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PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A convicted scammer who claimed to be an Irish heiress and who is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from several victims should be extradited to the United Kingdom, a federal court has ruled. Marianne Smyth, who accusers say has also fashioned herself as a witch, a psychic and a friend to Hollywood stars, has been in a Maine jail waiting to learn if she will be extradited. She faces allegations that she stole more than $170,000 from the victims from 2008 to 2010 in Northern Ireland. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Nivison ruled on Thursday that there is sufficient evidence to certify Smyth’s extradition to the U.K. to face charges. Nivison wrote that Smyth will be in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending a decision on extradition by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. An attorney for Smyth, who has declined to comment in the past, did not respond to phone calls and emails on Thursday. The judge’s ruling that Smyth should be extradited could help bring about the end of a bizarre saga in which victims have painted Smyth as a master of disguise and a veteran traveling grifter. Smyth faces four counts of fraud by abuse of position under the U.K. Fraud Act of 2006, and four counts of theft in violation of Northern Ireland’s Theft Act of 1969, Nivison wrote. Authorities overseas have said Smyth stole money that she had promised to invest and arranged to sell a victim a home but took the money. A court in Northern Ireland issued arrest warrants for her earlier this decade. “The evidence presented regarding Ms. Smyth’s interactions with and transactions involving the individuals ... is sufficient to sustain the four fraud charges and the four theft charges that are the subject of the extradition request,” Nivison wrote. Smyth’s case is similar in some respects to that of Anna Sorokin, a scammer who was convicted of paying for her lifestyle by impersonating a German heiress. Smyth’s victims included Johnathan Walton, a podcaster who warned others of Smyth’s grifts. Smyth was found guilty of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from Walton and spent about two years in jail. The two had grown close in Los Angeles, and Smyth told Walton she was due an inheritance of $7 million from her wealthy Irish family, but Smyth’s story began to fall apart when Walton learned she was jailed for stealing $200,000 from a travel agency she worked for. Walton used his podcast to gather tips from Smyth’s other accusers. Some of those accusers said Smyth started a fake charity and others said she posed as everything from a cancer patient to Jennifer Aniston’s best friend. Smyth, who is in fact American, was found and arrested in Maine in February. https://apnews.com/article/marianne-smyth-con-artist-uk-extradition-67b578cba1cf5274f27e8e875b2fb365

The government has watered down planned police powers to deal with "nuisance" rough sleepers after opposition from Tory MPs. Under changes to the Criminal Justice Bill, forces in England and Wales will no longer be able to move people on because of "smells". Officers will also have to inform them of support services first before they can move them on for other reasons. The move comes ahead of the bill's return to Parliament on Wednesday. It follows meetings with potential Conservative rebels who had threatened to team up with opposition MPs to vote through similar changes. However, homelessness charity Crisis said rough sleepers would "continue to be viewed as a nuisance". The bill, drafted under former home secretary Suella Braverman, would deliver a longstanding government promise to get rid of Victorian-era legislation that currently criminalises rough sleeping. It would replace this with new powers for police and council officials to direct "nuisance" rough sleepers to leave a place and not return for up to three days. Those failing to comply could potentially be fined up to £2,500 or jailed for up to a month. The draft law hit the headlines last month after some MPs objected to provisions that said rough sleepers causing "smells" could be considered a nuisance and therefore ordered to move on. The Home Office now says this reference was only intended to tackle rubbish or "human waste" - but will now be removed entirely. Powers to move people on for other reasons - including for damage to property or using threatening language - will remain. But an amendment will specify that before this power can be used, rough sleepers will have to be told how they can access support services, such as addiction treatment or shelters. Powers 'not needed' A reference to giving "the appearance of" sleeping rough will also be removed, following warnings from critics this was too vague. Policing Minister Chris Philp said ministers had "listened carefully" to critics of the bill and had agreed to make changes to ensure the new powers are "properly targeted". He added the amendments would "ensure vulnerable people are directed towards support, while protecting communities from antisocial behaviour". Crisis, the homelessness charity, said it was pleased that "some of the more outrageous measures" in the bill had been removed. However, chief executive Matt Downie said rough sleepers would "remain at risk of fines and prison sentences," calling this "unacceptable". "We have said time and time again that these powers are not needed," he added. "If the Westminster government really wants to end rough sleeping, then it should focus on the things we know work - such as building thousands more social homes and increasing funding for support services like Housing First." https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-69005091

