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Well, the latest benchmarks of Intel's Core i9-11900K 8 Core Rocket Lake CPU have just leaked out by a Chinese TechTuber and the results are a mixed bag for the 11th Gen flagship. The difference between these and the earlier benchmarks is that the previous results were evaluated using an ES chip while the latest benchmarks are performed on a QS chip which should be close to the retail unit. Intel Core i9-11900K vs Core i9-10900K 5.2 GHz Overclock Benchmarks Leak Out - 8 Core Rocket Lake Flagship Only Faster In Single-Core Apps, Lacks in Gaming & Multi-Threaded Performance The Intel Core i9-11900K is now confirmed as the flagship 11th Gen CPU. The company showed off some gaming performance numbers where it was outpacing an AMD Ryzen 9 5900X CPU by up to 8% but we always advise to take official performance metrics with a grain of salt. So here we are with the latest results that were done with a QS chip that gets rid of the stuck PCIe bug that was an issue on the ES chips. As such, the gaming performance you are looking at here should be close to the real thing. Intel Core i9-11900K 8 Core & 16 Thread Rocket Lake Desktop CPU Specifications The Intel Core i9-11900K will be the flagship 11th Gen Rocket Lake Desktop CPU. The chip is going to feature 8 cores and 16 threads. This will result in 16 MB of L3 cache (2 MB per core) and 4 MB of L2 cache (512 KB per core). The CPU has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of up to 5.2GHz (1-core) & 4.80 GHz (all-core). The chip will also feature Thermal Velocity Boost which should deliver a 100 MHz jump in the max clock frequency. This should lead to a single-core boost clock of 5.3 GHz making it the first CPU to ever hit such a high frequency out of the box. However, do remember that regardless of using the Cypress Cove cores, the Core i9-11900K will feature lower cores and threads than the Intel Core i9-10900K. This is partially due to the backporting of Cypress Cove on the refined 14nm process node.The CPU is said to feature a 1st stage power limit of 125W which is standard for a flagship Intel SKU and the 2nd stage power limit or PL2 is rated at 250W. This means that when hitting its maximum advertised clock speeds, the CPU could indeed be pulling the said amount of wattage from the PSU making it one of the most power-hungry 8-core chips ever produced. This might also explain why Intel didn't go 10 cores and 20 threads on its 11th Gen lineup since it would've turned out to be a power-hungry monster of a chip breaking even past the 250W power limit. Intel Core i9-11900K 8 Core vs Core i9-10900K 10 Core CPU Benchmarks With 5.2 GHz Overclock Coming straight to the performance numbers, both CPUs were tested at an overclock frequency of 5.2 GHz across all cores. Do note that the Intel Core i9-11900K features a brand new architecture but has 2 fewer cores than the Core i9-10900K which relies on an enhanced Skylake architecture. Both CPUs were tested on a Z490 motherboard and the memory featured was 16 GB DDR4-3600 due to a lock on Rocket Lake. The Core i9-11900K voltage was set to auto and hit 1.48V. A chiller was required to maintain the 5.2 GHz overclock. In CPU-z, the Intel Core i9-11900K is 11% faster than the Core i9-10900K in single-core tests but ends up 12% slower in multi-core tests. In Cinebench R15, the Intel Core i9-11900K once again takes a 12% lead over the Core i9-10900K but also ends up 12% slower in multi-core tests. The Cinebench R20 & Cinebench R23 results show a 16% gain for the Core i9-11900K over its Core i9 predecessor but again, when it comes to multi-threaded performance, the CPU is no match to its predecessor. In x264 1080p, the Intel Core i9-11900K loses to the Core i9-10900K by 5 FPS. The same is true for V-Ray where the Core i9-10900K outpaces the Core i9-11900K by 14 more MPaths. Moving over to 3DMark results, our friend over at Twitter, Harukaze5719, has compiled a chart that compares the performance of the Core i9-11900K and Core i9-10900K in all said tests. The Core i9-11900K loses to the 10th Gen flagship in all tests. Lastly, we have gaming performance tests and the results here are underwhelming for the Rocket Lake flagship. The Intel Core i9-11900K seems to be just slightly better or on par with the Core i9-10900K but there are also titles that show performance reduction versus the Core i9-10900K. The previous benchmarks also showed similar performance numbers and further mentioned how hot and power-hungry the flagship Rocket Lake CPU is going to be. As we reported, the Intel Rocket Lake CPUs will be shipping months after the 500-series boards that will be available on 11th January. The CPUs are expected to be announced at CES 2021 but a hard launch isn't planned till March-April.

Right through until the 21st of January, Konami is offering its retro collections for a whopping 75% off in the US. Instead of paying the usual price of $19.99, each one will only cost you $4.99. That includes the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, the Contra Anniversary Collection, and Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection. If you own 'em all, there are more than 20 games to check out. Here's what each one includes: Castlevania Anniversary Collection Games: Castlevania, Castlevania II Simon's Quest, Castlevania III Dracula's Curse, Super Castlevania IV, Castlevania The Adventure, Castlevania II Belmont's Revenge, Castlevania Bloodlines, Kid Dracula (never released in English before) The first Konami Castlevania Collection is designed to be a completed collection around the origins of the historic franchise. Included is a unique eBook that has details provided by developers, artists and other inspired by the Castlevania legacy. Released as part of the Konami 50th Anniversary celebration, now the best time to relive these timeless classics that helped define the platformer genre. Contra Anniversary Collection Games: Contra (Arcade), Super Contra, Contra (NA), Contra (JP), Super C, Contra III: The Alien Wars Operation C, Contra Hard Corps, Super Probotector Alien Rebels, Probotector The Contra Anniversary Collection brings this classic Run and Gun franchise back to modern platforms and a new generation of gamers. Grab power ups and blast your way through waves of menacing enemies and bosses that will put your gamer reaction skills to the test. Alone or with a friend, CONTRA provides hours of nail biting action. In a pinch; make sure you know the code! Anniversary Collection: Arcade Classics Games: Haunted Castle, Typhoon (A-JAX), NEMESIS (Gradius), Vulcan Venture (Gradius II), Life Force (Salamander), THUNDER CROSS, Scramble, TwinBee KONAMI starts its 50th anniversary celebration with this first installment of the Anniversary Collection series of the all-time classics! This collection includes 8 arcade masterpieces of the 80s, from Nemesis to Haunted Castle. Experience these KONAMI classics in all their retro glory, now enhanced with modern features. Also includes a bonus eBook packed with new information about the titles, including interviews with the development staff, behind-the-scenes insights, and sketches and design documents never before revealed to the public! Will you be adding any of these anniversary collections to your digital games library on Switch? Tell us below.

