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Gobhi ke parathe. You either love them or you hate them. There’s no in-between. The same goes for gobhi itself for many people. Though they might not look it, these vegetables are a great source of nutrients for our bodies. Dr Ushakiran Sisodia, Registered Dietician and Clinical Nutritionist, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai, said it’s not just a nutritious vegetable but also a powerhouse of nutrition. “In my years of practice, I’ve often recommended cauliflower to my patients for its impressive health benefits.” Though it can be eaten during the monsoon, special care should be taken in selecting and cleaning it, as the damp conditions during the monsoon increase the chances of vegetables getting infested with worms and attracting more dirt. “It’s crucial to wash it thoroughly, preferably in warm salt water, to ensure it’s clean before consumption,” noted Dr Sisodia. Let’s take a look at the health benefits of cauliflower. Nutritional Profile of Cauliflower According to Dr Sisodia, cauliflower, per 100 grams, contains the following nutrients. Calories: 25 kcal Carbohydrates: 5 grams Sugars: 1.9 grams Dietary Fiber: 2 grams Protein: 1.9 grams Fat: 0.3 grams Vitamin C: Approximately 80% of the Daily Value (DV) Vitamin K: About 20% of the DV Folate (Vitamin B9): About 14% of the DV Vitamin B6: About 10% of the DV Potassium: 299 milligrams or about 9% of the DV Manganese: About 8% of the DV Magnesium: About 4% of the DV Phosphorus: About 4% of the DV Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): About 7% of the DV Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): About 5% of the DV Thiamin (Vitamin B1): About 4% of the DV Iron: About 3% of the DV Health Benefits of Cauliflower Dr Sisodia elaborated on the health benefits of cauliflower as the following. Rich in antioxidants: Cauliflower is rich in antioxidants, notably Vitamin C and manganese. These antioxidants are crucial in reducing oxidative stress in the body. Aids digestion: Additionally, the dietary fiber in cauliflower aids digestion, promoting a healthy gut and reducing instances of constipation. Detoxifies liver: The vegetable also has compounds like glucosinolates, which assist in detoxifying the liver. Improves bone health: Many are not aware that cauliflower contributes to bone health due to its Vitamin K content. And while further research is ongoing, certain compounds in cauliflower, such as sulforaphane, show potential in reducing cancer risk, Dr Sisodia noted, adding that with its fiber and anti-inflammatory properties, it’s a heart-friendly choice. Can diabetics consume cauliflower? Diabetics can safely consume cauliflower, Dr Sisodia said. Its low glycemic index and high fiber content make it an excellent food choice for diabetics. Is it beneficial for pregnant women? Cauliflower is beneficial for pregnant women due to its folate content, which plays a crucial role in fetal development, said Dr Sisodia. Additionally, its rich vitamin and mineral profile can support overall health during pregnancy. Things to keep in mind while eating cauliflower While cauliflower is generally a healthy addition to most diets, there are a few things one should be cautious about, as per Sisodia. Allergies: Firstly, though rare, some individuals might experience allergic reactions to cauliflower. The symptoms could be itching or swelling. If you experience this after consumption, it’s best to avoid the vegetable and consult with a general physician or nutritionist. Source.

People living in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine are being asked to vote in what the authorities are describing as local elections. Ukraine's foreign minister called the polls a "sham", saying the votes would not have any legal standing. Candidates are all either Russian or pro-Russian, and include governors hand-picked by Moscow. Many taking part in early polling have been asked to cast their votes in the presence of armed Russian soldiers. Ukrainian officials have warned people not to participate. They say any Ukrainian citizens involved in organising the elections can expect to be punished in the future. The Council of Europe, a human rights body, condemned the move in the "illegally annexed Ukrainian territories" as a "flagrant violation of international law, which Russia continues to disregard". Not only are these areas an integral part of Ukraine, but the decision to hold elections there "creates the illusion of democracy", the council said in a statement. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also decried the polls saying: "Russia's sham elections in occupied areas of Ukraine are illegitimate." This sparked a response from the Russian embassy in the US, which accused Washington of meddling in Moscow's internal affairs, state media reported. The elections, which conclude on Sunday, and are taking place in four regions that Russia does not even fully control - Donetsk and Luhansk in the east, and the southern regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Together they make up 15% of Ukraine's sovereign territory. These are the areas that Russia formally claimed as its own in September last year, after holding so-called referendums on the future of the occupied lands. Those referendums were condemned by the international community as a sham - with reports of over 99% support for the regions switching to Moscow's control - and at times involved armed soldiers going from door to door to gather votes. The exiled mayor of the city of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov described the current local elections as "illegal and worthless", saying that many candidates in the Zaporizhzhia region were not residents, with some even coming from Siberia. He told the AP news agency the city had faced tighter security in recent days and residents were intimidated because voting in an occupied city was like "voting in a prison". The Zaporizhzhia region is also the focus of Kyiv's counter-offensive, which was launched in the summer. Ukrainian generals claim they have breached Russia's formidable first line of defences in that region, suggesting the counter-offensive there is poised to gain momentum. Analysts at the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) say recent advances there are "tactically significant" and are "widening the Ukrainian breach of Russian defensive lines in the area and threatening Russian secondary lines of defence". The focus of Ukraine's efforts there have been around the village of Robotyne, which is some 56km (35 miles) south-east of the city of Zaporizhzhia, the regional capital. Source.

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Google is rolling out Version 107 of its Chrome browser which adds a variety of under-the-hood additions and makes some important tweaks to better protect you on the internet. Because of the 14 individual security fixes included in Chrome 107, we strongly recommend that you download the update as soon as it’s available to you. The most important one revolves around a zero-day vulnerability called CVE-2022-3723(opens in new tab). It's a Type Confusion flaw affecting Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine. As it’s described by cybersecurity company Avertium(opens in new tab), the flaw allows bad actors to “trick” the browser into running malware and making users think it’s legitimate data. Avertium states that while Chrome V8 engine attacks are uncommon, they are among the most dangerous. And it appears this is the third time Google has patched a Type Confusion bug this year. One occurred back in March and the other in April(opens in new tab). As for the rest of the security patch(opens in new tab), things aren’t as severe. You see fixes for data validation and for browser extensions. But considering there are billions of Chrome users, there are a lot of avenues for bad actors to use. We repeat: update the browser. New tools The rest of the update(opens in new tab) is more focused on future-proofing Chrome. HEVC (High Efficient Video Coding) is now partially supported on the browser. Also known as H.265, HEVC is a codec that more efficiently compresses files to speed up download times. It's more commonly seen on electronic devices. With this update, Chrome joins Safari and Microsoft Edge as the only major web browsers with HEVC support. Video conferencing tools are also seeing a few changes(opens in new tab) to make them more user-friendly. Developers of these tools can now include a button allowing people to switch between tabs whenever they’re screen sharing. It’s essentially a type of hotkey to save you from having to dig through a mass of tabs. Chrome 107 will also alert you if you share the same tab that you’re video conferencing from. Doing so causes a “hall of mirrors” effect, according to the patch notes. Other reports claim additional features are present in the update, but we couldn’t find them. Android Police(opens in new tab) states Chrome now has the ability to import passwords from an external password manager or other browsers. And apparently, the media picker for Chrome 107 on Android has been updated. We reached out to Google to see if this is true, as well as if there are other hidden features. This story will be updated if we hear back. Availability You can download the update by going to "About Google Chrome" in the browser menu to automatically install it. Despite the slew of security fixes in the update, Google still has its work cut out. Recent reports claim that 300 new security vulnerabilities were discovered in Chrome this year alone. It’s possible there could be another high-severity Type Confusion bug in there waiting to be discovered. We recommend being proactive in this case. To better protect yourself, check out TechRadar’s best internet security suites for 2022. Source.

