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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.

Happy birthday

Update: A representative for WB Games Montreal confirmed on the official Gotham Knights Discord that the game is locked to 4K/30fps on Xbox Series X/S and PS5, with no performance mode offered. While it seems a somewhat dubious claim, they say this is largely due to the game's large open world and co-op features, and offering 60fps would not be a simple matter of lowering resolution/visual features. Original Story: While it wasn’t really a thing for most of the history of console gaming, in recent years, players have got used to being able to choose their visual options on next-gen systems. At the very least, most big games now offer a 4K resolution mode and 60fps performance mode. Well, it seems Gotham Knights is going old-school with its graphical options. For the last few days rumors have been circulating that Gotham Knights will be locked into a single visual mode on consoles, which offers 4K resolution and ray tracing, but only 30fps. Well, according to ResetEra user Axecidentally, who claims to have access to a pre-launch copy of Gotham Knights, it is indeed locked to 4K/30fps on PS5. “I can confirm the PS5 version at least does not come with any graphical options other than Brightness, Contrast, Saturation and HDR. I can also confirm the game does not run at 60 fps.” Our ResetEra user also claims they had to download a large update to play the game, likely the usual Day 1 patch, and it didn’t add any graphical options. Developer WB Games Montreal have refused to say anything about the 30fps situation despite pretty persistent questioning from fans, which doesn’t instill much confidence. We here at Wccftech only have access to PC code, so we can’t confirm ourselves. As such, take this with a grain of salt for now. Personally, I’m perfectly alright with 4K/30fps, provided the 30fps is consistent, in certain games. That said, in a timing-heavy action game like Gotham Knights, at least the option for 60fps really should be there. In perhaps more positive news, a Gotham Knights FAQ has revealed the game will be getting a new 4-player co-op mode entitled “Heroic Assault” post-launch. “Heroic Assault is an upcoming gameplay mode that is separate from the main story campaign. The standalone mode supports up to four players in online co-op and provides a dedicated arena-like environment with specific objectives to complete and enemies to defeat on each floor (30 floors total).” Gotham Knights arrives on PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5 on October 21. The Heroic Assault mode is slated to launch on November 29. Source.

Razer took the mobile gaming world by storm back in 2020 with the release of the Kishi controller. Now, the company has returned with the Razer Kishi V2, intending to improve on the original in every conceivable way. Considering how beloved the Kishi V1 was, that's a lofty goal, but I'm happy to report, by and large, they've managed it. Though the name may imply a slight upgrade, the Razer Kishi V2 has been completely redesigned from the ground up. The flexible bridge from the original is gone, being replaced by a telescopic, sliding bridge. It's a welcome change too. Sure, the V1's collapsible bridge was excellent for portability, but it never felt entirely stable. With the Razer Kishi V2, my device feels much more secure, and I've not found myself worrying about my phone coming loose as I play. But the adjustments go beyond fitting a new bridge. The shape and feel of the Razer Kishi V2 is completely different to its predecessor. The back of the hand grips sports a textured feel, making the controller comfortable to use even during extended game sessions. I happily sat and played Diablo Immortal for several hours without any issues. The buttons have also received an upgrade across the board with the addition of microswitch buttons and a d-pad. They offer a pleasant tactile feel when pressed, making them wonderfully responsive and perfect for games where reactions make all the difference, such as Rocket League sideswipe. In particular, the d-pad benefits from this change the most. The V1's d-pad was serviceable but felt a little too mushy, much like the Xbox 360 controller. As a result, I tended to avoid using them if possible, whereas the Razer Kishi V2's d-pad is a delight to use. The analogue sticks have also been swapped out for a version closer to what the Nintendo Switch offers. So if you're familiar with that setup, you'll feel at home here. The triggers are also analogue, perfect if you enjoy playing racing games on the go. The placement of the buttons is excellent, with everything within easy reach. However, if you don't want to remove your right thumb from the analogue stick, Razer has included two extra buttons next to the trigger that you can remap to suit your preferences, adding some welcome versatility to the Kishi V2. To map these buttons, you'll need to download the Razer Nexus app and adjust them within the settings. But that's not all the app offers. It also allows you to choose from your roster of games with ease and the app itself can be launched with the click of a button on the Kishi V2 itself. Aside from a list of your own library, the Nexus app also aims to act as a point of discovery for new games, offering up a host of options from different genres that are known to work well with the controller. The Nexus app also enables the share button, allowing you to stream to Facebook and YouTube. Much like its predecessor, the Razer Kishi V2 doesn't run off its own power. Instead, you simply attach your Android device (an iOS version is launching later this year) through its USB-C connection and game away. Then if the power gets low, there is a USB-C port on the Kishi V2 that allows for passthrough charging, so you don't have to pause your gaming session. Not only is this much more convenient than fiddling around with Bluetooth, it almost means there's virtually no latency. This makes any gaming experience infinitely more enjoyable but is absolutely vital if you enjoy playing online competitively. The Razer Kishi V2 is a stellar controller, then. It's incredibly comfortable to use for multiple hours at a time, and the responsiveness of the buttons is sublime. It feels much more premium than its predecessor, which is quite the compliment when you remember the V1 is still a great controller. The Razer Nexus app is also a great step toward discovering controller-compatible games that will only improve over time. Throw in compatibility with Xbox Game Pass, Nvidia GeForce Now, Google Stadia and the likes of Steam Link and the Razer Kishi V2 is the perfect companion for all your gaming needs on a mobile phone. Source.