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SAP late Thursday pre-announced fourth quarter financial results, as the German enterprise software giant continues an aggressive push to shift its business to the cloud. “In a uniquely challenging environment, 2020 was a record year for cash flow in every single quarter and the full year,” CFO Luka Mucic said in a statement. “Our better-than-anticipated top line performance combined with our quick response on the cost side drove strong operating profit. SAP’s expedited shift to the cloud will drive long-term, sustainable growth while significantly increasing the resiliency and predictability of our business.” SAP (ticker: SAP) said its performance sequentially improved in the fourth quarter “even as the Covid-19 crisis persisted and lockdowns were reintroduced in many regions.” The company noted that fourth quarter cloud revenue “continued to be impacted by lower pay-as-you-go transactional revenue,” mainly due to reduced business travel bookings at Concur. But the company said that high demand in other areas “produced a strong finish to the year for SAP’s cloud business.” SAP’s results can be a little confusing to American eyes. The results are reported in euros, on both an IFRS basis—the equivalent of GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles)—and on a non-IFRS basis, much like non-GAAP U.S. accounting. Like other large international enterprise technology firms, SAP tends to focus on data reported in constant currency. Also note that the company characterized the disclosure as a pre-announcement ahead of the regularly scheduled earnings release. All that said, for the full year, SAP estimates that total revenue on a non-IFRS basis was €27.3 billion ($33.2 billion), toward the lower end of the company’s revised guidance range of €27.2 billion to €27.8 billion, and down 1% from a year ago. (That seems contradictory to Mucic’s quote on the quarter which says that performance was better than expected at the top line; a spokesman says that reflects the fact that the interim results today were on an as-reported basis, and not adjusted for currency.) Cloud revenue for the year was €8.1 billion, up 15% from the previous year, in the middle of the company’s guidance range, while cloud and software license revenues combined were €23.2 billion, up 1%; the guidance range had been €23.1 billion to €23.6 billion. Operating profit on a non-IFRS basis was €8.28 billion, in the middle of the guidance range of €8.1 billion to €8.5 billion. SAP said that fourth quarter cloud-related revenues were up 8% on an IFRS-basis or 13% on an adjusted basis, while software license revenue was down 15%, or 11% on an adjusted basis in constant currency. Cloud and software revenue combined was down 4%, or up 1% on an adjusted basis in constant currency. The company had not provided detailed fourth-quarter guidance. Overall fourth-quarter revenue of €7.54 billion was a little ahead of the Street consensus at €7.49 billion as tracked by FactSet. After-tax profit of €2.02 billion was likewise slightly ahead of the Street at €1.94 billion. For 2021, SAP is projecting non-IFRS cloud revenues of €9.1 billion to €9.5 billion, up 13%, or 18% in constant currency, consistent with the Street consensus at €9.3 billion. SAP projects cloud and software revenue on the same basis of €23.3 billion to €23.8 billion, flat to up 2% in constant currency, and a little below the Street at €24.3 billion, with non-IFRS operating profit of €7.8 billion to €8.2 billion; the Street has been projecting €8.1 billion.

With new tech released every year, more and more of us are hoarding old tech we don’t need anymore. In fact, the average American owns $199 of unwanted tech - that’s a lot of money to leave lying around the house. Luckily, there’s a fast, easy and totally free way to trade in that tech for cash: Decluttr. What is Decluttr? Click here to start now and don't forget to use the 10% cash code: WCCEXTRA10 Decluttr is one of the US’ most trusted and reliable online tech trade-in services, offering cash for cell phones, games consoles, tablets, MacBooks, wearables and more. You can also sell CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, Video Games and Books. They’ve paid out hundreds of millions to their happy customers, who in turn have rated the service Excellent on Trustpilot and Elite on Reseller Ratings. The service has caught the attention of some big names too, with features on Good Morning America, NBC News and much more. How does Decluttr work? Trading in your tech with Decluttr couldn’t be easier: simply tell them what you want to sell for an instant valuation, ship your items for free and they’ll pay you the day after your items arrive. There’s no time-consuming listing process, no auctions and - most importantly - no unreliable buyers to worry about. Plus, Decluttr’s Tech Price Promise means you’re guaranteed to get the first valuation they offer or they’ll return your items for free! Top tip: if you’re selling CDs, DVDs, Games or Books, make sure you download the FREE Decluttr app too. It turns your phone’s camera into a barcode scanner, which means you can simply point your phone at the barcode on whatever you’re selling to get an instant valuation! Why Trade with Decluttr? As well as being totally free and super easy to use, trading your tech with Decluttr offers a whole host of other benefits: Get the best price Decluttr consistently pays more than other trade-in services, including up to 33% more than carrier buyback programs. If you’re planning to trade in tech, make sure to check Decluttr first! Upgrade the smart way Selling your old tech is a great way to pay for an upgrade, but research shows that older devices lose their value fast. In fact, Decluttr’s Annual Phone Depreciation Report found that the average iPhone loses 51% of its value in its first 12 months, then loses even more when new iPhones are released! In short: if you want to get a good price, you need to sell your tech as soon as possible! The good news is Decluttr locks in the best valuation for your tech for 28 days. This means you can value your tech as soon as you’re planning to upgrade without having to ship it until you’re set up on your next device! It’s smart for the planet E-waste is one of the biggest problems facing the planet, with around 50m tonnes produced every year. A lot of this waste is dumped in developing countries, where the chemicals used to produce tech products pollute the land, air and sea. Decluttr makes sure that every item you trade is recycled responsibly, saving it from landfill and reducing CO2 emissions at the same time. Items are either refurbished and resold on their great-value store, or recycled in a way that protects the environment. You’ll get a 10% cash boost! If all that wasn’t enough, Decluttr are offering all WCCFTech readers an exclusive 10% cash boost with the coupon code WCCEXTRA10. Simply enter your code at the cart to claim your bonus!

