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Connections are important for human beings; we thrive on such bonds. But what happens when connections snap and people move ahead in life in different directions? It can happen with a relative or a friend. Someone you studied with in school, or were together in college, has now moved to a different city or country; you have lost touch and have now become practically strangers. It is not a very good feeling and can make you miss that person until you realise it is best to focus on your own life, too. Losing a friend can hurt as much as a romantic relationship failing, says Devina Kaur, an inspirational speaker, author, radio host, and founder of ‘Sexy Brilliant’, a non-profit foundation. “But, if you’re planning on getting in touch with that long-lost friend, here are a few tips for you so you don’t get awkward around them,” she shares. Read on. 1. Lower your expectations According to Kaur, meeting someone new is a lot easier than meeting someone from your past. “Make sure to not expect a lot of things from them because you’ve lost touch. You can’t expect them to know everything about your life and sympathise with you when you’ve been gone for so long. Be patient and kind with yourself and others,” she advises. 2. Laugh and cherish old memories Kaur says that before moving on to something serious, lean on to past memories that you both were a part of. “Laugh at your silliness and the innocence of the moment. Memories will help you to unwind and release the awkwardness and tension.” 3. Play catch up It’s advisable to catch up on each other’s lives by asking questions. “Ask more questions and be open to answering questions about your life, too. Take interest in their passion, family and hobbies. If mutual interest is there, suggest meeting up in the future at a pace that you both are comfortable with.” 4. Resolve old issues No matter who was in the wrong, try to resolve the old issues that led to you two losing touch. Do not get involved in the blame game and try to sort out the matter maturely. Don’t forget to lay your cards on the table and be honest. Building a strong foundation is necessary if you wish to continue with this friendship, the expert states. “Once you start hanging out together and laugh more candidly, you will realise that reconnecting is not that challenging. We just cloud our minds with a lot of anxiety and base our decisions on them,” Kaur concludes. Source.

Russia is to open an army enlisting centre on the border with Georgia, where massive queues have formed as Russian men try to flee the country to avoid being sent to fight in Ukraine. Officers at the Verkhniy Lars crossing will be tasked with serving summons to "citizens of the mobilisation age", the authorities say. Recent satellite images have shown queues going for miles from Russia. All those crossing into Georgia look exhausted, a BBC correspondent says. They are hungry and sleep deprived - but relieved to have reached safety, Rayhan Demytrie says. People have been coming in groups of walkers, dragging their suitcases behind them. Others have arrived in car or on bikes. One man, Ilya, showed our correspondent a polaroid of his baby daughter Arisha. He said he wanted to see her grow up, and not die in the senseless war in Ukraine. Dima and Zhenya, two brothers in their early 20s, said they had travelled for days from Bashkiria - Russia's republic about 1,500km (932 miles) east of the capital Moscow. Dima asked for a hotspot to call his mother. On the other end of the line there was a sigh of relief. Another young man from Moscow said the reason he was fleeing was because of the man in the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin. Everyone says the same thing: they disagree with the war - but the extent of repression in Russia makes them powerless, our correspondent says. The interior ministry of Russia's North Ossetia republic, where the Verkhniy Lars crossing is, said 60 of its personnel had already been deployed there, describing the situation as "extremely tense". It added that the army enlisting centre would be opened "in the nearest future". Long queues have also been reported on Russia's border crossings with Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev vowed on Tuesday to protect the safety and welfare of Russians fleeing a "hopeless situation". The Russian defence ministry on Tuesday said it would not seek the extradition of Russian nationals travelling abroad to avoid being drafted into the army. President Putin announced what he described as a partial mobilisation on 21 September, with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu later saying 300,000 reservists would be called up. But reports in opposition Russian media suggested that up to one million people could be called up, pointing out that the actual number of those who would be enlisted was classified. A number of military experts in the West and Ukraine say Mr Putin's decision to call up reservists shows that Russian troops are failing badly on the battlefield in Ukraine - more than seven months after Moscow launched its invasion. In an unusual move on Monday, the Kremlin admitted that mistakes were being made in its mobilisation drive., amid growing public opposition across the vast country. "There are cases when the decree is violated," Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that "all the errors will be corrected". On Tuesday, Sergei Baranovsky, the top official responsible for war mobilisation efforts in the extreme north-eastern Magadan region, was sacked. Multiple reports - backed by footage on social media - say people with no military experience, or who are too old or disabled, are being called up. Since the mobilisation announcement, more than 2,000 people have been detained at protests across Russia. "We are deeply disturbed by the large number of people who have reportedly been arrested," UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said on Tuesday. In one of the most shocking and widely-discussed incidents, a man shot and critically injured an army recruitment officer in the Siberian city of Ust-llimsk on Monday. Source.

