-Sn!PeR-

TORONTO, Sept 9 (Reuters) - American rapper and song writer Lil Nas X hopes his fans get to the "real me," behind the stage persona through his new documentary film, the musician told reporters at the 43 Toronto Film Festival on Saturday night. Nas X, whose given name is Montero Lamar Hill, is the first openly gay man to receive a Country Music Association award for his song "Old Town Road." The biographical documentary "Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero," directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada and Zac Manuel, follows the star on tour, capturing his relationship with his fans. Along the way it brings together Nas's journey of owning up his identity as a black queer artist. "I want my fans to see the real me - I am someone who is always joking and making fun 24/7, so through this film they can take what they want to," Nas told reporters at the red carpet. The film also is an end of an era of his life and the beginning of a new one, he said. "This film is so immediate in the sense the state of mind where I am in... a bit confused." Nas said. Estrada told Reuters the film is structured around the idea of transformation, where Nas and his fans represent owning up to one's identity and becoming the person one is meant to be. "The fans of Nas have embraced his message about becoming that person you are meant to be, acknowledging all the parts of yourself that you love and fear," Estrada said. Source.

Khadija's baby doesn't even have a name yet, but her first home is a tent by the side of the road. She was born just minutes before Morocco's deadly earthquake struck on Friday night. Though the mother and daughter were unhurt, the hospital in Marrakesh they were in was evacuated. After a quick check up, they were asked to leave just three hours after the birth. "They told us we had to go due to the fear of aftershocks," she said. With their new-born, Khadija and her husband tried to take a taxi early on Saturday to their home in Taddart in the Atlas Mountains, about 65km (40 miles) from Marrakesh. But on their way there they found that the roads were blocked by landslides, and only made it as far as the village of Asni. The family have been living in a tent by the side of the main road since. "I haven't received any help or assistance from authorities," she told us, holding her baby while sheltering from the sun under a flimsy piece of tarpaulin. "We asked some people in this village for blankets so that we had something to cover us up." "We have only God," she added. Since then, they have managed to build a basic tent. Khadija told us she has only has one set of clothes for the baby. Friends from their hometown have told the family that their house is badly damaged, and they have no idea when they might have somewhere suitable to stay. Growing anger Not far from Khadija's tent there are signs of the growing frustration at the little help reaching towns and villages in the rural mountainous areas south of Marrakesh. Asni is just 50km (30 miles) from Marrakesh, but people say they urgently need aid to be delivered. A scrum of angry people surrounded a local reporter, aiming their frustrations at him. "We don't have food, we don't have bread nor vegetables. We have nothing," said one man in the crowd who didn't want to give his name. "No-one came to us, we don't have anything. We only have God and the king." Since the earthquake he has been living on the side of the village's main road with his four children. His house is still standing, but all of the walls are badly cracked and are too scared to stay there. They have managed to return and take some blankets, which are now all they have to sleep on. As a truck drove past the crowd some people tried to flag it down, desperately hoping it carried supplies. But it just headed on, followed by jeers. The reporter at the centre of the crowd was escorted away by police, still followed by people desperate to vent their anger. Some people say they have received tents from authorities, but there are nowhere near enough for all the people in need. Nearby is Mbarka, another person living in a tent. She led us through side streets to her home that she can no longer live in. "I have no means to rebuild the house," Mbarka said. "At the moment, it's just local people who are helping us." She lived with her two daughters, son-in-law and three grandchildren. As their house began to shake when the earthquake hit, they sprinted outside and were almost hit by a much larger home that started to slide down a hill towards them. "We think the government will help," her son-in-law Abdelhadi said, "but there are 120 villages in the area." With so many people needing help, a huge number of people will have to wait longer for assistance. Source.

Done

• Name: -Sn!PeR- • Time & Date: 11/09/2023 - 04:52am • Screenshot:

Happy birthday mate !

¤ Nickname: -Sn!PeR_ ¤ Name: Saad ¤ Age: 20 years old ¤ Country: Morocco ¤ City: Tangier ¤ Favorite Games: Currently I play minecraft, cs1.6, csgo, fall guys... and some mobile games like castle clash, clash royale, need for speed... ¤ Favorite Shows: Peaky Blinders, Prison Break, Breaking Bad, Vikings, La casa de papel ¤ Favorite Movies: i don't really watch a lot of movies ¤ Favorite Songs / Favorite genre: currently (this week) 2PAC - So many tears, Lartiste - YA, MORAD - Aprendi, Bob Marley - Could you be loved... Genre Rap, oldschool, trap... ¤ What would you like to do in life: Peace n quite ¤ Favorite actor - why ?: - ¤ Favorite actress - why ?: - ¤ Do you smoke? / What brand of cigarettes do you smoke: Marlboro most of the time, Camel sometimes ¤ Favorite alcoholic drink: - ¤ Favorite juice: Ananas ¤ In what country would you like to live: Netherlands ¤ Favorite football team: I ain't a football fan ¤ Car models: Posche 911 GT3, RS6+, BMW M4 Competition ¤ A brief description about you: A calm dude ¤ How did you find Zmoldschool?: @-AXeLpO- invited me ¤ If you won 1 million dollars, what would be the first thing you do?: go to hadj, buy my momma a house, retire my dad, start a little business, and an RS6+ for sure

Assassin’s Creed Mirage launches next month, but Ubisoft has a lot more stabby fun in the works. As they’ve announced, in addition to the more stripped-down Mirage, there are two other major AC titles currently in production – Assassin’s Creed Codename Red (an open-world RPG-style game set in Feudal Japan from Ubisoft Quebec) and Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe (a darker take on the series focused on European witch hunts during the Renaissance from Ubisoft Montreal). Rumor has it that Assassin’s Creed Red may be arriving as soon as next year, and reliable Ubisoft insider Tom Henderson has provided a few interesting fresh details about the game. As we’ve already heard, Assassin’s Creed Red will focus heavily on stealth, perhaps even taking a few elements from Splinter Cell, including the ability to hide in shadows. Well, in a new report, Henderson adds a new wrinkle – destructible environments. These will be combined with AC Red’s stealth gameplay, allowing players to, for instance, cut or break through certain doors in order to sneak up on or ambush enemies. Henderson warns this isn’t quite Battlefield-style destruction, don’t expect to be bursting through solid walls, but it sounds like the environment will be a lot more interactive this time around. In terms of story, Henderson reiterates earlier reports that Assassin’s Creed Red will have two protagonists that offer varied gameplay – a male samurai and a female shinobi/ninja. Not a lot is known about the female character, but the male one is said to be a refugee from Africa and Henderson speculates he’s based on the real-life figure Yasuke, one of the earliest documented Black samurai. In terms of gameplay, AC Red’s male protagonist will be a heavier hitter, while the female hero will be more agile. Of course, none of this has been confirmed, so take it with a grain of salt for now. So, when might we hear more? Again, per Henderson, Assassin’s Creed Red is penciled in for a holiday 2024 release, and he expects the game to be revealed in early 2024. We’ll see if that pans out! What do you think? Intrigued by what we’re hearing about Assassin’s Creed Red? Or are you just not feeling this entry in the franchise? Source.