Four fox cubs that suffered serious injuries when they fell into deep concrete pits are being cared for by a wildlife centre. The RSPCA said the first cub was rescued from a construction site in Cannock on 29 April, followed another the following day and then two more on 1 May. The charity said workers called them after discovering the cubs at the bottom of 19.6ft pits (6m), covered in oil. They are believed to be from the same litter, although their mum is thought to have died. RSPCA animal rescue officer Sophie Taylor said: “It was a steep descent and I was amazed but relieved to find they hadn’t broken any bones. “The pits were huge and they were difficult to spot at first, but they were well and truly stranded down there, there was absolutely no way out for them.” The cubs are now being cared for by a team at the charity’s Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Nantwich and are expected to make a full recovery. Centre manager Lee Stewart said the cubs were covered in oil when they arrived and their coats smelt of chemicals. “They’ll be carefully monitored by our wildlife team and will be with us for about six months. “They’ll be joined over time by other fox cubs, most of whom will also have been orphaned.” The team will then find them a safe space where they can be released and supported before they venture off to establish their own territory. The RSPCA said workers at the site where they were found will try to close entry ways and keep an eye out for further cubs. A thorough search of the immediate area was carried out, they added, but no other foxes were seen. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0rrgx87n4o

Before you ask, no, we don't yet know how much Volkswagen's retro-futuristic ID Buzz electric van will cost when it arrives in showrooms later this year. We can guess, of course—expect to pay around $60,000 and up before any applicable EV tax incentives kick in—but we no longer need to speculate as to what the 2025 ID Buzz's trim levels will look like. VW has released a detailed outline of the ID Buzz lineup, which will launch in three variants: Pro S, Pro S Plus, and 1st Edition. ID Buzz Pro S Every 2025 ID Buzz will come well equipped with standard 20-inch wheels, a 91-kWh battery, a 12.9-inch touchscreen, wireless device charging, 30-color ambient lighting, electronic parking assistants, IQ.Drive adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, and at least one electric motor. The entry-level Volkswagen ID Buzz Pro S model will only be available with rear-wheel drive and a single electric motor (4Motion all-wheel drive won't be offered on the Pro S, at least for now), and a second-row bench seat that brings the van's seating total to seven. ID Buzz Pro S Plus Stepping up to the Pro S Plus trim opens up the option for dual-motor all-wheel drive, upping peak output from 282 hp to 335 hp total. Stick with the rear-drive ID Buzz Pro Plus, and you get a second-row bench seat standard, but the option is available for a pair of captain's chairs (limiting total seating to six). Go for 4Motion all-wheel drive, and the captain's chairs are your only choice; you can't get an AWD ID Buzz with the second-row bench or seating for seven. Other benefits of the Pro S Plus over the base Pro S? More standard equipment, of course! There is an expanded parking camera, head-up display for the driver, 700-watt harman/kardon audio system, and a Euro-style manually retractable tow hitch that can tuck up under the bumper when not needed. Options include a panoramic sunroof, as well as a Flexboard, which helps create a flat and level load surface across the backs of the folded seats. ID Buzz 1st Edition This special-edition Buzz will only be offered at the van's launch, so aim to get one while you can. As with the Pro S Plus, the 1st Edition offers both rear- and all-wheel drive configurations, along with exclusive 20-inch wheels, a two-tone paint job, special floor mats, and the "coastal" light-colored "Dune" interior scheme. (Other Buzzes are offered with this same colorway, as well as a darker "Moonlight" scheme and a "mid-century modern" "Copper" layout.) Every 1st Edition comes loaded with a panoramic sunroof, the Flexboard, easy-open power-sliding rear doors and tailgate, the harman/kardon audio system, parking cameras, and 1st Edition badging. Volkswagen will offer several paint color options in addition to the three interior schemes outlined above, with the two-tone choices including a Candy White top with either Energetic Orange, Pomelo Yellow, Blue Charcoal, Mahi Green, Metro Silver, Cabana Blue, or Indium Gray lower; or a Metro Silver roof paired with Cherry Red lower bodywork. For monochrome fans, the Buzz is available in Deep Black Pearl, Candy White, and Metro Silver. Pricing for the ID Buzz lineup will be announced closer to the van's on-sale date this fall, but again, expect to pay nearly $60,000 and up. VW has plans to limit price gouging and other shenanigans, but remember: This will likely be a vehicle with more demand than supply. Range figures for the ID Buzz are similarly forthcoming, but figure on 220 to 260 miles depending on the spec, with rear-drive models going longer distances between charges. https://www.motortrend.com/news/2025-volkswagen-id-buzz-electric-van-price-msrp-trim-levels/