Microsoft has announced that animated avatars are now available in preview for its Teams collaboration platform. Via the Avatars app in the Microsoft Teams App Store, members of the Technical Access Program can now design up to three avatars for use during meetings, and choose from an array of reaction gestures. So-called Mesh avatars were first announced for Microsoft Teams in a blog post(opens in new tab) by John Roach, the company’s CTO of digital advisory services, back in November 2021. Mesh avatars in the workplace Mesh avatars allow for greater freedom of expression in a hybrid working environment, with users able to customize physical attributes, accessories, and other aspects of themselves. Microsoft’s release of the feature at its Ignite event reiterates its commitment to blurring the line between video conferencing software and metaverses, which some business leaders believe are the next big development in collaboration tools following the shift to hybrid working. These spaces are designed around mesh avatars interacting inside a virtual space equipped with the tools that teams need to collaborate, such as whiteboards, document storage, and video conferencing software. If Microsoft continues to develop metaverse-adjacent features for the Teams platform, it could manage to scupper Meta’s plans for the sector with its own Horizon Workrooms metaverse. Horizon Workrooms could end up being seen as a less convenient offering when up against Teams, a video conferencing app that’s already in use by many organizations and benefits from Microsoft 365 integration. Until then, organizations looking to try out the new mesh avatars but without access to the private preview build can sign up for updates on the Teams website(opens in new tab). Source.

ASRock has quietly released revision 2.0 of its WRX80 Creator motherboard for AMD's Ryzen Threadripper Pro processor that costs more than $350 less than the revision 1.0 of the same mainboard, which was released this August. The only difference between the two boards? The new model uses Marvell's Aquantia 10GbE controller instead of an Intel 10GbE controller. Other than 10GbE controllers, ASRock's WRX80 Creator motherboards are absolutely identical. Both use a 14-layer printed circuit board (something that is hardly ever used, even for enthusiast-grade motherboards designed for overclockers). Both boards come with voltage regulating modules (VRMs) featuring Infineon's premium DrMOS power stages, promising extended longevity and generally designed for reliability and durability. Features and capabilities of the platforms can be compared on ASRock's website, or using the brief table below. Both motherboards are now available at Newegg. The new ASRock WRX80 Creator revision 2.0 costs $899(opens in new tab), while the ASRock WRX80 Creator revision 1.0 is priced at $1256(opens in new tab). The mention of the revision 2.0 at Newegg's website has been discovered by @momomo_us, as ASRock has not officially announced the new version of its product. Both motherboards support AMD's Ryzen Threadripper Pro CPUs for high-end workstations, and therefore support up to 2TB of DDR4-3200 memory using eight channels and have 128 PCIe 4.0 lanes (up from 72 on non-Pro TR), spread across its seven PCIe 4.0 x16 (electrical), M.2-2280 as well as U.2 Gen4 x4 slots. They also feature all the premium input/output capabilities imaginable, which includes two 10GbE ports (Intel-powered on revision 1.0 and Marvell Aquantia-powered on revision 2.0), Wi-Fi-6E, Thunderbolt 4, eight SATA connectors, 7.1-channel audio with a headset amplifier, a built-in KVM, and Aspeed's AST 2500 BMC for remote management. In general, there seem to be no differences between the two ASRock's WRX80 Creator motherboards other than the 10GbE controllers. But many enterprise clients (who are more likely to purchase workstation-grade hardware) demand an Intel network controller, since their IT departments know how to manage them. Also, Intel's controller supports the Energy Efficient Ethernet 802.3az feature, something that may be important for business customers. By contrast, ASRock's WRX80 revision 2.0 with a Marvell 10GbE controller provides similar performance for $350 less. This will definitely be an important factor to consider for boutique workstation makers as well as DIYers. Is Intel's 10GbE controller worth that much more? Source.

