and-studies/study-reveals-506-roi-with-the-outsystems-high-performance-low-code-platform-m31tfyjn

If you've been experiencing any stuttering issues on your AMD PC you should check your motherboard's support page to see if there's a new BIOS available. A new AGESA version, 1207, is intended to address performance issues with some Windows PCs, so it could iron out any problems you're experiencing. This specific stuttering issue has been reported(opens in new tab) since earlier in the year, and was later determined to be related to the Firmware Trusted Platform Module (fTPM), which is a key part of Windows 11's system requirements. If you want the full technical breakdown of what's going on, AMD attributes it to(opens in new tab) a system intermittently performing "extended fTPM-related memory transactions in SPI flash memory (SPIROM) located on the motherboard, which can lead to temporary pauses in system interactivity or responsiveness until the transaction has concluded." AMD promised later BIOS updates that would contain enhanced modules for fTPM interaction with SPIROM to solve the issue, starting in May 2022. And now those BIOS updates are relatively easy to come by, as hardware.info(opens in new tab) notes. I've checked the few major manufacturers—Asus, MSI, ASRock, and Gigabyte—and all but one of them (ASRock) offers the latest AGESA version in a BIOS update. ASRock offers up to AGESA 1206b today and hopefully it won't be long before it too rolls out the later version. For the most part, it's only a matter of updating your own motherboard BIOS for a fix today. You want to check your motherboard's support page for the new BIOS. It will be labelled as providing support for AGESA 1207. You'll likely want an external drive or USB flash drive close at hand for the easiest BIOS update, though some motherboard manufacturers may let you update over the internet as a secondary option. https://www.pcgamer.com/its-absolutely-worth-updating-your-amd-pc-with-the-latest-round-of-bios-updates/

The pound was on the slide once again today as markets took fright at worse than expected GDP figures that showed the UK’s output fell by 0.3% in April. By late morning sterling was off around 1.1% to stand at $1.2186, the weakest level since mid-May as City economists digested the worse than expected figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Worryingly all three sectors of the economy services, production and construction contracted in the month for the first time since January 2021. The latest downward lurch in the value of the pound against the greenback spells bad news for drivers as energy markets are priced in dollars. It is likely to feed through to higher pump prices at forecourts over the coming days, sending average petrol and diesel prices ever close to the £2 a litre barrier. Last week the average cost of filling a typical family car with petrol passed £100 for the first time. Barret Kupelian, senior economist at consultant PwC, said: “UK economic output has now reverted to levels last seen in November 2021, and is around 0.9% higher than pre-pandemic levels, compared to 1.3% higher earlier this year. For businesses this means the economic environment is even more challenging as they will have to fight over a smaller pie to grow their revenues.” Russ Mould, investment director at broker AJ Bell, said: “There looks to be precious little economic respite in sight with any boost from the Platinum Jubilee fading into the middle distance, energy prices remaining stubbornly high and another lifting of the price cap on gas and electricity still to come in October. “While there has been some state support for households to cushion the blow of a cost-of-living crisis, many businesses, particularly smaller ones, are facing their own cost-of-operating crisis as they contend with big fuel bills, staff shortages, rising wages and supply chain problems. Expect calls for support for the corporate world to get louder. “Investors are likely to remain jittery at least until the Fed has delivers its verdict on rates on Wednesday, with the Bank of England following suit a day later.” However, some analysts pointed out that today’s GDP fall was made worse by the government’s winding-down of the test and trace programme. Thomas Pugh, economist at consulting firm RSM UK, said: “April’s GDP data is not as bad as it looks. The drop in GDP was primarily driven by a 5.6% month-on-month drop in healthcare output, but consumer spending was resilient with output in consumer-facing services growing by 2.6% in April 2022. “And while we still think the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will raise interest rates at its meeting on Thursday, the slump in GDP and the rising risk of a recession means the rise is significantly more likely to be 0.25% than 0.5%. We expect the MPC to tread cautiously with a series of 0.25% rises taking interest rates to 2% by the end of the year, rather than big jumps, which could tip the economy into recession.” https://news.yahoo.com/sterling-slides-three-sectors-british-114156265.html