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Windows 11 22H2 is the first major update for Microsoft’s latest operating system, and sadly it looks like it has introduced some annoying issues, including poor gaming performance, for some users. As Windows Latest reports(opens in new tab), people have been taking to Reddit (and other websites) to complain about these Windows 11 problems. One of the most frustrating issues is affecting people with Nvidia graphics cards, with some gamers complaining that their frames per second (fps) dropped, making games perform poorly, while audio is also affected. Other gamers have noticed games stuttering due to fps drops. Microsoft has also been accused of ignoring reports from Windows Insiders, who had been trying out Windows 11 22H2 in the months running up to its release, as some had highlighted poor game performance during this testing period. For Microsoft to have pressed ahead and released this update without addressing those problems first certainly won’t be a good look. There have also been reports of the dreaded Blue Screen of Death errors appearing while the update is installing. Microsoft will need to get a handle on these problems and make sure they are not too widespread – and that they are fixed quickly. If not, Windows 11’s reputation could take another knock. How to fix poor game performance in Windows 11 22H2 If you have been experiencing poor game performance since installing Windows 11 22H2, then it seems the easiest way to fix it is to uninstall the update. People who have done this have found game performance returning to normal. To do this, open the Start menu and click the Settings icon of a cog. Go to ‘System’ then click ‘Recovery’ and choose the ‘Go Back’ option. You should see an option for ‘Go back to early build’ – click that and Windows 11 will revert to its previous version. You can also wait for Microsoft and Nvidia to release fixes for the issues. This will likely come in the form of a driver update from Nvidia, or a hotfix update from Microsoft. Source.

Modern graphics processors have so many features and capabilities that even hardcore gamers and tweakers sometimes have difficulties finding the proper settings to achieve desirable performance. It is where professionally tuned performance profiles come in. For example, Radeon Monster Profile (RMP), an upcoming third-party utility, claims to boost the performance of AMD's Radeon RX 6800 XT up to a level that Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3090 Ti offers. AMD's Adrenaline software for Radeon graphics processors already offers plenty of performance features, which even overvolt the GPU for overclocking. Furthermore, AMD's pack of FidelityFX features like FSR 2.0 also boost the performance of Radeon graphics cards. Yet the Radeon Monster Profile developed by Yuri Bubliy(opens in new tab) seemingly delivers even more tweaked performance. Based on the tests done by the developer, the profile purportedly increased the Radeon RX 6800 XT's performance in 3DMark: Time Spy tests by 13% over stock, bringing it up the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti level. It's an excellent way to improve one of the best graphics cards. As the developer describes, the Radeon Monster Profile combines unique settings and a new volt-frequency curve for Radeon RX 6000-series graphics chips. "Particular attention was paid to the memory subsystem, the operating voltage was reduced by 6%, which ultimately reduced the heat of GDDR6 modules," says Yuri Bubliy. "The main mechanism for increasing performance is to increase the requested core frequency relative to the operating voltage." According to the developer, the result is that RMP increases GPU frequency by 300 MHz without affecting factory settings for thermal throttling and fans. Of course, a 300 MHz overclocking requires a decent cooling system, so while the maker does not urge the owner to buy an aftermarket cooler for AMD's reference graphics boards, he stresses that non-reference boards should be good with the profile. "The profiles are universal and adaptive," stresses the developer. "The RMP does not increase the operating voltage or change the current limit." Source.