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Difficult decisions will be needed "across the board" on tax and spending, the new chancellor has said. Jeremy Hunt told the BBC that some taxes will go up, while government spending may need to fall. He said two mistakes were made in the mini-budget by Kwasi Kwarteng - cutting the top rate of tax and announcing it without an independent forecast. But he also praised his predecessor for help offered to people struggling with their energy bills. Mr Hunt said he agreed with the prime minister's goal of "solving the growth paradox", but added: "The way we went about it clearly wasn't right and that's why I'm sitting here now." Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, Mr Hunt said: "Taxes are not going to come down by as much as people hoped, and some taxes will have to go up. "I'm going to be asking all government departments to find additional efficiency savings." But Mr Hunt, who was appointed as chancellor on Friday after Kwasi Kwarteng was sacked by the prime minister, refused to outline any details for his tax and spending plans. He told BBC Breakfast he was "not going to make any commitments" and reiterated he was just hours into the job. However, the chancellor made a series of points about the government's mini-budget and discussed possible plans for his new role: Mr Hunt said there were two mistakes in the mini-budget - cutting the 45p rate of tax for top earners and announcing the package without independent costings He said he hoped to keep the 1% cut to the basic rate of income tax, but that no decisions had yet been made He said some taxes will need to go up He is asking government departments to find "efficiencies", meaning possible cuts to spending He refused to rule out cuts to NHS spending, nor did he rule out row-backs on Liz Truss's pledge to boost defence spending Mr Hunt's comments come after the government's mini-budget last month, which included £45bn worth of tax cuts, and sparked turbulence in the financial markets. Addressing mistakes he said were made by the ex-chancellor, Mr Hunt said: "There were two mistakes - it was wrong to cut the top rate of tax for the very highest earners at a time where we're going to have to be asking for sacrifices from everyone to get through a very difficult period. "And it was wrong to fly blind and to announce those plans without reassuring people with the discipline of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) that we actually can afford to pay for them." He said both of these were now in the process of "being put right". Mr Hunt said he would be meeting Treasury officials later and Liz Truss on Sunday. After just 39 days as prime minister, Ms Truss is facing huge pressure from within her party as key elements of the major economic plan she and the former chancellor set out in September have been scrapped. The prime minister is facing a backlash from Conservative MPs after announcing the government's second U-turn in a month. Friday's U-turn on plans to cut corporation tax followed an earlier reversal of plans to cut the 45p rate of income tax for the highest earners. One Tory MP described the party as being in a "state of despair", but Truss supporter Christopher Chope said "time will tell" if she had done enough to secure her position. Asked whether there should be a general election, Mr Hunt told the BBC: "What the country wants now is stability. "[Truss] has been prime minister for less than five weeks. When we are judged at a general election, we will be judged by what we deliver over the next 18 months by far more than what's happened over the last 18 weeks." The PM has described sacking Mr Kwarteng and scrapping another key economic policy as "difficult" and admitted in a short press conference on Friday that "parts of our mini-budget went further and faster" than the markets were expecting. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the prime minister of "grotesque chaos" in her sacking of the former chancellor. During a speech in Barnsley a day after the upheaval in Westminster, Sir Keir said Ms Truss was "clinging on", arguing that there was "no historical precedent" for the current situation facing her government. He said: "Britain has faced financial crises before but the prime ministers and chancellors who wrestled with them all acted fast. When their policies ran against the rocks of reality, they took decisive action. "But this lot, they didn't just tank the British economy, they also clung on as they made they pound sink. Source.

When they meet, sarcastic fringeheads can get mouthy. These bug-eyed, bright-lipped fish often open their giant jaws to show off the psychedelic hues splashed across the inside of their mouths. And they can get into fights. “This species has a very wide gape, which means they might have evolved to have some special function,” says Watcharapong Hongjamrassilp, a biologist at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, and a National Geographic Explorer. They are able to open so widely due to their special jawbones, which can extend far past their faces, unlike those in most fish. But why these creatures have such loud mouths and what they use them for hasn’t been clear. Now, new research published October 6 in Ecology suggests that these displays may advertise a male’s size and fitness and help prevent physical fights that could cause injuries. Shelter battles With their brilliant colors, sarcastic fringeheads (Neoclinus blanchardi) reminded Hongjamrassilp of peacocks. In this fish species, both males and females gape their mouths. But females are smaller and their mouths’ colors are muted compared with males. Hongjamrassilp’s team wondered whether males open wide to dazzle females or compete with other males. On scuba dives, Hongjamrassilp and his colleagues observed sarcastic fringeheads at a couple of spots off the coast of California, where the bottom-dwelling fish typically hang out in shells or rock crevices. Most of the time, the fish hid in their shelters with only their heads peeking out. When an intruder—other types of fish or octopuses—came too close, the feisty fishes would chase them off and sometimes attack. But when the passerby was another of the same species, the resident fish often gaped its mouth. The researchers trapped 15 sarcastic fringehead males and brought them back to the lab, where they staged fish meetups. They put two males in a tank with only one snail shell. After one male took command of the shell, the scientists watched how they interacted. Male sarcastic fringeheads defend these sorts of shelters, which are key to how these fish reproduce, says Philip Hastings, a marine biologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, Calif., who was part of this work. Males court females at shelters and a receptive female will lay her eggs there. The male fertilizes the eggs and continues to guard them. “So that’s why they fight over the shelters pretty intensively,” Hastings says. “If a male doesn’t have one of these sites, he’s not going to reproduce at all.” In nearly 70 percent of encounters, the male went full-on gape when the other fish approached. Then, the interloper would either retreat or the pair would fight, swimming at each other, agape, before engaging in mouth-to-mouth combat. The lipsmacking showdowns eventually concluded when the winning fish managed to bite its opponent. Bites were often to the head, and such wounds can become infected, Hongjamrassilp says. The bigger fish, with larger jaws, tended to win these contests. Both in the wild and in the lab, the team didn’t see males gaping wide at females. Instead, they appear to court them with headshaking. Altogether, the observations suggest that males’ splayed open jaws serve primarily to communicate with other males, the team reports. An alternative to fighting? Researchers often consider an animal’s gape as the limiting factor in what it can eat, says Peter Hundt, an ichthyologist at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul. But that explanation doesn’t seem to fit for the sarcastic fringehead’s outstretched jaws. “This fish does not need this big of a mouth to eat what it’s eating—something else is going on.” Brandishing their big jaws may instead be a way to advertise body size, which could dissuade another male from getting physical, the researchers suggest. The fish have sharp front teeth that can cause damage to an opponent’s sensory organs or the eponymous head fringe. “We think that this behavior allows them to decrease the rate of fighting,” Hongjamrassilp says. It’s a compelling idea, says Hundt. There’s a lot of fish swimming around with battle scars from competing over food or other resources, he says. “There would be an advantage to not actually combating and actually just settling it with the with the size of your mouth.” But the number of observations was limited, he says. So the team should gather more observations, he says, especially in the wild, to be certain they aren’t missing aspects of the behavior. Previously, the researchers observed that sarcastic fringeheads’ mouth membranes reflect UV light and that parts of them also fluoresce, for instance, glowing green when light of a certain wavelength falls on them. Hongjamrassilp first saw this when he was working with the fish in a lab that contained a coral tank lit up by a UV light-emitting blacklight. “I was so excited to see that,” he says. Those features may further accentuate the umbrella-like open mouth and enhance its visibility. “In this case, you have maybe something that originally evolved as a weapon becoming more of a signaling device,” says Matthew Kolmann, an integrative biologist at the University of Louisville in Kentucky who wasn’t involved with the work. The team is now investigating how the gaping behavior and the big jaws behind it evolved. Hongjamrassilp is comparing the behavior of sarcastic fringeheads with related species in Japan that have less colorful and wide mouths. Mapping the details of how these fishes use their mouths onto a tree of evolutionary relationships could help to reveal whether having big mouths helps to drive the gaping behavior or vice versa. Many fishes from different groups gape, Kolmann says. “But these things take it to the nth degree.” Kolmann is curious whether other fishes use gaping displays in a similar way as sarcastic fringeheads. “Who in their right mind would have thought that two males would fight each other by blowing parts of their skulls out?” Kolmann asks. “This is just an incredible example of the diversity on Earth.” Source.