They should not have been playing. The only illumination came from forks of lightning, distant but uncomfortably close for a golf tournament to continue. Fearsome black late summer clouds accelerated the fall of darkness. They really should have been preparing to complete the 2014 US PGA Championship the following day. But there was another force of nature at play - Rory McIlroy. And back then he was an unstoppable presence at the top of the game. Memories of his most recent major success, almost a decade ago, are rekindled this week as the US PGA returns to Valhalla in Kentucky. And not because of the devastating way he won at Quail Hollow last Sunday - a performance that reminded us of McIlroy in his absolute pomp. It was at the Louisville course in 2014 that McIlroy refused to be stopped by the elements to triumph amid dramatic, chaotic scenes on the final hole. This was his third win in consecutive tournaments, each time beating the best players in the world to win The Open at Hoylake, a World Golf Championships event at Firestone and then the Wanamaker Trophy in the evening gloom of America’s gateway to the south. His one stroke victory over Phil Mickelson completed the highest summer in what remains a glorious career for the Northern Irishman. McIlroy was 25 years old and the winner of four major titles, a feat matched at such a young age by only Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Jones and Young Tom Morris. His rate of success was keeping company with legends. Natural talent allied with the cockiness that comes with knowing you are more gifted than your rivals made him an irresistible force. So nothing was going to stop him on that final day at Valhalla, where he led by one heading into a delayed closing round, but trailing Rickie Fowler by three when he embarked on the inward half. Back then, things would fall into place for McIlroy. He had the knack and this victory appeared to prove he could win a dogfight as well as dominate the biggest events. His first two major wins - the 2011 US Open and the following year’s PGA were won by eight shots. He won wire to wire at Hoylake, but Valhalla was different. It was a scrap and on the par-five 10th hole McIlroy was on the ropes playing his second from 283 yards out. He wanted a high draw from his fairway wood, instead it was a low mishit that flew in the opposite fashion. “Oh, he’s necked it,” Sir Nick Faldo accurately told American TV viewers. But the ball bounded to the green and ran up to six feet. Faldo apologised, erroneously thinking the ultimately successful shot had been fully intended. McIIroy, meanwhile, capitalised by calmly canning the eagle putt. He added birdies at 13 and from a fairway bunker on the penultimate hole. Fired up by Fowler and Mickelson fist pumping together on their way to the 12th tee, as if on a joint mission to take down the European upstart, McIlroy fed from an empowering incentive to deny these American stars. He wanted the win and needed it that night. Arriving on the 18th tee two ahead with playing partner Bernd Wiesberger, McIlroy was dismayed to find that the US pair were only just teeing off on the closing par-five hole. The only way the last two players could finish would be if those in front called them up to hit their drives and second shots - an unprecedented scenario that was deeply unappealing to Mickelson and Fowler. At McIlroy’s behest, officials convinced the Americans. “I'm not a huge fan of conflict, but when push comes to shove, I will,” McIlroy said. “That was one of those times when I needed to sort of assert my will on a situation. I think if I wasn't as pushy as I was, I would have had to sleep on that lead and on that tee shot overnight, I just didn't want to do that. “I think the guys up ahead were pretty unhappy with how it all unfolded. I got the result that I was looking for in the end and that's all that matters.” Mickelson very nearly chipped in for eagle while Fowler three putted in the gloom. McIlroy required only a par, but that was in jeopardy as his drive headed towards water down the right. It found dry land - another break, the sort of which seems the preserve of enduring champions but that has subsequently been so elusive. He hit into sand with his second, then splashed on to the green. McIlroy’s first putt was not the best, but sneaked up to the hole side and he tapped in before unleashing a smile that lit up the pitch darkness enveloping the scene. No-one could have envisaged that 10 years on we have not seen McIlroy add to his major tally. “At that point in my life, golf was absolutely everything to me,” he recently told Geoff Shackelford’s Quadrilateral sub stack. “And I lived and died by every result. It's a little different today where I’m married, have a child and after the round you’re just a father.” He is a better all round golfer these days; he has won consistently at every level other than the majors in the ensuing decade and now has 26 PGA Tour wins. But he has never possessed the killer instinct that was so apparent at that 2014 PGA Championship. Then, McIlroy was the undisputed world number one and he currently lies second behind Scottie Scheffler in the rankings. In all bar one of the year end standings in the past decade he has resided comfortably inside the top 10 - he was 11th at the end of 2017. Of the top 10 players that week in 2014, Jason Day is currently the highest ranked at 19 in the world. No one should argue with McIlroy’s astonishingly and enduringly consistent performances on the toughest tour in the game. But in the majors he has not been able to impose his will in the way that he did in that win at Valhalla. He failed to do so in the final group of the 2018 Masters, likewise at the 2022 Open when he was overhauled by Cameron Smith. And in Los Angeles last year he coughed up an untimely bogey at the par-five 14th, which ultimately cost him US Open defeat to Wyndham Clark. “Even at LACC last year, I go back to the house afterward and I'm just dad,” McIlroy told Shackelford. “It's a different perspective. So I think that's where I don't live and die as much by my results or by the day-to-day like I used to.” But given the imperious form he showed in Charlotte last week, perhaps this is the PGA Championship to rekindle the ruthless streak of old. And not just because he is back at Valhalla (the Nordic word for the hall of the fallen). It also became clear last week that McIlroy is somewhat persona non grata to the PGA Tour’s Policy Board. His views on a global future for this damagingly split sport do not seem to chime with the American dominated body. His offer to return to the board from which he resigned earlier this year was rejected and he has been left as a mere non-voting member of the “transaction committee” dealing with a potential deal with Saudi Arabia. McIlroy insists there are “no hard feelings” but there should be. No player has worked harder for their sport during this period of unprecedented tumult and the board has rejected someone many people regard as the game’s most articulate and enlightened international voice. Now is, surely, the time for McIlroy to feel slighted and respond with his his clubs. Play as though he has a chip on his shoulder, but in the knowledge that he is generationally the most consistent golfing force out there. In short, stick two fingers up to the rest. Just like he did almost 10 years ago at the same venue. https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/articles/crgyywzjezgo