Want to work for Naughty Dog? Join the queue because we have to imagine the developer will be inundated with CVs for the open positions it has to offer as part of its next big project. Shared by the team's official Twitter account and then retweeted by Neil Druckmann, lots of different production sectors are hiring staff, including animation, art, UI, QA, and programming. Those lucky enough to be chosen will get to work on "something very cool", as co-president Druckmann put it overnight. Come work with us! We're making something very cool!🤐 https://t.co/ZGU6W3cAKU— Dr. Uckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) January 14, 2021 And this is where the speculation begins for fans, of course. After putting out The Last of Us: Part II last year, it feels like Naughty Dog could take a number of different development routes. A third entry in the series is always an immediate option, but maybe the team wants to take a break from the adventures of Ellie and Abby for now. On the opposite end of the spectrum, maybe a new IP could be in the works. Is now finally the time to see Savage Starlight turned into a real sci-fi RPG? We can only hope. No matter what it is, however, it's sure to be one seriously exciting PlayStation 5 project. What do you want Naughty Dog to do next? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Despite rising covid cases and a contraction in economic growth, passenger vehicle manufacturers recorded double-digit growth in sales in the festive period after two years, reducing their dealer stocks. Auto sales steady but dealers wary of hurdles ahead 2 min read . Updated: 15 Jan 2021, 06:00 AM IST Malyaban Ghosh Passenger vehicle sales grew 13.5 % from a year earlier in December to 252,998 units, showed data released by Siam Despite rising covid cases and a contraction in economic growth, passenger vehicle manufacturers recorded double-digit growth in sales in the festive period after two years, reducing their dealer stocks. Auto sales steady but dealers wary of hurdles ahead 2 min read . Updated: 15 Jan 2021, 06:00 AM IST Malyaban Ghosh Passenger vehicle sales grew 13.5 % from a year earlier in December to 252,998 units, showed data released by SiamPassenger vehicle and two-wheeler sales in India rose for the fifth straight month in December as automakers moved to replenish dealer inventory after better-than-expected retail sales during the festive months of October and November. Sales also received a boost from the low base of the corresponding month last year when companies witnessed a contraction in demand. Despite rising covid cases and a contraction in economic growth, passenger vehicle manufacturers recorded double-digit growth in sales in the festive period after two years, reducing their dealer stocks. Auto sales steady but dealers wary of hurdles ahead 2 min read . Updated: 15 Jan 2021, 06:00 AM IST Malyaban Ghosh Passenger vehicle sales grew 13.5 % from a year earlier in December to 252,998 units, showed data released by SiamPassenger vehicle and two-wheeler sales in India rose for the fifth straight month in December as automakers moved to replenish dealer inventory after better-than-expected retail sales during the festive months of October and November. Sales also received a boost from the low base of the corresponding month last year when companies witnessed a contraction in demand. Utility vehicle sales grew 19.75% from a year earlier in December to 94,787 units, indicating a sustained rise in urban demand. Passenger car sales grew at a slower 8.3% to 146,864 units. In the two-wheeler segment, scooter sales rose 5.59% from a year earlier in December to 323,696 units though motorcycles posted a modest 6.6% rise to 744,237 units as demand for entry-level motorcycles softened in rural and semi-urban markets. Overall, two-wheeler sales grew by 7.4% to 1.12 million units. Despite a steady revival in sales from September, the auto industry remains cautious with volumes during April to December 2020 falling to a near-decade low due a complete washout in the June quarter when the country faced a strict lockdown. Supply chain bottlenecks and rising prices of raw material such as steel and copper may also impact the recovery process in the coming months. Passenger vehicle sales fell 16% in April-December 2020 to 1.78 million units—the lowest level since FY11—while the same for two-wheelers dropped 22.6% to 10.7 million units—the lowest since FY14. Commercial vehicle sales plunged 37.7% to 358,203 units—a level last seen in FY11—due to a slowdown in economic activity and new load-carrying norms. Kenichi Ayukawa, president, Siam, said despite the positive momentum in sales, there is a high level of uncertainty due to shortage of parts such as semiconductors and commodities such as steel, which makes it difficult to predict the demand scenario. “If we look just at the third-quarter numbers, it will be quite misleading. In the nine months period to December, passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle sales were at a decadal low while the same for two-wheelers were at a seven-year low," Ayukawa said, adding that the recent steps by the government such as the production- linked incentive (PLI) scheme, and the prevailing low interest rates “will definitely help the industry going forward". Despite rising covid cases and a contraction in economic growth, passenger vehicle manufacturers recorded double-digit growth in sales in the festive period after two years, reducing their dealer stocks. Hence, most offered lower-than-normal discounts in December to liquidate year-end inventory. “Demand after the festival season has been good. Almost all OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) witnessed good sales during November and December," Ayukawa said.

Air Asia plans to generate half of all revenue from non-flying sources by 2024, Airasia.com CEO Karen Chan told a CAPA – Centre for Aviation audience. The region’s largest budget carrier is counting on its digital lifestyle platform, Airasia.com, to drive this growth. In October, Air Asia unveiled a new brand identity for Airasia.com, positioning it as “ASEAN’s super app” with more than 15 types of products and services spanning travel, e-commerce, and fintech in Southeast Asia. Chan said that by offering the services akin to an online travel agency, Airasia.com would be able to bundle experiences on top of flights, such as hotel stays and other lifestyle products, according to Simple Flying. Airasia.com also plans to grow its partnerships with several Middle Eastern and European carriers, allowing travellers to book these flights directly through its platform. “Apart from just selling Air Asia flight tickets, we are now selling any airline’s flight tickets. We are now in serious discussions with quite a few full service carriers,” said Chan, according to Reuters. Earlier last year, Air Asia CEO Tony Fernandes said the carrier transformed from a digital airline into a lifestyle brand “for everyone”. “We have not wasted the crisis, in fact we’ve been using the lockdown period to finetune our platform, unify the user experience, and simplify our payment to a one-click check out,” said Fernandes. “Just like how we built Air Asia as a brand, Airasia.com will emerge as the ASEAN super app, your best travel and lifestyle companion.” The announcement comes as the financially troubled carrier seeks court approval to restructure, which could lead to a shrunken fleet and route network. airasia.com