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Labour Party policy is to take the railways back into public ownership, the shadow rail minister has confirmed. Tanmanjeet Dhesi told the BBC the "fragmented and privatised model is letting down the British people". In July, Sir Keir Starmer said he would take a "pragmatic" not "ideological" approach to nationalisation. This led to confusion about the party's position, although Sir Keir stressed rail was "different" as so much of it was already in public hands. Mr Dhesi told an RMT union fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool: "We believe that under a Labour government we should be taking rail back into public ownership." He added that this had been the party's policy since he became shadow rail minister in April 2020. Labour committed to bringing rail, mail, water and energy into public ownership in its 2019 manifesto under Jeremy Corbyn. However, in July, his successor as Labour leader Sir Keir said he wanted to take a "pragmatic" rather than "ideological" approach on nationalisation, adding that for most utilities "the answer is going to lie in regulating the market, changing the market, rather than simply taking things into public ownership". However, he told the Mirror: "Rail is probably different from the others because so much of our rail is already in public ownership... Pragmatically, that is the situation, and it's going to be the situation for some time to come." Network Rail, which runs railway infrastructure like tracks in England, Scotland and Wales, is publicly owned. However, trains and most smaller stations are split into franchises run by different companies. After the RMT event, Mr Dhesi told the BBC: "At the moment the failed, fragmented and privatised model is letting down the British people. "We need to make sure that we have an affordable, accessible and reliable system, a simplified system, and the best way of achieving that, I think, is taking that back into public ownership." Asked whether he wanted to see a bigger focus on rail nationalisation in the main conference hall, he said: "Many of those policies, they have been outlined. Many of those policies continue to be outlined in the main hall as well as in fringe meetings." On Labour's support for striking rail workers, he said: "We support everybody's right to strike. We also support the fact that rail workers deserve a decent wage. They deserve those improved terms and conditions and there should not be any compulsory redundancies either." More than 40,000 rail workers will resume strikes in October, in a long-running dispute over pay, jobs cuts, and terms and conditions. Unions are calling for above-inflation pay increases to match the rising cost of living. Asked if he supported these calls, Mr Dhesi said: "We are in favour of anybody who is fighting for a decent wage." Some Labour MPs have showed their support for striking workers by joining picket lines. However, Sir Keir's shadow transport minister was sacked after appearing at a rail picket line over the summer. The official line was that Sam Tarry was sacked for "making up policy on the hoof" in an unauthorised media appearance but shadow ministers had been warned not to join picket lines. Asked if he would be showing his support for striking workers on picket lines, Mr Dhesi said: "Many of us have actively spoken up on rail workers. We want to make sure that they get that decent wage and that we push this government to solve this crisis at the earliest opportunity." "I have been on umpteen picket lines in my life and even in Slough when the railway disputes were there, I was there as well. I've done that in the past and I've done that recently as well," he added. Speaking at the same event, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch, who was greeted with cheers from the packed room, said: "I think public ownership is the way to go. "I believe that the Labour Party, the rank and file at the Labour Party, believe that too. And what we've got to do is keep the top table in the conference, under manners, under pressure, not just on transport." He also said the RMT union, which is not affiliated to the Labour, "will not be divided from our friends in the Labour Party". Source.

In the spring of 2019, Tracie Seimon would lie awake listening to the deep rumble of cracking ice. The glacier she was sleeping on at the base of Mount Everest was shifting beneath her tent. Seimon, a molecular biologist at the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York City, spent three weeks trekking around that glacier. She hoped to create a snapshot of biodiversity in one of the planet’s most extreme environments—a mountain more than five miles high that’s prone to subzero temperatures, limited oxygen, and intense storms. But despite its inhospitable nature, the world’s tallest peak is teeming with life. Seimon and her team found 16 percent of Earth’s taxonomic orders—a classification including families, genera, and species—on just Mount Everest’s southern flank. They recently published their findings in the journal iScience. “You feel very small as you're venturing up into the mountains,” says Seimon. “It’s incredible.” She adds that most trekkers aren’t aware of the abundant life around them. (Read about the team who climbed Everest to try to solve its greatest mystery.) Mount Everest’s base camp sits atop the Khumbu Glacier, where Seimon’s team lived during part of the study in tents alongside summit-seeking hikers. The colorful cluster of tents sees around 40,000 people every year, which can be disruptive to the surrounding ecosystem, says co-author Anton Seimon, an atmospheric scientist at Appalachian State University and a National Geographic Explorer. In addition to the foot traffic, climate change is also straining the mountain, which is why researchers wanted to create a baseline for its biodiversity. Understanding what life exists on Mount Everest now will help scientists track changes in the future. It’s “been a fascinating experience and a privilege to be part of the effort,” says Anton, who is married to Seimon. Finding life in meltwater In 2019, the team went to Mount Everest as part of