Name of the game: Children of Morta Price: $21.99 - $5.49 Link Store: https://store.steampowered.com/app/330020/Children_of_Morta/ Offer ends up after X hours: DAILY DEAL! Offer ends 18 September. Requirements:

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is expected to launch soon. The handset is expected to succeed the Galaxy S21 FE as a Fan Edition model of the Galaxy S23 series, which was released in February with a base, a plus and an ultra model. The FE model is said to come with some of the best features of the latest Galaxy S-series lineup. Details about the purported handset have been doing rounds of the rumour mills recently. A new report states that the phone was spotted on the TENAA website hinting at its imminent launch and suggesting some key specifications and design. A MyFixGuide report spotted the Galaxy S23 FE on the TENAA certification site. Images found on the site show the phone in a black colour variant with a similar design language as its predecessor. The three camera units of the handset could be seen vertically arranged in three separate circular units in the top left corner of the back panel. The front camera slot is placed as a centre-aligned hole-punch unit at the top of the display. The listing showed that the Galaxy S23 FE is likely to sport a 6.3-inch display with a resolution of 2340x1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The phone is expected to be powered by either a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset or an Exynos 2200 SoC paired with 8GB of RAM. It could launch in storage variants of either 128GB or 256GB. It is likely to ship with Android 13-based One UI 5.1. The triple rear camera unit of the Galaxy S23 FE is said to include a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 12-megapixel sensor and an 8-megapixel sensor. The front camera could come with a 10-megapixel sensor. The phone is expected to pack a 4,370mAh battery with 25W wired fast charging support. The handset is likely to measure 158.0mm x 76.5mm x 8.2mm and weigh around 210 grams. A previous report suggested that the Galaxy S23 FE will debut alongside the Galaxy Tab S9 FE and other FE products in Q4 2023. It has also been tipped to be priced at under Rs. 60,000 in India. The 128GB and 256GB storage variants of the handset are said to be listed at Rs. 54,999 and Rs. 59,999, respectively. Source.

Microsoft revealed in a new document that it will no longer service third-party printer drivers on devices that use Windows OS, including Windows 11. According the article, Microsoft will allow IPP Class Driver and Mopria-compliant print devices, the latter of which got native with Windows 10 version 21H2. These will be supported instead of manufacturer-made drivers via Windows Update. This means that printer manufacturers won’t have to provide dedicated drivers, which is already a huge benefit to them. On the consumer end, manufacturers can still offer print customization via Microsoft Store apps. Thanks to the much more streamlined and standardized approach to drivers, another consumer benefit is that there will be plenty of performance and reliability improvements alongside broad compatibility across Windows versions and editions. The FAQ also details that Mopria certification will be a mandatory requirement for HLK (Hardware Lab Kit). It ensures printers will be compatible with other devices, including PCs, smartphones, tablets, and more: another benefit for buyers who won’t have to check compatibility themselves. Of course, Microsoft has a planned timeline to slowly faze out v3 and v4 third-party driver support, which will take place over several years until 2027. Below you can see the full timetable. It’s important to note that even when the switchover is complete, buyers will still have access to any existing third-party drivers. This means your old printer that’s still kicking won’t be rendered useless once support ends and only first-party drivers are updated. Windows 11 is still bad This move is absolutely the right decision from Microsoft, as first-party drivers make installation and maintenance much simpler. I recall my own headaches tracking down and installing old drivers for my Brother printer; having the option to just use one from Microsoft would have saved me plenty of trouble. That said, it would be nice if Microsoft could be so considerate when it comes to literally anything else involving Windows 11. For instance, its obsession with getting users to upgrade to Windows 11 is annoying at best and downright enraging at worst. Also the tons of bloatware included with pre-built PCs and laptops, the aggressive ads in the Start Menu, the po[CENSORED]r features in previous versions that were dropped in Windows 11, etc. And that’s not even the tip of the iceberg, with plenty more issues and problems that have been plaguing the OS. Guess you can’t win them all. Or even most of them. Source.

The U.S. National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center is offering to rent Nvidia A100-based compute GPU nodes of the Perlmutter supercomputer with a 50% discount till the end of September, as noticed by Glenn K. Lockwood, an HPC storage specialist from Microsoft. The offer comes as demand for compute horsepower for AI training is scarce industry-wide. Meanwhile, the proposal is available for NERSC users only. "Using your time now benefits the entire NERSC community and spreads demand more evenly throughout the year, so to encourage usage now, we are discounting all jobs run on the Perlmutter GPU nodes by 50% starting tomorrow and through the end of September," wrote Rebecca Hartman-Baker, User Engagement Group Leader at NERSC, in an email to NERSC users. "Any job (or portion of a job) that runs between midnight tonight and the very start of October 1 at midnight (Pacific time) will be charged only half the usual charges, e.g., a 3-hour job on 7 nodes, which would normally incur a charge of 21 GPU node-hours, would be charged 10.5 GPU node-hours." Amid the generative AI craze, there are dozens of companies willing to rent Nvidia compute GPU-based nodes to train their large language models. Still, commercial data centers are running at their maximum capacity, and Nvidia's compute GPUs are sold out for quarters to come, according to media reports. The offering from NERSC is undoubtedly generous, and the scientific center could make some easy money if it were offering its capacity commercially. However, the problem is that they only offer it to existing NERSC users who use the Perlmutter supercomputer for scientific research. Since these users were on summer break, they were probably not running their workloads on the supercomputer and are not going to till the end of the year; at least some of the GPU nodes were idling for some time, which begs the question of why the organization does not backfill its idle capacity with commercial workloads. While using supercomputers built by the U.S. government for commercial AI and HPC workloads would have brought a lot of money that could be spent to advance American supercomputer prowess, this is not something that institutions like NERSC do. The U.S. Department of Energy supercomputers are meant to be used primarily for things that present national security matters or by pre-selected users, including those that use these machines for research that could be used for commercial applications. As a result, these machines are not available for everyone Source.