The quantum computing field may have just received a coherence and error-prevention boost in the form of parafermions: grouped electrons that behave as liquids in a special state of matter. Scientists with the Nanyang Technical University in Singapore(opens in new tab) have demonstrated experimental results they expect to lead to parafermions when electrons maintain temperatures close to absolute zero (-273 degrees Celsius). The research achieved a breakthrough by demonstrating that there are conditions in which electrons can have strong interactions – something that scientists merely theorized until now. The ordered movement of electrons results in what we know as electricity. However, even when electrons are moving in this “ordered” pattern, they’re actually not. Because they’re negatively charged, electrons repel one another, tending to move individually and haphazardly in different directions (like a gas) instead of as a cohesive whole. They’re akin to impaired drivers: they may reach their destination with a few “bumps” along the way. But when electrons behave like a liquid, it’s akin to swapping the impaired drivers with orderly ones; drivers that know and respect each other’s boundaries, speed and direction to reduce conflicts and better reach their destination. Of course, drivers such as these are the subject of much theoretical thought, but the strong electron interactions at least have now been experimentally proven to exist. When electrons are made to act in what’s known as a “helical Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid,” there are fewer particle interactions and energy exchange between them and the system. This, in turn, decreases the amount of systemic and environmental interference that’s so often the cause of errors and collapsed quantum states in quantum systems. The electrons being previously cooled to near absolute zero is also an essential element, as it allows certain materials to achieve the state of a superconductor, where electrons traverse its surface absent of any electrical resistance, further reducing the possible elements of environmental interference. The system being cooled to absolute zero (in the experiment, down to 4.5 Kelvin or -269 degrees Celsius) forces particles to slow down so that they almost become immobile. Electrons (and their spin property) have been used as quantum-programmable particles for a while now. As such, improvements in electron control that lead to fewer disturbances mean fewer errors and improved coherence, which means longer life for the actual qubits that can store or process information. In fact, certain quantum systems (such as IBM’s Quantum One and Quantum Two) already make use of superconducting qubits. In this case, scientists used an atom-thick graphene substrate where they deposited atom-thick crystals of tungsten ditelluride: an almost two-dimensional material known as a “quantum spin Hall insulator,” which insulates gravity on its inside but features electrons on the outside. After putting together the graphene/tungsten ditelluride substrate and cooling it towards absolute zero, the research team put it under a scanning tunneling microscope that lay just one nanometer from its surface: smaller than a DNA strand and smaller than any transistor ever manufactured (even when looking at the ones powering the latest best graphics cards). When put under the scanning tunneling microscope and cooled to absolute zero, the researchers noticed the electrons in the graphene/tungsten substrate increased their repulsion. Their repulsion was so strong that the electrons were forced to move collectively due to the interaction between each electron’s repulsion field. The researchers registered a Luttinger parameter within a range of 0.21 to 0.33. This parameter represents the strength of the interactions between particles; when it reaches 1, the interactions are at their weakest. “When the Luttinger parameter is less than 0.5, the interactions are strong and the electrons are forced into collective motion. This is the realm where parafermions are predicted to exist,” said Assistant Prof Weber. “This is a truly remarkable range of variation, since the Luttinger parameter can only range between 0 and 1,” he continued. “Control of the Luttinger parameter at such low values has never been observed before in any helical Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid.” The team is now planning to reduce temperatures even further by leveraging NTU Singapore’s new Ultra-Low Vibration Laboratory, which was built earlier this year. The laboratory will allow experiments to be done at even lower temperatures of 150 millikelvins (mK) – even closer to absolute zero, which should enable the researchers to see stronger repulsion amongst electrons and the actual witnessing of parafermion groupings. Interestingly, it seems that the researchers’ approach is somewhat connected with Microsoft’s own race to implement so-called topological qubits and their required (and still missing in action) Majorana modes. Source.

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The Northern Ireland secretary has said he will call an assembly election but has not set any date for it. Chris Heaton-Harris said he would give more information next week and would be meeting the parties in the meantime. Devolved government in NI has not functioned since an election in May. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) blocked the restoration of power-sharing in its protest against the post-Brexit trading arrangements called the Northern Ireland Protocol. Legislation says that an election must be held within 12 weeks and it had been expected that a poll would take place on 15 December. The Northern Ireland parties had expected the secretary of state to signal a date for the election on Friday. However, Mr Heaton-Harris denied he had made a U-turn, saying an election did not have to be called immediately. "I hear it when the parties say that they really do not want an election at all," he said. "But nearly all of them are parties who signed up to the rules, the law. That means I need to call an election so you'll hear more from me on that particular point next week." He added: "I will be calling an election". Before today the Secretary of State could not have been clearer. He was going to call an election at a minute past midnight. It looks now like many minutes will pass before we get to that point. He is adamant that he will still call an election but not sure when. We don't have an election date and we don't have a timeline as to when he might call it. What happens next is any ones guess. Mr Heaton-Harris said he had met with Virginia McVea, Northern Ireland's chief electoral officer, and discussed issues around operational concerns she wants to "make sure are addressed as we move forward". He said joint authority in Northern Ireland was "something we simply will not consider". Speaking in Dublin at around the same time as Mr Heaton-Harris was speaking in Belfast, Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin said: "In my view we should take the opportunity to pause and see if we can get the institutions back and, parallel with that, have substantive negotiations between the UK government and the European Union. "The law does provide for an election, I acknowledge that, but we know what elections can do, they can lead to further polarisation." 'Bizarre U-turn' Sinn Féin Deputy Leader Michelle O'Neill said the move was a "bizarre U-turn" from the NI secretary. "We wouldn't be in this position if the DUP had honoured the result of the May election," she said. "We need an assembly and executive up and running to serve people through tough times. "I have reached out to the secretary of state and asked to speak to him. "It's not acceptable that six months after the public gave us a mandate to work together, six months and the DUP is still blocking the outcome of that election because they didn't like the result," she added. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said Mr Heaton-Harris must drop the idea of an assembly election and focus on restoring the Stormont institutions. "The secretary of state's failure to outline details of an assembly election today should be the end of the idea," he said. DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said "chaos" continued because of uncertainty around another election. "The Northern Ireland Office have been talking up the prospect of an election for some time but evidently no decision has been taken and we're ready to fight an election," he said. He said his message to the the secretary of state was that resolving issues around the protocol was a priority. He called for "decisive action to restore Northern Ireland's place in the UK internal market and remove the debris of the protocol". He said that until then "we are not in a position and there is no consensus for the restoration of the devolved institutions". Alliance MP Stephen Farry said there had been no "pressure" applied to the DUP by Westminster to get the party to go into government. "We are in political vacuum but I don't think an election is going to address that vacuum so we will still be in that dilemma on the far-side of an election," he told BBC's Evening Extra programme. However, he added that there should be a "cautious welcome if there is some degree of reflection happening inside the NIO". Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie said not enough had been done to get Stormont up and running. "Not at one stage have all the party leaders been brought together to sit together," he said. "I would urge the secretary of state to strive to do more because an election will not help," he added. He said negotiations with the EU over the protocol could still go ahead if Stormont was restored. Independent Unionist MLA Claire Sugden told the programme that having no ministers in place meant "important decisions enabling departments to run on a daily basis cannot be taken". People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said it was a "farcical move". However, he said that he welcomed an election as an opportunity for people to "cast their verdict on the DUP's obstructionism". Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said Mr Heaton-Harris should "stabilise Northern Ireland" by focussing on the resolving the issues raised by the protocol. Source.