Perpetual Planet Expeditions, a National Geographic Society initiative supported by Rolex to study Earth’s forests, oceans, and mountains. In addition to studying biodiversity, other teams set up new weather stations and collected ice cores. In addition to studying biodiversity, other teams set up new weather stations and collected ice cores. Like most researchers and hikers on Everest, their work was supported by a team of sherpas who carried equipment, maintained camp, and guided the scientists across the mountain. Seimon’s key to finding signs of life was collecting DNA from pools of thawed water. All living things routinely shed environmental DNA, or eDNA, into the surrounding air, water and soil. Scientists can match up a snippet of unknown eDNA with existing data to find out what organism it came from, in the same way that a library barcode tells librarians information about a book. (Learn how eDNA is revealing secrets of animals’ lives.) The researchers focused on Everest’s highest ponds and streams, located between 14,700 and 18,000 feet in the high-alpine zone and beyond. In total, the team collected just over five gallons of water from 10 water bodies around the Khumbu region. From that, they identified 187 different orders, one sixth of all of Earth’s taxonomic orders. A taxonomic order is a classification that helps scientists chart how individual organisms are distantly related to each other. For example, humans are classified as Homo (genus) and sapiens (species), but also fall under the family Hominidae and the order Primate, which also includes lemurs, monkeys, and apes. In some cases, researchers could identify organisms more specifically down to the genus level; but because so little data exists about Mount Everest’s inhabitants, there was often not enough information to cross reference the DNA in such detail. Seimon says that Mount Everest and other high mountain ecosystems are understudied. (Read how Mount Everest grew by two feet.) “The global landmass that exists above 14,700 feet is less than three percent of the global land surface landmass,” she says. “It was very exciting to find as much biodiversity as we found up there.” Looking deeper on Everest Among the organisms swimming, flying, and scurrying on Mount Everest’s seemingly barren slopes were tardigrades and rotifers, two hardy microscopic critters that can survive even in the vacuum of space. Butterflies, mayflies, and other flying insects were also present, in addition to various fungi, bacteria, and plants. “It's the top of the world and it’s so inaccessible,” says Kristine Bohmann, a biologist from University of Copenhagen who works with airborne eDNA and was not involved in the research. She says the work shows that studying biodiversity doesn’t always require a full team of taxonomists and can sometimes be done simpler and more efficiently, even in harsh environments. (Meet the animals that thrive in extreme mountain conditions.) More research will help create a better record of diversity on Mount Everest and document specific organisms. Performing future studies in different seasons may yield more biodiversity, and show which genera and species live on the mountain in different climatic conditions. Having created a baseline, one of Seimon’s next goals is to compare the data with future sampling, particularly to document the effects of climate change on Everest’s biodiversity. Their work can help inform future studies, paving the way for more research on the roof of the world. Source.

Volkswagen has a new concept which looks some way into the future. The Gen.Travel is a design study which the German brand says sits between the saloon and MPV segments and is not intended to be driven, instead travelling around itself in the yet-to-be-realised Level 5 of vehicle autonomy. Freed from the conventional trappings of car design, the Gen.Travel can offer a more flexible space for up to four occupants, who enter via a pair of upwards-opening ‘gullwing’ doors. Volkswagen gives several examples of how the cabin could be used - for instance for business trips, the four seats can face a table in the middle to create a “conference setup”. To avoid motion sickness, “dynamic lighting” is employed. Alternatively, two of the seats can fold flat into beds, with “an innovative passenger restraint system” keeping the two occupants safe while lying down. Special lighting meanwhile is said to be able to stimulate the body’s production of Melatonin, the hormone that controls sleep. Finally, when the whole family is in tow, the kids don’t have to be consigned to the back seats. Instead, they could be sat in the front to take advantage of an augmented reality system, keeping them entertained. No “are we there yet” nonsense going on here. The design of the body also contributes to passenger welfare. The side windows taper downwards in the middle, to about waist height, giving those inside a better view out. If lying down, passengers are then shielded from the outside world under the window line. There’s also an ‘eABC (electric active body control) system which works out acceleration, braking and cornering movements in advance and tailors the driving style to suit, plus a “platooning” capability which would see the Gen.Travel drive in convoys of other autonomous vehicles to improve range. Rather than focusing on the prospect of ownership, Volkswagen describes the all-electric Gen.Travel as a vehicle that would be offered for hire as a mobility service. Such a thing could, the brand claims, provide an alternative to short-haul air travel. To do this, and also be capable of overnight travel without stopping for a charge, the Gen.Travel would need a range that isn’t possible using current battery technology. The vehicle’s press release contains no technical information about proposed powertrain specs, nor how the concept itself – which is a prototype rather than a model – is propelled. It’s unlikely the Gen.Travel itself will ever go into production. Instead, it serves as a “research vehicle” which will gauge customer opinion of the concept. “Based on the study results, individual features may later be transferred to series vehicles,” Volkswagen says. Source.