Motherhood is the gift that keeps on giving — and giving, and giving until sometimes it seems you can’t take it anymore. Brooke Sharkey, a married Brooklyn mom of a 2-year-old daughter, had nearly reached her limit just ahead of Mother’s Day last year. But instead of having a breakdown, she got a much-needed break. “My husband booked me a one-night stay at the Walker Hotel Tribeca the Saturday before Mother’s Day,” Sharkey, 30, a personal assistant from Bed-Stuy, told The Post. “I took a long shower, watched whatever I wanted on TV, ordered room service, scrolled through social media in peace, treated myself to a fancy dinner and caught a Broadway show.” “It was the best Mother’s Day gift ever.” Rather than enduring long restaurant wait times for a platter of pancakes and cold eggs at Sunday brunch, or receiving yet another bouquet of store-bought roses, Sharkey basked in the kid-free, responsibility-free glory of the “anti-Mother’s Day” movement. It’s a trend away from the sweet, albeit stale, holiday traditions. The unconventional gift grants mom a mini “me time” vacation to sleep, nosh, primp, shop or do absolutely nothing. Pooped mamas in need of a respite get to dedicate at least one day (and maybe night) of their hallowed weekend to themselves — either luxuriating at a haute hotel or sending the hubby and cubs away in order to serenely savor an at-home staycation. Mommies everywhere are putting solo escapes at the top of their wish lists, too. Westchester mom of two sons, Johanna Riehm, 34, told The Post she’s looking forward to lounging around like a queen in her empty castle on Sunday. “I’ve had the Mother’s Day breakfasts in bed that come with a lot of screaming and chaos in the house,” said the comedian and lifestyle influencer. “This year, my husband is taking the kids out for a ‘boys’ day,’ and I’ll be home reading, getting out into nature, snacking and just laying down. “Spending some silent time at home or enjoying some peace at a hotel is what Mother’s Day is all about.” In fact, an April survey of 2,000 mothers across the US revealed that “a chore-free day,” “a spa day,” “alone time” and “a weekend getaway” were high-ranking requests this year. Thea Gallagher, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at NYU Langone Health, tells The Post that a mom’s day off may be just what the doctor ordered. “Mom burnout can happen when women become exhausted by the massive amounts of physical, mental, emotional and logistical effort that it takes to be a parent,” she explained of the psychological phenomena. A May study from the Ohio State University College of Nursing found that mental overload affects over 57% of parents, and can ignite stress, anxiety and depression. Gallagher encourages gals to indulge in as much self-care as possible — especially during their special celebration. “If Mother’s Day is about honoring the mother, then she needs some time to escape her mothering duties,” said the psych. “When we recharge, we have more to give to our kids, jobs, partners and friends. “We can’t pour into others from an empty cup.” Sharkey agrees. After her 24-hour hiatus, the dynamo darling reunited with her family feeling refreshed and renewed. “I had the best of both worlds. I got to sleep in, do the things that make me happy and get some rest,” she said. “Then, the next day, I met up with my husband and daughter for some family time.” Samantha Brown, a travel expert of 25 years and Brooklyn mom of 11-year-old twins, said it’s not too late to spoil your No.1 lady with a little getaway this holiday. But she warns gift-givers against dropping mom off at any ol’ lodge — be sure to research before gifting her a resort stay. “No family-friendly hotels,” Brown, who’ll be road-tripping down Route 66 this weekend, told The Post. “She’ll just be there with everyone else’s screaming children. No mom wants that.” https://nypost.com/2024/05/09/lifestyle/were-anti-mothers-day-moms-we-love-our-kids-but-we-deserve-a-break-this-sunday/

A group of current and former politicians from nine countries have demanded to be called as witnesses in the trial of Hong Kong’s imprisoned media mogul and democracy activist, Jimmy Lai. The group, including former UK Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith and Japan’s former defence minister Gen Nakatani, say that they have been cited dozens of times in evidence presented during Mr Lai’s national security case. Despite this, they have not formally been contacted about the trial - which the letter says "undermines the integrity of the investigation". Mr Lai has been accused of colluding with foreign forces under the Beijing imposed national security law. If found guilty, the 76-year-old founder of the now defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, is facing possible life in prison. His case, which began last December after a year-long delay, has sparked an international outcry and is widely seen as a test of Hong Kong's judicial independence. In a joint letter - seen exclusively by the BBC - the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance (IPAC) on China say its members have been cited more than 50 times in Jimmy Lai’s national security trial, and have requested to submit evidence to the court. “The fact that IPAC as 'witnesses' or 'accomplices' to an alleged crime have never been approached by the Hong Kong authorities is revelatory of the degree to which the integrity of this trial is in question," said Luke De Pulford, the executive director of the IPAC. "This case was never about the truth," Sir Iain added. "But we now have an opportunity to see how far English common law used in Hong Kong, respected by the world over, has been traduced by the national security law of China." Hong Kong insists it is still underpinned by the rule of law, upheld by a common law legal system inherited from the British. Beijing has also previously dismissed IPAC as being "anti-China". Its members include individuals known to be highly critical of China's Communist rulers, including US Senator Marco Rubio, the former British leader Liz Truss and Australia's ex-prime minister Scott Morrison. Founded in 2020, IPAC is formed of lawmakers from 34 legislatures and parliamentary bodies who are pushing for a coordinated policy from democratic countries towards China on issues such as trade, security and human rights. The alliance has vigorously opposed the implementation of Hong Kong’s National Security law, declaring that it made “Hong Kong one of the most dangerous places in the world to disagree with the government”. The BBC has contacted the Hong Kong Department of Justice for comment. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czrxx7nj7vno