Toyota is pushing ahead with its range of bZ fully electric vehicles, but the firm is also preparing to extend the life of one of its most po[CENSORED]r combustion-engined models when a fresh generation of C-HR arrives in the second half of next year. Designed and engineered in Europe, the style-focused SUV-crossover has been a smash hit with customers worldwide since it was introduced in 2016. And even with Toyota targeting 3.5 million global sales of electric vehicles annually by 2030, there’s still plenty of space in its portfolio for cars featuring combustion power. One of the current C-HR’s biggest selling points has been its polarising styling, with complex surfacing and a narrow glasshouse, particularly at its ‘pinched’ rear end. Our exclusive images – based on leaked patent images from Australia that Toyota sources won’t comment on – show that the firm is building on the original look, with lots of creases along the car’s flanks and, most noticeably, a contrast-colour C-pillar section that follows the styling of the Aygo X city car. The front takes cues from many of the concepts revealed at Toyota’s EV showcase at the end of 2021, while the dramatic roof profile looks similar to the current car’s – a sign that Toyota isn’t targeting huge gains in practicality, even in the relatively cramped rear cabin. The firm has the Corolla Cross and RAV4 to cater for customers after a more traditional SUV, so it doesn’t need to take the C-HR in that direction. If anything, its wheelbase looks slightly reduced compared with the current car’s, so it could be that Toyota is going to make the new C-HR more of a coupé sibling to the Yaris Cross. There remains scope for a more radical plan, though. Late last year Toyota sources confirmed a new platform, called E3, that will mix elements from the combustion-engined and electric-only versions of its TNGA architecture. The C-HR has already been highlighted as a likely candidate for the new underpinnings, which are designed to give Toyota the flexibility to offer hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure-electric versions of single models, as well as making them on the same production lines. The timings would be tight – most sources suggest E3 won’t come on stream until the middle of the decade – but Toyota could conceivably use it to offer a new C-HR with various levels of electrified powertrain, and an all-electric version of the same model that could carry the bZ (Beyond Zero) badge. Even if the Mk2 C-HR sticks with its current TNGA platform, expect major revisions in the combustion-engined powertrains as the engineers bring the model up to the latest iterations of hardware and software. The existing C-HR uses the fourth generation of Toyota’s hybrid powertrain, which has been superseded in Japanese-market models and the recently updated Corolla. But a further evolution of this latest set-up could well be available for the C-HR, after making a likely debut in the spring in a new Prius. That purely eco-focused model remains a halo vehicle for Toyota’s hybrid efforts, so it’s a natural launchpad for a fresh generation of systems. Expect a focus on making the complex transmission of the C-HR feel more natural, and increasing the amount of time spent running on pure electric, particularly around town. The more compact systems and a more energy-dense lithium-ion battery may even allow Toyota to offer the C-HR as a plug-in, utilising software and some hardware from the RAV4, but steering clear of that car’s sports car-esque power and performance. The patent images show flaps on both of the rear wings, suggesting a fuel filler and a plug socket. But even if a C-HR PHEV does get an additional electric motor on its back axle, like the RAV4, it is likely to be of a more modest output, tailored to maximise the pure-electric range that’s crucial for tax regulations around the world. Toyota may have accelerated its EV plans, but its approach to zero-emissions vehicles remains more multi-faceted and transitional. Toyota’s boss Akio Toyoda told dealers in the US last week that shifting higher volumes of hybrids could, for the time being, be a more effective way of reducing CO2 emissions than limited numbers of expensive EVs. “Toyota can produce eight 40-mile plug-in hybrids for every one 320-mile battery electric vehicle,” Toyoda said, “and save up to eight times the carbon emitted into the atmosphere.” Source.

