#Drennn.

Eyes are important, don’t get me wrong. So are ears, noses, tongues, fingers, balance calibration organs and everything else that feeds that massive brain of yours.1 Salinity detectors in narwhals, electrical sensors in freshwater bottom feeders, echolocation in bats all provide sensory input that humans couldn’t adequately process. Every beast has its own senses relevant to its own living conditions. Even your smartphone has cameras, microphones, gyroscopes, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, interfaces for phone/GPS/Bluetooth/WiFi, and some have a barometer, proximity sensors, and ambient light sensors. Biometric sensing equipment in today’s phones can include optical, capacitive or ultrasonic fingerprint readers and an infrared map sensor for faces. But without some way to organize and make sense of the signals captured by these many input devices, the entire system isn’t worth much. Seeing an angry, massive bull rushing at you won’t make much difference unless you can turn that information into an appropriate action – like running away or quickly climbing a tree. I raise this issue because, while the introduction of millions of surveillance cameras has received significant hand-wringing press in recent years, the real advance in surveillance is being implemented more quietly. Software and machine learning systems that can make sense of billions of inputs have been introduced and are improving every day, and it is this capability that makes societal surveillance so dangerously efficient and so threatening to our privacy. In February, Wired published a story about Genetec’s Citigraf software which had been successfully implemented in Chicago. The software uses a “correlation engine” that reads not only the city’s sensor feeds for live audio (gunshot sensors, 911 calls) and video (license plate readers, traffic cameras) but also historical police records for patterns and connections, presenting a real time picture of events occurring and interpretations of which events require official attention. When the author, reviewing from a Genetec showroom thousands of miles away, clicks on an icon representing an assault in the neighborhood he was watching, “Seconds later, a long list of possible leads appeared onscreen, including a lineup of individuals previously arrested in the neighborhood for violent crimes, the home addresses of parolees living nearby, a catalog of similar recent 911 calls, photographs and license plate numbers of vehicles that had been detected speeding away from the scene, and video feeds from any cameras that might have picked up evidence of the crime itself, including those mounted on passing buses and trains. More than enough information, in other words, for an officer to respond to that original 911 call with a nearly telepathic sense of what has just unfolded.” The brains of beasts take raw visual and audio inputs, combine them with previous knowledge and experience, and create actionable intelligence. Now Chicago police have a collective brain to do the same thing with the inputs from the city’s eyes and ears and the knowledge and experience saved in service databases, so when officers are called to a scene, they have not only a three-word description of the incident, but a full contextual universe of information to draw on. This makes law enforcement safer and more efficient, but it also raises privacy concerns for anyone whose name/face is connected with a crime by the computer. In a city that has seen more killings than New York and Los Angeles combined in recent years, privacy may be less of a concern than improving police accuracy and responsiveness. Using gunshot recognition software, Chicago police “nerds” can sometimes find footage of a shooter before all the shots have been fired. But the ACLU has asked the city of Chicago to place a moratorium on deployment of further camera until a privacy review has been conducted. I would suggest that it isn’t the cameras that are the privacy concern. Instead it is the deep analytical software combining their views with tons of related data. The EU has a law that allows people to legally object to decisions affecting their lives if those decisions were made by a machine. This month, the EU expects to publicize detailed plans for regulating artificial intelligence, including rules limiting the use of biometric surveillance technologies in policing and surveillance brains like Citigraf used in Chicago. It will be interesting to watch how the rush to apply all new technologies in law enforcement situations will fare when it hits the brick wall of EU privacy requirements. Thus far, law enforcement has largely escaped serious censure, but that may soon change. London’s police department – fully Brexited, but still tied to EU privacy rules – announced in January that it would use facial recognition software to proactively spot criminal suspects on the massive video network installed in that capital city. An international melting pot with a history of terrorist attacks, London has instituted aggressive surveillance. According to the New York Times, London’s new system “can immediately identify people on a police watch list as soon as they are filmed on a video camera.” The UK’s top privacy regulator has noted concerns about the system, in particular whether the London police had compared the need to use this intrusive data against the damage it would inflict on the privacy of citizens. Of course, none of these concerns are relevant in China, where their extensive surveillance network supports a social scoring system to keep residents in line with government requirements and preferences. The Chinese government has combined the eyes and ears of its network with sophisticated AI software that can not only recognize faces and promptly place social demerits on a citizen’s account – demerits that may cost that citizen a job, an apartment or permission to start a family – but can call government enforcers to take the citizen’s freedom. According to a report by the Brooking Institution, “Despite a high degree of concern about Chinese surveillance technology, current policy discourse in the U.S. and abroad may actually have underestimated the scope and speed of its spread . . . [The Chinese technologies] involve a data integration and analytics platform that supports one or more high-tech command-and-control centers. The platform collects, integrates, and analyzes data from a wide range of sources, such as criminal records, other government databases, networked surveillance cameras, facial and license plate recognition applications, and other sources.” The study notes that Chinese companies linked to the government have been sanctioned abroad for “the implementation of China’s campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention and high-technology surveillance.” So is this our future? As the sensing equipment expands everywhere will the software/AI brains combine sensory inputs with warehouses of data to not only watch our every move, but evaluate each move in the filter of government approval or disfavor? Once the systems are in place, it will be difficult to roll them back, so we should demand accountability now, before the beast grows beyond our ability to control it. 1 I assume that anyone reading this blog clearly possesses a prodigious intellect, as well as taste, refinement and an admirable character apparent to all.