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Poco F6 5G will be unveiled in India later this month. The company has announced the launch date of the handset and teased its design. Poco has also confirmed the details of the upcoming phone's availability. Key specifications of the phone have previously done rounds of the rumour mill. It is tipped to be a rebranded version of the Redmi Turbo 3, which was introduced in China in April this year. The Poco F6 5G is expected to share design and specifications with the Redmi model. Poco India confirmed that the Poco F6 5G will launch in India on May 23 at 4:30pm IST. The social media handle of the company shared a teaser which teased the upcoming smartphone with the tagline "God Mode On." The rear panel of the handset can also be seen in the teaser, which reveals the arrangement of camera units. The Poco F6 5G is seen with two cameras placed within separate, slightly raised, circular modules alongside a ring-like flash unit. Engraving on the panel confirms that the phone will feature a 50-megapixel camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) support. A Flipkart microsite for the handset has also gone live, which confirms the handset's eventual availability on the e-commerce site. The design of the rear camera system arrangement of the Poco F6 5G is similar to that of the Redmi Turbo 3. Even the colour that is seen in the teaser is reminiscent of the Ice Titanium option of the Redmi model. The Redmi Turbo 3 launched in China at CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs. 23,000) for the base 12GB + 256GB option. It is also available in 12GB + 512GB, 16GB + 512GB and 16GB + 1TB variants. The Poco F6 5G may launch in India with a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC, a 6.7-inch 120Hz 1.5K OLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection, a 20-megapixel selfie shooter, and a 5,000mAh battery with 90W fast charging support. It was recently spotted on Geekbench with 12GB of RAM and Android 14-based OS. https://www.gadgets360.com/mobiles/news/poco-f6-5g-india-launch-date-confirm-design-teaser-flipkart-specifications-expected-5653243#pfrom=topstory

Google I/O 2024 is kicking off very soon – so if you want a glimpse of all the new treats that are coming to Google's many software platforms (plus the odd bit of future-gazing vaporware) it'll be well worth tuning in. The big day is set for Tuesday, May 14 at 10am PST (1pm ET / 6pm BST) and will continue into the following day. The keynote will be hosted by CEO Sundar Pichai at the Shoreline Amphitheater up in Mountain View, California. It’ll be broadcast in front of a live studio audience, and of course everyone will be able to watch the event as it unfolds via livestream. No one knows exactly what will be revealed at Google I/O 2024 and the rumor mill has been uncharacteristically quiet. The likelihood is that AI, and in particular Google Gemini, will be the star of the show – particularly as OpenAI is hosting an event the day before on May 13. But we can also expect to hear lots of Android 15, plus demos on new features coming to the likes of Google Maps, Google Lens, Google Photos and more. Here's how to tune into Google I/O 2024 and everything we're expecting to see... https://www.techradar.com/computing/software/google-io-2024

Nvidia board partner Zotac is diversifying its RTX 40 series GPU product stack with three new cards aimed at the Chinese market according to a Videocardz report. All three cards take on names inspired by outer space and consist of either RTX 4070 or RTX 4060 Ti GPUs. The RTX 4070 Nebulae is a new compact 2.3-slot mid-range graphics card sporting a dual-fan cooler design. The Nebulae is a budget-focused model that apparently slots right underneath the outgoing Twin Edge model. The Nebulae ironically resembles its Twin Edge counterpart in appearance, featuring a rounded GPU shroud and white color theme similar to the Twin Edge White. The only differentiating factors that truly separate the Nebulae from its Twin Edge counterpart are the addition of space-themed graphics on the shroud and backplate, and a complete lack of RGB LED lighting on the card. The card measures 225mm in length making it one of the more compact RTX 40 series graphics cards on the market. Zotac also revealed an RTX 4060 Ti variant of the Nebulae but with a different, cost-reduced design. The Twin Edge-like shroud with rounded corners is gone, replaced by a more boxy design that resembles a cheaper graphics card design. The card shares the same dual-fan design as the 4070 variant but appears to be slightly thinner possibly coming in at just 2 slots in thickness. The RTX 4070 Vespera is another 4070 model Zotac showed off, that is an even cheaper alternative to the Nebulae. Funnily enough, the Vespera shares the same shroud design as the 4060 Ti but instead comes in a black finish. This model appears to be the cheapest RTX 4070 design Zotac now offers (in China at least). This model is noticeably bigger than its Nebulae variant coming in at 280mm in length. The RTX 4060 TI Moon Shadow/White is the last card that Zotac unveiled. Unlike the previous models mentioned above, the Moon Shadow is more performance oriented boasting a triple fan cooler design. The card's appearance resembles the AMP Airo cards, sporting a rounded shroud. Zotac offers two colors, a black Moon Shadow variant and a lighter Moon White version. As previously mentioned all of these cards are reportedly Chinese exclusive offerings. However, if there's enough demand we might see these GPUs make their way to other markets in the future. https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/zotac-releases-space-themed-graphics-cards-for-china-multiple-rtx-4060-ti-and-4070-variants