President Joe Biden will arrive at Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s doorstep on Sunday with a deal in hand to draw yet another one of China’s neighbors closer to the United States. In just the last five months, Biden has hosted the Philippines’ president at the White House for the first time in over a decade; he has fêted the Indian prime minister with a lavish state dinner; and he has hosted his Japanese and South Korean counterparts for a summit ripe with symbolism at the storied Camp David presidential retreat. At each turn, Biden’s courtship and his team’s steadfast diplomacy have secured stronger diplomatic, military and economic ties with a network of allies and partners joined if not by an outright sense of alarm at China’s increasingly aggressive military and economic posture, then at least by a growing sense of caution and concern. The latest page in the US’s Indo-Pacific playbook will come via the establishment of a “comprehensive strategic partnership” that will put the US on par with Vietnam’s highest tier of partners, including China, according to US officials familiar with the matter. “It marks a new period of fundamental reorientation between the United States and Vietnam,” a senior administration official said ahead of Biden’s arrival in Hanoi, saying it would expand a range of issues between the two countries. “It’s not going to be easy for Vietnam, because they’re under enormous pressure from China,” the official went on. “We realize the stakes and the President is going to be very careful how he engages with Vietnamese friends.” The US’ increasingly tight-knit web of partnerships in the region is just one side of the US’s diplomatic strategy vis-à-vis China. On a separate track, the Biden administration has also pursued more stable ties and improved communication with Beijing over the last year, with a series of top Cabinet secretaries making the trip to the Chinese capital in just the last few months. The latter part of that playbook has delivered fewer results thus far than Biden’s entreaties to China’s wary neighbors, a dichotomy that was on stark display as Biden attended the G20 in New Delhi, while Chinese leader Xi Jinping did not. Source.

Since the Food and Drug Administration first warned about a possible link between a potentially fatal canine heart condition and “grain free” pet foods in 2018, owners and veterinarians have continued to report cases of dogs developing diet-related dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM. DCM is a disease in which the heart gets larger, leaving it weaker and less able to pump blood. Some breeds of dogs, including the Doberman pinscher, the Great Dane, the Boxer, and the cocker spaniel, are known to be at greater risk for the condition. Golden retrievers are especially vulnerable to developing DCM if their diet leaves them deficient in an amino acid called taurine. The FDA’s most recent tally of dogs, and a much smaller number of cats, with diet-related DCM included 1,382 cases, 255 of which had been determined between Aug. 1, 2020, and Nov. 1, 2022. In 2019, the FDA named 16 brands of dog food associated with the rare form of heart disease, although it didn't suggest that owners stop giving the food, which often contains high levels of peas, lentils and potatoes, to their pets. Researchers and veterinarians don't yet know exactly how dog and cat food might cause damage to some pets’ hearts, but a study published in 2021 suggested that a culprit could be the high levels of peas in certain pet foods. That finding was backed up in May when Canadian scientists published a study on the effects of a 28-day diet on eight adult beagle dogs, a breed chosen because it's not known to be susceptible to the heart condition. The veterinary researchers from the University of Saskatchewan fed the dogs one of three diets: a traditional diet; a grain-free diet high in lentils; and a grain free diet high in peas. They then repeated the experiment with the other two diets so that all the beagles had experience with all three diets. The researchers observed “DCM-like changes” in dogs that had been consuming the pea diet for 28 days. It’s not yet clear what it is about peas that could be harming pet hearts, said the study’s senior author, Lynn Weber, a professor of veterinary biomedical sciences at the University of Saskatchewan Western College of Veterinary Medicine. One possibility is the amount of fiber in peas. “I suspect if we remove all peas from all dog and cat foods we’re still going to run into a problem,” Weber said, noting that more research is needed to find out what it is about the peas and possibly other ingredients that is leading to heart damage. The best evidence relating DCM to certain diets is how dogs' hearts improve once they are switched to a traditional diet, said Dr. Aly Cohen, an associate veterinarian at the Riney Canine Health Center and a clinical instructor at the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. The peak in the number of reports — 608 between May 1, 2019, and July 31, 2020 — came shortly after the FDA released the brand names of the pet foods that appeared to be linked to the development of DCM. FDA spokeswoman Veronika Pfaeffle noted that the agency’s investigation of the issue continues but cautioned against reading too much into the new stats. “While adverse event numbers can be a potential signal of an issue with an FDA regulated product, by themselves, they do not supply sufficient data to establish a causal relationship with reported product(s),” Pfaeffle said in an email. The FDA hasn’t recalled any pet food products, and the agency doesn’t plan to release further public updates until “there is meaningful new scientific information to share.” While the rate of new cases seems to have slowed, experts say the problem may be more widespread than the number of reports suggests. Dr. William Rausch says his cardiology practice still sees about one new case every week. And because studies have found that dogs can be developing DCM for years without symptoms, “it suggests that for every case I see there are many more [dogs] walking around out there that seem normal but are developing the disease,” said Rausch, a veterinary cardiologist in private practice and an adjunct professor at the University of Washington in Seattle. The Pet Food Institute, an industry group that represents most pet food companies in the U.S., appreciates the FDA’s attention to the issue, Sherri Kirk, a spokesperson for the organization, said in an email. “Our members continue to conduct research to determine the highest quality and safest ingredients to provide complete and balanced dog food to help dogs live long and healthy lives.” Symptoms to watch for For the most part, dogs don’t show any signs until they are experiencing heart failure, said Dr. Terri DeFrancesco, a professor of cardiology and critical care at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Signs that a dog is developing heart failure include: Decreased activity. Tiredness. Lethargy. Coughing. Shortness of breath. Decreased appetite. Source.