It is a biological mission that began with a chance encounter with a lemur that was picking its nose. It wasn't just any lemur; an aye-aye was filmed by Prof Anne-Claire Fabre from the University of Bern burying its elongated finger in its nostril. "I wanted to know where is this finger going?" she told the BBC. The meeting at Duke Lemur Center in the US, led Prof Fabre and her colleagues to question the evolutionary origins of the habit. Aye-ayes are nocturnal primates found only in Madagascar. They are famous for their strange, skinny, long fingers, which they use to fish grubs out of branches. "It was inserting the entire length and, [when you look at] the length of its head, it was like - where is it going?" she recalled. "I wondered - is it inserting it into its brain? It was so weird and seemed impossible." The question intrigued Prof Fabre so much that she conducted 3D anatomical analysis of the aye-aye's head, to reconstruct the seemingly impossible anatomy of the nose picking. "It was going into the sinus and from the sinus into the throat and into the mouth," she explained. With her colleagues, Prof Fabre searched the scientific literature for evidence of other animals that pick their noses. In a study they published in the Journal of Zoology, the team found 12 examples of primates caught in the nose-picking act. As Prof Fabre, who is also curator of mammals at the Museum of Natural History in Bern, pointed out, there are very few studies that aim to understand why any animal, including humans, might have evolved the impulse to pick their nose. "We really think this behaviour is understudied because it's really seen as a bad habit," explained Prof Fabre. Studies that investigate the behaviour in people have shed some light on how common the habit is, revealing that the majority of humans pick their nose often but are reluctant to admit it. There are a few studies examining the cons - and possible pros - of nose picking. Some have pointed to its role in spreading harmful bacteria. But there is at least one study suggesting that picking your nose and eating it might actually be healthy for teeth, as people who picked their noses reported fewer cavities. One study encouraged additional research by suggesting that the ingestion of nasal mucus could play an important role for the immune system, because of the immune proteins in the mucus. Fundamentally, Prof Fabre says it is likely to have evolved for a reason and should be investigated. "We have no idea about its functional role," she told the BBC. "And it could be advantageous." Rather than being simply disgusting, it may have benefits for some species and since so many animals appear to share this habit, Prof Fabre said, "I think we really need to investigate it". Source.

Verdict In what will likely be more affordable 350h self-charging hybrid form, the RX isn’t as refined or efficient as the 450h+ plug-in, but it gives access to the car’s easy-going attitude and more advanced tech. It might still be a more left-field choice compared with rivals such as the BMW X5, but the Lexus RX is easier to justify than ever. It’s another step in the right direction for the Japanese manufacturer. While the big news when Lexus launched its latest RX large SUV was the addition of a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the first time, in 450h+ form, it’ll still be offered with the more familiar 350h ‘self-charging’ hybrid set-up that we’re testing. Continued refinements to the tech mean the basic recipe hasn’t changed even if the results have, so the RX is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine that drives the wheels through a CVT automatic gearbox in conjunction with a pair of electric motors that are supplied by a small battery. Many of the components are new, with the car’s hybrid transaxle motor/transmission set-up now more compact and lighter. There’s also a new Power Control Unit. On the move, however, it feels similar to previous 350h powertrains in Lexus’s SUVs.There’s a small boost of torque from the e-motors, but ask for anything other than gentle acceleration and the petrol engine will kick in with an audible drone. Power output stands at 247bhp, which isn’t a huge amount, but the 7.9-second 0-62mph time is respectable, even if it’s a noisy process extracting that performance. You’re better off driving to the RX 350h’s strengths, with a light right foot to maximise usage of electrical power rather than petrol. Do so and the engine settles down, meaning the RX’s personality comes across as more refined. In addition, the CVT gearbox comes into its own if you take a more leisurely approach; cruising around urban areas and on the freeway during our American test drive, the RX felt relaxed and easy-going. However, while this is also true in a certain set of circumstances when it comes to the chassis, on bumpier countryside canyon roads the chassis revealed some harsher, more brittle reactions to bumps. The latest fifth-generation RX is based on Lexus’s GA-K platform that’s more rigid than ever, which has definitely helped improve handling despite the car’s numb steering. But the suspension does sometimes react harshly to bumps, thumping through to the car’s interior, even if most of the time the softer set-up is fine. It’s a good job that the cabin is screwed together beautifully, then. Lexus is known for the quality of its interiors, and while there are some blander plastics and materials, they are of relatively high quality and build is brilliant. The infotainment, previously a Lexus flaw, is a big step on. Like with the brand’s smaller NX, the previous-generation model’s infuriating touchpad has been replaced by a large 14-inch touchscreen that boasts Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. The native system is also better than ever, but you might still prefer to use a smartphone hook-up, which works well. Other elements of the interior are sound for a large SUV. There is lots of legroom in the rear seats, and despite the RX’s tapered roof (partly a styling trick), there’s plenty of headroom. The car’s design has changed massively, with Lexus’s Spindle grille signature now becoming what the brand calls ‘Spindle body’ – basically, the grille is now so big and so heavily integrated that it has pretty much become the whole front end of the car. Sharp creases give a bit more visual tension, while a full-width light cluster at the rear completes the look. Kit levels are great. While pricing still hasn’t been revealed, even the entry-level car (expected to start from around £60,000 in 350h guise) gets loads of advanced safety technology, three-zone climate control, full keyless go, wireless phone charging, all-round parking sensors, heated seats and steering wheel, and 19-inch alloy wheels. Source.