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The government is "gaslighting" Britain over the state of the economy and its plans are "deluded", shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has said. Key economic figures this week are likely to show the UK emerging from recession, while the Bank of England could take steps towards interest rate cuts. The economy is likely to be a key battleground in the upcoming general election. The Tories said Labour had "no plan". Giving a speech in the City of London, Ms Reeves said that suggestions the feel-good factor is returning are "completely out of touch with the realities on the ground". On Friday, however, the first official data on gross domestic product in the three months to March is likely to show that the economy grew, marking the official end to a shallow recession last year. The Bank of England could take further steps towards interest rate cuts on Thursday too, ahead of a likely sharp fall in inflation - which measures how prices rise over time - later in the month. While Ms Reeves acknowledged "these things could happen this month", the opposition's intervention is designed to pre-empt the government's argument about the cost-of-living crisis being over and the coming general election being about "protecting the recovery". "The Conservatives are gaslighting the British public," she said. "Gaslighting" is psychologically mani[CENSORED]ting a person into questioning his or her perception of reality. At the beginning of 2023, Rishi Sunak set out the Conservatives' priorities, including halving inflation, growing the economy, and reducing government debt. The government has met the first pledge, and never set out what it meant by growing the economy. Debt remains at levels last seen during the early 1960s. Just days after a difficult set of local and mayoral elections for the Conservatives, Ms Reeves announced that Labour hopes to fight the general election "on the economy", saying that voters could choose "five more years of chaos with the Conservatives" or "stability with a changed Labour Party". In response, chairman of the Conservative Party, Richard Holden MP, said: "The personnel may change but the Labour Party hasn't." He said that the Labour Party has "no plan" and would take the British public "back to square one" with higher taxes and higher unemployment rates. Despite abandoning its long-standing plan to borrow and spend £28bn of public money on new, green industries, Mr Reeves restated Labour's commitment to a new vision for a green economy, reflecting thinking in the US and Europe. In February Labour rowed back on plans to spend £28bn a year on environmental projects if it wins the upcoming general election. Responding to a question from the BBC on Tuesday, Ms Reeves said that getting to clean energy by 2030 and creating green jobs can be done "through other means", including the creation of GB Energy, the National Wealth Fund, and planning reforms. Ms Reeves said that investment in low-carbon industries was being held back by the UK planning system. Last month, her National Wealth Fund "taskforce", including former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, and the chief executives of Barclays and Aviva, met to discuss how to raise £22bn in private sector investment in next generation technologies. It is expected to report back before the summer. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-68965212

An owl covered in soot and stuck in a chimney has been freed. Nick Reynolds, the director at the Paradise Park wildlife sanctuary in Hayle, Cornwall, said a male tawny owl was lodged in the flue of a chimney at a property near Sennen. Mr Reynolds and a crew from Penzance Fire Station attended the home on Wednesday. He said they freed the owl, which flew away uninjured. Mr Reynolds said the animal was covered in soot and had to be cleaned before he was released. "For me, it was a job I just felt I had to go to," he said. "Getting the fire brigade to come out and help me was just superb, they did a great job." In a Facebook post about the rescue, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said: "We'd encourage householders to keep chimneys swept, after all it may not just be Santa that you find stuck in your chimney." https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6pyq7d6kzeo