The lightweight music player for cars is intended to gather more insights on how users listen on the platform while driving. Spotify is dipping its toes into the hardware game with a free device for playing music in cars. The imaginatively titled Car Thing is initially being offered for free to the music streamer’s premium subscribers in the US, but they still have to pay for shipping. The lightweight device, which is controlled by voice, touchscreen and a knob controller, sits on a driver’s dashboard to allow for control of music or podcasts mid-journey. The company first started testing the device in 2019 as a means to collect information on drivers’ listening habits. According to the company, Car Thing is a bridge device for older cars that don’t have the latest software display systems like Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Users need to be able to play audio from their phone through the car speakers via Bluetooth, aux or USB cable. Car Thing still feels like a very experimental product and it’s unclear if Spotify will start charging for the device or rolling it out in other regions. But it appears unlikely that the company is about to make a big play for consumer devices. “Our focus remains on becoming the world’s number one audio platform –not on creating hardware – but we developed Car Thing because we saw a need from our users, many of whom were missing out on a seamless and personalised in-car listening experience,” the company said. Data from Car Thing will inform Spotify on what people are listening to while driving, whether it’s a commute or a long road trip. It is data that will be fed into the algorithm pot for recommendations and tweaks to the user experience. Car Thing notably uses voice controls and may also provide another means for Spotify to further test its ‘Hey Spotify’ voice command feature that expands on voice search for a fully hands-free experience.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons released over a year ago in March 2020 and continues to be incredibly po[CENSORED]r. New Horizons is on its way to becoming the best-selling Switch game, surpassing Mario Kart 8. There are likely many people who bought a Switch just to play Animal Crossing, and are looking to find other games that might interest them. Luckily, Nintendo is prolific in the video game industry, boasting many quality franchises and releasing plenty of titles. The exact development team behind Animal Crossing: New Horizons is called Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development Division, or Nintendo EPD for short. Nintendo EPD is the largest division within the video game giant, and likely has many different teams working on many different projects at once. Not only does Nintendo EPD develop its own games, but also co-develops with other studios inside and outside of Nintendo, as well as produces games it has no part in developing. Nintendo EPD is the product of two separate divisions merging in 2015, and since then has been solely responsible for the development of such titles as Miitopia, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, Super Mario Odyssey, Ring Fit Adventure, and more. Nintendo is a massive company, and Nintendo EPD is a massive division within that company, so it isn't always helpful to look solely at the development team responsible for a Nintendo title. Many Nintendo games, including Animal Crossing: New Horizons, have well-known developers in key roles who have worked at the company for quite a while, and are strongly attached to other projects. Important Developers Of Animal Crossing: New Horizons Game director of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Aya Kyogoku, has been at Nintendo since 2003. She began work there as a scriptwriter for the Zelda series on Four Swords Adventures and Wii launch title Twilight Princess. Since working on those games, she has almost exclusively been filling major roles in the Animal Crossing series. She was the sequence director for Animal Crossing: City Folk, and then director of New Leaf and New Horizons. Animal Crossing: New Horizons' producer is Hisashi Nogami, who has been at Nintendo for even longer. He began his career at Nintendo as a character designer for Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, which released on the Super Nintendo in 1995. He had a hand in the development of major titles such as Mario Kart 64, Banjo-Kazooie, and Super Smash Bros. Melee before being the director of the first, second, and third Animal Crossing games. While directing the Animal Crossing series, he also served as a supervisor for Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. 4. Since becoming a producer, Nogami has helped develop Splatoon and its sequel, and all Animal Crossing spin-off and mobile titles.

ancavano pochi minuti alle dieci del mattino, ieri, quando un denso fumo si è sparso sulla strada da un garage di via Migliarina, a Carpi. Immediatamente sono stati allertati i soccorsi e pochi minuti dopo i Vigili del Fuoco erano sul posto, ma c’è voluto un po’ per domare le fiamme e per le tre auto d’epoca che erano custodite all’interno del garage c’è stato ben poco da fare. Una Mercedes Pagoda, una vecchia Fiat e anche una Rolls-Royce sono andate praticamente distrutte nell’incendio, innescato con tutta probabilità da un corto circuito. Ulteriori indagini accerteranno con maggiore esattezza la causa delle fiamme, ma l’ipotesi del dolo è stata esclusa. Oltre alle auto, anche la struttura ha riportato diversi danni, ma non l’abitazione adiacente e nessuna persona, come riporta Il Resto del Carlino, è rimasta ferita o intossicata.

The pandemic is making the East Coast seem like an ideal destination for companies looking to relocate or expand. Tim Richardson is the new Halifax operations manager for Jonas Software, a company that globally develops, supports and supplies software for the fitness, construction, food service, club management, and travel/hotel/resort management sectors. With headquarters based in Ontario and teams around North America, when the Jonas team was looking to expand, Halifax became the location of choice. And they did so with a planned launch date of April 2020. After evaluation, Halifax was deemed the best choice for Jonas thanks to the combination of available talent, great technical supply from the colleges and universities in the region, partnership with government agencies to promote setup and establishment of operations, excellent work-life balance as well as a cost-effective workforce. Since then, Richardson says, they have had over 15 new employees relocate from outside the province to join the team. Like much of the world, he says, their initial employees started fully remote. The Jonas Software team functions in a high-tech world that allows them the ability to operate online for most business functions. “Any challenges of being in Halifax have been muted with COVID-19 forcing everyone to work remotely and use online collaboration,” says Richardson. This trend of moving businesses from large urban centres - where office costs are high - into smaller areas like on the East Coast is only increasing. “We have established multinational firms, and an active start-up community that results in a well-connected, global, cluster,” says Laurel Broten, president and chief executive officer of Nova Scotia Business Incorporated (NSBI), a provincial Crown corporation that talks to people around the globe to promote Nova Scotia as an ideal spot to work, operate a business, and become an entrepreneur. Key components of economic growth, according to the Ivany OneNS report, are growing the po[CENSORED]tion, expanding the taxation base and having more people coming to the province to consume goods, go to restaurants and buy houses. In 2020, there was a record increase in po[CENSORED]tion in Nova Scotia, with increased migration coming into every county in the province, says Boten. And in 2019, there was also record immigration numbers, thanks in part to efforts to encourage people to bring or establish their business in Nova Scotia, she says. Small business influx A lot of the businesses moving to Nova Scotia are not necessarily large national or global businesses like Jonas Software, says Joel Stoddart, a business counsellor with the Acadia Entrepreneurship Centre in Wolfville, N.S. As a specific result of the newfound ability to work from anywhere, many of these new businesses on the East Coast are small, knowledge-based businesses, he says. Darren Sequeira, a development officer with the Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC) in Hants and Kings counties, has also noticed a shift overall to self-employment, either as an individual’s employment option of choice or necessity because of COVID-19. Some individuals are relocating back to the East Coast from afar - people who have either lived here before or who see the area as an opportunity to grow and establish themselves but on a small scale of one to two employee businesses. According to Sequeira, much of the influx is coming from the western provinces. East Coast attraction Small business owners Sean Davidson and Sumana Utamawiriya are one example of entrepreneurs who selected Nova Scotia as the place they want to live and work. Davidson, who was born in Australia to a Canadian mother, recently relocated from Melbourne, Australia with his partner to Garland, a small community on the North Mountain in the Annapolis Valley. Both have worked in the event industry for 25 years and decided to move to the East Coast to start Kohkos Events. The duo's business specifically features Nordic Kata tents, which are po[CENSORED]r event tents in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. Atlantic Canada seemed a natural fit because they believe the tents would look spectacular against the East Coast landscape. Davidson said they took a leap of faith, quit their jobs, and moved to the Valley in late 2018 to start their business. COVID-19 has been hard on the event industry, says Davidson, noting they ended up with only a fraction of the bookings they had anticipated last year, as people cancelled or postponed weddings and events. However, they were able to partner with a wedding planner to offer outdoor, intimate weddings. Building more partnerships with others in the region will be key to their business strategy moving forward, Davidson says. Collaboration, he believes, is the way to go in a pandemic environment to strengthen the sector and get people working together. “While still new to the area, the number of people willing to help out has been overwhelming and we feel like the support we have here is, if anything, greater than what we would get somewhere else,” says Davidson. Continuing trend? Davidson thinks the trend of businesses relocating to more remote areas is just beginning, although COVID-19 might have sped it up. "With the rise of remote work and the boom in digital platforms like Zoom, it allows people to have more flexibility with where they can live and work, more and more people are realizing that they can work effectively anywhere," he says. "They don’t necessarily need to be in the office or live in a city like Toronto or Vancouver." Stoddart says a number of people - mostly what he calls 'solopreneurs' - have realized they can run a knowledge-based business just as easily from slower-paced Kentville, for example, in a house that costs $250,000, as they could from a $1.5 million mini-apartment in busy Toronto. The benefits of running a business on the East Coast are numerous, but Davidson believes the biggest is the people. “We can honestly say the people we’ve met here have made it so much easier. Everyone wants you to succeed and are eager to help in any way they can,” says Davidson. Utamawiriya adds they also love the traffic - or lack thereof. There's no congestion to deal with, making a rural lifestyle attractive. It's everyday factors like long commutes and the associated costs that have made people re-evaluate priorities during COVID-19, adds Richardson, making the East Coast even more attractive. Technology catching up With access to internet within Nova Scotia improving with new connections coming online every day, opportunities will continue to increase, says Jennifer Angel, president and chief executive officer of Develop Nova Scotia. More than 80 per cent of the province now has access to broadband, she says. “Access to high-speed internet is vital to support inclusive economic growth and ensure safe and healthy communities in rural Nova Scotia, for those living and working here and those who may consider living and working from here,” says Angel. Also needed to attract and keep businesses is strong, solid infrastructure in terms of roads, schools, hospitals, says Broten. "We are working across government, and the public sector, to talk about the things that are important to people, and responding," she says. In terms of larger businesses, Stoddart says the lack of skilled labour has been a traditional stumbling block in rural Nova Scotia for many years. It makes it difficult for companies to re-locate here, although this is gradually changing. The other issue? A lack of housing stock when many new employees try to find houses around the location of a new industry but are unable to do so, he adds. Regardless, Broten believes COVID-19 has shone a light on business opportunities in Nova Scotia. "Amid COVID-19 closures around the world, our offices are open; our schools are open," says Broten. “We've done a really good job of managing COVID-19, which has attracted attention and resulted in articles in the New York Times and Reuters." The province is now in a great position to instill confidence in companies considering relocating like Jonas Software did, Richardson says, thanks largely to present conditions and a now-proven track record of quality handling of health concerns that may arise again. In the long term, however, reopening borders and reinstating national and international air links will be pivotal because individuals will be looking for quick connectivity to large urban areas, says Broten. As people look at their lives during COVID-19, Richardson says there's been a key change in attitude. People are evaluating their work-life balance in new ways, through the lens of “Work is now something I do, not somewhere I go.” This switch, he says, has made people question where they want to live - and lifestyle will play a major factor. "Relax and embrace the change of pace," advises Davidson to other potential newcomers. "Take the time to explore and enjoy the outdoors and everything the East Coast has to offer." Just don’t tell them about the black flies, he adds.