Karwa Chauth, a festival of fasting — traditionally followed by married women, who do it to prolong the lives of their husbands — has been both celebrated and frowned upon. This year, it was celebrated on October 13, which was a Thursday. On the occasion, pictures emerged from different parts of the country, which showed women applying henna on their hands and preparing to sight the moon in the night sky, after which they broke their fast, which is typically done for a whole day, wherein one is not allowed to eat or drink anything, not even water. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that even though the festival continues to be commemorated, women have started to shun some regressive beliefs; their husbands, too, have assumed the role of supportive partners, fasting along with them, so as to challenge certain patriarchal beliefs. In the Bollywood circuit, Karwa Chauth is celebrated with a lot of avidity. This year was no different: from Shilpa Shetty Kundra to Katrina Kaif, many married actors fasted and posted cute selfies on Instagram. Others like Tahira Kashyap and Sonam Kapoor, however, shared their thoughts in a more progressive light, stating that while they celebrated the festival, they did away with certain rituals. Tahira took to Instagram to write a lengthy post featuring her husband Ayushmann Khurrana. She said that as a festival, Karwa Chauth has got “more to do with personal choices”. Keeping it light, funny and impactful, she wrote in the caption, “Fast or not? Fruits and juices or dry fast? Veg or non veg? Only dress up and no fast, both fast/solo fast/only you fast/only me fast, mehndi or not, working day or not… we have done it all.” Tahira continued, “Over the years I have realised these are more to do with personal choices rather than what’s decided for me, for us. It’s so lovely that both of us have evolved respecting each other over the years. Love and respect is all that is important and festivals are a gentle reminder of the same.” Source.

Forty people are now thought to have died following an explosion in a coal mine in northern Turkey, the country's interior minister says, Suleyman Soylu said 58 miners had been rescued, 11 had been injured and one was unaccounted for. Around 110 people were in the mine at the time of Friday's blast, almost half of them at more than 300m (984ft) deep. Emergency crews had worked through the night, digging through rock to try to reach survivors. Video footage showed miners emerging blackened and bleary-eyed accompanied by rescuers at the facility in Amasra, on the Black Sea coast. Family and friends of the missing could also be seen at the mine, anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones. With the discovery of the latest bodies, the massive rescue operation is - in the words of the energy minister at the scene - approaching its end. Interior Minister Mr Soylu told reporters: "We have counted 40 dead in total. Fifty-eight miners were able to be rescued, either by themselves or thanks to rescuers." President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - who is on his way to Bartin province, where the mine is located - said on Twitter that the judicial authorities would investigate. The local prosecutor's office has already begun an investigation in the blast, the cause of which is not known. It is believed to have occurred at around 300m deep. At the time, some 49 people had been working in the "risky" zone between 300 and 350m underground, Mr Soylu said. Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said there were initial indications the blast was caused by firedamp, which is methane forming an explosive mixture in coal mines. There were partial collapses inside the mine, he said, adding that there were no ongoing fires, and that ventilation was working properly. Amasra's mayor Recai Cakir said many of those who survived had suffered "serious injuries". One worker who managed to escape on his own said: "There was dust and smoke and we don't know exactly what happened." The mine belongs to the state-owned Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises. Turkey witnessed its deadliest coal mining disaster in 2014, when 301 people died after a blast in the western town of Soma. Source.

V2 for the amazing resizing & blur

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Last week, we covered two ways to stream PC games on your mobile phone. But what about console games? Is it possible to do the same on PlayStation and Xbox? The answer to that question is yes, and there is one fairly obvious reason you might prefer to do that over your PC. Controllers. Plenty of games on Steam offer controller compatibility, but with a console, it's guaranteed. That means no matter which game you decide to stream to your phone, you know it'll work with your controller. On PC, you might have to fiddle around with settings to get it to work or choose to use touch controls instead. That's all well and good if you enjoy tinkering, but sometimes convenience is your main priority, and that's why we're here to walk you through the set-up for streaming console games on your phone. Xbox First up, we'll start with streaming your Xbox console to your phone. Whether that's the Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S, the instructions are the same. Simply follow the steps below: Switch on your Xbox console and download the Xbox app from either the App Store or Google Play. On your Xbox and head to the Settings menu. From there, go to Devices & connections – Remote Features. Tick the box labelled “Enable remote features.” Open the Xbox app and sign in to your profile. After signing in, ignore the messages that appear asking you to set up a new console and cross them off. Instead, tap the Xbox console button, located in the top-right, to the left of the notification icon. The app should then find your Xbox console. From here, simply tap “Remote play on this device.” Next, you will need to connect a controller. This can be a Bluetooth controller, such as an Xbox controller, or you can connect a USB controller, like the Razer Kishi V2. PlayStation If you prefer to game on the PlayStation, whether that's the PS4 or PS5, the instructions remain the same. Follow the steps below to get up and running: Make sure your console is switched on, and then download the PS Remote Play app from Google Play or the App Store. The app will prompt you to connect your PlayStation controller. Follow the on-screen instructions or press the X in the top left if you'd rather use touch controls. You will then be asked if you want to connect to a PS4 or PS5. If you're connecting to a PS4, it should start searching for your console immediately. For a PS5, you will first need to enable remote play. On your PS5, head to Settings – System – Remote Play – Enable Remote play. Return to the app and press okay to begin the search and connect to your PS4 or PS5. Now you're ready to enjoy PlayStation games on your phone! Source.