Anand Ahuja, who recently welcomed his first child with actor Sonam Kapoor, took to Instagram to share a rare glimpse of himself working out after “what feels like an eternity”. The businessman and fashion entrepreneur, 39, shared some pictures that show his athletic side as he opened up about the thrill of being active. “Here’s a picture of me halfway through my first post-lift HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) session in what feels like an eternity…Historically, I’ve always been a ‘fitness enthusiast’ — whatever that means — and while my main sport has always been basketball, really, I just always enjoyed being active. About eight years ago, I was undergoing treatment on my ankle for an accumulation of all the injuries I’ve had there and at this time I was asked to not play any contact sports…so I took up triathlons,” he captioned the post. Recollecting how he “built my way up to Half Ironman distances”, he said that he got to participate in the long-distance Phuket Triathlon. “I’m a long way away from the conditioning I was in back then. I guess navigating the dynamics of such a changing world needed the best of me — so getting this #AppleWatchUltra has come at the best time. I can’t claim that a gadget could be my motivation — but being a sucker for good design and great product, the watch really has been a catalyst for re-prioritising my health – something that used to come naturally to me but got lost in the past few years. More than anything, maybe it’s just because I felt a little ‘imposter-ish’ wearing it and need to do the watch some justice!” If you feel inspired by Ahuja, here’s how and why you can stay motivated with HIIT and weight training. A HIIT workout boosts anaerobic capacity and muscular strength, said Varun Rattan, co-founder of The Body Science Academy, Noida while informing that aerobic activities refer to the body’s process of producing energy with oxygen and include “all exercises that last more than two minutes”. “HIIT is more suitable for individuals who want to produce maximum power in minimum time, such as sprints. Besides, those looking for a fast workout may also be drawn to HIIT,” Rattan told indianexpress.com. According to Rattan, weight training may be done on the same day as HIIT and it is a common practice among elite athletes. “But, one may see better results on splitting their exercise sessions into two distinct workouts rather than performing them consecutively in the same session. By doing so, the body and the nervous system are permitted to rest between workouts, and also get time to restore and rehydrate after the initial workout. It is suggested that you keep at least four to six hours gap between sessions,” mentioned Rattan. Source.

An intruder who attacked the husband of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi was searching for the Democratic politician, reports say. Paul Pelosi, 82, was taken to hospital after a break-in at their California home on Friday morning. The suspect has been identified as a 42-year-old man. He broke a glass rear door and - after confronting Mr Pelosi and attacking him with a hammer - reportedly shouted: "Where is Nancy?" Mrs Pelosi was in Washington, and not at the San Francisco residence, when the incident took place. Mr Pelosi is reported to have suffered blunt force trauma to the head. He is being treated for severe bruising and swelling, as well as other injuries, the Associated Press reports. "The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time," a spokesman for the senior Democrat said. In a news conference on Friday, San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said officers responded to a call at around 02:27 local time (09:27 GMT). They found Mr Pelosi and the suspect - named by police as David DePape - both holding a hammer, but it was wrestled from Mr Pelosi's control and he was violently assaulted with it. The suspect was then tackled and disarmed by officers. He had attempted to tie up Mr Pelosi "until Nancy got home", law enforcement sources told CBS News. He has been charged with attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and several other felonies, Mr Scott said, adding that the motive for the attack was still unclear. Mrs Pelosi is one of the most powerful politicians in the country. She was re-elected to a fourth term as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2021, making her second in line to the presidency after Vice-President Kamala Harris. The Baltimore native has represented the San Francisco area in Congress since 1987, and typically splits her time between California and Washington. She is currently fundraising and campaigning with Democrats around the country ahead of the midterm elections on 8 November, and was in Washington with her security detail at the time of the attack. Her husband, the multimillionaire founder of a venture capital firm, resides primarily in San Francisco where he was born and raised. The couple have been married since 1963 and have five children. Their combined net worth, primarily from Mr Pelosi's investments, has made the speaker one of the richest members of Congress. The FBI and the US Capitol Police, which has a field office in California, are assisting San Francisco police with the investigation. The US Capitol Police, which is tasked with protecting congressional leaders, is said to be considering additional protections for families following the attack. Members of Congress have been on high-alert over security threats since the riot at the US Capitol in January 2021. Mrs Pelosi's office in the building was ransacked by supporters of then-President Donald Trump during the attack. And last year, her San Francisco home was reportedly vandalised with graffiti saying "cancel rent". Senior Republicans, such as Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, have also been targeted by vandalism in recent times and politicians have raised concerns about an increase in threats. Mr McConnell said he he was "horrified and disgusted" by the attack on Mr Pelosi. In a statement, the White House said President Joe Biden was "praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi's whole family". Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, said: "What happened to Paul Pelosi was a dastardly act. I wish him a speedy recovery." Both added that they had spoken to Mrs Pelosi since the incident. Source.

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It has been less than four months since we reviewed Nacon's MG-X, so it's incredibly tempting to make this article about how the MG-X Pro compares to it. However, I actually spent a lot of time comparing the MG-X to the Xbox Controller (and for good reason), so this is going to be a split comparison between the exceptional predecessor and its mainstream, console contemporary. NACON MG-X PRO MOBILE DESIGN For a start, the biggest change is the actual appearance of the device on the whole. Gone are the rounded, Switch-reminiscent edges of the non-pro version and they've been replaced with full, console-controller style grips for your hands. It's taken a device that looks like it has the Xbox license to a device that looks like somebody has stretched out an Xbox controller to accommodate a phone screen in the middle of it. In fact, in person, it looks even more like that than on the developer's website, where the images of it lack the menu button designs, and the colour is a paler grey rather than the classic, stark, Xbox black. It's pretty close to the Xbox controller In fact, I can't help but wonder if the only reason that Nacon has not taken their already nigh-perfect controller design and brought it even closer to the Xbox's controller design is actually licensing related. A major indicator of this comes from the changes to the face buttons. The face buttons on the last iteration were smaller and much closer to the current Xbox design, but in moving to an Xbox Shape, and - indeed - Xbox-style, concave analogue-stick heads, they've actually made wider, more-shallow face buttons. This is a bit of a shame as the buttons on the previous version were great, although I do have to say that these current ones still have that great feedback click to them. But, that's a tiny complaint. The improved grips are a great addition to an already incredibly strong feature list for Nacon's premium offering, and it makes the whole thing feel a lot more robust. All of the perks from the previous device - fast Bluetooth pairing, great trigger feedback, clear Xbox branding and suitability for large phones - are all still there, and it feels great to play games on it. NO COMPANION APP, BUT IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL For better, or for worse, there's no companion app for the MG-X Pro. Some would say that's an advantage, as other controllers sometimes make it practically mandatory to download the app, but with an app comes additional configuration options. In 2022, configuration options aren't required for things like Stadia and Xbox Live, but for some that might be a deciding factor. One thing that does seem to be taken as better everywhere that I've seen it mentioned, however, is that, unlike some other mobile controllers, the extending grip doesn't have rounded frames on either side, allowing for folding phones, or phones in cases, to be mounted to the device. I said before that I was surprised that the MG-X wasn't being bundled with phones and Xbox Game Pass, I now know why, it's because that's something that should be done with the MG-X Pro instead, it's almost certainly the best controller for playing games on your mobile phone. Source.