A suspected "Scottish wildcat" seized by North Wales Police is actually a domestic tabby cat, the force has confirmed. The animal was seized by police following reports that a man in the Conwy area was keeping a protected species without a licence. Officers searched a private address in February, where they found a one-year-old kitten, suspected to be an extremely rare Scottish wildcat. The animal was being cared for by St Asaph-based rescue group, Wildcat Haven, who said it was rehabilitating the animal after finding it abandoned in the central Highlands. The group said it was planning to release the animal, which they had named Finlay, back into the wild, before he was seized on February 14. Following months of investigation, North Wales Police have today announced that an independent expert has confirmed the cat is in fact a domestic tabby cat. A police spokesperson said: "Following consultation with NatureScot and Natural Resources Wales a search was conducted on February 14, 2022. The animal reported to be a Scottish wildcat was located and taken to a specialist facility to determine its identity. "It was examined by an expert in wildcat identification, who concluded it to be a domestic tabby cat which may have a low proportion of wildcat genes, lower than that required to consider it to be a Scottish Wildcat (Felis silvestris)." Police said Finlay is being cared for at a specialist facility and a 43-year-old man is assisting them with their enquiries. Speaking at the time, Wildlife Haven said the endangered animal was being nursed back to health on private land in Conwy. The group claimed the animal was moved from Scotland because of the country’s right to roam laws and had never previously been required to seek a licence. Following the police investigation, a NatureScot spokesperson said: “In this case the animal was not assessed as being from a protected species. While there are provisions in legislation that allow for the caring and rehabilitation of protected species, NatureScot strongly encourage early communication with our licensing team to help guard against any offences being committed in relation to possession.” https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/scottish-wildcat-seized-by-north-wales-police-was-actually-a-domestic-tabby-cat/ar-AAYoRaD?ocid=BingNewsSearch

Russia has been accused of repeatedly using illegal cluster bombs and unguided missiles in “shocking” attacks on Ukrainians, Amnesty International has found. In a new report, Amnesty International said the Kremlin must be held accountable. The investigation found evidence of Russian forces repeatedly using 9N210/9N235 cluster munitions which are subject to international treaty bans because of their indiscriminate effects. The report found that hundreds of civilians were killed in “relentless attacks” on residential neighbourhoods in the Ukrainian city Kharkiv. “People have been killed in their homes and in the streets, in playgrounds and in cemeteries, while queueing for humanitarian aid, or shopping for food and medicine,” said Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s senior crisis response adviser. Ms Rovera added: “The repeated use of widely-banned cluster munitions is shocking, and a further indication of utter disregard for civilian lives.” It comes as president Zelensky said Ukrainian troops are “fighting for every metre” in the embattled eastern city of Sievierodonetsk. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-sanctions-putin-health-latest-b2099785.html

Voted.

Thank you ❤️ Happy birthday to @Ga[M]er & @~~Dark Shadow~~ too and i hope you had a good day.

Voted.

Everything belongs somewhere. That is why we assign video games to a specific genre. But these days the genre lines are blurrier than ever, with shooter RPGs and strategy simulators. There are so many genre blends that it is often better to think that games exist on a sliding scale between two, or even three, main genres. The Inheritance of Crimson Manor is a first-person escape-room puzzler that borrows some walking simulator techniques to create a more cohesive package. It even includes a few themes typically found in horror games. The blend proves to be largely successful. Its many short puzzles are satisfying to solve, even if it suffers from a bit too much walking. You are the new caretaker of Crimson Manor. The previous family perished in a tragic boat accident. The deceased patriarch, Hadley Strange, has a will you must find in order to distribute his possessions. Players start in the foyer of the manor and must navigate to Mr. Strange’s study. Near his will are cryptic notes about children knowing the answers. Other notes written by Mr. Strange tell you that there is a secret to be found in the mansion, if you just follow the clues. With the aid of a special monocle, that shows hidden writing, you will explore secret rooms and open various locks in order to find the real mystery at the heart of Crimson Manor. As an escape-room game, Crimson Manor is overflowing with keys. There are safe keys, jewelry-box keys, heart-shaped keys, cellar keys, ballroom keys, and keys with trains on them. And the manor’s layout is such that you probably have seen the locked door well before you find the key to open it. While there might only be a few keys in your inventory at any one time (they vanish after use), new keys keep coming at a brisk and steady pace. The prevalence of keys is not a bad thing, but one that does emphasize how many locked doors need to be opened across the four-hour game. Fortunately it is not just keys; you do pick up other items. Clock hands, globes, medallions, and even masquerade masks are collected and transferred elsewhere. Like a traditional point-and-click adventure game, you can equip items from the inventory and click on objects in the world to place them. There is no combining of items in the inventory. Also, sometimes you just find notes about safe codes or the placement of chess pieces. These notes get added to a journal for quick reference. Most of the non-key items require more brain power to use. You might need to turn clock hands to the right time, or rotate a mini solar-system model with the recently acquired globe casting useful shadows. Puzzle boxes don’t require as much thought. You will regularly find strange contraptions around the manor and can click on latches or buttons in order to open them. Typically the buttons reset when the sequence is wrong, so it’s just a matter of having short-term memory and the persistence to find what is inside... another key probably. These mechanical puzzle boxes are a good break from the other challenges, being something tangible that gives immediate results. And so with the keys, non-keys, and puzzle boxes, Crimson Manor has healthy puzzle variety. Most puzzles do not take long to solve either, and there are also often many to attempt at once. The downside of these many short puzzles is that there is a lot of running back and forth. One puzzle gives you an item that’s needed in the opposite corner of the mansion, which, in turn, gives you an item that’s needed in the room next-door to the original puzzle. And so you will travel to and fro many times, finding the manor’s sliding doors a nuisance because of how long they take to open. The large mansion has several floors, many rooms, and multiple wings, with a central staircase. It is not too complicated to navigate, but there are millions of puzzles, and trying to remember where specific interactive objects are is tricky with so many similar rooms and hallways. There is a map, but it does not say what is inside each room. The game does have a hint system. The optional button gives tips on where to explore, or what you need to do next with the items in your inventory. Sometimes the hints are vague as to where you need to go. And occasionally the hints add confusion. One told me that a picture of a room was familiar, but I’d never visited the room before. Another told me to use a key, but I did not have it in my possession. And so the hint system is mostly useful, but can potentially lead players astray if the sequence of puzzles is not completed as expected. To make all this puzzle-running a bit more of a chore, the story elements become too rare. At first there are hints of something sinister in the manor. A note reveals that the housekeeper was sent to a mental institution because she believed bizarre things were happening in the house. Even Mr. Hadley’s expedition journals provide some ideas about what we might find at the end of the key-chain. But after the introduction, the horror story fades while the puzzles take center stage. There is not enough text about the many family members or the house itself. Just a few more pages could have elevated the puzzle-room experience and helped nullify the non-stop puzzle train. While the game runs fine and the mansion looks decent enough, there are some technical gripes. The most serious is that some of the puzzles broke. One granted me a reward inside a container, before I used the key to open it. Some items in drawers can be clicked on before the drawer is open, making things a bit clumsy. The other tech issue is the same one that appeared in Martha is Dead, where moving through doorways resulted in frame skips so severe they could turn the camera around. Despite a few tech issues, The Inheritance of Crimson Manor is a decent escape room experience with some basic walking simulator idiosyncrasies. It has a lot of short puzzles that are mostly satisfying to solve, and the variety is good with puzzle boxes, keys, and a few traditional adventure items. But the sheer number of puzzles and the size of the mansion can make the experience a little tedious, with too much legwork and not quite enough story. But those looking for a simple and connected puzzle adventure will find that The Inheritance of Crimson Manor has enough key strengths to keep them hooked. https://www.newgamenetwork.com/article/2556/the-inheritance-of-crimson-manor-review/