If you’re confused, even troubled, take a breath. The double-ended van is real, and it’s actually brilliant—and we’ll explain. But take a moment to appreciate that with everything in the world going on right now, we can find whimsy even in something as banal as a clever way to package and ship two commercial vans to upfitters. Because that’s what’s going on here: the Citroën Relay Back-to-Back isn’t meant to stay stuck together in this ridiculous arrangement. It’s ridiculous. It’s clever. It’s very, very French. (Kind of; the van is actually a rebadged Fiat Ducato, which you might know as the Ram ProMaster, but that’s neither here nor there—or here-and-there-at-the-same-time.) We’ve already hinted that the vans are intended to be split up, so why bolt them together in the first place? Our colleagues over at The Autopian did the sort of deep, nerdy research on the subject that we love, and they were equally surprised to learn that the Back-to-Back isn’t some radical new configuration. Fiat’s been doing this for decades, for the simple reason that it can. The Ducato and its badge-engineered variants over the years have benefitted from the packaging advantages of its front-wheel layout. And that means, when the vehicle is sold in a chassis-cab arrangement, there’s no rear axle or driveshaft to worry about. The stuff that drives the van is concentrated up front. All that needs to be out back is something to support the rear wheels, eventually. And that’s something that an upfitter can figure out. Fiat/Citroën/whoever can crank ‘em out of the factory with no back end at all, leaving stubby chassis rails poking out behind its single-cab body. And cleverly—very cleverly, we have to admit—Fiat decided to bolt another one right on there. Why not? Saves the effort and inefficiency that comes with some sort of temporary dolly that you’d have to build and then discard. Or building the entire rear subframe and suspension that the upfitter may or may not want, if it’s interested in stretching the wheelbase or something like that. Upfitters doing any sort of volume likely appreciate the efficiency of buying a two-fer like this, too. It simplifies transportation—just drive it up onto the transporter. Which end? I dunno, whichever one happens to be pointed the right way. Unloading? Hop in the other one. The more we think about it, the more brilliant it becomes. The Citroën version, in the U.K. at least, is only offered with a 2.2-liter, 140 hp turbodiesel I-4 with a 6-speed manual transmission. Or rather, two of them. And it’s just as fast going forward as it is going in reverse. So there’s your weird van news for the day. You can return to your boring single-headed-vehicle programming now. https://www.motortrend.com/news/citroen-relay-back-to-back-double-van-ram-promaster-upfitter-camper-chassis-cab/

The Boston Celtics regained the lead in their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final against the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 106-93 victory on the road. Top-seeded Boston, who were stunned by the Cavaliers at home in game two, edged the first quarter by two points and never relinquished their lead. The Celtics now take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series into game four in Cleveland on Monday. Jayson Tatum hit 33 points for the Celtics, while Jaylen Brown added 28. "We just wanted to bounce back," said Tatum. "Our back was against the wall, so it was a good test for us to see how we respond - we were up for the challenge." Donovan Mitchell top scored for Cleveland, with 33 points. Elsewhere, the Dallas Mavericks took a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference semi-final with a 105-101 win at home over the Oklahoma City Thunder. PJ Washington led the Mavs with 27 points, while star guard Luka Doncic added 22. A late scoring surge by Kyrie Irving, who also made 22, helped Dallas maintain their narrow four-point lead after the third quarter through to the end of the game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit a game-high 31 points for the Thunder. Game four is also in Dallas on Monday. https://www.bbc.com/sport/basketball/articles/c3gvj4xev2eo

Sláinte to the singles! A virtual portal connecting New York City and Dublin opened earlier this week has turned into a hotspot for strangers looking to make connections across the thousands of miles. Streaming live throughout the summer at the busy junction of 5th Avenue, Broadway and 23rd Street in Manhattan, the scheduled cultural programming appears to have been preempted by a whole lot of flirting. “My immediate thought was that this would be the perfect love story,” Ali Weber-Heavey, 25, told The Post on Friday. https://nypost.com/2024/05/10/lifestyle/singles-scene-heats-up-at-portal-linking-nyc-and-dublin/