LONDON, Wednesday, April 14, 2021 (WAFA) - The announcement by United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a letter to the Conservative Friends of Israel that the UK opposes the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into war crimes by Israel is deeply regrettable, said the Palestine Mission to the UK. “It marks a low point in UK-Palestine relations and undermines the UK’s credibility on the international stage,” it said in a statement, adding, “The letter is a contradiction of international law. It is a contradiction of British policy. It subverts the rules-based global order. And it sets back efforts to secure a lasting and just peace in Palestine.” The Mission said that it is clear that the UK now believes Israel is above the law. “There is no other interpretation of a statement that gives carte blanche to Israel to continue its illegal settlement project in occupied territory, and signals to Israel that no matter its actions vis-à-vis the Palestinian people in occupied territory, it will not be held to account.” On the one hand, Prime Minister Johnson claims to support the mission of the ICC. On the other, he seems to argue that its mission cannot extend to Israel because it is a “friend and an ally” of the UK, it said. “Palestine is a signatory to the Rome Statute, and the UK raised no objection at the time. It has every right to pursue claims on behalf of victims of war crimes at the Court. If Mr. Johnson disputes this, he disputes the legitimacy of the Court. Moreover, he contradicts stated British policy, which is clear that settlements are a violation of international law and therefore a war crime.” The Palestine Mission said the UK has “an opportunity to be an important and positive mediator in efforts to secure a lasting peace in line with international law. It has a historic responsibility for the Palestinian people, having been instrumental in creating the problem in the first place. “However, it is undermining any positive part it might play with its systematic, politically motivated recent decisions including this opposition to the ICC investigation as well as its vote at the UN’s Human Rights Council in March against the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the illegality of settlements.” It added: “If Israel is not held responsible for its actions, it has no incentive to comply with international law. If ‘friends and allies’ are exempt from international law, there is no foundation for the rules-based global order. “Mr. Johnson’s position rules out any legal avenue to seek redress and accountability for crimes perpetrated against our people, leaving Palestinians to ask: what does the British government expect them to do?” The Palestine Mission said it sincerely hopes the UK will reconsider its position and that “in the cold light of day understand that the best option for everyone, including Israel, is a firm commitment to international law and the basic principle of equality for all.”

a Francia si prepara a mettere in atto un nuovo provvedimento con l’obiettivo di abbattere l’inquinamento atmosferico attraverso nuovi incentivi statali. Secondo quanto riportato dall’agenzia Reuters infatti, Parigi starebbe valutando un nuovo emendamento alla legge sul clima che, secondo le proiezioni, dovrebbe ridurre la presenza di gas serra nell’aria del 40% entro il 2030 rispetto ai livelli registrati nel 1990. Il nuovo emendamento, approvato dai legislatori dell’Assemblea Nazionale ed ora al vaglio del Senato, offre ai cittadini francesi la possibilità di rottamare le proprie auto a combustibile fossile ricevendo una sovvenzione di 2.500€ per l’acquisto di una bicicletta elettrica o pieghevole. Se questa nuova misura dovesse essere adottata, la Francia diventerebbe il primo paese al mondo ad offrire la possibilità di scambiare un veicolo a combustione con una bicicletta, incentivando in maniera decisa una mobilità più sostenibile. Olivier Schneider, della Federazione Francese degli utenti di biciclette (FUB) ha dichiarato che “Per la prima volta si riconosce che la soluzione non è rendere le auto più ecologiche. ma semplicemente ridurne il numero”.

Vegetable-based ingredients can come with their own set of flavor challenges, however. The Synergy Flavors application team used pea protein and starch to compensate for the egg removal in a vegan muffin. Oat milk was added for some color that would have been provided by milk or milk powder and egg in a conventional recipe. Descriptive sensory analysis conducted on the plant-based muffin revealed significant beany and starchy notes with a distinct lack of flavor delivery. “Understanding the inherent flavor contributed by plant-based ingredients allowed our application teams to develop a solution that masks the undesirable flavor notes while building a rich creamy profile characteristic of dairy ingredients found in bakery products,” said Natalie Sheil, bakery category manager at Synergy Flavors. Cheese flavors are a po[CENSORED]r savory dairy flavor that bakers may want to replicate in vegan products. Ralf Tschenscher, baking business development manager at Lesaffre, suggested using vegan yeast extract to provide umami to vegan cheese flavors that may be used in breads, crackers and artisan rolls. The Edlong Corp.’s focus rests on leveraging the taste and functionality of dairy. For vegan applications, where conventional dairy isn’t acceptable, that means the company creates authentic flavor profiles along with improving the overall mouthfeel of a finished product when necessary. “In the case of sweet baked products, where you may be replacing dairy fat with vegetable fat, we would add a butter flavor to replicate the exact type of butter you want to replace, sweet butter, cultured butter or even brand-name butters,” said Anne Marie Butler, global director — strategic territories, Edlong. “Most of our butter flavors also do a great job improving the waxy mouthfeel that can often come from vegetable fats.” She added that formulators often focus on creating a vegan product to match the non-vegan equivalent. Not every consumer wants this imitation, according to research from Edlong. “We had a customer who was developing a croissant for the plant-based market,” Ms. Butler said. “Typically, a croissant has a strong butter taste, but in this case, their consumer focus group felt that this plant-based version should not be strong in butter taste but instead wanted to mask the vegetable fat taste, improve the mouthfeel and decrease the waxy vegetable aftertaste without giving an intense butter profile.” Vegan formulating may seem daunting, but all it takes is a methodical approach and testing, like all reformulating. “By taking it step-by-step, formulators can solve for one problem, see how it affects the rest of the formulation, then solve for the next,” said Hanna Santoro, senior bakery scientist, ADM. “By being more methodical about the recipe, product developers can deliver great-tasting vegan cakes and sweet baked goods each time.”