Hospitality businesses look to hi-tech gadgets amid staff shortages after Covid pandemic and Brexit As worker shortages are felt across the hospitality sector, the owners of the Bella Italia chain are turning to robots to provide table service to customers. Big Table Group, which also owns Café Rouge and Las Iguanas, is testing out the robot at its Bella Italia restaurant in Center Parcs Whinfell Forest in Cumbria, in the first such trial by a big restaurant chain. The BellaBot, made by Chinese company Pudu, can carry up to 40kg on four trays and deliver and retrieve plates from tables with help from humans who load and unload its “body”. Eric Guo, the chief executive of Spark which distributes Pudu robots in the UK, said there were 60 working across 20 British businesses and he expected more orders in the year ahead. Most are operating in restaurants, but hotels, supermarkets, care homes, snooker clubs and bowling alleys are also experimenting with the technology. “It has become an apparent trend that hospitality owners enquire [about] bot services to help resolve the hospitality staff shortage,” he said. Guo added that the robots also helped businesses gain publicity on social media when customers took videos and posted them on sites such as TikTok. Big Table Group, which runs 150 restaurants under its various brands, said the test was operating in one outlet and it had not confirmed plans to expand the pilot. The experiment comes as 10% of hospitality jobs remain unfilled, according to the UKHospitality trade body, as Brexit combined with the pandemic to prompt many European workers, who have played an important role in the UK industry, to leave the UK. Competition from other sectors – where hours may fit more easily with family life and pay may be more attractive – is also a factor. The shortages have led to wage inflation of 13% across the industry, as businesses try to attract the best staff in areas where there are particular shortages, such as chefs. Lisa Gibbons, the chief operating officer of Bella Italia, said: “We’re always open to innovative solutions which benefit our teams, improve service and improve our guests’ experience. “By having intelligent robots conduct simple tasks, such as retrieving dirty dishes, our teams are able to focus on doing what they love and delivering an amazing experience. It’s still early days in the trial, but we’re looking forward to seeing the impact that having an extra pair of ‘paws’ has on dining satisfaction.” … as you’re joining us today from Belgium, we have a small favour to ask. Tens of millions have placed their trust in the Guardian’s fearless journalism since we started publishing 200 years ago, turning to us in moments of crisis, uncertainty, solidarity and hope. More than 1.5 million supporters, from 180 countries, now power us financially – keeping us open to all, and fiercely independent. Unlike many others, the Guardian has no shareholders and no billionaire owner. Just the determination and passion to deliver high-impact global reporting, always free from commercial or political influence. Reporting like this is vital for democracy, for fairness and to demand better from the powerful. And we provide all this for free, for everyone to read. We do this because we believe in information equality. Greater numbers of people can keep track of the global events shaping our world, understand their impact on people and communities, and become inspired to take meaningful action. Millions can benefit from open access to quality, truthful news, regardless of their ability to pay for it. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our journalism and sustains our future. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jun/10/uk-restaurant-bella-italia-robot-waiter?ref=biztoc.com&curator=biztoc.comù