President Joe Biden upended part of one of the world’s most significant strategic relationships this week. It happened in a TV interview, when Mr Biden was asked what would happen if Israel went ahead with a planned invasion of Rafah. “I’m not supplying the weapons,” he replied. Arms shipments are the bedrock of the US-Israel alliance. For the first time in four decades, a crack appeared. Mr Biden has been under sustained pressure at home and abroad to help prevent further major civilian casualties and a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He finally crossed the threshold of withholding arms shipments to Israel, American’s closest strategic ally in the region - a move not seen since President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. Since the start of the war, Mr Biden has been caught in a political divide between an unquestioningly pro-Israel Republican party, and his own deeply divided Democratic Party, says Aaron David Miller, a former State Department analyst and veteran Middle East peace negotiator. Until now, the president has appeared reluctant to do anything seen to damage the US-Israel relationship, Mr Miller says. What changed was Mr Biden’s view that the Israelis were close to a decision to invade Rafah. On Monday, Israel said its ground forces were starting "targeted activity" in the east of the city, with Israeli tanks said to be massed close to built-up areas. Residents reported the constant sound of shelling and said barely functioning hospitals were overwhelmed with the wounded. The UN says more than 100,000 people have fled the fighting, and are facing dire shortages of shelter, food, water and sanitation services. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to launch a full ground invasion of the city, home to more than a million displaced Palestinians. He says a major operation is required to destroy four remaining Hamas battalions hiding there, and will be carried out regardless of whether any ceasefire talks succeed. Washington has repeatedly urged him not to, pressing for a more “targeted operation” in Rafah against Hamas. Mr Miller says the president fears a Rafah invasion “would fundamentally undermine any chance of de-escalating the war and freeing hostages”. The former official, who spent years advising administrations in which Mr Biden served, says the president also wants to avoid a crisis with neighbouring Egypt. There is also the risk that an invasion would spark more angst and divisions in the Democratic Party, he says. “So he sent a signal,” says Mr Miller. In the run up to Mr Biden’s TV interview on Wednesday, the US put a “pause” on an arms shipment to Israel - just one consignment of 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs. A senior administration official told me there was particular concern on the “end use” of the high payload weapons and the impact they could have in dense urban settings, “as we have seen in other parts of Gaza”. The 2,000 pound bombs are among the most destructive munitions in Israel’s arsenal. Its military argues such munitions are necessary to eliminate Hamas. Also under review were shipments of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) kits which convert unguided bombs into guided ones, the US official said. On Friday, the state department issued a report ordered by Mr Biden earlier this year, which said Israel may have used American-supplied weapons in breach of international humanitarian law in some instances during the war in Gaza. But the report said that it did not have "complete information" in its assessment, meaning military aid could continue. Colonel Joe Buccino, a former US army artilleryman who rose to become a senior official at Centcom, the US military command in the Middle East, points out that the Israeli military could “level” Rafah with the munitions it already has. Washington supplies Israel with $3.8bn of military assistance a year. Congress recently added to that a further $17bn worth of weapons and defence systems - Israel is cumulatively the world’s largest ever recipient of US lethal aid. Col Buccino says the paused shipment is “somewhat inconsequential” to any assault assault on Rafah. “It's like a little bit of a political play for people in the United States who are… concerned about this,” he says. Whether that is the case or not, it has not blunted the political fallout from Mr Biden’s move. In the halls of the US Senate, Republicans were seething. “I think that pause is absolutely outrageous,” said US Senator Pete Ricketts, speaking to me outside a meeting of the Foreign Relations Committee. “The president really has no business doing this.” When I put it to him that Israel still has the means to carry out its stated planned assault, he replied: “This is about supporting our ally Israel against a terrorist organisation.” Another Republican Senator, John Barrasso, said that Israel had a right to “do what they want to do to protect their sovereignty”. For him Mr Biden’s move demonstrated one thing: “A weakness of this president.” But within Mr Biden’s own party, there has been a warmer reception for the shift. Democratic Senator Chris Coons two months ago called for restrictions on military assistance to Israel if it launched an assault into Rafah “at scale”, without significant changes in how Palestinian civilians were treated and protected. “The conflict in Gaza… has led to a lot of painful reflection for many of us who count ourselves as strong supporters of Israel but are also very concerned about suffering and the humanitarian conditions,” he says. He believes the president has tried “over and over” to restrain Mr Netanyahu but that tensions have grown because the Israeli leader relies on the political support of ultranationalists who oppose humanitarian aid going to Gaza and want to expel Palestinians from the West Bank. “This may be the first real break,” says Mr Coons. The “break” with Mr Netanyahu also comes at a critical moment in attempts to reach a ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages held by Hamas. Talks in Cairo broke up earlier this week without apparent resolution. Some Israeli commentators have suggested that Mr Biden’s move will compromise the hostage negotiations - that any attempt to blunt the threat of an Israeli assault on Rafah would benefit Hamas. The running details of the talks are, however, mostly opaque, making it hard to definitively assess the claim. The biggest stumbling block is over Hamas’ demand for a permanent end to the war, which Israel rejects. The relationship between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu goes back five decades, and has been turbulent for just as long. When they were both young men, Mr Biden said he signed a picture which later sat on Mr Netanyahu’s desk, writing: “Bibi, I love you, but I don’t agree with a damn thing you have to say.” Mr Netanyahu has often praised the president for his support of Israel, but they have fallen out frequently over major policy issues relating to the Palestinians. Less than a fortnight after the October 7 attacks, Mr Biden flew to Israel and embraced Mr Netanyahu on the tarmac in Tel Aviv. I was there as Mr Biden emerged from a meeting with the Israeli leader and his war cabinet and stood at a podium to assert his unstinting support for Israel. But he had a warning: Don’t repeat the mistakes we made after the 9/11 attacks. And he spelled out what he meant: “The Palestinian people are suffering greatly as well, and we mourn the loss of innocent Palestinian lives like the entire world.” Mr Biden’s wartime trip takes on further significance in hindsight: the start of an attempt to prevent a near unprecedented break in the US-Israel relationship, which inched closer this week. On Thursday, the day after Mr Biden announced the weapons shipment pause, Mr Netanyahu fired back. The prime minister has long understood that he can rally his own base with shows of defiance to US pressure. “If we need to stand alone, we will stand alone. I have said that if necessary we will fight with our fingernails,” he said. I put Mr Netanyahu’s statement to Chris Coons, the Democratic senator. “They don't need to fight with their fingernails,” he said. “They will and should fight with modern weapons systems that they have developed in many cases jointly with us, that are provided in many cases by us.” “But they should do it in a way that minimises civilian casualties,” he said. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4n14merj97o