WFP nutritionist Nihal Nassereddin hands a prize to one of the three winners of a recipe competition in the restricted H2 area of Hebron. © WFP/Nizar Khader A glimpse into the lives of a World Food Programme field monitor in Iraq and a nutritionist in Palestine Palestine “Ramadan for me is the month of forgiveness and getting along with people, people we didn’t think about because of our busy days, thinking of others, sharing,” says Nihal Nassereddin, who is marking 12 years as a nutritionist for the World Food Programme (WFP). Across the world, WFP uses cash assistance to empower people to buy the foods they need. However, in the West Bank 37,000 people of the Bedouin and herding communities, along with 35,000 people in Gaza, receive in-kind food assistance. “We target 426,000 people of the most vulnerable and the poorest socioeconomic status with vouchers — people who live under the poverty line in the West Bank and Gaza,” explains Nihal. In the run-up to Ramadan, Nihal and her colleagues ran a competition on a group-messaging app in the H2 area of Hebron, “the most restricted part of the West Bank”. It was for vegetarian recipes rich in iron, “because many can no longer afford meat”. Out of 158 women in the group, who receive weekly talking points on nutrition, 33 took part in the competition — but there were 40 entries. So keen to win were a few, says Nihal, they supplied more than one recipe. n the end, three winners were announced after they came up with the same recipe for stuffed cauliflower leaves with rice, tomatoes and vegetables. “It was a coincidence,” says Nihal, adding: “I didn’t know that cauliflower leaves are richer in iron than spinach.” It then fell to her to deliver boxes of kitchen pots as prizes for the winners. 'Healthy food is in your house. It’s cheap, it’s affordable' The competition came about because “we did research on iron consumption and found many people think they can only find iron in animal sources like in meat and chicken which they cannot afford,” says Nihal. “So they cannot eat healthily. We wanted to teach that you can find iron-foods in the fridge, you don’t need to pay much.” She adds: “I want to tell people, the healthy food is in your house. It’s cheap, it’s affordable.” Nihal says that the 40-strong staff of WFP's Palestine Country Office in Jerusalem — cut off from around 20 colleagues in Gaza — step out to enjoy each other's company when it is iftar, the time Muslims break their fast each day . “It’s an opportunity for me as a person”, she says, “30 days of a different feeling out of 365 days”. The mother of three adds: “Inside the office, you feel this positiveness. We are Muslim and Christians. My Christian friends never drink or eat in front of us. This respect we appreciate especially during Ramadan.” Iraq Talar Kareem has been part of the Field Monitor team with the WFP Sulaymaniyah office in Iraq for nearly four years. She previously worked with humanitarian NGOs in Sulaymaniyah and lived in Norway for almost two years. 'Cooking together for iftar is how our family bonds' “It was my dream and goal from when I was a child to do humanitarian work and help families who didn’t have enough,” Talar explains. “I saw people’s needs, both in Iraq and elsewhere, and wanted to help.” “Food is also a big part of my family’s culture,” she says. “I love cooking, and getting ideas in our local food markets. Breaking the fast — also cooking together for iftar — is how our family bonds. I put a lot of effort in to prepare home-cooked lentil soup, rice, chicken for us.” She adds: “Sometimes okra soup with meat. From our spiritual fasting, I understand first-hand how it feels to be hungry, to be thirsty, how it’s hard to think about anything else. When we visit the displaced and refugee families in Sulaymaniyah camps throughout Ramadan, I question, can they afford iftar daily? Do they have enough? I listen to their concerns and needs. And I work hard to be part of the solution with WFP.” With Talar’s close ties to both Iraq and Norway, the subject of peacebuilding is naturally close to her heart. She is a long-time advocate for work towards peace in Iraq, as well as being an active member of the WFP Youth and International Institute of Peace and Development Studies Alumni Networks. “We share lessons learned and ideas, and brainstorm about our work on hunger, development and peace. Both with these and our field visits, they help me stay motivated even when I am fasting.”

After a relatively quiet couple of months from Oculus on the software front, Facebook’s VR unit is sharing some details on new functionality coming to its Quest 2 standalone headset. The features, which include wireless Oculus Link support, “Infinite Office” functionality and upcoming 120hz support will be rolling out in the Quest 2’s upcoming v28 software update. There’s no exact word on when that update is coming but the language in the blog seems to intimate that the rollout is imminent. The big addition here is a wireless version of Oculus Link which will allow Quest 2 users to stream content from their PCs directly to their standalone headsets, enabling more graphics-intensive titles that were previously only available on the now pretty much defunct Rift platform. Air Link is a feature that will enable users to ditch the tethered experience of Oculus Link, though many users have been relying on third-party software to do this already, utilizing Virtual Desktop. It appears this upgrade is only coming to Quest 2 users in a new experimental mode, but not owners of the original Quest headset. Users will need to update the Oculus software on both their Quest 2 and PC to the v28 version in order to use this feature. Accompanying the release of Air Link in this update is new features coming to “Infinite Office” a VR office play that aims to bring your keyboard and mouse into VR and allow users to engage with desktop-style software. Facebook debuted it back at their VR-focused Facebook Connect conference, but they haven’t said much about it since. Today’s updates include added keyboard support that not only allows users to link their device but see it inside VR, this support is limited to a single model from a single manufacturer (the Logitech K830) but Facebook says they’ll be adding support down the road to other keyboards. Users with this keyboard will be able to see outlines of their hands as well as a rendering of the keyboard in its real position, enabling users to accurately type (theoretically). Infinite Office will also allow users to designate where their real world desk is, a feature that will likely help users orient themselves. Even with a keyboard, there’s not much users can do at the moment beyond accessing the Oculus Browser it seems. Lastly, Oculus is allowing developers to sample out 120hz frame rate support for their titles. Facebook says that there isn’t actually anything available with that frame rate yet, not even system software, but that support is here for developers in an experimental fashion. Oculus says the new software update will be rolling out “gradually” to users.