Google has decided to hide some Australian news sites from its search results, in a move that is being interpreted as a response to the Australian Government attempting to make the tech giant pay for original news content. The search algorithm tweak affects a small percentage of users and buries links to some commercial news sites, a Google spokesperson said. "Every year we conduct tens of thousands of experiments in Google Search," they said. "We're currently running a few experiments that will each reach about 1 per cent of Google Search users in Australia to measure the impacts of news businesses and Google Search on each other." The experiments will conclude by early February, the spokesperson said. Google would not say whether it was also burying links to the ABC and SBS, which are included alongside commercial media in the proposed code to make platforms pay for content. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) estimates Google accounts for 95 per cent of search traffic. Belinda Barnet, an expert on media regulation at Swinburne University, said though Google was trying to downplay the significance of the move, it was clearly "throwing its weight around". The point of this, Dr Barnet said, was to give the impression it doesn't need the news content it's being asked to pay for and that it "has the power to disappear news outlets completely." "In the middle of a pandemic when arguably we need access to timely accurate and fresh information more than ever, they're prepared to dump news from the feeds of users to prove a point," she said. Chris Cooper, executive director of Reset Australia, an organisation working to counter digital threats to democracy, said Google's experiment was "grossly irresponsible". He said it appeared to be an extension of the "same kind of aggressive campaigning" against the proposal to make it pay for news content. Last year, Google ran widespread ads on its platforms saying that the proposal meant "the way Aussies use Google is at risk" — a statement that the ACCC said was "misleading" to Australians. "They are threatening shutting off news to the public in order to stoke some kind of fear," Mr Cooper said. News of the tweak was first reported earlier this week by the Australian Financial Review (AFR). A spokesperson for Nine, the publisher of the Sydney Morning Herald, the Age and the Australian Financial Review (AFR), said in a statement that Google's "experiment" was a "chilling illustration of their extraordinary market power". "Google is an effective monopoly and by withholding access to such timely, accurate and important information they show clearly how they impact what access Australians have to that," a spokesperson said. "At the same time, Google are now demonstrating how easily they can make Australian news providers who fall out of their favour effectively disappear from the internet." Google should pay for content, not block it: Treasurer In early December 2020, the Australian Government tabled legislation that will force Google and Facebook to pay news organisations for access to their journalism. Under the code, media organisations can bargain with the digital platforms for the amount charged per piece of content. If the bargaining is unsuccessful, the decision goes to arbitration. A panel of arbiters can make a final decision. The mandatory bargaining code is the result of many years of complaints from traditional media outlets that social media platforms pay nothing for the work of journalists but make millions of dollars through advertising. Releasing a draft version of the code last year, the ACCC said Google and Facebook should treat media organisations as exceptional among businesses, "as a strong and independent media landscape is essential to a well-functioning democracy". In response, Google and Facebook have argued media organisations are not accounting for the benefit they derive from search engines sending traffic to their sites. Google has accounted for this benefit: it estimates the referral traffic was worth $218m to publishers in 2018. It says its remains "committed to getting to a workable code" that is "fair for everyone", but argues that forcing the company to pay to show links "would fundamentally break how search engines work". Introducing the proposed laws last year, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg pointed to the plummeting advertising revenues of print newspapers as evidence that publishers are losing more than they gain. "For every $100 of online advertising spend, $53 goes to Google, $28 goes to Facebook, and $19 goes to other participants," he said at the time. On Thursday, Mr Frydenberg said Google's latest algorithm tweak would not deter the Government from pursuing the mandatory bargaining code legislation, which is currently before a Senate committee. "The digital giants should focus on paying for original content, not blocking it," he said. Google may be 'shooting itself in the foot' The data gathered by Google by its experiment would help the company argue that referrals to media outlets are worth more money than the ad revenue generated around this content, Dr Barnet said. But by reminding Australians and the Government of Google's immense market power, the algorithm tweak could have the consequence of reinforcing the worth of a code that addresses a power imbalance between news organisations and the tech giant. "Google is prepared to shoot itself in the foot to prove a point," Dr Barnet said. Though Australia accounts for only a small proportion of Google and Facebook's business, the code is the first of its kind in the world and could set a precedent for other countries. At a press conference this week, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Australia's "world-leading" media bargaining code had been "acknowledged not just by regulatory agencies, but by other governments around the world." Along with Google, Facebook has criticised the proposed code, warning it could block Australians from sharing local news as a consequence. Mr Cooper from Reset Australia said both Google and Facebook have a history of strongly resisting any regulation. "We know media publishers around the world are watching this progress of this code very keenly," he said. "If it's successful, it's guaranteed there will be replications of this legislation in other parts of the world."

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There was a time when CES' annual takeover of Las Vegas was about as reliable as the passing of seasons, but the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed this year's event into the first all-digital show of the trade convention's decades-long history. In lieu of crowded conference halls, on-stage keynotes and late-night parties, attendees are logging on to watch consumer technology's major names discuss upcoming trends in virtual fireside chats and Brady Bunch-esque roundtables. Amidst all of this, companies big and small are again pulling back the curtains from their newest health and wellness technologies, with offerings ranging from remote sensors to smartphone apps to a non-invasive glucose monitor. Read on below for MobiHealthNews' list of CES 2021's product announcements (and check back throughout the week as the reveals keep rolling in). Omron Healthcare, the maker of a range of medical devices for professional and consumer use, is taking its first stab at remote patient monitoring. Called VitalSight, the product is a clinician-provided home kit that includes a connected blood pressure monitor and a data hub. The technology can be integrated into an EHR system, allowing doctors to view patients' data within their records or through a data analysis and automatic notification dashboard built by the company. The company said it will be partnering with Mount Sinai New York and Northwestern Medicine for early rollout of the system. "OMRON created VitalSight specifically for hypertension management," Jeffrey Ray, Omron's executive director of business and technology, said in a statement. "This new service is designed to encourage more remote monitoring, more communication between the patient and the physician, and more data to make treatment decisions and improve health outcomes." Omron also took advantage of the virtual show to preview the 2.0 update of its Omron Connect mobile app. A combination of its existing HeartAdvisor and Omron Connect apps, the tool will communicate with the company's various connected blood pressure monitors while feeding users new health insights based on their readings. Biometric sensor maker Valencell unveiled a version of its cuffless, calibration-free blood pressure measurement tech that can be embedded into devices worn on the finger and wrist. Previously available only for devices worn in the ear, this tech now allows partner companies to add the feature to their smartwatches, pulse oximeter finger clips and other similar devices. To do so, the company's software combines data from photoplethysmography (PPG) and inertial sensors rather than a traditional cuff. According to Valencell, this approach can generate readings throughout the day with similar accuracy to blood pressure cuffs.Meanwhile, Toronto-based NuraLogix came to the show with its own take on blood pressure monitoring: a smartphone app that takes readings within 30 seconds and without physical contact. The Anura app shines a light through the skin and measuring its translucency to understand blood flow. The company is offering the app as a free iOS and Android download for personal use, and offerings SDKs and white-labeled integrations for enterprises. It is available in seven languages. Meanwhile, Toronto-based NuraLogix came to the show with its own take on blood pressure monitoring: a smartphone app that takes readings within 30 seconds and without physical contact. The Anura app shines a light through the skin and measuring its translucency to understand blood flow. The company is offering the app as a free iOS and Android download for personal use, and offerings SDKs and white-labeled integrations for enterprises. It is available in seven languages.