From the June 1997 issue of Car and Driver. Don't look now, but the wood-and-leather-lined halls of luxury sport­-ute-dom have been invaded by a ruffian. It's an ugly, uncul­tured, loud, smelly brute utterly lacking in social graces. This four-wheel-drive vehicle was not conceived as a shooting brake for swells on safari (although plenty of outgoing ordnance has been fired off its flanks). Nor does it wear a haughty German or Japanese nameplate. No, this social climber climbed right off the battlefield, hosed off, changed into civvies, and rolled onto Rodeo Drive. Of course, we're talking about AM General's Hummer, the vehicular star of the Gulf War, roughly 7000 of which have now been sold wearing civilian colors. The first two Hummers we tested (C/D, July 1992 and June 1995) were such unpleasant and unwieldy conveyances on pavement that we naturally assumed they would be sold primarily to folks who intended to use them to roam their 1000-acre estates or go exploring for oil or per­haps to invade weak neighboring counties. HIGHS: Torquey turbo-diesel, improved range, unparalleled off-road prowess in knowledgeable hands. But AM General's own market research confirms that poseurs are buying the lion's share of this sport-ute, too. Forty-two percent of its buyers are identified in market lingo by AM General as "discerners." These connoisseurs of fine wine, art, and travel are least interested in taking the Hummer off-road. Another 28 percent—described as "conquerors"—value the exclusivity of the Hummer and the attention it gets over its tech­nical merits. Only 25 percent of owners—known as "realists" and "adventurers"—claim to have purchased the Hummer pri­marily for its off-road talents. (The remainder are sold for commercial duty.) Has the Hummer been thor­oughly domesticated in the past two years, or are most buyers just nuts? To find out, we spent a week in a 1997 Hummer. Once again, our test vehicle was a four-passenger hardtop model priced at $63,827 to start (that's up from $44,000 in 1992). The most po[CENSORED]r model is the wagon, which starts at $67,111. The basic two-passenger model is yours for as little as $52,597. Must-have options—like central tire inflation and deflation, a winch, and driveline skid plating—can add up quickly, as our $84,502 sticker attests. A new 6.5-liter turbo-diesel engine adapted from those that power GM's new full-size vans has been added to the options list at a cost of $4523. It makes 195 horse­power at its 3400-rpm redline and 430 pound-feet of torque at 1800 rpm. A 170-horsepower, 290-pound-­foot, 6.5-liter normally aspirated diesel engine is standard. The 5.7-liter gas engine has been dropped. The turbocharger resides in the valley at the rear of the engine, which allows this turbo-diesel to fit between the Hum­mer's narrow frame rails, unlike those diesels with side­-mounted turbos. The engine starts quickly (after a 10-second pause spent waiting for the glow plugs to warm the precham­bers) but clatters like a big rig. Getting to 60 mph takes 15.2 seconds, an improvement from 18.1 in the gasoline-powered Hummer and 21.7 in the old 6.2-liter diesel. Now, hurtling toward highway speed feels like it takes just a week instead of a month. Top speed has risen to a truly hair-raising 88 mph. We managed to get only nine miles to the gallon, but a new 17-gallon auxiliary fuel tank extends the range past 350 miles. Other improvements include the addi­tion of a fresh-air intake scoop and rear exhaust vents that improve climate-con­trol airflow by 15 percent, and a new electrically heated windshield. These upgrades were aimed at alleviating an interior fog­ging problem in winter driving. The problem remains. If the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you must continually reset the timed electric defrosters and endure the din of the defroster blower on full blast to preserve front and rear visibility. The side windows will still fog up. LOWS: London-foggy interior in winter; poor on-road ride, handling, and braking. A new sound-insulation package re­duces interior noise a bit compared with previous diesel Hummers (the gas model was quieter), but conversation with the distant passengers over the 83-dBA racket at 70 mph still involves some hollering. Finally, the seats have been redesigned for improved durability and comfort, but they still produce saddle sores during long stints at the wheel, and lateral space is limited for those broad of beam. Nothing about driving a Hummer on the pavement is terribly pleasant other than its ability to intimidate fellow motorists. The steering wheel feels like a loop of steel rebar covered with foam rubber, and it transmits not a jot of information about the road surface. Turn the wheel at all quickly, and you are immediately reminded of Sir Isaac Newton's theory on the resistance of a 7580-pound brick to change direction. Take to a freeway off-ramp at anything above the posted speed, and the tall truck tires—good for just 0.63 g—will first understeer like they were made of piano wire and then suddenly lean over, resulting in a queasy squirm off the intended line. Beefy suspension bits can always be heard clunking and banging around far beneath the driver's seat, and they transmit plenty of pothole feel. One's view of the right lane is never great, which makes passing and merging a bit tricky, and the flat side glass reflects disconcerting full-size vir­tual images of traffic passing on the oppo­site side of the vehicle. Similarly, the entire windshield becomes a rearview mirror at night. Having duly noted all these objective criticisms, we organized a special final test: a poseur's evening out to dinner and the theater in the Hummer. One of our guests, wearing a De Wolfe original mink coat, grumbled about the undignified climb into the back seat, but once aboard she was quite happy. On the way to the restaurant, we spied some gentle rolling mounds of frozen earth in a subdivision that was under construction. "Let me show you what this thing is really designed to do," I heard the "discerner/conqueror" in me boast. I mentally plotted a course across a small dry pile of dirt near the road and headed toward it, not listening to the "adventurer/realist" inside, counseling me to first reconnoiter the path on foot. Source.