The day has finally arrived. Music streaming service Spotify is making music listening hardware and its first official product release is a smart device for the car called the Car Thing. Initially available for select US users, the new gadget’s anticipated retail price is $79.99, but is available at no cost for a limited time for those select users, with SPOT only charging $6.99 postage. The company currently has a waiting list for it, here. Today’s news comes two years after initial reports said that the streaming company was building an in-car music player in tandem with tech company Flex. In May 2019 Spotify confirmed that it was testing a voice-controlled, in-car audio device called the ‘Car Thing’ with a small group of Spotify Premium users. SPOT also said at the time that it might carry out similar tests in the future, “so don’t be surprised if you hear about Voice Thing and Home Thing.” According to a dedicated microsite launched by SPOT today (April 13), the new voice-controlled device, which only works with a Spotify Premium account, will let you say “Hey Spotify” to ask for a song, album, artist, playlist, station, or podcast. It also features a dial to browse, select, play and pause content, a 4″ touchscreen and four preset buttons for shortcuts to your favorite artists, playlists, stations, and podcasts. The device connects to Spotify’s app on your smartphone and connect to your car stereo via Bluetooth, AUX or USB cable. Spot also claims that the Car Thing’s microphones’ “noise suppression capability helps tune out sounds from the road in order to focus on your voice”. Car Thing, reads a post published by the company today, is “the smart player from Spotify that fills your car with music, news, entertainment, talk, and more”. Adds Spotify: “Car Thing is built with a sturdy unibody design for durability, and its matte-textured rubber details make it easy to navigate. “Car Thing’s tactile navigational controls include buttons, a dial, and a back button, all durably constructed for repeated use.”Music Business Worldwide

Ubisoft is saying goodbye to some vintage Clancyverse games later this year. Rainbow Six Vegas, Rainbow Six Vegas 2, Rainbow Six Lockdown, and Ghost Recon Future Soldier will all see their online servers shut down, though any singleplayer content will still be available. Any in-game rewards, redeemed items, achievements, and Ubisoft's proprietary currency will also be disabled. Yep, even if you've already redeemed items or unlocked them in-game, you'll no longer be able to access them on PC. There's no solid date for Ubi pulling the plug on these games yet, being given the vague window of 2021. The Tom Clancy games aren't the only ones getting phased out, though. Ubisoft is also scrapping the servers for a handful of different games on June 1: Assassin's Creed 2 Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands Far Cry 2 Anno 1404 Might & Magic – Clash of Heroes Splinter Cell Conviction The Settlers 7 Might & Magic X – Legacy Most of these games are at least 10 years old by this point, so it's reasonable to think they may have little-to-no multiplayer activity. But there's always something a little sad about seeing some of these classics quietly shut down. In 2019, a multiplayer project called Dustnet explored the impermanence of competitive game spaces, putting players in a single "final" de_dust2 server that they could build stuff in. But if the server ever went vacant, all player creations would be wiped. I have some fond memories of my own of fooling around with Rainbow Six Vegas' nightmare face scan feature, and its tense Terrorist Hunt co-op mode would probably still stand up in 2021. In more recent Rainbow Six ongoings, the temporarily re-named Rainbow Six Parasite had an hour of its gameplay leaked online. A bit of a faux-weeb, Mollie will argue why your JRPG waifu is the wrong choice despite having equally awful taste. When she's not lurking in forums for nuggets of news, she's probably still failing to full combo that one song in a rhythm game she's been playing for years.

my vote for DH2 goodsong

Ramadan Karem ❤️

ABS Production is new, web-based software solution for seed production and multiplication companies developed by Agro Business Solutions (ABS). "With ABS Production one can manage relations like customers and growers, contracts, fields, varieties, lots, field inspections and quality results," the team with ABS shows. The system generates customized crop reports to inform the customer at a regular basis during the growing season. After harvest customers can create Grower Settlements. On top of it, they can register the basic inventory processes after harvesting. ABS Production can be used in both smaller family businesses or mid-sized companies all over the world. Click for large image Agro Business Solutions (ABS) creates software solutions that benefit agricultural companies in the Netherlands and beyond. Its software was specially developed for companies that specialize in plant breeding, seed multiplication, and fresh produce. ABS software solutions provide agricultural companies with analytical tools to gain insight into their business activities. For more information: ABS Production www.agrosolutions.nl Other news in this sector: 2021-04-12Facility expansion for manufacturer of retractable roof greenhouses and cooling houses2021-04-12Insight into all service and maintenance of technical installations2021-04-12USDA restricts PACA violators in California and Texas2021-04-12"Floaters with the right growing media is key for the lettuce industry"2021-04-12Optimizing insights in business activities with new software ABS2021-04-09"Breeding will play an important role in the future of indoor farming"2021-04-09Women in Produce honoree recognized for product development work2021-04-09US grower AppHarvest buys robot making company2021-04-09Pete's plans project in Peach County2021-04-09"Europe needs home-grown, sustainable proteins"2021-04-09Target, Instacart and Amazon rank high for online shopping2021-04-09At its second meeting, the Brexit Channel analyzes the evolution of Spanish trade with the UK after it departed the EU2021-04-09"We don't just offer an ERP, we offer full process optimization"2021-04-09Farmers file antitrust lawsuit against big ag companies2021-04-09FairPick registration system seeks European distributors2021-04-08Gastronology - refined gastronomy, 3D technology linked to create 3D food solutions with fresh ingredients2021-04-08Four years of PB tec with Sam: "The more complex the projects, the better"2021-04-08Dutch Tomatoworld to become data-driven showcase2021-04-08Sunset's Queen of Greens website and social media recognized by advertising awards2021-04-08BASF to publish pesticide labels in Spanish