In a presser, TrendForce has announced that as per their investigation, TSMC will be mass-producing Intel's next-generation entry-level, mid-range and high-end CPUs on its 5nm and 3nm process nodes. Intel has already announced that it will be outsourcing several of its non-CPU chips to 3rd party foundries but this major news confirms that they are planning to move even their biggest product lineups to external fabs. Intel's Next-Gen Core i3 CPUs To Be Produced on TSMC's 5nm Process Node, High-End & Mid-Range CPUs To Be Produced on TSMC's 3nm Node in 2H 2022 It looks like after Alder Lake in 2H 2021, Intel will be moving to TSMC as its prime partner in mass-producing its next-generation CPU lineup. The press release states that Intel's Core i3 CPUs will be the first mass-production lineup made at TSMC and will be utilizing its 5nm process node. Do note that mass production doesn't exactly means a hard launch and we might end up getting these chips later around 2022. With that said, Alder Lake CPUs will focus on high-performance while utilizing the 10nm Enhanced SuperFin process node. But Intel plans to shift its entire mid-range and high-performance lineup to TSMC by 2H 2022. The next-generation processors will be featuring the more advanced 3nm process node from TSMC & will be the successors to the Alder Lake lineup. It is not known whether these will be mobility or desktop parts but from the looks of where things are headed, Intel might utilize TSMC for mass production of both segments. Press Release - Intel has outsourced the production of about 15-20% of its non-CPU chips, with most of the wafer starts for these products assigned to TSMC and UMC, according to TrendForce’s latest investigations. While the company is planning to kick off mass production of Core i3 CPUs at TSMC’s 5nm node in 2H21, Intel’s mid-range and high-end CPUs are projected to enter mass production using TSMC’s 3nm node in 2H22. In recent years, Intel has experienced some setbacks in the development of 10nm and 7nm processes, which in turn greatly hindered its competitiveness in the market. With regards to smartphone processors, most of which are based on the ARM architecture, Apple and HiSilicon have been able to announce the most advanced mobile AP-SoC ahead of their competitors, thanks to TSMC’s technical breakthroughs in process technology. With regards to CPUs, AMD, which is also outsourcing its CPU production to TSMC, is progressively threatening Intel’s PC CPU market share. Furthermore, Intel lost CPU orders for the MacBook and Mac Mini, since both of these products are now equipped with Apple Silicon M1 processors, which were announced by Apple last year and manufactured by TSMC. The aforementioned shifts in the smartphone and PC CPU markets led Intel to announce its intention to outsource CPU manufacturing in 2H20. TrendForce believes that increased outsourcing of its product lines will allow Intel to not only continue its existence as a major IDM, but also maintain in-house production lines for chips with high margins, while more effectively spending CAPEX on advanced R&D. In addition, TSMC offers a diverse range of solutions that Intel can use during product development (e.g., chiplets, CoWoS, InFO, and SoIC). All in all, Intel will be more flexible in its planning and have access to various value-added opportunities by employing TSMC’s production lines. At the same time, Intel now has a chance to be on the same level as AMD with respect to manufacturing CPUs with advanced process technologies.Intel had previously confirmed that DG1, Tiger Lake, and SG1 (a flavor of DG1 designed for servers) will be manufactured in-house on the Intel 10nm SuperFin process. The upcoming Intel Xe HPG GPU for gamers will be made on an external foundry process - quite likely TSMC (and probably the 7nm process considering the 2021 timeline).

CD Projekt RED has launched a new webpage outlining its commitment to restoring its reputation after last year’s disastrous Cyberpunk 2077 release. On the site, the Polish developer addresses its fans directly, outlining a roadmap for future updates to the title, as well as a personal apology by co-founder Marcin Iwinski, which we’ve embedded below: In the video, the bigwig addresses all of the criticisms that have been aimed at the massive role-playing release. He stresses that the title’s shortcomings are not the fault of its development team, and fall directly at the feet of management – including himself. He explains that optimisation of the console versions, such as the PlayStation 4 edition, continued until days before launch – hence why review code was held back for outlets like Push Square. Iwinski goes into a little more detail about the challenges it faced developing for Sony’s last-gen console, but he makes a few curious statements along the way. For example, he suggests that “our testing did not show many of the issues you experienced while playing the game”, which seems utterly unfathomable considering the scale and scope of the problems. Nevertheless, he says that a new patch will launch within the coming days: “The first update will drop in the next 10 days, and it will be followed by a larger, more significant update, in the weeks after. Our plans for supporting Cyberpunk 2077 in the long-term are unchanged, and we will continue to introduce updates and patches to give all players across all consoles and PCs a better experience with the game.” He also adds that the developer hasn’t changed its approach to the title’s previously announced free DLC, but that its “top priority” is working on patches and updates. “We will be releasing free DLC afterwards and we’ll have more to say about that in the coming months,” he promises. As previously announced, a native PS5 version will be made available as a free update, and this will launch in the second half of 2021. There’s no word on when the title will return to the PlayStation Store, although it states that it’s working with Sony to bring the game back “as soon as possible”. Elsewhere on the website, the studio explains that it will not be “crunching” its staff in order to produce these fixes and updates, and it’ll be changing its approach with future projects. “The team is working to bring relevant fixes to the game without any obligatory overtime,” the webpage reads. “Avoiding crunch on all of our future projects is one of our top priorities.” While we certainly saw plenty of promise in the project, we awarded it a 3/10 in our Cyberpunk 2077 PS4 review due to the scale of the issues. “Cyberpunk 2077 is a blatantly unfinished game, and the worst part is that CD Projekt has known this to be the case for quite some time,” we said. “On PS4 and PS4 Pro, poor performance comes close to wrecking the experience.”

China’s total auto sales dropped 1.9 percent in 2020 due to the COVID-19 epidemic, but with the disease under control in China sales have rebounded in recent months, and a 4 percent increase in motor vehicle sales is expected in 2021, China’s auto association said Wednesday. “China sold 25.31 million vehicles in 2020, a 1.9 percent decrease year-on-year mainly caused by a first quarter drop due to the pandemic,” China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said Wednesday. Now that China has brought the pandemic under control, the auto industry recovered faster than expectation, showing the sector’s flexibility, according to the association. “With the stable economic recovery and the vast market potential, China’s auto sector has likely passed the low point, and will turn to growth in 2021 with more than 26 million vehicles expected to be sold, a 4 percent increase year-on-year,” the association said. The sale of commercial vehicles has seen a sharp increase, with 5.13 million vehicles sold in the past year – the first time sales exceeded 5 million, and a 18.7 percent increase. The sales of new energy vehicle (NEV) experienced fast growth with 1.37 million NEVs sold in 2020, a 10.9 percent increase year-on-year. NEV sales in December saw a 49.5 percent increase year-on-year. More than 1.12 million pure electronic vehicles were sold during 2020, a 11.6 percent increase year-on-year. The association forecasts the number of NEVs to be sold in 2021 will reach 1.8 million. A 40 percent growth year-on-year. Global Times