Apple today announced new versions of its operating systems at WWDC 2022, which includes iOS 16, macOS 13, tvOS 16, and watchOS 9. And every year, Apple makes its beta software available to developers and public beta users ahead of the official release in the fall, except for HomePod Software. This year, HomePod Software 16 will be available to public beta users for the first time. HomePod software beta is not exactly a new thing, but it was previously available to a select group of users. For better understanding, Apple has three different channels for distributing beta software. The best known is Apple Developer Program, which is the first to offer new betas so that developers can update their apps ahead of the final release. Then, Apple releases its betas software to users registered in the Apple Beta Software Program – which lets anyone register to download beta software. What some people don’t know is that the company has a third channel for beta software called AppleSeed, which distributes beta software exclusively to invited users. In the past, Apple has used AppleSeed to distribute beta software that was far from ready to be put into the hands of regular users. For instance, before releasing a public beta program for watchOS, the software was only available through AppleSeed as it could make the device unusable and there’s no way to restore it. Something similar happens with HomePod Software, which is not available on any of Apple’s beta channels except AppleSeed. But now, according to Apple, HomePod Software 16 will be available to users enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program and also Apple Developer Program. Unfortunately, even developers can’t install HomePod Software 16 beta at the moment. Apple says the beta update will be available next month. It’s also unclear what’s new in HomePod Software 16. Betas for iOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16 are now available to developers. https://9to5mac.com/2022/06/06/homepod-software-16-first-beta/

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference is typically all about the software, but this year we’ve been hearing a lot of rumors about potential hardware announcements — MacBooks in particular. Will it happen? Well the Apple Store website just went down, ahead of the WWDC 2022 keynote, which suggests we might see a product launch today. Anyone who's followed Apple events closely will know that the Apple Store typically takes a breather ahead of hardware announcements. Or more specifically, the announcement of hardware that will be on sale shortly after the official unveiling. WWDC 2019, for instance, featured the unveiling of the then-new Mac Pro 2019 — the one with the cheese grater design. But that product didn’t go on sale until the fall of the same year, so the Apple Store stayed online throughout the proceedings. The fact it’s down now not only suggests something is coming, but that it’s also coming soon. WWDC 2022: What hardware could Apple announce? There has been word about a possible unveiling of the Apple VR/AR headset, which is currently expected to arrive sometime in 2023. But recent reports have dampened our expectations there, no matter how much we want to see the long-rumored headset come to fruition. Meanwhile, we have been hearing a lot of rumors about new Mac hardware. More specifically the rumors tipped a redesigned MacBook Air 2022, the Mac mini 2022 and possibly even a 13-inch MacBook Pro 2022 — all powered by a next-gen Apple M2 chip. The latest rumors suggest that the MacBook Pro 2022 may have been delayed. Apparently COVID-19 lockdowns in China have affected production and means it may not turn up at WWDC 2022 after all. Meanwhile, the MacBook Air 2022 is still expected to be on the way, though it may not have as may color options as some rumors have suggested. But what could we expect from this machine? Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims that the MacBook Air 2022 will be "the biggest revamp to the device in over a decade." The screen is still expected to measure in at 13 inches, but apparently the webcam will now live in a notch rather than big chunky bezels, just like the MacBook Pro 2021. The new MacBook Air is expected to keep at least two USB-C ports, but MagSafe will takeover charging duties. Should it appear, the MacBook Pro 2022 is also set to follow the footsteps of the 2020 MacBook Pros. That means a similar design, but with an internal specs boost. Less is known about the Mac mini 2022, beyond the fact it will likely run on the M2 chip. However, leaks suggest it will have the same magnetic charger as the 24-inch iMac 2021, four Thunderbolt USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, ethernet and HDMI. Meanwhile, the M2 is said to be less powerful than the M1 Pro and M1 Max, and will instead focus on balancing efficiency and power. Thankfully we don't have too long to wait to find out for sure, and you can see all the latest news and announcements in our WWDC 2022 live blog. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/breaking-apple-store-down-ahead-of-wwdc-e2-80-94-new-hardware-could-be-coming/ar-AAY8QEn?ocid=BingNewsSearch