WALL, N.J., April 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BIO-key International, Inc. (NASDAQ: BKYI), an innovative provider of identity and access management (IAM) solutions powered by biometrics, today announced the immediate availability of several new additions to its lineup of fingerprint scanners to meet the growing demand from enterprises and government for new form factors and USB connection options. First, BIO-key introduced Pocket10™, its FBI FAP50, NIMC- and STQC-certified fingerprint scanner, which captures ten print enrollments in a compact, pocket-sized form factor, allowing highly mobile enrollment capability suitable for national IDs, background check submissions, and law enforcement use. Second, BIO-key unveiled USB-C versions of its po[CENSORED]r SidePass® and SideSwipe® fingerprint scanners. With this next generation of affordable hardware options for its customers, BIO-key continues its leadership in developing hardware to support the most secure and convenient authentication method - biometrics. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3e05e6b3-f0da-4eb0-b4e5-618ab5d331a4 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/88769c7e-2fd7-4cf9-af35-be39e789a754 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/499fc15b-0268-419e-9310-49bbaca351cc BIO-key’s entire line of single-finger USB fingerprint scanners are all tested and qualified as Windows Hello accessories, allowing enterprises to deliver Windows Hello biometric experiences to users who lack a fingerprint scanner for secure access. Where higher levels of assurance are required, BIO-key’s award-winning PortalGuard® Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) platform, offers Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Single Sign On (SSO), and Self-Service Password Reset, which incorporates BIO-key’s server-secured biometric management for maximum flexibility and assurance when authenticating users. Additionally, BIO-key’s software is scanner independent, allowing customers to mix and match any of over 40 supported fingerprint scanners to deliver a secure biometric experience. With this unmatched combination of platform and hardware options, BIO-key customers and partners have access to flexible, cost-effective, and secure solutions to secure the way their employees, customers and partners access their systems, no matter where they work. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7f0f8bc9-cad4-45e1-b527-fbba9ac66542 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/54e4baad-a82e-487e-a621-4dc59de368ed The demand for biometric authentication solutions is increasing rapidly as companies seek to replace outdated security methods provided by password-based authentication. The global market for biometrics is expected to increase from $22 billion in revenue this year to $55 billion in 2027, according to Raconteur. In North America and Europe, respondents note that fingerprint biometrics are faster, more convenient and more secure than passwords or other security methods. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/94b7e2f7-0e72-4c6d-ac9a-e8d986a1bf56 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/08aa155f-da31-480e-a88f-8f6d3643cffb “The release of these new low-cost, high-quality fingerprint scanners enable faster, more economical identity workflows for BIO-key customers,” said Kimberly Johnson, Vice President of Products, BIO-key. “Not only are these scanners secure and more convenient than passwords, tokens and phone factors for the end user, they are easily integrated into customers’ existing security solutions and align with our WEB-key and PortalGuard IDaaS platform. BIO-key continues to lead the industry by providing the most advanced and secure biometric product offerings to a broad range of customers and partners.” For more information about BIO-key’s Biometric Identity Solutions, visit www.bio-key.com About BIO-key International, Inc. BIO-key is revolutionizing authentication with biometric centric, multi-factor identity and access management (IAM) solutions, including its PortalGuard IAM solution, that provide convenient and secure access to devices, information, applications, and high-value transactions. BIO-key’s proprietary software and hardware solutions, with industry-leading biometric capabilities, enable large-scale on-premise and Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) solutions as well as customized enterprise and cloud solutions. BIO-key Safe Harbor Statement All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical facts are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). The words "estimate," "project," "intends," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Act. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those included within or implied by such forward-looking statements, as well as other factors set forth under the caption see "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The PlayStation 5 generation looks to be a period of safe bets for Sony, with a recent report of a remake of 2013's The Last of Us on the way and a sequel to Days Gone canceled. Sony is seemingly doubling down on what works, steering development towards its renowned, PlayStation-exclusive blockbuster games and away from smaller projects by newer developers. But before it dredges up a game that already got a PS4 remaster, it should dig deeper into its catalog of forgotten franchises to enrich the PS5's library. The original The Last of Us received a perfectly fine remaster in 2014, and its critically praised sequel released less than a year ago. A PS5 remake might make more sense once the Netflix show adaption comes around, but even in that case, an update to the existing remaster would play just as well as a from-scratch redo. There are PlayStation games far older than The Last of Us that would benefit much more from a modern reimagining. The publisher's decades of history hold many hidden gems worth polishing up for the PlayStation 5 age. In 2003, developer Incognito Entertainment took a break from Twisted Metal to produce War of the Monsters for the PlayStation 2. A 3D multiplayer fighting game in the vein of Capcom's Power Stone, War of the Monsters depicts giant mechs, giant apes, and other kaiju battling it out in major cities. It received moderate praise at the time, but it never got a follow-up of any kind. Without any new monster movies in theaters, War of the Monsters banked on '50s nostalgia rather than specific giant monsters as its selling point. In 2021, fans of Legendary Entertainment's MonsterVerse movies would likely enjoy a War of the Monsters reboot or remake. The Ape Escape franchise is one of the most underutilized in Sony's catalog. The first game sold fans on the DualShock controller back on the original PlayStation, but the franchise eventually disappeared, with the last entry being a 2011 on-rails shooter tied to PlayStation Move. There is an ongoing 3D platformer revival at the moment, but Sony is losing its window to bank on the nostalgia many PlayStation fans have for the original game. Beyond business reasons, Ape Escape's gameplay is quite novel, and it's been long enough that even a rehash of the first game would likely feel fresh with a new coat of paint. Sony acquired the rights to the '90s puzzle franchise Lemmings alongside European developer Psygnosis, which then became known as Sony Computer Entertainment's Studio Liverpool. The series saw a remake of the original game for PS2, PS3, and PSP; a touch-enabled game for PS Vita; and a mobile game released in 2018, but none of these were enough to keep it in the limelight. It's bizarre Sony hasn't at least ported the newer Lemmings games to PC, where the franchise is still highly regarded among retro enthusiasts. It seems like the perfect series to work on with a smaller studio, as well, especially if Sony wanted it to be a game that could push PlayStation Plus. As of now, Lemmings has gone from a household name to a forgotten memory, and that should change. Wipeout Should Get A PS5 Remake Before The Last Of Us Before its closure in 2012, Studio Liverpool was perhaps best known as the team behind Wipeout, a series of futuristic, PlayStation-exclusive racing games. The series' final new game was Wipeout 2048, a PS Vita launch title, and an HD collection of 2048 and Wipeout HD came to PS4 in 2017. Arcade racers have been few and far between in recent years, but it's possible a new entry in the old franchise could thrive, if Sony really got behind it. A new Wipeout game would probably need to offer a lower difficulty option to extend the game's appeal, but it's easy to imagine a full-fledged sequel as a technical showcase for the PlayStation 5's hardware. The Mark Of Kri Should Get A PS5 Remake Before The Last Of Us Even if Sony wants to stay very close to its current wheelhouse of action games with dramatic cinematic storylines, the PlayStation 2 era provides a great candidate for a modern refresh. The first game from MLB The Show creator San Diego Studio, The Mark of Kri and its follow-up, Rise of the Kasai, were action adventures starring Polynesian protagonist Rau. Just as God of War upgraded from a hack-and-slasher to a dramatic adventure into Norse mythology, the journey of Rau could be retold with cinematic flair and upgraded combat mechanics on PlayStation 5.