A report by the special rapporteur of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the erstwhile enclave dwellers had referred to a “definite change in the life style” of the families who preferred to leave their villages located deep in Bangladeshi territory but retain their Indian nationality. In his report, B.B. Mishra of the NHRC East Zone in November 2019, had suggested employment for them most likely in the nearby tea gardens. “The 200 families who preferred to leave their villages but retain Indian nationality are being rehabilitated in pucca dwelling houses. Earlier they used to keep cows, goats and duck, catch fish and grow vegetables in the backyard for which there is no provision now. There has to be definite change in lifestyle. There is a need to help them to settle down to a new life style,” the report says. On Wednesday, thousands of erstwhile enclave dwellers held protests for hours outside the office of the district Magistrate Cooch Behar under the banner Amra Chitmahalbasi (We the residents of enclaves). Kirity Roy, well-known social activist and secretary of Masum, said the report clearly stresses on the importance of land deeds and alternative opportunities to which the administration has not given much though in the past five years “Even after five and half years of the implementation of the Land Boundary Agreement in 2015, many of our crucial demands remain unfulfilled including our right to citizenship, land ownership and opportunities for employment,” Nur Nabi, president of the Amra Chitmahalbasi, said. The representatives of the Cooch Behar district administration assured the protesters that their demands for land deeds and including the erstwhile enclave dwellers in State-run welfare schemes will be implemented within the next few months. More than five and half years ago — on July 31, 2015 — the historic Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) between India and Bangladesh paved the way for the resolution of the seven decades long problem of enclaves. About 14,854 residents living in 51 Bangladesh enclaves deep in the territory of India became Indian nationals and another 922 persons (nearly 200 families) came from Indian enclaves in Bangladesh to the Coochbehar district. LBA in conflict with CAA Mr. Roy also pointed out that the Land Border Agreement implemented in 2015 is in conflict with the Citizenship Amendment Act passed in 2019 and thus the residents of enclaves need assurance of citizenship. Mr. Roy argued that the CAA provides citizenship for Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian foreigners who have migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to India up to December 31, 2014, on account of the persecution faced by them due to their religion, whereas the LBA provides citizenship to everyone residing in the 51 Bangladeshi enclaves irrespective of their religion.We have been keeping you up-to-date with information on the developments in India and the world that have a bearing on our health and wellbeing, our lives and livelihoods, during these difficult times. To enable wide dissemination of news that is in public interest, we have increased the number of articles that can be read free, and extended free trial periods. However, we have a request for those who can afford to subscribe: please do. As we fight disinformation and misinformation, and keep apace with the happenings, we need to commit greater resources to news gathering operations. We promise to deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.

FILE - In this Jan. 7, 2021, file photo, registered nurses Kyanna Barboza, right, tends to a COVID-19 patient as Kobie Walsh puts on her PPE at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, Calif. Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. hit another one-day high on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, at over 4,300 with the country’s attention focused largely on the fallout from the deadly uprising at the Capitol. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. hit another one-day high at over 4,300 with the country’s attention focused largely on the fallout from the deadly uprising at the Capitol. The nation’s overall death toll from COVID-19 has eclipsed 380,000, according to Johns Hopkins University, and is closing in fast on the number of Americans killed in World War II, or about 407,000. Confirmed infections have topped 22.8 million. Arizona and California have been among the hardest-hit states. The country is now in the most lethal phase of the outbreak yet, even as vaccines are being rolled out. — State leaders around the U.S. are increasingly pushing for schools to reopen this winter — pressuring them, even — as teachers begin to gain access to vaccines against the raging pandemic. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine offered to give vaccinations to teachers at the start of February, provided their school systems agree to resume at least some in-person instruction by March 1. And Arizona’s governor warned schools that he expects students back in the classroom despite objections from top education officials and the highest COVID-19 diagnosis rate in the nation over the past week. — An ongoing study suggests that older American adults are showing resilience and perseverance despite struggles with loneliness and isolation during the pandemic. That’s according to the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, conducted by the social research organization NORC at the University of Chicago. It’s part of a longer-term study designed to track the physical and emotional well-being of a group of older Americans over time. Only 9% of older adults reported having “fair or poor overall mental health” during the pandemic. Nevertheless, the study found that general happiness has declined and an increasing number report occasional feelings of depression or isolation. THE NUMBERS: The U.S. is averaging about 249,000 new cases per day, and about 3,300 deaths. The death toll in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic now stands at more than 381,000. QUOTABLE: “I know of a woman who had her husband sit in front of a computer literally all day and just click the refresh button until an appointment came up.” — Meika Mark, a ninth-grade English teacher in Orange County, New York, who got vaccinated Tuesday using a link a friend texted her. ICYMI: Three House Democrats announced they tested positive for COVID-19, prompting concern that last week’s insurrection at the Capitol has also turned into a super-spreader event threatening the health of lawmakers and their staffs. Those who tested positive were among dozens of lawmakers who were whisked to a secure location when a group of insurrectionists who support President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol on Wednesday. It’s not certain where and when lawmakers caught the illness, but the Capitol’s attending physician notified all House lawmakers of possible virus exposure and urged them to be tested. ON THE HORIZON: Officials are preparing for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, which will look different from other presidential inaugurations because of last week’s riot at the U.S. Capitol. Security will be extremely tight around the area. The event was already going to be pared down because of COVID-19. ___ Find AP’s full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The rollercoaster of 2020 highlighted the competitive advantage that well-oiled software delivery teams provide. The minute COVID-19 hit and everyone had to become not just remote-first, but remote-only, many engineering teams were forced to reckon with the number of manual processes they had in place. Suddenly, they could no longer rely on the fact that there was a build machine under someone’s desk, and if that machine had a problem, they could just reboot it. Suddenly, they needed to automate everything. This idea of automation, of being able to move quickly and reliably, is no longer ‘nice to have,’ but core to the responsibilities of today’s software delivery teams. I have the good fortune of not only leading a developer-first company focused on delivering value to engineers, but also seeing how thousands of the world’s best teams move their code from idea to delivery. While I have a lot of strong opinions on how to best bring automation to engineering teams, it’s clear that the most advanced, powerful automation tools need one crucial element to succeed: people. For businesses, the first phase of the pandemic was about systems: updating and building your tech stack so you could operate as fully remote. I believe the next phase is going to be about teams and people. Lessons Learned: Building Resilient Software Teams. Having a team big enough to handle the day-to-day, while also being able to innovate, is crucial. This is especially true in a world where user expectations and demands have dramatically increased. You need enough individual contributors to handle the continually increasing overhead of maintenance and escalation. If your team is too small, the pace of innovation goes down. Keeping pressure in the hose — the feeling of forward momentum — is critical, for both your team and your customers. You need to maintain a steady heartbeat of innovation. By continuously addressing asks of the community, you’re providing a consistent rhythm and confidence that progress is being made. The breakdown of a resilient software delivery team should look like this: 50% of what you do is targeted at user-focused features — you’re working on something that will improve the lives of your users. 25% is focused on technical investment — what do you need to do to maintain your system? Where is it going to tip over? 25% is focused on escalations and defects — is the system not behaving how it’s supposed to? Did the system break, preventing users from building? As your system gets bigger, the amount of time dedicated to maintaining the system naturally goes up. You have to increase the size of your team to maintain the ratio of user-focused work. Eventually, the team gets too large and that’s when you split them into smaller groups. Think of Amazon’s Two Pizza Rule. While the ideal team size is going to depend on experience, the total scope of responsibilities, on-call burden, and more, somewhere between 5 and 20 code contributors is the right place to aim. Of course, there’s an upper size limit where the cost of communication and coordination gets high, but you always want enough developers to both maintain the service and continue to innovate it. Another reason I think, especially right now, that bigger teams are better, is that 2020 has shown us how life gets in the way of our best-laid plans. If your teams are too small and somebody goes on extended leave, has an emergency, or simply needs a break, you won’t have enough kindling to keep the fire going. You want to get your team to a place where you have enough hands on deck that you can absorb the shocks of life. What about distributed teams? If building resilient teams is hard overall, then building resilient distributed teams is even harder. Many of the challenges that all teams face are exacerbated when we’re spread across locations and time zones. The most effective ways of building and leading teams just can’t be easily applied. That means as leaders, we often need to get much more creative. In my experience, successful leaders focus on building structures and supporting connection, communication, and collaboration. As humans, we strive to be connected to a larger purpose but we also want to feel connected with the people around us. When we mostly interact with people in the shape of pixels in video calls or icons in chat apps, it’s easy to forget there are humans at the other end of the screen. First and foremost, we need to be curious about who our teammates are as people and know what drives them. As leaders, it’s also our responsibility to make sure that expectations are always clear to everyone on our teams. This is especially true when your organization is in high-growth mode. A few years ago, the engineering team at CircleCI had doubled year over year and became more globally distributed. Conversely, the management team was incredibly small. After all this growth, we were running into challenges around evolving our engineering culture. Our knowledge was very siloed and we needed to find a path forward that would allow us to scale the business. So we created an engineering competency matrix, which is woven into everything we do. From hiring, to structured feedback, to performance reviews, it helps us hold everyone to the same standards and clarify expectations as we scale. Collaboration is crucial as well. With distributed teams, it’s easy to accidentally develop “subteams” split along time zones. One way to avoid this is by encouraging cross-timezone work, so-called “ping-pong” pairing. Ping-pong pairing is similar in principle to traditional pair-programming, but asynchronous. To facilitate ping-ponging we found it useful to: Limit our work in progress to 3 cards.This encourages us to look for tickets already in progress before starting anything new. Post work-in-progress Pull Requests (PRs) as soon as possible. It should be natural that, unless someone is actively working on a given task at the moment, anyone should be able to read through the PR (and other relevant communication) and continue working on it. Hand off work in progress. Either asynchronously on Slack, or in video calls when people’s working hours happen to overlap, especially at the day’s edges as one person’s day is ending and another’s is just getting started. At the end of the day, resiliency in your platform or service, and in your technology, certainly relies on good CI/CD practices, cloud-based monitoring, testing, and other DevOps processes. But the human component is essential. When you start to see performance lagging, that’s fatigue. It’s up to us as business leaders to create resilient systems and teams, right now, and for the long haul. One of the most important components of creating an efficient software delivery team is prioritizing the people who run it.