Donald Trump’s hopes to run for president again in 2024 may be dashed by the accumulating evidence of his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. More than 19 million Americans watched Thursday evening's prime-time hearing held by the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack. In this opener to the public phase of the congressional committee's inquiry, Chair Bennie Thompson, D-Mississippi, and Vice Chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, previewed evidence they believe shows that ex-President Donald Trump played a key role in encouraging supporters to attack the houses of Congress as members gathered to confirm the results of the 2020 election. Thursday's hearing also made the case that key Trump administration insiders — including the attorney general and the White House counsel — repeatedly informed Trump that his notions that the election was fraudulently denied to him were utterly unfounded. His own daughter testified that she did not believe the story that Trump told, which has come to be known as the Big Lie. Concurrently, the U.S. Department of Justice is prosecuting hundreds of participants in the Jan. 6 insurrection. It has obtained a number of guilty pleas and has convinced many key witnesses to cooperate. A consistent theme of testimony from these participants is that they were there at the Capitol because Trump called them there. Members of the paramilitary organizations the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers have been charged with seditious conspiracy. Key media figures in the Trump orbit, including Steve Bannon, Roger Stone and Alex Jones are strongly suspected to be under federal scrutiny as well, along with Trump's personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani. It's clear the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers were executing a carefully coordinated plan to enter the Capitol on Jan. 6. It remains to be seen who in the administration, including the ex-president himself, was in on the planning. Whatever legal jeopardy comes about for Trump personally and there's reason to believe it's significant the evidence publicized by the special committee and the Jan. 6 prosecutions will forever sully his reputation among Americans who cherish our constitutional order. At this point, it's difficult to see how he recaptures the White House in 2024. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has stated his intention to seek reelection in 2024, his health permitting. At age 79 he is America’s oldest president, and he has already demonstrated the energy required as a hands-on chief executive. So far he has aggressively tackled the challenge of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but he has been hobbled by the manner in which he withdrew U.S. forces from Afghanistan, and more recently by soaring inflation. Biden has also received mixed public reaction to his selection of former California Sen. Kamala Harris as the first woman vice president. His efforts to give her considerable public exposure have fallen short in many critical eyes. As for Biden himself, despite many energetic years in public service, doubts seem to remain regarding his informal style and a past history of verbal gaffes, raising questions about his “presidential” stature. Finally, there is the matter of his standing in the public opinion surveys. Biden's po[CENSORED]rity has slipped into the low 40s, but the silver lining in all this is that the Republican Party is still in thrall to Trump, who is esteemed even less by the public. As the select committee continues its work and informs the public and even more so if the Justice Department sets its sights on Trump for prosecution — the disgraced ex-president will have a tougher time selling his Big Lie. Polls indicate fewer and fewer voters are buying it, and they don’t want another dose of him as president in 2024. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/politics-today-trump-s-role-in-the-insurrection-comes-into-view/ar-AAYktvz?ocid=BingNewsSearch

A sloth bear mauled a couple to death in a forest in central India's Madhya Pradesh state last weekend and then spent hours playing with their remains, but a forestry official told CBS news that while the animal continued disturbing their bodies, it did not feed on the people it killed, refuting witness reports from earlier in the week. While sloth bear encounters with people are relatively common, fatal attacks are not, and an expert told CBS News on Friday that it would be "very unusual" for the animals to feed on human flesh. Divisional Forest Officer Gaurav Sharma told CBS News on Saturday the animal died about two hours after it was captured. A medical examination confirmed earlier reports that it was rabid, but it was not found to have ingested human remains. The attack took place on Sunday when a man and his wife were returning home from a temple visit early in the morning. The sloth bear first attacked the woman as the couple walked through the Panna National Park forest, killing her. Her husband was killed when he tried to rescue his wife. Sharma was quoted by India's NDTV network Friday as saying the attack happened around 6:30 in the morning after the couple went "to offer prayers at a temple" in the area. The Times of India quoted eyewitnesses from the crowd of villagers who gathered at the spot, saying some tried to scare the bear away by firing gunshots in the air, but it wouldn't budge. The paper said the witnesses saw the bear eating the victims for several hours until forestry workers arrived. "This is very unusual," Neha Sinha, a conservation biologist and author, told CBS News. "Usually, sloth bears eat honey and insects." Sloth bears are found in India and other South Asian countries, including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. They are about the size of American black bears and can grow to weigh more than 300 pounds. Escalating deforestation has been depriving species including bears of their natural habitat and putting them into closer proximity of towns and villages for at least two decades, and incidents of violent human-animal confrontations have been on the rise in India. "Generally there is conflict during mahua season, when people go to collect flowers and the bears are feeding," Sinha explained to CBS News. The mahua is a tree that grows across many parts of South Asia and flowers in the late spring and early summer. The flowers are prized by both people and sloth bears. Residents often venture into the forests to collect the flowers for sale at this time of year. Forestry officials told Indian media outlets earlier in the week, before Sharma confirmed the medical test results showing the bear was rabid, that the animal's unusual behavior could be due to a rabies infection. Uttam Kumar Sharma, field director of Panna National Park, was quoted by the India Today news outlet as saying the bear seemed to have been "in its last stages" when it attacked the couple. A study published in March showed the highest prevalence of sloth bear attacks across India were in Madhya Pradesh state. The study says they are the most common bear species in the country, and they can "behave aggressively toward humans when threatened and are among the most dangerous wildlife in India." Regional authorities said the pair's family would be given 400,000 Indian rupees ($5,100) in compensation for their loss. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sloth-bear-attack-kills-couple-india-forest/