Sus aux SUV ! Les Chevrons reviennent enfin sur le front des berlines, avec une proposition décalée. En quoi la Citroën C5 X entend réinventer le genre ? (Mise à jour le 12/04/2021 à 14h55) Nouvelle Citroën C5 X 2021 – En 2016, Citroën avait créé l’événement au Mondial de Paris en explorant de nouvelles pistes pour réinventer le segment des berlines, à travers le concept-car CXperience. Un modèle très affûté, sur le plan du style, qui laissait planer le doute quant au retour de l’appellation CX, pour remplacer la C5, disparue du catalogue depuis 2018. Trois ans après, Citroën revient enfin aux affaires, avec une proposition pour le moins originale. bon timing ? Ni C5, ni CX, voici la Citroën C5 X. Une appellation qui fait à la fois référence au concept CXperience, mais qui légitime surtout son penchant pour l’univers des SUV, au regard de son importante garde au sol. Si les breaks baroudeurs font partie du paysage automobile depuis de nombreuses années, comme en témoigne l’Audi A6 Allroad, les berlines familiales surélevées demeurent une curiosité. Volvo tenta sa chance en 2015, avec une S60 CrossCountry débarquée du catalogue au bout de seulement quelques mois, faute de succès. Le vent semble avoir tourné six ans plus tard. Ford empruntera cette voie, dès l’an prochain, pour remplacer sa Mondeo, mais Citroën lui grille la politesse, ainsi qu’à l’ensemble de la concurrence, en débarquant sur le marché européen avec une architecture décalée qui remporte un vif succès sur les marchés asiatiques. C’est d’ailleurs la raison pour laquelle la française sera exclusivement assemblée en Chine, à Chengdu. Un pari sur l’avenir Immanquablement, cette Citroën C5 X interpelle et ne manquera pas d’alimenter les discussions entre citroënistes de la première heure. Mais pour Citroën, cette proposition originale était la seule manière, de son point de vue, de revenir sur un segment D en forte perte de vitesse. A tel point que Renault envisage de ne pas remplacer la Talisman, et que Volkswagen pourrait faire l’impasse sur une future Passat. Avec l’extinction de la « berline à papa », cette C5 X annonce peut-être le développement d’une nouvelle race de sedans. Mélange des genres Des berlines légèrement surélevées, mais pas trop. Accusant 1,48 m de hauteur, la Citroën C5 X est seulement 2 cm plus haute qu’une Renault Talisman, à titre de comparaison. On est très loin du 1,60 m que la plupart des SUV dépasse allègrement. De ces derniers, la Citroën hérite surtout les protections en plastique brut, tout autour de sa carrosserie, mais de manière plutôt discrète. Elle nous épargne les sempiternels sabots en bas de bouclier ou encore les barres de toit. Tout juste exagère-t-elle ses passages de roues par d’imposants méplats. Mais pout le reste, on a bien affaire aux codes d’une berline, voire d’un break, selon ses géniteurs. Clairement, la C5 X assume son mélange des genres, au risque de s’éloigner de l’élégance naturelle qui émanait du concept-car CXperience. Il faut bien reconnaître que son important porte-à-faux arrière est loin d’alléger sa silhouette. Habitabilité en demi-teinte… Alors oui, cette nouvelle C5 X en impose. Comme d’habitude chez Citroën, on nous promet un habitacle très vaste où le confort est roi. Mais sur le papier, bien qu’elle soit plus longue de 5,5 cm par rapport à la Peugeot 508, son empattement est étonnement plus court que celui la Sochalienne, d’un centimètre. On s’attendait d’ailleurs à ce que cette nouvelle Citroën se montre beaucoup plus longue. Avec une cote de 4,80 m, elle rend de 5 à 7 cm comparée à une Renault Talisman ou à une Skoda Superb. On espérait aussi que la Française égalerait la Tchèque, en espace aux jambes, aux places arrière. Mais la Citroën est malheureusement desservie par une longueur d’empattement un peu juste, qui place son habitabilité dans la moyenne de la catégorie, sans briller. Toutefois, on se sent bien sur la banquette de cette C5 X, bien dessinées pour accueillir trois passagers qui profiteront de l’incomparable moelleux des assises Citroën, mais aussi d’une appréciable garde au toit. … mais du coffre à revendre Ce qui fait la force de cette nouvelle C5 X, c’est le retour à un hayon, contrairement à la précédente C5 qui se la jouait un peu trop « berline allemande » avec sa malle classique. L’accessibilité s’améliore considérablement, comme à la grande époque des XM, Xantia et de la première génération de C5. Côté volume, Citroën annonce pour le moment un volume en eau de 545 l plutôt généreux pour la catégorie. Elle sait recevoir Derrière le volant, plutôt que de planche de bord, parlons mobilier intérieur. L’habitacle de la Citroën C5 X joue l’apaisement, dans une ambiance chaleureuse, à défaut de se montrer luxueuse. Mais en digne porte-drapeau de Citroën, la berline soigne davantage les détails que le restant de la gamme. Les plastiques moussés sont légion quand la finition se montre très correcte. On apprécie les multiples clins d’œil aux Chevrons qui parsèment cet environnement, aussi bien au niveau du motif de surpiqures que sur les perforations du cuir, sur les caches haut-parleurs ou encore sur l’élégant bandeau, façon bambou, qui barre le cockpit et se prolonge sur les contreportes. Cette C5 X, qui ne propose que des transmissions automatiques, fait le ménage sur sa console centrale. En l’absence de levier, remplacé par un discret curseur, l’espace se dégage entre les passagers avant pour proposer de multiples rangements. Mais on regrette que cette grande berline fasse l’impasse sur certaines astuces disponibles sur sa petite sœur C4. Ici, pas de tiroir au dessus de la boîte à gants, encore moins de support pour tablette tactile. Amortissement prometteur On s’attendait à être très bien installé dans cette C5 X, et c’est le cas, pour celle qui tire profit de l’expérience acquise par les C4 et C5 Aircross en termes de confort d’assises. Comme ses petites sœurs, elle promet une isolation phonique de premier ordre avec ses vitres feuilletées. Comme ses petites sœurs elle recourt à des suspensions à butées hydrauliques progressives pour filtrer les irrégularités de la route. Alors, forcément, il lui fallait un petit plus pour se démarquer du restant de la gamme. Pour faire la différence, elle s’équipe d’une suspension active. Mais rien à voir avec les usines à gaz qu’embarquaient historiquement les Citroën. Ici, pas de sphère. Le travail des amortisseurs à butées hydrauliques progressives est renforcé par l’électronique d’une suspension pilotée classique. Reste à savoir si ce système se montrera à la hauteur du mythe Citroën, lors d’un futur essai routier, dans les prochains mois. Equipements inattendus Cette nouvelle Citroën a été développée sur la même évolution de plate-forme EMP2 V3, récemment introduite pas les nouvelles DS4 et Peugeot 308. De ces compactes, elle hérite la nouvelle interface tactile, plus performante et réactive, sur un écran encore plus grand que chez ses cousines, puisque celui-ci s’étend sur 12”. La connectivité comprend quatre prises USB-C, ainsi que la recharge du smartphone par induction, tandis que le logiciel se met en jour en temps réel, via le Cloud. On note également l’introduction d’une reconnaissance vocale en langage naturel, à la manière du système MBUX de Mercedes. On n’en demandait pas tant sur une Citroën. Une marque qui, depuis quelques années, prône une philosophie de voiture essentielle, sans chichi. Cette C5 X n’est pas à la traine sur le plan des technologies, bien que, de prime abord, on pourrait lui reprocher la faible taille du combiné numérique logé derrière le volant, hérité de la DS4, qui s’étend sur seulement 7” de diagonale. Oui, mais comme sur la DS4, on dispose d’un affichage tête haute géant qui projette les informations à travers le pare-brise en réalité augmentée, au format 21”. Encore une belle surprise. Les aides à la conduite permettent aussi à la C5 X d’atteindre le niveau 2 en termes de roulage autonome. Le Highway Driver Assist combine le régulateur de vitesse adaptatif avec fonction Stop & Go et l’aide au maintien dans la voie pour gérer la vitesse et la trajectoire du véhicule. De son côté, la surveillance d’angle mort accroît sa portée à 75 m, quand le système Rear Cross Traffic Alert détecte un danger à proximité lors d’une marche arrière. Un arsenal sécuritaire qui fait toutefois l’impasse sur les phares LED Matrix. Hybridation rechargeable A contrario, cette nouvelle C5 X se convertit à l’hybridation rechargeable, chère au groupe Stellantis. Pour le moment, Citroën évoque simplement le bloc cumulant 225 ch, comme sur le C5 Aircross, qui autorise environ 50 km de roulage 100% électrique. Mais, par la suite, on imagine que le moteur PHEV de 180 ch, qui vient d’être inauguré sur la Peugeot 308, sera aussi du voyage. Un bloc qui lui sera indispensable pour espérer convertir, à moindre frais, les amateurs de diesel vers l’hybridation. Car, malheureusement pour certains, la berline chevronnée fera l’impasse sur le gazole. Côté 100% thermique, il faudra uniquement compter sur une gamme de moteurs essence qui n’a pas encore été dévoilée. Prix Citroën C5 X Indiscutablement, Citroën prend des risques pour revenir sur le segment D. Mais reconnaissons qu’une offre classique aurait probablement été vouée à l’échec. Cette C5 X, c’est peut-être la solution pour faire redescendre la clientèle des SUV progressivement vers les berlines. L’avenir nous le dira. En attendant, les commandes de cette nouvelle C5 X démarreront cet automne, avant les premières livraisons espérées en toute fin d’année, voire début 2022. Côté tarifs, le prix de base devrait se situer aux alentours de 30 000 €, selon notre estimation.