NVIDIA has unveiled its next-generation GeForce RTX 30 Mobility GPU lineup which includes the GeForce RTX 3080, RTX 3070 & RTX 3060. Based on the Ampere architecture, the GeForce RTX 30 series discrete notebook GPUs will come in both Max-P and Max-Q flavors and will be featured on several high-end gaming notebooks featuring Intel's and AMD's brand new processors. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 16 GB, GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB & GeForce RTX 3060 6 GB Mobility GPUs Unveiled - High-End GeForce RTX 30 Gaming GPUs For Both Intel & AMD Based Laptops The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 mobility series is the spiritual successor to the GeForce RTX 20 GPU lineup for the mobility segment. Replacing Turing is Ampere and gamers should expect better performance and enhanced features such as Dynamic Boost 2.0, Whisper Mode 2.0, Resizable-BAR and DLSS 2.0. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 16 GB Mobility GPU - Laptops Starting at $1999 US The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card will be the flagship offering within NVIDIA's RTX 30 series notebook GPU family. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Mobility will feature 48 SMs on the GA104 GPU SKU (GA104-775). This chip would feature a total of 6144 cores, a base clock of 1245 MHz, and a boost clock of 1710 MHz. The graphics card also features 16 GB VRAM which runs across a 256-bit wide bus interface but it remains to be seen if NVIDIA is utilizing 12 or 14 Gbps DRAM modules for its mobility lineup. In the case of 14 Gbps, the GPU will be able to offer a maximum bandwidth of 448 GB/s. The Max-Q variant of the GeForce RTX 3080 Mobility GPU will feature a TGP of 80W while the Max-P variant will ship with a TGP rated above 150W. The GeForce RTX 3080 laptops will start at a price of $1999 US and will offer 100+ FPS at 1440p resolution in several gaming titles. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB Mobility GPU - Laptops Starting at $1299 US The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobility will feature 40 SMs on the GA104 GPU SKU (presumably, the GA104-770). This chip would feature a total of 5120 cores, a base clock of 1290 MHz, and a boost of up to 1620 MHz. The graphics card also features 8 GB VRAM which runs across a 256-bit wide bus interface but it remains to be seen if NVIDIA is utilizing 12 or 14 Gbps DRAM modules for its mobility lineup. In the case of 14 Gbps, the GPU will be able to offer a maximum bandwidth of 448 GB/s. The TGPs for the GeForce RTX 3070 are rated at 80W (Max-Q) and 125W for the Max-P high-end variant. The GeForce RTX 3070 laptops will start at a price of $1299 US and will offer 90 FPS 1440p gaming. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6 GB Mobility GPU - Laptops Starting at $999 US Lastly, we have the GeForce RTX 3060 6 GB which was also announced for the desktop segment today but with 12 GB GDDR6 memory. Both the desktop and mobility variants feature the GA106 GPU but the notebook variant comes with 30 SM units enabled, resulting in a total of 3840 CUDA cores. The graphics chip will feature clocks starting at 1283 MHz base and go up to 1703 MHz boost frequencies. As mentioned before, the GeForce RTX 3060 6 GB graphics card will come with a total of 6 GB GDDR6 memory running across a 192-bit bus interface. The memory pin speeds are to be configured at 12 Gbps which should result in a total bandwidth of 288 GB/s. The GeForce RTX 3060 6 GB will feature TGPs of 60W and all the way up to 115W. According to NVIDIA themselves, the RTX 3060 laptops will start at $999 US and will offer 30% better performance than Sony's PS5 console. It seems like NVIDIA is targetting the laptop as a 1080p 90 FPS gaming solution.