American teenager Coco Gauff fulfilled the potential she has long promised by landing her first Grand Slam title with a fightback win over Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final. Gauff, seeded sixth, started slowly in front of an expectant home crowd but grew in confidence to wear down second seed Sabalenka in New York. Gauff, 19, clinched a 2-6 6-3 6-2 win on a delirious Arthur Ashe Stadium. "I feel like I'm in a little bit of shock at the moment," Gauff said. "I feel like God puts you through tribulations and trials and that makes this even sweeter," added the American, who lost in her only other major singles final at the 2022 French Open. "I'm thankful for this moment. I don't have any words." Australian Open champion Sabalenka, meanwhile, must wait for a second major title. The 25-year-old Belarusian can at least console herself with the knowledge she will become the world number one for the first time. Gauff will rise to a career-high third when the latest rankings are released on Monday - but claiming her first major at her home Grand Slam is what really matters. When sealing victory with a backhand winner on her first championship point, Gauff immediately fell on to the court and laid on the sideline with her hands covering her face. Almost the whole 24,000 crowd, which provided boisterous support throughout as they willed Gauff to victory, erupted in a frenzied celebration. Gauff, overcome with emotion, made a heart sign to the fans before going up to the stands to see her parents Corey and Candi. All three hugged and jumped in a circle as the family's sacrifices and hard work had resulted in one of the sport's biggest prizes. Asked to describe that moment, a laughing Gauff said: "When I hugged my dad, I didn't see him, because he went immediately for the embrace - but I heard him crying. "I have never seen that man cry in my life. My mum, I knew she was going to cry regardless if I won or lost. "Honestly [I was thinking] nothing. The whole time I was saying to myself, 'Oh my goodness, how is this real?" From teenage phenomenon to Grand Slam champion Since Gauff burst on to the scene as a 15-year-old phenomenon at Wimbledon in 2019, there have been expectations she would eventually become a Grand Slam champion. Now, following a significant but steady rise as she got to grips with the professional tour, she has become the first American teenager to win the US Open since Serena Williams in 1999. What makes it more remarkable is the way Gauff has turned her form around after a deflating first-round exit at Wimbledon in July. Gauff has restored confidence in her groundstrokes, as well as developing an unwavering belief she can still turn matches around even when she is not playing well. That was the key to grinding her way back into contention against Sabalenka. Gauff's forehand has come under scrutiny and Sabalenka particularly attacked that wing in the early stages when she broke on the way to a 2-1 lead. Both players were unable to find their best level in a strange first set, the pair exchanging three more breaks of serve before Sabalenka sealed the opener with Gauff not offering enough consistency in the rallies. After needing to save two break points in the first game, Gauff improved considerably in the second set. She defended the baseline with incredible athleticism and anticipation, returning much better to force Sabalenka into mistakes. A double fault from the Belarusian on a break point handed over a 3-1 lead, with Gauff growing in confidence to close out the set and level. Momentum continued with Gauff in the deciding set, two early breaks putting the teenager in command before she confidently served out to love. It was the third time over the past fortnight - following an opening win against German qualifier Laura Siegemund and a third-round victory over Belgian 32nd seed Elise Mertens - where she has fought back to win. "Definitely she was moving just unbelievable," said Sabalenka, whose 46 unforced errors outweighed 24 winners. "The second set I start probably overthinking and because of that I started losing my power. Then she started moving better and I started missing a lot of easy shots. "The good news is that it's me against me. The bad one is that I'm still having these issues playing against myself." 'I'm burning so bright now' - Gauff tells doubters Gauff's victory is the culmination of an outstanding North American hard-court swing, where she won the biggest titles of her career in Washington and Cincinnati. Since the Wimbledon defeat, she has recovered by winning 18 of her 19 matches and beating Sabalenka is a career-best 12th victory in a row. "I want to say 'thank you' to the people who didn't believe in me," Gauff said. "A month ago I won a WTA 500 title [in Washington] and people said I would stop at that. "Two weeks ago I won a 1000 title [in Cincinnati] and people were saying that was the biggest title I would get. "Three weeks later, I'm here with this trophy right now. "I tried my best to carry on with with grace but, honestly, to those who thought you were putting water on my fire, you were really adding gas to it. "I'm burning so bright right now." 'A star is born' and 'a great champion' - reaction There was no shortage of praise for Gauff following her breakthrough victory in front of a raucous New York crowd, with those present at Arthur Ashe Stadium and many others watching on from afar celebrating the teenager's triumph. Among them was former US president Barack Obama, who congratulated her on social media, adding: "We couldn't be prouder of you on and off the court - and we know your best is yet to come." Compatriot and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens called Gauff "amazing", while boxing legend Mike Tyson said: "Coco! You did it! America and the world are celebrating!" Commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live, American former player Jeff Tarango said: "How eloquent she was when she was talking [in her post-match interview]. She's the perfect poster-child. A star is born." And former British number one Annabel Croft added: "I think people expected a lot from her and she's had to cope with enormous amounts of pressure. It was unusual to hear her have a little bit of a pop back at people but I think it also showed there is steel there in her character, which is why she's become a great champion." Source.

A consistent and adequate skincare routine is absolutely essential to maintain the health and glow of your skin. However, many argue that it requires too much effort and a slew of expensive products. But, what if we tell you that you can achieve the skin of your dreams with a simple kitchen utensil? Yes, you read that right! Roshni Chopra, who regularly shares effective beauty, home decor, fashion, and food tips with her followers, recently took to Instagram to demonstrate ‘katori face massage.’ “You don’t need fancy face tools to GLOW,” she wrote, adding that this technique is “fun, easy, and works.” In the video, the actor-influencer shared that she utilised a ‘katori’ or a small bowl from her kitchen to do this face lifting and sculpting massage. “This glides so smoothly and it’s so relaxing. The results are totally worth it,” she said. Dr Navya Handa, dermatologist, cosmetologist, and laser surgeon, Primus Super Speciality Hospital explained that a katori face massage is a skincare technique that involves the use of a small bowl or cup, often referred to as a ‘katori’ in Hindi, to provide a gentle and relaxing massage to the face. “This massage is typically performed using face oil or moisturiser to enhance the soothing and hydrating effects,” she mentioned. Dr Handa shared the following benefits of a katori face massage: *Relaxation: The gentle strokes and pressure of the katori massage can help relax facial muscles and reduce tension, promoting a sense of relaxation. *Improved circulation: Massaging the face with a katori can enhance blood circulation, which may result in a healthy and radiant complexion. *Lymphatic drainage: This massage technique may aid in lymphatic drainage, reducing puffiness and improving the appearance of the skin. *Product absorption: The massage helps in better absorption of face oil or moisturiser, maximising their benefits for skin hydration. *Stress reduction: Like any massage, a Katori face massage can provide stress relief and a calming experience. “It’s important to perform this massage gently and with clean hands to avoid any skin irritation. If you have specific skin concerns or conditions, it’s advisable to consult with a dermatologist or skincare professional before incorporating any new massage techniques into your skincare routine,” the dermatologist concluded. Source.