SOUTH African rugby captain Siya Kolisi has partnered with local lifestyle brand Freedom of Movement (FOM) to launch a new limited-edition black shoe to uplift communities by supporting sport infrastructure projects. The campaign aims to pay tribute to Kolisi’s home town of Zwide in the Eastern Cape. In a statement, the brand said following the success of the first veldskoen launched to raise funds to build the Mbekweni field, the new shoe will be a “Vellie”, which is a traditional South African “veldskoen”, named FOM x Kolisi Zwide. Kolisi said the campaign was personal to him. “Growing up in Zwide is where all my dreams started. Now, being able to make a difference is key, as I want to ensure the story of the next generation is different from mine,” he said. “Being a part of this collaboration means a lot to me, and I know it will help to make a significant difference in the community of Zwide. I believe that equipping the kids with better infrastructure to live their dreams will bring hope and offer that little bit of encouragement they may need to strive for their dreams,” he said. FOM co-founder Roal Boezaart said the support they gained from the Mbekweni project motivated them to give back more to communities. “The Zwide campaign was the natural next chapter in this story, and designing this range together with Siya has been a dream come true. This is even more personal and even more connected to Siya, and we can’t wait to see the impact that it will have. We hope that South Africans will be as inspired and captivated by this campaign as we are,” he said. FOM co-founder Léan Boezaart said: “We hope that this initiative will inspire other South Africans to make a meaningful difference in our country as we strive to drive change together.” According to the statement, the “Vellie” is hand-crafted in Cape Town from premium nubuck leather in black, lined with soft and breathable calfskin, featuring a tonal top sticking and a durable sole with a slight heel profile. “Each pair comes with a set of two laces in black and beige. The collaboration’s logo is embossed onto the shoe’s tongue, and Siya Kolisi’s signature is embossed within the shoe’s interior to give the wearer an intimate sense of the extended collaboration they become part of through their purchase,” it said. The statement said after the launch of the Vellie the brand would release a variety of black limited-edition bags and an apparel item as part of this campaign to fund a sport infrastructure project in Zwide in partnership with Siya Kolisi, the Kolisi Foundation and the Millennium Trust. Shoe sizes will range from 3-7 for women, featuring a small heel profile, and will retail at R1 495 a pair. The men’s style features FOM’s signature wedge heel profile, in sizes 8-13, and will retail at R1 695 a pair.

RAMALLAH, Sunday, April 11, 2021 (WAFA) – Minister of Health Mai Alkaila announced today that 2235 new coronavirus infections, 22 deaths and 1672 recoveries were registered in Palestine during the past 24 hours. In her daily report on the coronavirus pandemic, she said 16 deaths were registered in the West Bank districts of Ramallah and Hebron, and six deaths in the Gaza Strip. She said no updates were available regarding the situation in occupied Jerusalem. Of the total infections registered, 756 were in the West Bank and 1479 others in the Gaza Strip. No updates were available regarding new infections Jerusalem, which reports once every two or three days. Meanwhile, the West Bank had 756 recoveries, while the Gaza Strip recorded 1479 cases. The health minister said 185 patients of coronavirus remain under intensive care, while 50 are on ventilators. In addition, 557 patients are receiving treatment for COVID-19 at hospitals and Covid dispensaries. Alkaila pointed out that the recovery rate in Palestine has so far stood at 88 percent, while active cases rose to 11 percent. Deaths stood at one percent of total infections. In the meantime, the health minister said 140,932 people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, of whom 13,167 received the two doses of the vaccine.

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Last year's MacBook Pro and MacBook Air releases were some of the fastest laptops available. The switch away from Intel chips to Apple’s own ARM-based chips allowed the hardware to contribute a significant amount of extra power to the Mac experience. But the hardware is nothing without software, and the more power software can deliver, the better for the platform. With the latest beta of macOS, Apple is unlocking even more power, and it’s all down to iOS. The Mac’s Apple Silicon processors in theory allow both iPad and iOS apps to run natively. It is of course slightly more complicated than that, not least the fundamental differences between a keyboard based clamshell laptop and a handheld touchscreen smartphone. The latest macOS beta (the seventh beta of Big Sur 11.3) improves the support of iOS apps running on macOS, increasing the utility of the Mac platform and unlocking the extensive iOS and iPadOS app library for the deskbound hardware. First up is the ability for iPadOS apps to be opened in larger windows, assuming the display will accommodate this. The current displays of the M1 powered MacBook Pro and MacBook Air machines are a shade smaller than the current iPad Pro resolutions, but both of these laptops and the macMini will output much higher resolutions to external monitors. MORE FOR YOU Bad News For Fans Of Apple’s MacBook Pro Apple’s M2 Chip Will Use 4nm Process iPad Pro 2021: Images Leak Showing Pro & iPad Mini In Spectacular Detail Then there is how macOS handles touch. The obvious solution of using the trackpad or a mouse remain, but the beta adds in ‘Touch Alternatives’. This allows keyboard inputs to replicate specific touch inputs, in essence allowing macros to be created. Need to have the ability to quickly test a pull-down action? Now you trigger this from a key, rather than having to replicate a finger drag. Finally there is the inclusion of ‘Controller Emulation’. With the rise of mobile gaming came the rise of mobile controllers (such as Razer’s Kishi) offering true gaming controls. Allowing the Mac’s keyboard and mouse buttons to emulate gaming control inputs will make these apps more accessible for users. Just as hardware and software working closely together has improved the Mac platform over the last six months, the moves to bring macOS closer to iOS and iPadOS will see Apple’s own ecosystem improve. While iOS will remain the dominant OS in terms of sales and users, the three platforms are orbiting ever closer, drawing strength from each other and sharing their benefits.