Judging by this week’s location reveal and even its key art, Hitman 3 definitely looks more foreboding than its predecessor. That’s confirmed by Michael Vogt, the series’ main writer, who revealed in a video that the overall tone of the title now matches its plot. “The tone of the story throughout the trilogy has always been serious and tense, whereas the game as a whole is more playful and light-hearted,” he said. “So Hitman 3 is clearly darker and more brooding than the other two chapters, which brings the game as a whole closer to the tone of the story overall.” Vogt added that the plot is much more important at this point in the trilogy: “In Hitman 1, the story was just a background presence and I think many players didn’t even take much notice of it. And then from Hitman 2 onwards, it becomes much more front and centre. In Hitman 3 the story and the gameplay is much more intertwined, and some of the big story moments actually take place in-game.” Are you looking forward to seeing where this story goes, or do you generally ignore the plot while playing these titles? Take down Providence in the comments section below.

After rescheduling the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit for 2020, cancelling it, and then scheduling it again, organizers have now announced that it won’t be held in 2021 after all. Instead, an all-outdoor show called Motor Bella is being promised as its replacement in September 2021. It’ll be held in Pontiac, Michigan, about 50 km away from downtown Detroit. Dating back more than a century, the NAIAS was always the first auto show of the season, held early in January. More recently, it faced increasingly fierce competition from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), also held early in the year in Las Vegas, which was becoming more attractive to many automakers as a venue to introduce their new models — and which went digital-only this year due to the pandemic. The Detroit show was held in January 2019 in Cobo Hall as usual, but without participation from such automakers as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Volvo, and others. The plan was to then move the 2020 show to June to avoid a head-to-head with CES, but that was cancelled when Cobo Hall was transformed into a field hospital in case extra beds were needed for COVID-19 patients. That show was then rescheduled for June 2021, and has now been cancelled. Motor Bella was originally conceived as a show for British and Italian supercars and vintage vehicles that would debut at the NAIAS in June 2020. It’s now the replacement for the entire event, and organizers are promising vehicle debuts, track and off-road demonstrations, mobility tech displays, and autonomous vehicles, all outdoors to address “continued COVID-19 concerns about indoor events.” The show will be held September 21 to 26, 2021. In a release, organizers added that auto shows are adapting to pandemic restrictions worldwide, and that “NAIAS has been reimagining its position for some time.” Conventional auto shows overall haven’t yet been declared officially dead yet, as some have been warning, but it sounds like what was once the most traditional and best-known show of them all is never going to go back to the way it was.

The two join forces in an effort to help grow the game in America, in the African American community, whilst introducing US audiences to the Wolves club, players, and brand. Black Arrow is a platform that focuses on the intersection of soccer and black culture, and is at the forefront of an emerging black soccer movement. One of the creative elements that drives this movement in America is soccer jersey style and fashion, and this partnership was born out of Black Arrow’s admiration for Wolves’ eye-catching old gold and black kit and 'transformer-like logo'. The partnership kicks off with two projects – one is a studio show hosted by TikTok football personality and comedian Elischa Edouard, and the other is a photography series/lookbook of Wolves’ 2020/2021 jersey from Black Arrow creative director and photographer, Gavin Guidry. Black Arrow founder Aaron Dolores said: “When the Wolves got promoted back into the Premier League in 2018, we had just started Black Arrow. To be honest, I had never heard of them, but their jersey instantly caught my attention. Because of that, I started to watch their games, research the club's history, and I really just liked the energy around the team and its fans, and, of course, their underdog story. “When we got the opportunity to connect with Wolves, the alignment was completely organic because I already rocked with what they were doing. They already had a story I was excited to tell and a kit I thought was dope, so we just let that drive the content we created together, and it was completely authentic.” Russell Jones, general manager of marketing & commercial growth at Wolves, said: “The USA presents a huge opportunity for Wolves to build our fanbase and working with Black Arrow will help us connect with African American soccer fans in a creative and authentic way. “It’s rare that you meet people like Aaron and the team at Black Arrow and feel an immediate connection. We love how they create content and tell stories, and their edgy and creative style is perfectly in line with Wolves, who have a brave challenger mindset at the heart of our brand DNA. “We hope that the ‘out of darkness’ photography series and the studio show are just the start of a long-term relationship.” For more on Black Arrow, follow them on Facebook here, Twitter here, YouTube here, Instagram here and visit their website here.

Last Saturday, Pakistan’s Hazaras finally ended a protest and agreed to bury the bodies of 11 coal miners from the community killed by the Islamic State on January 3. The stir came to an end only after Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the mourners in Quetta and promised compensation for the dead. However, persecution of the Shiite Hazaras is nothing new in Pakistan or neighbouring Afghanistan. They have been frequently targeted by Taliban and Islamic State militants and other Sunni Muslim militant groups in both countries. James B. Minahan, in his book Ethnic Groups of North, East, and Central Asia: An Encyclopedia (2014), says this targeting might have started around the 18th century. Around 1773, the mountainous region of Hazarajat in modern-day central Afghanistan was annexed and made a part of the territories of Afghan Empire under Pashtun ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani. The Sunni Muslim majority under the Pashtun ruler resulted in further marginilisation of the Shiite Hazara community, to the extent that in the 18th and 19th century, they were forced to leave fertile lowlands in central Afghanistan and make the dry, arid mountainous landscape their new home. Research indicates that their unique identity, ethnicity and religion always made the Hazaras stand out among the other communities. Hazaras speak Hazaragi, which is close to Dari Persian, the official language of modern-day Afghanistan. The community also shares physical similarities with the Mongols and their speech, specific terms and phrases, reflect strong Central Asian Turkic influences, setting them apart from their neighbours in Pakistan and other communities within Afghanistan. According to Minahan’s research, in the 19th century, the Hazara community constituted approximately 67 per cent of Afghanistan’s total po[CENSORED]tion. Since then, primarily due to violence, oppression and targeted massacres, that number has come down to a little as 10 to 20 per cent of the po[CENSORED]tion now. But Minahan explains that these figures are only estimates due to a lack of census statisticsThe attacks reached a crescendo in 2013, when three separate bombings killed more than 200 people in Hazara neighbourhoods of Quetta. In the aftermath of this incident, the Shia community in Pakistan had erupted in anger over the Pakistani government’s lack of protection of the city and had refused to bury the dead till the government made steps to improve security. The Sunni militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed one of the three deadly attacks.