Microsoft has revealed that the cloud-based version of its Microsoft Office suite, Microsoft 365, will be ported to a single desktop and mobile application. The move, announced(opens in new tab) at the company’s annual Ignite event, will put an end to the Office.com web portal from November 2022, with the existing Microsoft Office apps on desktop and mobile being phased out in January 2023. The move will affect all Microsoft 365 users across enterprise, education and personal subscription packages. New Microsoft 365 features Microsoft was quick to clear up any misconceptions about the change, confirming that Microsoft Office will continue to exist as a standalone product that users can choose to purchase outright. Existing users won’t even have to lift a finger, as the existing Officeapplications will update to the new app automatically, and users will keep their account configurations. While the move to a single application seems to be purely to keep Microsoft’s cloud office software offerings well-organized for users, it also used the announcement to tease a raft of new features that will be coming to the existing Microsoft 365 apps before being ported over. For example, Microsoft 365 now offers the My Content hub - a central location for all content created by or shared with an individual - to all users. The feature was previously only available to business customers. A custom tagging system has also been made available for business users, allowing them to organize content as they see fit, while a new feed will recommend content based on factors like who they work with and what they commonly work on together. Many of these features are fundamentals unlikely to break ground. A feed for content recommendations, and the My Content hub, for example, are variations of functionality already available as part of Google Workspace. With the new Microsoft 365 app, the company has sidestepped the problem of encouraging users to adopt the new way of accessing the service, by simply removing all the old ones. It’s a smart business move, sure to clear up any confusion still out there about what Microsoft 365 is and can do for all kinds of users. Whether the app really will be more convenient than the current offerings remains to be seen. Source.

According to Suroosh on the Nvidia forums,(opens in new tab) Nvidia is testing a new purchasing program for the RTX 4090. The Verified Priority Access program guarantees a certain number of creators and gamers get a chance to buy Nvidia's best graphics card. The program requires the GeForce Experience app to work and uses an in-app notification that invites selected participants to buy a Founders Edition 4090. Nvidia is reportedly testing this new program to ensure that some of its customer base can bypass day-one availability issues that often occur at launch. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened with the RTX 4090, with most models going out of stock almost instantly at launch. Even now, all RTX 4090 models are out of stock at retailers like Newegg and Best Buy. Unfortunately, Nvidia did not disclose who would gain access to this priority program, or how many customers can potentially get into the system. All we know is Nvidia is testing the program with select retailers in specific countries, including Best Buy (United States), Scan (United Kingdom), NBB (Germany & Netherlands), and LDLC (France, Italy, and Spain). If we had to guess, Nvidia is probably limiting the current test run to only the most po[CENSORED]r gamers and streamers online today, potentially spreading out to more mainstream consumers if testing goes well. This priority program is very similar to other systems, such as EVGA's queue order or the Newegg shuffle, that debuted during the GPU shortage. A program like this isn't bad, especially during major GPU launches. If done right, it can prevent a lot of cards from falling into the hands of scalpers and ensures at least some people can buy a GPU at launch without worrying about availability. However, its success will depend on how many people can get into the queue and how many cards Nvidia will withhold for priority members only. Source.

For all PC gamers, Steam is the quintessential storefront that we have been using for the longest time possible. Despite all the good things about the platform, the one thing that always sucked was the mobile app that looked like it was developed in the stone age. Well, after putting the app's new interface through beta for a good chunk of time, the platform is finally rolling out the major refresh across every device. The Steam Mobile App Finally Gets a Modern Makeover with Quality of Life Changes and Features The company has completely revamped the new Steam Mobile app; this means you are getting a new framework, design, and features. Users will still be able to browse the store, use Steam Guard codes, and confirm trades. However, you now have QR code scanning for sign-ins, smarter notifications, customizable tabs, and a new Library view with remote downloads, which is one of the smartest inclusion. You can look at all the features of the new Steam Mobile app below: Two-factor authentication to ensure you’re the only one with access to your account QR code sign-in - Scan a QR code to sign into Steam instead of entering a password or… Sign-in confirmation - Confirm your regular Steam sign-ins with a simple “approve” or “deny” Authorized Devices - Manage access to the devices your account has signed in Easy access to the Store, Community, News, etc., from wherever you are Your Library with access to your game content, discussions, guides, support, and more Remote download of games and updates on your PC, managed from your phone Customizable Steam notifications: wishlist, sales, comments, trades, discussions, friend requests, and more Trade and Market confirmations – to ensure items don’t leave your account without your approval An improved Store browsing experience for mobile screens Support for using multiple Steam accounts in the app Customizable tabs For those interested, you can download the app from Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The new Steam Mobile app also includes a QR code sign-in, something that we all are familiar with. The sign-in does rely on 2FA credentials stored on your phone and allows for easier sign-ins. If you want, you can still use the traditional sign-in methods, too. The Steam Chat app is also getting updates, with Android devices receiving the update today and iOS in the future. The company has also talked about how it is going to be bringing a QR sign to Steam Deck, adding new notification types, and bringing the Authorized Devices list to Steam Client and browser. Source.