Windows 12 is likely to be Microsoft's follow up to Windows 11 - and it could come sooner than you might think. Rumors suggest that the imaginatively titled OS could arrive in 2024, and the possibility that Windows 12 could follow so soon after Windows 11 has delighted some of us at TechRadar. And while that still leaves Microsoft behind the yearly updates that macOS and some other operating systems manage, Microsoft's upcoming 'Moments' releases will at least see it get more regular refreshes. Whenever it comes, we'd like to see a bigger evolution compared to what Windows 11 brought. So, what improvements and new features might Windows 12 have? Users have been peppering Microsoft with feature requests, with some of these wishes having been granted with the 2022 update, which brought a refined Taskbar. With this in mind, here's everything we've found so far about the next major update to Windows, alongside five features that we'd also like to see arrive in Windows 12. Windows 12: Cut to the chase What is it? Windows 12 is the rumored successor to Windows 11 When will it come out? Possibly 2024 based on the three-year schedule How much does it cost? Should be free as Windows 11 currently is Windows 12 release date rumors This is still very early days for Windows 11 – we're not even at the one-year anniversary of the update having been announced. However, going on past releases, we'd expect to see Windows 12 arrive in late 2024, just as support for Windows 10 is ending. Windows 12 supported devices When Microsoft announced availability for Windows 11, the main requirement was for machines to have a hardware feature called TPM enabled, which is a security feature that can be found on most motherboards. While the same requirement will most likely be requested by Microsoft again, it may be at a point where almost every PC has TPM enabled anyway. Other than that, it will likely have similar requirements to Windows 11: 64-bit processor 1Ghz clock speed 4GB of RAM 64GB drive UEFI, Secure Boot capable TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) A display larger than 9-inches with HD Resolution (1366x768) DirectX 12 compatible graphics / WDDM 2.x Internet connection What we want to see We don't know much about Windows 12 yet, or whether the rumored upgrade will even become a reality, but we do have a good idea of what we want from it, with the following features topping our list. 1. Merge Skype and Teams into MSN Messenger 12 It's no secret that Microsoft's efforts on video calling and collaboration through messaging apps have been less than stellar in recent years. In a time when people needed to communicate remotely more, it was Zoom that took the lead and Skype was bafflingly left by the wayside. While there have been some new features brought to both Teams and Skype, there's still an air of confusion as to which one you should use. If you need to take part in a job interview that's on Teams, for example, chances are you'll quickly need to install the app and make sure it works. Instead, let's see them both retire and mark a fresh start for Windows 12, with the return of MSN Messenger to do the job these two apps have limped on with. Not only would we like to see the return of nudges, winks, and classic sounds if users want, but we'd also be keen on powerful features to make it go toe-to-toe with Zoom, Google Meets, and FaceTime. Perhaps have integration with Slack, so if a video meeting is needed, it can prompt in a channel and with one button, MSN Messenger will launch with the required invitees. Microsoft needs to reboot how it perceives itself for messaging apps, and the return of MSN Messenger could be a great start to that. 2. Live wallpaper A request by TechRadar's Senior Computing Editor Matt Hanson, and an intriguing one at that. There have been similar features in iPhones and Android phones for some years, with animations moving across these devices. But for PC and Mac, they've been relegated to third-party apps, such as Wallpaper Engine(opens in new tab), to be able to have animated wallpapers with the ability to display information from your PC. To so something similar in Windows 12, Microsoft could further push its efforts in themes, something that's seen improvements in Windows 11, thanks to its dark themes. Having a dedicated section for wallpapers, where you can place static bytes of information on the desktop that works with an animated live wallpaper, could appeal to all kinds of users. Microsoft could also bring back previous wallpapers, such as the hillside of Windows XP, but have it animated, alongside some clouds displaying battery status or the weather. This can update the desktop substantially and make it much more up to date, without having to rely on widgets or a taskbar to showcase changes. 3. Dedicated podcast app While it's been great to see the return of Windows Media Player from Microsoft, having additional features such as podcasts feels irrelevant for what Media Player is for. macOS has had its own podcast app since Big Sur in 2019, but if you wanted to use a similar app on Windows, it's not clear where to start, as Microsoft doesn't offer a dedicated podcast app. This is why Windows 12 should include a dedicated podcast app that could also be used on other platforms, such as iOS and Android, so your subscriptions could sync across all your devices. Podcasts are massively po[CENSORED]r, and managing them all in a first-party app would be great for Windows users. It's something that could really help spur the company's effort to make content available on almost every device. 4. Dedicated streaming app A storming idea by our resident Computing writer Jess Weatherbed, as there is yet to be an integrated option in Windows to stream what you're playing. For years there have been apps such as OBS and Twitch that offer ways to stream what you're playing or watching with others. However, these apps have always required extra effort to make sure that you're streaming to viewers in good quality, with low latency. Then there's the additional aspect of the peripherals that streamers use to help show them in a better light, or Stream Decks to easily control their setups with shortcut keys. It can be overwhelming to manage multiple apps just to control all of these, which is why Windows 12 could benefit from having one app that can manage your streams and the peripherals. Microsoft has been pushing gaming in Windows 11 since its announcement in June 2021, with a redesigned Xbox app and HDR support. But countless gamers also stream these games through Windows, so there's a big opportunity here. Having one app to control, say, ring lights and the streams for viewers is appealing, shifting the heavy lifting to one app. It could automate streams based on the schedule and the games being played, alongside different lighting scenarios for the different times of the day. This could encourage more gamers to see Windows as a service, as the CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella has been stating since the release of Windows 10 in 2015, while also making Windows 12 an enticing prospect for streamers to earn more followers and income for their careers. 5. Companion app for Android A suggestion by our Editor-in-Chief at TechRadar Pro, Desire Athow – this can be an expansion of Your Phone, Microsoft's effort to sync your mobile to Windows. But when you open this new app in Windows 12, it would have a layout reminiscent of Windows Phone and its tile layout, and would enable a desktop experience from your phone. This would be similar to Samsung DeX, which can transform your Galaxy S22 or Galaxy S22 Ultra into a desktop once it's connected to a peripheral. This new app would go beyond DeX and Microsoft's Your Phone efforts, though. When you connect to a monitor, it would become a fully-fledged Windows 12 desktop, showcasing everything from your main PC. And when you click on an icon, it would download the content from the cloud and display it in its native resolution. It would be an innovative extension of the cloud, where you can access your files wherever you are. Here, you'd be carrying your desktop with you and all you'd need to do is to connect your smartphone to a monitor, either with touchscreen features or a keyboard and mouse. As with the streaming feature above, this would again further Nadella's plans of seeing Windows as a service. Having your PC in an app is an enticing thought, and could help for those situations when you have a short window of opportunity to do some work with a spare monitor, keyboard, and mouse somewhere. Source.

An Nvidia graphics card partner in China has created a unique selling point for a custom GeForce RTX 4090, one of the best graphics cards. 51RISC has launched a model with spirit level functionality built into the top bar. The twin green fluid-filled capsules next to the backlit GeForce RTX logo don't look so much out of place because the style is like two liquid-cooled reservoir tubes, but, of course, on closer inspection, they aren't have anything to do with liquid cooling. Beyond the spirit level appeal, the 51RISC design is pleasing enough and mixes Harley Earl and Colonial Marines design flair. However, we could complain that a graphics card that 'cares' about being level doesn't come with any bracket or support in the box. Also, what do you do if you live in a house or room where the floor isn't level, or your desk is leaning one way or another? In that case, the spirit level bubbles being off-center may be a nagging reminder of the structural flaws of your home. In other specs from the Aliexpress(opens in new tab) retail page, unearthed by VideoCardz(opens in new tab), you can see this is a pretty middle-of-the-road air-cooled GeForce RTX 4090, with stock GPU, memory spec, and so on. Yes, it is very long and chunky, like all RTX 4090 cards, but at least it remains within three slots of thickness - not edging 3.5 or 4 slots like some competitors. So far, so good, and you might think that a relatively unknown brand such as 51RISC would be selling its wares at the cheaper end of the market. It isn't cheap, though, even for a GeForce RTX 4090, with its price of approx $2,830. Ouch - go and buy a discrete spirit level. Suppose the undeniable charms of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 attract you. In that case, you are probably better off sifting through the launch roundup of various models from brands we put together in September. We covered all the big brands like Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte and offerings from smaller names like Palit, PNY, and Zotac. Source.