As we negotiated the final corner of the winding road and pulled up in the Moroccan mountain village of Moulay Brahim, it was immediately obvious we'd arrived in a community that had been plunged into grief by Friday night's deadly earthquake. An elderly women staggered towards us, wailing, tears falling down her face, holding her head in her hands. A few metres away, a group of young men were sobbing. They'd just discovered their friend was among the dead. "There have been so many deaths today," one of the men told us. "And our friend, he was crushed. We buried him today and he was so young." Another man, Mohamed - who is helping to organise this makeshift response - revealed that 16 people had already been buried in this village alone, having been recovered from the rubble on Saturday. Another two victims will be laid to rest on Sunday. "We've been working every minute since it happened. Non-stop since then," he said. "There are only about ten people working here and we're trying to find people in the buildings. It's desperate." Some hope was delivered a few moments later, as members of the Red Crescent arrived. But this is a disaster that needs a considerably bigger and co-ordinated response. "We have nothing here," said Mohamed. "And we need everything. Food, medication, shelter." This scene of destruction and despair is being played out across many parts of the High Atlas Mountains. Our 90-minute zigzag drive from Marrakesh up to the remote mountainside was elongated by boulders and rocks that lined the route and obscured our path. Broken and blocked roads have been seriously hampering the rescue effort. Teams have been fanning out from the main cities - notably Marrakesh - to try to reach the very worst-affected areas in the hope of pulling survivors from the rubble. On our trip, a procession of ambulances raced past us, further into the unknown. Aerial footage has given us an idea of what awaits these emergency services, but it's still too early to gauge just how many people have lost their lives. Heavy-lifting equipment will be needed if there are to be any miracles in the coming hours. Not just in Moulay Brahim, but in many places. Hands and hammers can only do so much. Back in Marrakesh, thousands have been spending a second night in the open air. Roundabouts, car parks and a public square have been filled with figures of all ages wrapped in blankets. Few appear to be sleeping, though - at least not soundly. Being in the relative safety of the outside doesn't quell the fear of what another tremor could do. There's rubble in many streets of this historic city, although Marrakesh has fared better than the mountainous areas to the south-west. A restaurant owner, Safa El Hakym, is trying to take in the damage. "Thank God it's just the walls and materials that are gone," she says. "The most important things are not lost. "And thank God we have the power of humanity in Morocco: we are all together and putting our hearts into this and helping each other." Source.

Pixel Watch 2 is all set to launch globally on October 4 at the Made by Google launch event. Now, Google India has confirmed that the smartwatch will make its debut in India a day later, on October 5. The company has also revealed that the smartwatch will be available for purchase exclusively on e-commerce platform Flipkart. The Pixel Watch 2 will be released on October 4 alongside Pixel 8 series and an updated Pixel Buds Pro. Google announced the launch of the Pixel 8 series in India on Friday, revealing that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be available for pre-order in the country starting from October 5 exclusively on Flipkart. Now, the California-based tech giant has also confirmed the launch of the Pixel Watch 2 in India, which will be available for sale in India starting October 5. The pricing details and specifications of the Pixel Watch 2 have not been revealed by the company yet. However, it has teased the design of the smartwatch in the video posted on X. It is seen with porcelain colour band. The upcoming smartwatch looks quite similar to its predecessor, the Pixel Watch. However, it is important to note that the Pixel Watch did not see an India launch. Pixel Watch 2 specifications (expected) Google has not released any information on the specifications of the Pixel Watch 2. However, there have been several reports around the smartwatch. A recent report suggested that the upcoming smartwatch could be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 series chipset, which could either be the Snapdragon W5 or Snapdragon W5+. It also mentioned that Pixel Watch 2 could offer a battery life of over 24 hours even with its always-on display (AOD) feature enabled. The Pixel Watch 2 is expected to run Wear OS 4. Another report added that the purported smartwatch could get four new watch faces namely Accessible, Arc, Bold Digital, and Analog Bold. The Pixel Watch 2 is also likely to feature an aluminium body. The Google Play Console listing of the smartwatch has hinted that it could be powered by a Qualcomm SW5100 SoC, which claims to be the Snapdragon W5 chipset. Source.

Despite more and more tools to keep you safe, the web isn’t actually getting any safer. To counter rising threats, Google has redesigned the Chrome browser’s built-in protection scheme into the revamped Safe Browsing. This new version of the distributed defense system actively monitors the URLs your browser visits, and pops up a warning screen the second you stray into a part of the internet Google has determined is threatening. The update, which comes with a wider set of Chrome feature additions, should be live for everyone over the next few weeks. Phishing is a particular focus of the new Safe Browsing features, as the threat is actively evolving. According to Google’s blog post, 60 percent of the domains used in these attempts to steal user data and compromise personal computers and smart devices are live for less than ten minutes before disappearing. That makes an updated local list of dangerous domains less and less useful. Google’s solution is live monitoring, which checks the current URL against the centralized threat list in real time. Google says it offers a 25 percent increase in protection from phishing and malware. This feature was previously available in the Enhanced Protection setting in Chrome’s security menu. Active monitoring will become the default, enabled in the Standard Protection setting mode. “A real-time check will result in only the current ‘known’ verdict for the URL,” according to information from a Google PR representative. While user protection is laudable, not everyone is thrilled by the idea of Google checking each and every URL you visit and file you download for the sake of your safety. As Bleeping Computer notes, there’s a tradeoff in privacy, as data linked to your personal Google account now potentially includes a complete history of your activity on the internet. Not just locally in a history file that you can personally delete, but remotely on a corporate server (and temporarily, at least according to Google). A lot of users may not be keen to hand over that information to one of the world’s most prolific advertisers. Google’s PR representative stressed to me that this data is not used for ads. Google’s Safe Browsing page lists the benefits of integrating the protection scheme in Chrome, Android, Gmail, Search, and Google Ads, but has little to say on the privacy aspect of the setup. While it’s possible to disable Safe Browsing in Chrome and on your Google account, it’s turned on by default for all users. Source.