Sean Hannity claimed Donald Trump is "the one person that looks good" after the first Jan. 6 hearing. Hannity repeated debunked claim that Trump had called for National Guard troops to secure the Capitol. Fox News chose not to air the hearing, despite texts from Hannity read out as evidence. "What has unfolded here, I think, is more serious than the threat that was posed by Watergate to our country," she said. Fox News host Sean Hannity claimed former president Donald Trump is "the one person that looks good" after the first January 6 committee hearing on Thursday. Hannity, a longtime Trump ally, sought to frame the riot as a security failure for which Congress was responsible. "This is now about a security failure of incredible magnitude and they don't even seem to want to talk about it. The one person that looks good is Donald Trump," he said. Hannity repeated a widely debunked claim that Trump had called for up to 20,000 National Guard troops to secure the Capitol before the insurrection. The myth originates in a claim previously made by Trump that he asked for 10,000 National Guard troops to be at the Capitol, which he claimed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected. Pelosi's spokesperson has said that her office did not receive any requests for the National Guard ahead of January 6, per PolitiFact. Hannity and other Fox News hosts have since apparently inflated the number of troops that Trump allegedly requested to 20,000, without any evidence, according to Media Matters. During Thursday's hearing, lawmakers said that Trump took no action on January 6 to deploy law enforcement to protect the Capitol. "Not only did President Trump refuse to tell the mob to leave the Capitol, he placed no call to any element of the United States government to instruct that the Capitol be defended," Rep. Liz Cheney said. Fox News' prime-time shows chose not to air the hearing on Thursday, even as text messages between Hannity and former Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany were read out as evidence. In the texts, Hannity advises McEnany that there should be "no more stolen election talk" and "no more crazy people." The January 6 committee previously released panicked text messages from Hannity to Trump's inner circle before, during, and after the Capitol riot. In the texts, Hannity expressed concern about Trump's actions and urged Trump's then-chief of staff, Mark Meadows. to get him to make a statement asking the rioters to leave peacefully. Despite his apparent private concern, Hannity has maintained support for Trump on the airwaves and has sought to downplay his role in the Capitol riot. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/sean-hannity-claimed-on-fox-news-that-donald-trump-is-the-one-person-that-looks-good-from-jan-6-hearing/ar-AAYloDI?ocid=BingNewsSearch#image=AAYlAC5|9

One of my favorite movies. And this video contains in my opinion the best scenes.

Happy Birthday

Voted.

Some files in the latest Fortnite video game update appear to hint at an upcoming first-person mode or option according to reliable tipster, Hypex. “This update Epic began working on some stuff about first person camera mode but there's no other info about it at the moment as it looks like it's still in early development,” Hypex wrote in a tweet yesterday. He also noted that the first-person mode should work really well in Fortnite’s new Zero Build modes which removed the game’s wall-building mechanic which initially made Fortnite stand out against its many shooter rivals. Building, while po[CENSORED]r with some players, would be very confusing for players in first-person perspective due to the construction animations blocking the line of sight. In retrospect, it actually makes a lot of sense for Epic Games to launch the Zero Build modes in preparation for an upcoming first-person mode as it allows players to experience new mechanics gradually rather than all at once. Fortnite is primarily a third-person video game which means that the player can see their character while they’re playing. However, there are instances where Fortnite has already experimented with first-person gameplay such as with several snipers that shift to first-person when the player zooms in on a target. Fortnite recently began its Chapter 3 Season 3 batch of content which saw the arrival of Darth Vader to the Battle Royale island and a shift towards a fun party-themed aesthetic after the previous season’s rather serious war focus. https://www.onmsft.com/news/fortnite-video-game-could-be-getting-a-first-person-option

Roku stock flooded 13% on Wednesday after an Insider report itemized interior hypothesis that Netflix might gain the streaming stage organization. A large part of the hypothesis sloped up lately among Roku representatives after the organization unexpectedly shut its exchanging window, which is a timeframe in which workers can sell their vested Roku stock. Organizations frequently close exchanging windows early when material news is fast approaching, trying to forestall insider exchanging from happening. Roku stock would be a more straightforward procurement for Netflix to swallow after the organization’s market valuation tumbled from a pinnacle of more than $60 billion to about $13 billion today. The over 80% decrease in Roku’s stock cost has made it hard for the organization to hold top ability, as it depends on share-based pay like most tech organizations. For Netflix, securing Roku would assist the organization with acquiring speedy openness to a quickly developing publicizing business that it very well might have the option to coordinate into its own streaming stage rapidly. Netflix is dealing with a less expensive publicizing based membership level that is supposed to be sent off before the current year’s over. Roku’s video-promoting stage produced $647 million in first-quarter income. “It seems OK with where Netflix needs to go,” an innovation speculation broker educated Insider regarding the expected consolidation. A senior-level Roku worker let Insider know that an arrangement between the two organizations would “adjust well concerning society, business, and current valuation,” as Netflix endeavors to get into video publicizing “and Roku has it.” In 2014, Hastings said, “we’re working with more than 1,000 gadgets now. There’s no worth add for us to do a gadget.” But those computations might have changed now that Roku’s promoting income is a lot bigger than the income it gets from selling actual streaming gadgets. Netflix would be getting back to its underlying foundations assuming it bought Roku, considering that the real time feature turned out Roku in 2008. Roku organizer and CEO Anthony Woods was inside fostering a set-top box for Netflix, however Hastings chose to leave the arrangement as he stressed an elite gadget would categorize Netflix’s capacity to send off its streaming stage on various gadgets. Netflix might not have become however enormous as it seems to be today on the off chance that it carried out its own gadget a long time back. Be that as it may, with the organization losing endorsers and dashing to turn to promoting, a procurement of Roku today could more appealing than it might have a couple of years prior. https://techstory.in/roku-stock-spikes-on-rumors-of-netflix-buyout/