Neath MP Christina Rees has been suspended from Labour following reported allegations of bullying. The politician, who has represented the constituency since 2015, has lost the party whip pending an investigation. It means the former shadow Welsh secretary will sit in the Commons as an independent. The Guardian said Ms Rees faces allegations of bullying staff. Ms Rees told the newspaper she was cooperating fully with the investigation. The Guardian reported the move followed complaints by staff working for her in her south Wales constituency. Labour has declined to comment. The MP took her seat in 2015 after Peter Hain stood down at that year's general election. She is the 14th MP to be sitting in parliament as an independent, joining others who have lost the whip from their parties. Born in the village of Kenfig Hill in south Wales, the qualified barrister has represented Wales in squash more than 100 times. She was a member of the Great Britain Youth Team to the Munich Olympics. Ms Rees, who served on the Labour frontbench during Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, was married to former Welsh Secretary Ron Davies until they divorced in 1999. She told the Guardian: "There has been a complaint made against me to the Labour Party, which is under investigation and I am therefore under an administrative suspension until the process is concluded. I'm not aware of the details of the complaint but I am fully cooperating with the investigation." Source.

An Australian zoo is investigating the sudden deaths of seven female quokkas and two yellow-footed rock-wallabies. Why the marsupials died remains a mystery but "plant toxicity" is believed to be the most likely cause, an Adelaide Zoo spokeswoman said. The vet team is confident it is an isolated incident but further investigation is under way, she said. No animals from other exhibits have shown signs of being unwell since the deaths, which happened last month. "The loss of one animal, let alone a large group in a sudden incident such as this, is extremely upsetting, particularly for those who care for them," the spokeswoman said. An 11-month-old quokka joey survived and is recovering in the zoo's health centre. The remaining three male quokkas have been taken off the exhibit. Other yellow-footed rock-wallabies and kangaroos were "noticeably flat" after the incident but have now recovered fully, the zoo said. Pathology and toxicology reports have so far been inconclusive, but the zoo is carrying out more tests to discover what caused the animals to become sick. The zoo breeds both native marsupials species, which are listed as vulnerable in the wild. Often dubbed "the world's happiest animal", quokkas are darlings of tourist photos on social media. But less than 15,000 remain in the wild, most on Western Australia's Rottnest Island. Only about 2,000 yellow-footed rock wallabies are left in the wild, mostly in South Australia, estimates suggest. Source.

The high-end electric SUV market is already contested by the likes of the BMW iX and Audi e-tron, and now Polestar has joined the ranks with this: the Polestar 3. It heralds the next-generation of Polestar models with a new EV platform, revised interior tech and a starting price of £79,900. The 3 is available to order now through Polestar’s website. Sharing its SPA2 platform with the upcoming Volvo EX90, the Polestar 3 has a slightly smaller footprint than the BMW iX, and offers a dual-electric motor setup producing 482bhp and 840Nm. The firm is targeting a 0-62mph time of 5.0 seconds, and customers can opt for an even more potent Performance Pack model with 510bhp and 910Nm of torque. This costs an extra £5,600, and slashes the 0-62mph time to an estimated 4.7 seconds. Both models top out at 130mph, and come equipped with a 107kWh (usable) battery pack. Polestar claims that up to 379 miles of range should be possible on the WLTP cycle, although this is subject to final testing. The battery can be topped up from 10 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes thanks to the car’s 250kW charging capability, and there’s bi-directional charging to feed power back into the grid. Despite the 3’s 2,584kg kerb weight, Polestar has utilised an array of advanced chassis technologies to inject the car with some degree of athleticism. For example, the rear electric motor is a torque vectoring dual-clutch unit, and adaptive dampers have been fitted as standard. Dual-chamber air suspension also features, with Performance Pack models receiving a bespoke suspension calibration and 22-inch forged alloys for sharper dynamics. The exterior design is recognisably Polestar, but the firm has taken inspiration from the Precept concept to refine the SUVs aerodynamics and styling. Unlike the Polestar 2, the front fascia doesn’t feature a blanked off grille, and instead uses a slim aero bridge that feeds air over the bonnet. Polestar’s T-shaped headlight design remains, and the 3 gets black lower panels on the bumpers and sills for a sleeker overall look. The roofline tapers into a neat rear spoiler - again, for improved efficiency - there’s a slim rear light bar and “aero blades” at the outer edges of the bumper. The evolutionary theme continues inside, where the new SUV uses a development of the Android Automotive infotainment system from the Polestar 2. A 14.5-inch portrait touchscreen sits in the centre of the dashboard, and over-the-air updates should enable software improvements throughout the car’s lifecycle. Initially, all Polestar 3 models will receive the Plus Pack as standard, which brings a host of extra equipment such as soft-closing doors, cabin air filtration, heated rear seats and a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins stereo. With a 484-litre boot, the Polestar trails the BMW iX by 16 litres, but it does offer a 32-litre front storage area - unlike its German rival. A 9-inch instrument panel sits behind the steering wheel, and the cabin is finished using a blend of sustainable materials that include MicroTech fabrics, fully-traceable wool and animal welfare-certified leather. The Performance Pack adds flashes of gold inside, and all Polestar 3’s will arrive with a panoramic glass roof, ambient lighting, a 360-degree parking camera and a vast suite of driver assistance features. These include a radar system which can scan for children or pets inside the car and adjust the climate settings accordingly, and an eye-monitoring camera to detect driver fatigue. A Pilot Pack will also be fitted to launch cars, which adds a parking assist function, adaptive cruise control and a head-up display In total, there are five radar modules, five external cameras and twelve ultrasonic sensors to facilitate the 3’s safety systems, which can be expanded with the optional “Pilot Pack with LiDAR”. Set to be available towards the end of 2023, this includes three extra cameras and four additional ultrasonic sensors to scan the environment in real time, supporting the possibility of autonomous driving further down the line. First deliveries of the Polestar 3 are expected in late 2023. Source.