It's been three days since Starfield launched, and Intel already has a third driver update live to fix even more Starfield bugs for its Arc A-series graphics cards. This latest driver, version 31.0.101.4676 Non-WHQL, specifically fixes several graphics and stability-related problems that previous drivers have not addressed, including one addressing missing eyebrows. However, Bethesda thinks Intel's cards are below the minimum requirements, and you should upgrade your GPU to an Nvidia or AMD card instead — more on that later. Intel's patch notes specifically report that Starfield stability has been improved in different game areas — but the company neglected to tell us which areas were affected. Incorrect rendering of glass surfaces and objects has also been fixed, along with a wild character model fix that prevents a character's eyebrows from being ripped off their face. Spooky stuff! Sadly, there are still several driver-related issues with Starfield. Intel's patch notes report four known issues with the game, including sporadic game instability in some areas of the game, game corruption when using dynamic resolutions scaling, inappropriate texture quality on certain objects, and texture flickering on light objects during gameplay. Issues related to Starfield and Intel's Arc graphics cards began a week ago when the game entered its early access period. When the game debuted, Intel failed to release a game-ready driver in time for the game's early access launch. Due to a lack of driver support, reports began to crop up from Arc gamers about series instability issues with the game, to the point where some Arc gamers couldn't even open the game without it crashing. Thankfully, Intel is now on the ball, releasing its third driver in under a week to fix problems with Starfield. But there's still a way to go before Arc gamers can expect to have a smooth experience running Starfield. Not only are there more bugs that Intel found, but Intel has also not released a driver with a "game-ready" badge for Starfield yet. Bethesda Support Representative Says Intel's Arc A770 Does Not Meet Starfield's System Requirements In other Starfield and Intel-related news, a hilarious Bethesda customer support ticket was recorded and shared on the r/IntelArc subreddit by u/GeneralAkAba, revealing Bethesda's opinion on Intel's Arc Alchemist graphics cards running Starfield. The post shows a response from a Bethesda support representative replying to a customer issue regarding game crashes with their Arc A770 graphics card. The support representative couldn't find an immediate solution, saying the A770 does not meet Starfield's minimum requirements, which include the Radeon RX 5700 and GTX 1070 Ti. This statement is quite absurd, given that the A770 and the Arc A750 are substantially newer cards compared to the RX 5700, especially the GTX 1070 Ti. Performance-wise, the A770 competes favorably with AMD and Nvidia's latest and previous generation mid-range GPUs, like the RX 6600 XT and RTX 3060. So it has enough GPU muscle to power its way through Starfield, especially at lower resolutions like 1080p. For more details on Starfield's gaming performance, check out our performance review of Starfield. Of course, Intel also has several recent GPU drivers that specifically address Starfield compatibility with Arc GPUs. We doubt Stafield director Todd Howard or any of his Starfield team members would say the same thing about the Arc A770. Nonetheless, this is a serious error made by the Bethesda support team and needs to be remedied as soon as possible. Bethesda's support representative implied that all Arc GPU owners with problems must upgrade to an AMD or Nvidia card to run the game. Source.

Name of the game: Red Dead Redemption 2 Price: $59.99 - $19.79 Link Store: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1174180/Red_Dead_Redemption_2/ Offer ends up after X hours: WEEKEND DEAL! Offer ends 21 September. Requirements:

President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign is making a new digital ad buy highlighting former President Donald Trump and other Republican presidential candidates’ hardline abortion stances, according to a Biden campaign aide, as the campaign looks to find its footing in the 2024 race. The latest push to spotlight Republican efforts to restrict abortion nationwide comes amid bad poll numbers for the president. A CNN poll released Thursday showed Biden has broadly negative job ratings overall and there are widespread concerns about his age and decreased confidence among Democratic-aligned voters. The abortion-focused ad targeted towards women will run in Florida starting Friday, the same day the state’s Supreme Court is set to consider a challenge to the state’s 15-week abortion ban. It highlights Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signing of one of the nation’s strictest abortion bans, which makes most abortions in the state illegal after six weeks. The six-week ban would go into effect if the 15-week ban is upheld by the high court. The ad will also run in two other states that have some of the nation’s most strict abortion restrictions – South Dakota and Iowa, where Trump is scheduled to hold campaign events on Friday and Saturday. The ad, which will run on YouTube and Connected TV, highlights Trump touting his appointment of three US Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, as he regularly does on the campaign trail. It also takes aim at South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who has criticized some of his GOP rivals for not endorsing a 15-week abortion ban. The digital ad buy is part of a larger 16-week, $25 million campaign. The Biden campaign continues to signal protecting abortion access will be a key part of its reelection pitch to voters as Republicans struggle to navigate appealing to a base pushing to restrict abortion access in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade without alienating more moderate voters. “As Donald Trump visits states where women are suffering the consequences of his extreme, anti-abortion agenda, this ad reminds voters in states that have passed some of the most extreme abortion bans of Trump’s key role in appointing conservative justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade,” Biden’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, said in a statement to CNN. Outside of touting his role in overturning Roe, Trump largely steers clear of abortion on the campaign trail and has privately blamed abortion hard-liners for the party’s lackluster 2022 midterm results. Failed Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon said recently that Trump advised her during her campaign to “talk differently about abortion,” as she took a hardline approach on the issue and said she opposed exceptions for rape or incest during her bid to unseat Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last year. Trump has said he supports exceptions for rape, incest and when the life of the mother is in danger. Trump and DeSantis both routinely dodge questions from reporters on the campaign trail about whether they would sign a national abortion ban and at how many weeks into a pregnancy they would support such federal legislation. Trump has said he believes the federal government should play a role in restricting abortion but has not specified what kind of federal legislation he would push for or support if he were to be reelected next year. Trump also rankled some anti-abortion activists when he described the six-week Florida ban that DeSantis signed into law as “too harsh.” Source.

A rare baby giraffe has no spots, but now she has a name. Officials at Brights Zoo, a family-owned establishment in Limestone, Tennessee, revealed the adorable, 5-week-old giraffe’s name live on "TODAY" on Tuesday after weeks of online voting by the public to select a name. After nearly 40,000 votes, the winner is Kipekee, which is the Swahili word for unique. “For a lot of guests we talked to, that was the easiest name for a child to say,” David Bright, the director of Brights Zoo, said on "TODAY." The zoo asked fans to vote between four names: Kipekee; Firyali, which means unusual or extraordinary; Shakiri which means “she is most beautiful,” and Jamella, “one of great beauty.” Kipekee received just over 16,000 votes to edge Shakiri, which received more than 10,000. The baby giraffe is believed to be the only known solid-colored reticulated giraffe in the world, according to Brights Zoo. Reticulated giraffes are a subspecies of giraffes. In fact, Kipekee is the first giraffe of her kind without spots since one that was born in Tokyo in 1972, according to Bright. “So there are no other living giraffes of this color,” he said. The zoo in Limestone said the baby, which was born July 31, is already 6 feet tall. “She’s still very laid back, curious about everything, and checking everything out every day,” Bright said. The spotted coat pattern of a giraffe provides more than just camouflage in the wild. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation says that each spot, or patch, has a system of blood vessels beneath the area that acts as a thermal window and allows the release of body heat. Source.