Apple previewed a new generation of CarPlay software that will power everything in front of the driver from the dashboard. The current version of Apple CarPlay, available in 98% of new U.S. vehicles is more limited in its capabilities. With this upgrade, announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference event, CarPlay moves from an infotainment system to a software solution that will allow drivers to control parts of their car and show more information such as speed and fuel level. The iPhone maker also reported being in talks with several automakers to bring the new generation of the software to their vehicles in late 2023. Apple’s list of automakers poised to endorse the program included Ford Motor Co., Renault, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Honda Motor Co. and Jaguar Land Rover. Apple says automakers are "excited" about the concept of dashboard displays that offer a more consistent Apple look and feel. The representatives for these brands described their companies as interested but reported no decisions have been made as to which models will have the upgraded version. The new version of CarPlay will support multiple screens on cars irrespective of size and layout and can show information including weather and navigation. Widgets powered by the iPhone will be available across all screens including the instrument cluster, with multiple styles of dials, layouts, themes and colors. Using the new version, drivers can change temperature settings, use apps such as the Audiobooks, News, Podcasts and tune the car's radio without leaving the CarPlay interface. The iPhone also will communicate with the vehicle's systems in real time in a "privacy-friendly way" to show driving information. With the update, iPhones can communicate with a vehicle's real-time driving systems for the first time. Automakers are likely to embrace the new system as current entertainment systems are a persistent cause of consumer complaints to quality scorekeepers at J.D. Power and Associates and other market research firms. The competition now is over who will develop the software to power sprawling dashboard displays, who will control data flowing from the vehicle and the customers on board, and who gets to generate revenue as vehicles roll down the road. There are signs that automakers and technology industry companies are reaching an agreement in these areas. Google has agreements with General Motors, Volvo Cars and the Renault-Nissan Alliance to provide software for next-generation systems. Amazon.com has partnered with automakers to integrate its Alexa voice assistant in vehicles. At Apple, Emily Schubert, an engineering manager for car experience, said during Monday's conference that using the new software, "your iPhone communicates with your vehicle's real-time systems in an on-device, privacy friendly way, showing all of your driving information." Furthermore, by moving its software to instrument clusters, Apple is closer to the key vehicle systems and controls it will need to access to provide autonomous driving software to other companies. "Cars have changed a lot, with larger-sized screens and more of them throughout the car," Schubert said during the keynote. "There's an opportunity for iPhone to play an even more important role." Apple announced the software far ahead of its release to the public potentially to give automakers plenty of time to customize the new CarPlay software. https://www.autodealertodaymagazine.com/368188/new-carplay-software-advances-apples-dashboard-capabilities

Sustainable technology from brands like Epson is catalysing change in an era of eco-conscious work In late 2021, the United Nations’ (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a major report detailing the latest scientific assessments of climate change. The report warned of the need for immediate and significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions made, as the world trends towards concerning surface temperature shifts. Today, more so than ever before, the spotlight has been placed on the environmental impact of organisations around the world. Governments and businesses alike are placing a keener emphasis on sustainable development, whether it means investing in environment, social and governance (ESG) talent to create change from the inside out, or by investing in technologies to drive greater resource efficiency and lower carbon output. The need for progress on this front is compounded by global economic factors such as inflation, growing resource scarcity and the rising cost of energy – all of which are push factors compelling cost-conscious businesses, particularly small-to-medium enterprises, to do more with less. While many corporations continue to adopt initiatives such as digitisation or implementing carbon reduction strategies, some businesses are struggling to juggle the dual challenge of efficiency and sustainable use. DESIGNED WITH A PURPOSE Printers, scanners and laser projectors are an important part of everyday workflow for many modern businesses. As such, IT decision makers must recognise the potential environmental impact these technologies can have for the organisation. For example, modern document scanners enable the digitising and distribution of soft copy documents to team members simultaneously, reducing the need for paper copies and minimising waste. Likewise, inkjet printer technology consumes less energy compared to laser printers because it doesn’t require the heating element of laser printers. Modern laser projectors are also more sustainable now as they are mercury-free, designed for lower power consumption, and do not need lamp replacements. In choosing to upgrade legacy hardware, decision makers need to consider both long-term financial and environmental costs. This is in addition to meeting corporate sustainability goals – having a plan and the means by which to go about proper end-of-life waste management is a critical tenet of meeting such goals. These principles drive Epson to design its products with an intent to empower businesses to activate their sustainability journey without compromising on cost or performance. Mr Derek Tan, head of Epson Singapore’s sales division, shared: “Sustainability is at the core of what Epson does. Through eco-innovation, we seek to empower global corporations to revolutionise the way they conduct business. Our smart products and solutions tackle business pain points while also considering people and environmental needs for a more sustainable economy.” Green technologies are essential towards realising Epson’s vision of a more sustainable tomorrow. Cutting-edge printers that incorporate Epson’s proprietary heat-free technology and inkjet innovation are one example of the brand’s commitment to delivering on this promise. According to Epson, its inkjet printers consume up to 85 per cent less power 1 and generate 85 per cent less carbon dioxide 2 versus laser printers. Because no heat is required in the ink ejection process, the paper does not curl – an issue that often leads to jammed printers. This allows for consistent high-speed printing while creating a lower carbon footprint.

Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders, who supported suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma in the wake of outrage over her remarks on the Prophet Muhammad, said nobody should be punished or apologise for speaking the 'truth', adding that a nation shouldn't lose freedom for economic reasons. In an exclusive interview with India Today TV, he said, "Islamic countries threatened India with a boycott. I believe that is ridiculous. I believe we should never give in to such a threat, especially since most, if not all, Islamic countries are hypocrites. They have the worst track record on human rights." Freedom is at stake, claimed Wilders, elaborating that democracies such as India and Netherlands have a rule of law, courts to decide if one oversteps the mark and not mobs who threaten to kill anybody. "You can like or dislike what she [Nupur Sharma] said, but she has the right to speak out," the Dutch lawmaker stated, adding that freedom of speech is one of the most important values in a democracy. Nupur Sharma came under fire after she commented on the Prophet Muhammad during a TV news debate. Geert Wilders told India Today that he too received death threats for backing the remarks made by her. "Since I supported Nupur Sharma, I have received many death threats. I received fatwas for making a movie about the Quran. I left my home and never returned. I know what Sharma will have to face. I have to stand up and support her since she did nothing wrong," he said. "I made a movie called Fitna about a Quranic verse. I criticised Islamic ideology. For that, I received fatwas from Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and many other sources. I had to leave my home. I lived in a safe house provided by the government. For criticising Islam, I haven't had the opportunity to walk the streets without a police detail for 17 years. I lost my personal freedom," he added. Wilders, who is known to have campaigned for a ban on Islam in his country, claimed that nations should stop being "tolerant to the intolerant". "Our freedom is at stake. We can not bargain for our freedom. If she [Nupur Sharma] did something wrong, it is for the Indian court to decide. India is a sovereign country," Wilders said. So far, over a dozen countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Jordan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bahrain, Turkiye, as well as Iran in the Persian Gulf, have condemned Nupur Sharma's remarks. Qatar and Kuwait even said they expected a public apology from India, prompting India to say the comments from some "fringe elements" did not represent the views of the Indian government. https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/dont-lose-freedom-for-economic-reasons-says-dutch-mp-who-backed-nupur-sharma/ar-AAYf6Ue?ocid=BingNewsSearch

An advert from the organisation Vegan Friendly UK has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) as it showed graphic images of animals in distress alongside people eating. The ad, seen in March, showed two women and one man eating around a table as well as clips of a fish head which was still gasping for air, a live piglet alongside a pig with its eyes closed and a cow’s face which appeared to have tears coming from its eye. A further clip showed a cow’s skinned head with its eyes and teeth still present lying on its side. As those at the table continued to eat, text stated: “No animal was harmed, consumed, or purchased to make this advert,” followed by the text: “Make the connection.” Even before it aired it had a restriction on it meaning it could not be shown alongside programmes intended for, or likely to appeal to, children under the age of 16. The ASA received 63 complaints, including that the ad contained gratuitous violence towards animals, which caused unnecessary distress to viewers. Vegan Friendly UK said the clips used in the ad did not portray actions of violence or harm and that such imagery was seen regularly in butchers’ or fishmongers’ windows on the average UK high street. They clarified that the aim of the ad was to encourage those meat eaters who were against animal cruelty to reconsider their actions, adding that they believed that their ad did not vilify meat eaters but “promoted love and compassion for all beings and discouraged discrimination against other sentient beings”. The ASA noted that both Clearcast and Vegan Friendly UK understood that the imagery shown in the ad was akin to what viewers could expect to see in cookery programmes or on the high street when walking past a butcher’s shop or fishmonger’s shop, but said it considered that “several of the clips shown, such as the clips which depicted animals in distress or the skinned cow’s head, would likely not be seen in these places”. It concluded: “For those reasons, we concluded that the ad was likely to cause distress to both younger and adult audiences and therefore was not suitable for broadcast on TV regardless of scheduling restrictions.” The ASA ruled that the ad must not appear again, adding: “We told Vegan Friendly UK to avoid using imagery which was likely to cause distress to both younger and adult audiences.” https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/20194960.vegan-friendly-uk-ad-banned-graphic-images-animals-distress/