At the 2022 Minecraft Live(opens in new tab) event, Mojang revealed some key details about the upcoming 1.20 update for the long-lived survival game, as well as its planned release window in the spring of 2023. Mojang also announced that the update's first playable features and snapshots would be accessible "a few days from now," and revealed the winner of its 2022 mob vote(opens in new tab): The noble and honorable Sniffer. Contrary to previous big updates, Mojang has not yet named 1.20, and instead hopes to shape and characterize it in conversation with the community. The developer did reveal some of the new features on the way, including seven new default skins alongside the classic Steve. Mojang hopes this will allow players to feel represented in the game without having to immediately turn to custom options, and will also be characterizing the new default characters and including them marketing in a similar way to Steve. Mojang also revealed a snazzy new bamboo construction material, complete with intricate window designs, as well as jaunty hanging signs. Minecraft will also see the addition of ridable camels that, unlike the game's horses, can dash over rivers. The camels can also be ridden by two players at once, finally allowing you and your closest friends to share the intimacy of a camel ride, in Minecraft. You can learn more about how Minecraft will implement our humped friends in our breakdown of everything we know about Minecraft's new camels(opens in new tab). After tallying 3.5 million mob votes, the charismatic and adorable Tuff Golem was robbed by the sham of democracy and placed dead last. The Sniffer made it the distance, and will be the new president of Minecraft mob added to the game. Sniffers will be grown from eggs found underground, and go through a life cycle ending in a giant full-grown state. 1.20 is looking like a fun time then, though Mojang has yet to reveal a specific date for the first snapshot, instead stating that it will arrive in "just a few days(opens in new tab)." In the mean time, you can check out our guide on everything we know about Minecraft's 1.20 update(opens in new tab). Source.

Name of the game: Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope Price: $14.99 - $7.49 Link Store: Here. Offer ends up after X hours: DAILY DEAL! Offer ends 19 October. Requirements:

Jeremy Hunt has appealed to Tory MPs to get behind Liz Truss, as she battles to restore credibility with backbenchers. A series of damaging U-turns over her tax-cutting plans has led some MPs to talk privately about how to remove her from office. Her new chancellor told the BBC a fresh leadership campaign was "the last thing that people really want". But a senior backbench Conservative MP has called for Ms Truss to go as prime minister, saying "the game is up". Mr Hunt replaced Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday, after Ms Truss fired the former chancellor. His sacking followed market turmoil in response to £45bn of unfunded tax cuts included in the mini-budget. In a series of humiliating U-turns to restore market confidence, Ms Truss has abandoned plans to scrap the top income tax rate and reversed a planned freeze to corporation tax she had put at the centre of her Tory leadership campaign. Mr Hunt held talks with Ms Truss at her official Chequers country retreat earlier, as they plan a programme of tax hikes and spending cuts to be delivered on 31 October. The new chancellor told Laura Kuenssberg he was not ruling out further reversals of tax cuts from last month's mini-budget, adding he was not "taking anything off the table". According to reports in the Sunday Times, Ms Truss is also preparing to delay by a year her 1p cut to the basic rate of income tax. The Treasury has not confirmed the reports, adding: "We cannot speculate on any tax changes outside of a fiscal event." Asked whether he could rule out scrapping more of the tax cuts, Mr Hunt said he wanted to keep as many of them "as I possibly can". "We are going to have to take some very difficult decisions both on spending and on tax," he said in an interview with Laura Kuenssberg, which was recorded on Saturday. "Taxes are not going to go down as quickly as people thought and some taxes are going to go up," he added. "So it's going to be very, very difficult and I think we have to be honest with people about that." Meanwhile, in a further blow to the prime minister, US President Joe Biden has criticised tax cuts from her mini-budget. In an unusual intervention, he told reporters during a campaign visit that the outcome was "predictable" and "I wasn't the only one that thought it was a mistake". He added that he had disagreed with "the idea of cutting taxes on the super wealthy", but it was up to the UK to "make that judgment, not me". In his BBC interview, Mr Hunt said the government's debt reduction plan, due in two weeks' time, would be a "very big fiscal statement", and that every government department would be asked to make savings. However, he insisted the changes would not be "anything like" the period of austerity which began in 2010, when predecessor George Osborne oversaw large cuts in public spending. Despite the U-turns, Mr Hunt insisted Ms Truss remained committed to her goal of promoting economic growth, but she had changed "the way we're going to get there". "She's listened, she's changed, she's been willing to do that most difficult thing in politics which is to change tack," he added. 'The game is up' Under current party rules, Ms Truss is safe from a formal leadership challenge for a year - but newspaper reports suggest some Tory MPs have already begun talks about how to force her from office. Tactics reportedly under consideration include submitting no-confidence letters in a bid to force party bosses into a rule change, or changing party rules to allow MPs to bypass members and pick a new leader themselves. Asked whether she could survive as the prime minister, former minister Crispin Blunt told Channel 4: "No, I think the game is up and it's now a question as to how the succession is managed. "If there is such a weight of opinion in the parliamentary party that we have to have a change then it will be effected." Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, who sits on the committee that decides the rules, told BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House a rule change would only be considered if "sixty to seventy percent" of the party's MPs backed a change. Speaking on Sky News, senior backbencher Robert Halfon said "of course, colleagues are unhappy with what is going on", adding that "we're all talking to see what can be done about it". The chair of the Commons Education Committee went on to accuse the government of behaving like "libertarian jihadists" treating the public as "laboratory mice on which to carry out ultra, ultra free market experiments". He said he was not calling on Ms Truss to go and he worried about "further political stability" - but a "dramatic reset" was needed and "things have to improve". Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock urged the prime minister to reshuffle the cabinet to extend her support across the party. He told the BBC: "There's a huge amount of talent on the backbenches - I'm not talking about me, but there are many others that should be brought into government." Treasury minister Andrew Griffith, speaking on Times Radio, insisted that the prime minister has the "confidence of the government". Labour's shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said any further public spending cuts would be "entirely because" of government "incompetence". "I'm not even sure what this government's economic policy is at the moment. I don't know which bits of the budget still apply, and I don't know what we will hear next week," he told the BBC. Source.