There are moments in history when a new contender arrives on the scene and disrupts the entire landscape. Remember professional golf before Tiger Woods? Athletes on the PGA Tour didn't work out. Heck, they showed up for their round of 18 with a pack of cigarettes and a sixer of domestic beer. Then Tiger arrived and began an era of domination that rattled the foundation of the sport. Why is any of that relevant to three-row SUVs? Well, when the Kia Telluride first arrived for 2020, it forced a similar shakeup in the three-row world. The Telluride offered a lavish experience at a bargain price, but it's no longer as fresh as it was at the beginning of the decade, and the competition hasn't been sleeping. A few years later, the Telluride remains a fantastic family SUV, but others in this class are catching up. With the arrival of the new Toyota Grand Highlander, we figured now was a good time to reassess the Telluride and its place in the family-SUV market. For the test, we chose well-optioned versions of both vehicles while staying under the $60,000 mark. 2nd Place: 2023 Kia Telluride SX Prestige AWD Money talks, and viewing the two cars from a purely economic standpoint, the Telluride comes out on top. Equipped with the SX Prestige AWD package, the Telluride continues to amaze us with the impressive number of features included for the base price of $51,955 or our tested vehicle's $52,970 sticker—more than $6000 less than the Toyota. Even with the reasonable price of admission, the interior of our test car provides a near-luxury experience with leather, a faux-suede headliner, and heated and ventilated first- and second-row seating. And the Telluride's interior layout continues to make sense. Dual 12.3-inch displays stretch across the left side of the dash, and the center touchscreen offers an intuitive menu. Controls on the steering wheel are clear and straightforward, the PRNDL shifter is instantly familiar, and unlike some of the newer offerings from Kia, the Telluride retains a full suite of physical buttons for the climate control and the stereo. Yes, the Grand Highlander tops it in many volume metrics, but the Telluride ties the Toyota for front-row space and actually offers more space for second-row passengers. Plus, the Telluride equals the Grand Highlander for cargo storage behind the third row. might struggle to find that just-right driving position, even with 10-way adjustability for the driver's seat. Despite that, the Telluride cockpit sits low enough that most folks can settle into the car rather than clambering up and in. Generally, the build quality shows attention to detail, and the materials are for the most part upscale. Frequent touch points, such as the shifter and the interior door handles, are finished in sturdy plastic, nappa leather, or a gloss metallic finish. Elsewhere, the Telluride starts to show its value pricing a bit more. On the front seatbacks, leather gives way to a cheaper-looking black plastic covering that also makes its way to the glove compartment. And for as well equipped as it is, the Telluride does show some gray hairs. Take Apple CarPlay—the Telluride comes equipped with it but requires a wired connection, and that connection is USB-A. Probably not a dealbreaker, but the wireless option would be nice to have. When it comes to driving dynamics, the Telluride does everything it needs to and does it well, but the competition has caught up. The Kia's 291-hp V-6 offers enough oomph for most occasions, but the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max has a lot more power. For example, its 4.2-second 50-to-70-mph run easily beat the Telluride's 4.7. It probably won't be a frequent issue, but the extra grunt in the Toyota certainly made passing on two-lane highways a less stressful event. 1st Place: 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max Platinum AWD The Grand Highlander arrives as the new kid on the block. It shares the Highlander name, but it's a bigger vehicle all around: longer, wider, and taller than the Highlander. Yet it's still able to slip into a parking stall or most garages. It's 4.5 inches longer than the Telluride and nearly a full inch taller, with both SUVs measuring 78.3 inches wide. The extra length in the Toyota makes room for 11 more cubic feet of cargo space with the second- and third-row seats folded down. When you first open the door, the Toyota interior is pretty much all work and no play, even with the Platinum's diamond-stylized trim pieces and rose-gold accents. The center console is practical, although we wish Toyota didn't feel the need to reinvent the shifter. The wireless charging pad is tucked under the dash to keep your smartphone from becoming a projectile. The removable cupholder doubles as an extra cubby, and the center console offers enough space for a bag or a purse. Flexible storage was clearly a theme for the design team, as the second-row console can be lifted out of the way to make an aisle between the seats. Children will likely find the third row to be welcoming enough, but most adults will find a scarcity of legroom unless the second row is pushed forward. HIGHS: Carries the most cargo, strong fuel economy, lots of power. LOWS: Higher price, cramped third row, Rubik's Cube shifter. VERDICT: What the Grand Highlander lacks in pizazz, it makes up for in practicality. If the hybrid system in the Prius is the concert equivalent of attending a Sunday church choir, the one that debuted in the Crown—and that serves as the top powertrain offering in the Grand Highlander—is the equivalent of a Slipknot concert. The combustion engine is a 265-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder paired with a set of electric motors and a six-speed automatic transmission with a wet clutch. The total output in the Grand Highlander is an impressive 362 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. The torque figure is achieved at a wonderfully low 2000 rpm, making stoplight drag racing a reality. The 5.6 seconds required to hit 60 mph makes it 1.1 seconds quicker than the Telluride. Those two-lane highways we mentioned earlier? Passing with the Grand Highlander was a breeze. Granted, performance isn't the main marketing point for this segment, but you'll be glad for the extra ponies when your loaded-up SUV is used to chauffeur half of your child's youth hockey team and its gear. As for fuel economy, the Grand Highlander shows the benefits of its hybrid power—especially in the city. The Toyota returned 25 mpg over the course of our 650-mile test, beating the Telluride's 22 mpg. However, the Telluride did manage to come out on top in our 200-mile 75-mph fuel-economy test, returning 26 mpg to the Grand Highlander's 24 mpg. Outside of acceleration and power, the driving dynamics of the Grand Highlander and the Telluride are actually quite similar. Ride quality is smooth and comfortable, with both suspension setups sopping up all but the worst potholes. Neither three-row provides much steering feedback, but, then again, these aren't canyon carvers. After three years of being undefeated in comparison tests and winning 10Best awards, the Telluride fully earned the target on its back. Now the Grand Highlander is here, and it's big, quick, and incredibly practical. If the Grand Highlander leaves anything on the table, it's that Toyota is unashamedly leaving room for a Lexus version down the line (which will likely cost even more than this Toyota's $59,520 base/as-tested price). There aren't many frills, but the Grand Highlander knows what its mission is and executes it incredibly well. Source.