Taking a trip with your child can be an exciting feeling, especially if the journey assumes a spiritual path. For singer Maqsood Mahmood Ali — better known as Lucky Ali — it was no different. The 64-year-old took to Instagram recently to share a selfie with his daughter Tasmiyah Ali. The father-daughter duo posed as they made their way to the holy city of Medina in Saudi Arabia. In the accompanying caption, the singer wrote: “Father-daughter time…on the bullet train to Madinah.” In the photo, Tasmiyah appeared to lean against her father, gently holding his hand. In the subsequent video, as they travelled to the city in the train, they devoured some cupcakes along the way. “I feel like I am in a movie,” Tasmiyah appeared to be saying. She, too, took to her Instagram account to share another sweet selfie, in which they looked at the camera and flashed their near-identical smiles. “Father and daughter — a very goofy duo,” Tasmiyah wrote. She also shared a story, which was a photograph of Jannat al-Baqi, said to be the oldest and the first Islamic cemetery of Medina, located in the Hejazi region of Saudi Arabia. It is significant for Muslims around the world, for it is said to be the resting place of many of Prophet Muhammad‘s family and friends. For the unversed, the city of Medina in western Saudi Arabia is a major pilgrimage site, for it houses Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, which is the Prophet’s mosque. The city is considered to be the second-holiest of three cities, according to Islamic, the others being Mecca and Jerusalem. Source.

A rare protest attacking President Xi Jinping and China's Covid restrictions has taken place in Beijing, days before a historic Communist Party congress. Images showed two protest banners on a bridge in the north-west of the city. The protest appeared to have been swiftly stopped by the authorities. Frustration has been mounting in the capital before the congress. There has been an outpouring of anger online at strict security measures and the Covid restrictions put in place. Authorities have tightened access to the city, shutting out many travellers, returning residents and deliveries. Others had their movement restricted or were forced to quarantine. The images and footage of the protest that have been circulating showed two large banners unfurled on a bridge in Beijing's Haidian district. One read: "No Covid test, we want to eat. No restrictions, we want freedom. No lies, we want dignity. No Cultural Revolution, we want reform. No leaders, we want votes. By not being slaves, we can be citizens." The other called on residents to "go on strike at school and work, remove dictator and national traitor Xi Jinping". Video from the scene showed unexplained thick plumes of smoke on the bridge and a man could be heard chanting slogans into a loudhailer. A BBC team visit to the scene later found no trace of it, but there was a visible police presence in the area. The week-long 20th Party Congress, due to kick off on Sunday, will see about 2,300 top officials and party delegates descend upon the capital. China's leader Xi Jinping is expected to be handed a third term, breaking decades-long tradition and shoring up his already firm grip on power. The capital usually sees strict security measures in the lead-up to important events. Street-level security has been strengthened with paramilitary police patrolling subway stations and neighbourhoods near the Great Hall of the People where the congress will take place. Authorities are cracking down on the use of virtual private networks circumventing China's firewalls, to restrict access to the internet beyond Communist Party control. But in an attempt to stamp out small Covid outbreaks in Beijing as the congress nears, city authorities are enforcing much stricter measures than most other parts of China. Tens of millions of residents are being tested every three days, with screenings for entry to all buildings enforced and mask-wearing mandates policed. Officials have also heavily restricted the number of people entering the city and discouraged residents from leaving. Many people who travelled to other cities during a recent National Day holiday found that their online health codes - essential for travel around the country - suddenly indicated they were at risk of Covid infection, preventing them from getting on trains or flights back to Beijing. Others who managed to return to Beijing saw a similar change in their health codes days after returning, according to online accounts, forcing them to quarantine at home. "I don't understand why Beijing did this... I can't go to work. I'm about to lose my job. I'm so frustrated. When is it going to end?" said one commenter on Weibo, while another added: "We suffer all these just because someone has to hold a meeting." "Why torment the ordinary people? The authorities have implemented their policy unreasonably. Their credibility is down the drain. How could people trust them?" asked another. It comes amid a growing fatigue among ordinary Chinese with the "zero Covid" strategy that has seen harsh lockdowns and quarantine measures, long after other countries have eased restrictions. Several recent incidents, including a bus crash that killed 27 people who were being transported to quarantine camps, have sparked public anger. The frustration is at odds with the celebratory mood for the 20th Party Congress on display on state media and institutions. Red banners marking the congress have popped up around the capital and po[CENSORED]r mobile apps have changed their display colours to red. A drama recapping the highlights of the last 10 years of Mr Xi's rule has begun airing on primetime television, while similarly themed exhibitions are being held around the country. State media outlets have rolled out material in support of official policies including "zero Covid", urging Chinese people to "strengthen confidence in and have patience with the current epidemic prevention and control policies". Source.