A father and son were fishing for striped bass and tuna off the Jersey Shore near Belmar on Wednesday when they hooked a prize memory: A massive humpback whale breached the sea inches from them. The son, Zach Piller, 23, of the Philadephia area, captured the moment on video. The water boiled with activity, with dozens of small fish jumping from the sea, before the humpback's head emerged next to the duo's small boat. "Uh-oh," Piller is heard saying just before the animal breached the surface and raised its head above the boat's midships. “Got that on video!”Piller said among excited swearing. The whale's head landed with a splash, and soon it was deep in the sea. Piller said that small fish are abundant and nearshore this time of year, attracting whales and other animals that eat them. The weather was exceptionally nice Wednesday, with the high above 70 degrees and the water calm and glassy, Piller said. Piller was on an 18-foot Starcraft built by his father. It’s based at a marina in Belmar. Eric Otjen, SeaWorld San Diego vice president of zoological operations said apparent humpback whales feeding on small fish near shore is nothing unusual, but breaching near a boat is. “This whale just happened to chase bait fish right next to a boat,” he said. “The feeding part is common. Being that close to the boat is not. You probably have a better chance of winning the lottery. It popped up where it popped up.” Otjen said it’s possible the mammal was engaging in bubble-net feeding, in which humpback whales dive below a school of fish, blow bubbles in a circle around them to act as a virtual net, and then head for the surface, mouths open, to scoop up the fish. "The guys on the boat had an experience of a lifetime," he said. "A lot of people would pay a lot of money to see what they saw." Experts say humpbacks may use breaches to communicate because the resulting collision with the surface creates sound waves that travel far. They might also slap their fins for the same reason. The Jersey Shore has been unusually active when it comes to whale sightings since at least July. And, reaching back to 2011, humpbacks have been staying longer for feeding season, possibly to feast on Atlantic menhaden, a small fish they prefer, researchers say. Though the nearshore activity could be a sign that the endangered species is rebounding following the dark ages of hunting them for oil, scientists are concerned that boat traffic and fishing lines are posing serious threats. On Sept. 26, the SeaWorld San Diego Rescue Team, as part of the West Coast Large Whale Entanglement Response Program, helped to disentangle a humpback whale from 300 feet of lines and buoys that appeared to be from crab fishing, the park said. The park’s rescuers, joined off the coast of Carlsbad, California by responders from federal and local jurisdictions, were able to see the mammal set off for deeper climes. “We celebrate and all that stuff, but we really want to not have to do it,” Otjen said. Source.

Verdict Our track-only drive in the Urus Performante leaves questions about its comfort that can only be answered on the road, but for now, we can be sure that the level of capability in the car is formidable. It’s not just fast, but also engaging for such a large SUV, but there are times when the car reminds you of its weight and height. That the Lamborghini Urus Performante comes with the option of shodding its vast 22-inch wheels in Pirelli Trofeo R tyres tells you how seriously this machine takes itself as a rather unlikely track car. Somehow, Lambo’s super SUV has made it nearly five years in production without gaining a derivative version (track-only ST-X notwithstanding), so it’s perhaps fitting that the first offshoot has arrived with some serious intent. The super-sticky tyres - usually reserved for the most focussed supercars - are only part of the story. The Perf rides 20mm lower on stiffer steel springs, unlike the outgoing standard Urus and its Urus S replacement, which used air springs. The front and rear track widths are up 16mm, and a new centre differential from Torsen not only makes the torque shift between the front and rear axles faster but sends more torque to the rear more often. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 develops 657bhp, which is 16bhp up on the outgoing Urus, but no more than the S. Its 3.3-second 0-62mph time is three tenths better than the S, however, thanks to a variety of factors including a 47kg weight drop and recalibrated launch control system. Top speed is 190mph. A recalibrated eight-speed automatic gearbox shifts more aggressively than before. Both in images and in the metal, the ride height drop is obvious, giving the Urus Performante an aggressive stance. The standard Urus has always been - for better or worse - a visual feast, and now there’s more to take in than ever. There's a vented carbon fibre bonnet, a carbon fibre rear wing and new bumpers influenced by the Aventador SVJ. The new aero profile ups downforce by 38 per cent over the rear axle. With all the chassis fiddling, we suspect the Urus Performante might feel quite stiff on the road, but unfortunately, we don’t know that for sure just yet. Our first drive of the car was limited to Vallelunga circuit near Rome plus an on-site dirt track to sample the new ‘Rally’ mode. The Urus did tackle the latter with a surprising degree of smoothness, though, which is hopefully a good sign. On track, the Urus Performante is a formidable weapon. It’s startling not just in terms of how capable it is - its traction is staggering - but how easy it is for the driver to exploit what the Performante can do. For a car of this sort, there’s a reasonable degree of feedback from both the steering and the chassis, so you can build confidence in this two-tonne SUV surprisingly easily. It’s in the faster corners where the Performante feels the most impressive. Rear-wheel steering - which turns the back axle in the same direction as the fronts at higher speed - adds to the unflappable sense of stability, yet it changes direction swiftly and with minimal fuss, too. The pointy front end has no trouble in keeping up with the relatively quick steering. The level of agility and lack of significant body roll means you start to forget the Urus Performante is a tall car that still weighs comfortably over two tonnes even after its diet. Heavily-loaded, tighter corners can serve as a reminder, however. Incredible though it is what modern chassis technology can do for a car like the Urus, the laws of physics are still present, and become abundantly clear on the occasions understeer arrives. As for what’s going on at the other end, we didn’t get much movement at all from the rear axle, save for the first track session which was under slipperier conditions. Then, the Urus showed a surprising keenness to rotate, which was easy and non-threatening to manage. The new Rally mode, which was inspired by the Huracan Sterrato concept and sits alongside the usual settings including Strada and Corsa, offers a different kind of oversteer-led entertainment. It softens the adaptive dampers and allows more wheelspin, making you feel like a rally hero as you grab armfuls of opposite luck. It’s fun, but we can’t imagine too many Urus Performante owners making use of it. The engine is as impressive as ever. It’s not the most rev-hungry engine, but the fat gobs of mid-range torque on offer (the peak of 850Nm is available from 2,250rpm to 4,500) means that’s not really a problem. It makes a great noise, too. Lamborghini has given the V8 a helping hand by rejigging the sound actuators at the base of the windscreen, and adding an Akrapovic exhaust, which lets out a tremendous snarl for something that has to comply with stringent modern regulations. For all its focus, the Urus Performante is a hugely practical car, with plenty of interior space and a whopping 661-litre boot. The cabin hasn’t changed a great deal, but it is now clad in a lot of Alcantara (a practical as well as an aesthetic choice, Lamborghini says, as it’s less reflective), and you can option more of the stuff if you want - it’s even possible to have an Alcantara-lined boot. The 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system is responsive enough and easy to navigate, and now looks a little snazzier thanks to Performante-specific graphics, which extend to the 8.6-inch digital instrument cluster. Impressive though the Urus Performante’s blend of practicality and performance might be, there’s no shortage of rivals. Based on merely a track drive, we can’t say for sure if it’s any better than the likes of the sensational Aston Martin DBX 707 and Urus-related Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT. Plenty of buyers are on board, however - order an Urus Performante now, and you won’t get one until 2024. Source.

Love. Why has this four-letter word inspired songs, films, poems or prose? And how does this emotion move human beings to act or react for better or for worse? That is the crux of the exhibition titled “Love. What moves us” that begins on October 14 at the Haus der Geschichte in the southwestern German city of Stuttgart. Forming the third part of the museum’s “Emotion Trilogy,” which previously focused on greed and hate, the show looks at the light and dark sides of love: on the one hand uniting and strengthening people, yet forbidding or fanatical on the other. What is ‘love’ anyway? The 40 love stories featured in the exhibition tell of struggles against prejudice, of love across social or political boundaries and even of blind patriotic love. It also looks at people who have dedicated their lives to charity or to protecting the earth while risking everything in the process. Given the current sociopolitical landscape within and outside of Germany, the exhibition’s relevance and the points it raises couldn’t be more obvious, says exhibition director Rainer Schimpf. “The COVID pandemic has left deep wounds. The political debate in the country is increasingly characterized by fear, hatred and irreconcilability. And at the same time, a brutal war is raging in Europe. Not to mention global warming and its consequences for humanity. In this situation, the need for attention and appreciation is perhaps greater than it has been for a long time,” he told DW. Referring to the previous two exhibitions on greed and hate respectively, Schimpf explains that visitors’ reactions were generally positive, saying that there was frequent feedback about how important it was to deal with these issues. “It seemed as if many people were downright depressed by hatred and were looking for answers as to how it could be overcome. Messages about this could also be left directly in the exhibition. We were completely surprised by how strong the response was. It far exceeded the other entries in the visitors’ book.” Schimpf says that the stories featured in the current love exhibition show what love can make possible. “Even in situations of despair and hopelessness, love can move people to actions that they would perhaps not have thought themselves capable of. Love can transcend boundaries — and this in many senses.” Schimpf however underscores that it’s not entirely maudlin either. “We do not conceal the aberrations and abysses to which love can also lead. But ultimately, of course, this is an exhibition that should give hope that hate does not have the last say,” he explains. Of red tape and a horse Among the eye-catching exhibits is a wedding dress that a German teacher in Ravensburg designed out of copies of official documents. It was borne of her frustration at not being able to officially marry her Gambian partner and the bureaucracy surrounding his efforts to prove his identity beyond doubt to German authorities. The skeletal remains of an Arabian stallion named Goumousch Bourno bear testament to the love that the Württemberg King Wilhelm I had for his wife Catharina Pavlovna, a widowed cousin whom he married in 1816. As the sister of the Russian tsar, she had brought with her a substantial dowry and her social engagement won the hearts of the people. The stallion had been purchased on her behalf in Damascus for the royal stables, but she did not live to see his arrival. Her husband however had the horse skeleton preserved in her memory. Love in the time of war Of the stories that particularly moved exhibition director Rainer Schimpf, two are related to wars. One is of Berthold von Deimling, who Schimpf describes as the prototype of a thoughtless and ruthless general in the German Empire and World War I. “He was a great warrior. He sacrificed thousands of young men for his glory. After the war, however, he changed from a warmonger to a pacifist. To the astonishment of his contemporaries, he of all people sought reconciliation with the ‘arch-enemy’ France.” The other heart-wrenching love story concerns people who were born to German mothers and soldiers of the occupying forces — namely US, UK, France and the Soviet Union — in Germany after World War II. Schimpf relates the story of a woman, who was born in the French Occupation Zone in southwest Germany in 1947. Her father was a French soldier, who later left in 1949. Her mother died early and her German half-sister only referred to her father as the “little French one.” In her search for her father, she later posted family pictures on a website, in which someone recognized him. This eventually led her to his grave in France and to meeting her French half-sister. “You could easily transfer this story to the other Occupation Zones. All of Germany was separated into four zones, so you have these cases all over the country,” explains Schimpf. Civil courage and forgiveness Other featured love stories extend beyond the family and the familiar. One tells of a feisty 82-year-old woman who came to the aid of another who was being physically attacked by her partner in a store. The pensioner hit the perpetrator with her walking stick, which prompted him to let go of his victim. The police believed that the old lady’s prompt intervention may have helped prevent life-threatening injuries. And finally, love also means forgiveness. In October 2016, medical student Maria Ladenburger was murdered in Freiburg by an Afghan refugee. Her parents called for prudence and did not want to respond to the act with hatred and agitation. Instead, they set up a foundation in memory of their daughter to help students in need. Source.

China's President Xi Jinping signalled there would be no immediate loosening of his controversial zero-Covid strategy as a historic Communist Party congress opened in Beijing. In a break in decades-long tradition, delegates are likely to hand Mr Xi a third term as party chief. Zero-Covid was a "people's war to stop the spread of the virus", he said. The policy has saved lives, but also exacted a punishing toll on the Chinese people and economy. There is increasing public fatigue over lockdowns and travel restrictions. Beijing has come under strict security measures ahead of the congress, sparking frustration in the city with a rare and dramatic public protest on Thursday criticising Mr Xi and zero Covid. Mr Xi also addressed the issue of Taiwan - which China claims as part of its territory. Self-governing Taiwan sees itself as distinct from the mainland. Speaking slowly and deliberately, he said Beijing would "never promise to renounce the use of force" and that "complete reunification of our country must and will be realised", prompting sustained applause from delegates. On Hong Kong, Mr Xi said Beijing had exerted control there, turning the situation from "chaos to governance". Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on the territory after pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019. Mr Xi also made reference to divisions within China's political establishment, saying his rule had "removed serious hidden dangers in the party". Since reaching top office, he has overseen a wide-reaching corruption crackdown extending to the highest echelons of the party. But critics have portrayed it as a political purge. He also added that China would accelerate the building of its military, referencing the terms "safety" or "security" some 73 times. The speech, which lasted less than two hours, was significantly shorter than his speech at the last congress in 2017. His remarks have likely had their choice of words workshopped for months and analysts will be poring over it for any signs of policy shifts. A third term as leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will pave the way for him to become the most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. About 2,300 delegates are meeting to elect party leaders and debate key policies. Over the course of the congress, delegates are also expected to elect various leaders including the Politburo Standing Committee - China's equivalent of a presidential cabinet - who will present themselves to waiting media after the congress. In the past, the twice-a-decade congress was seen as a chance for leaders to promote their supporters, as they vied to increase the power of their factions within the party. But observers say these days there appears to be only one faction at the 20th Party Congress - that of Mr Xi. In a clear sign of this consolidation of power, top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders released a communiqué days earlier endorsing him as "the core" of the party and leadership. They also called for the party to unite even more closely behind him. Mr Xi currently holds the three most powerful positions in China - general secretary of the CCP, chairman of the country's armed forces and president. He is expected to renew his term for the first two titles at the congress. The CCP does not set any term limits. But no leader besides Mao, the founder of communist China, has ever served a third term. The presidency also used to have a two-term limit in the country's constitution, put in place by reformer Deng Xiaoping to prevent the rise of a Mao-like figure. But Mr Xi has managed to eliminate this requirement: in 2018 China's rubber-stamp parliament abolished the rule, effectively allowing him to remain president for as long as he likes. Since taking power in 2012, Mr Xi has led China on a path that has been equal parts ambitious and authoritarian. He has pushed for "a great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation", which saw him pursuing economic reform, reducing pollution and alleviating poverty. He has also launched crackdowns on the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. But Mr Xi continues to face a multitude of challenges, such as youth unemployment, a slowing economy and the ongoing property crisis - and of course zero-Covid. Many will also be watching the congress to see if there will be any alteration to Beijing's foreign policy, especially towards the world's other superpower, the US. Mr Xi's attempts to expand China's influence abroad through the One Belt One Road programme and claims in the South China Sea, as well as its support of Russia in the Ukraine war and its recent military exercises around Taiwan have raised tensions with the US and other countries. With Mr Xi remaining at the helm all these will continue to be core interests - though some experts believe he may temper China's approach in some aspects to pursue better trade relations with the US and regional partners. "The CCP's political legitimacy lies in socioeconomic delivery," said Dr Collin Koh of Singapore's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies. "The average Chinese citizen will feel that things are not going very well, so there's a need to reinvigorate the kind of growth China has been more used to in recent decades." Source.