You may have seen countless imitations and references to Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam, arguably one of the most talked about religious artworks. When I first laid my eyes on this masterpiece, I was merely a child who did not know how to appreciate art but I could feel that the sight ahead of me was great art – art that has been celebrated for decades. I could feel the excitement in the crowd surrounding me and I could not help staring at the painting despite the constant ache in my neck from straining so much. Now that I am not an enraptured child anymore and am an artist, I can truly appreciate and understand what this artwork means to the world. Made by the Italian artist Michelangelo in c. 1508–1512, this painting forms part of the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling and illustrates the Biblical creation narrative from the Book of Genesis in which God gives life to Adam, the first man. A painting based on an already told religious story – so why was it so crucial to the renaissance period? What hidden messages does it still hold? Story behind the art As a child who was brought up in a Hindu household, I did not know the real significance of the images Michelangelo painted on the ceiling. All I knew was that I wanted to lie down on the floor and keep staring at the painting. The story behind this painting is an interesting one. In 1505, Michelangelo was invited back to Rome by the newly elected Pope Julius II and he was commissioned to build the Pope’s tomb, which was to include forty statues and be finished in five years. Although Michelangelo worked on the tomb for 40 years, it was never finished to his satisfaction and during the same period, he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which took around four years to complete. What many people do not know is that Michelangelo was originally commissioned to paint the Twelve Apostles on the triangular pendentives that supported the ceiling. But the artist persuaded Pope Julius to give him a free hand and proposed a different and more complex scheme, representing the Creation, the Fall of Man, the Promise of Salvation through the prophets, and the genealogy of Christ. It is a good thing that the Pope agreed or else the art world would not have had the chance to marvel at the glory of Michelangelo’s artwork. By now the entire world of art lovers knows what the painting represents. It depicts the excerpt “God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him” (Gen. 1:27)”. Although some say Michelangelo was inspired by a medical hymn “Veni Creator Spiritus”, which asks the ‘finger of the paternal right hand’ (digitus paternae dexterae) to give the faithful speech. God is shown as an elderly white-bearded man wrapped in a swirling cloak and Adam is completely naked. God’s right arm is outstretched to impart the spark of life from his finger into that of Adam, whose left arm is extended in a pose mirroring God’s, a reminder that man is created in the image and likeness of God. Just like any other famous piece of art, this too was analysed over the years for any hidden meanings and symbolism. Apart from Michelangelo’s evident expertise in human anatomy (the statue of David is another example), several hypotheses emerged regarding the portrayal of the human brain in the painting. In 1990 in Anderson, Indiana, physician Frank Meshberger noted that the background figures and shapes portrayed behind the figure of God appeared to be an anatomically accurate picture of the human brain. For those who do not understand the anatomy of a brain: the borders in the painting correlate with the major sulci of the cerebrum in the inner and outer surface of the brain, the brain stem, the frontal lobe, the basilar artery, the pituitary gland, and optic chiasm. The biology-related hypothesis does not just end at the brain. Some say that the red cloth around God has the shape of the human uterus and the green scarf hanging out could be a newly cut umbilical cord. Another theory related to the painting is that the left side of Adam’s torse contains an extra concealed rib. This rib is said to represent the rib of Eve and Michelangelo wanted to represent Adam and Eve being created side by side, which differs from the Catholic tradition that states Eve was created after Adam. Apart from the interpretations of human anatomy, historians have grappled with the identity of the twelve figures around God. One of the widely accepted theories is that the person protected by God’s left arm represents Eve, due to the figure’s feminine appearance and gaze towards Adam and the eleven other figures symbolically represent the souls of Adam and Eve’s unborn progeny, the entire human race. Some also say the figure behind God is the Virgin Mary, Sophia, the personified human soul, or “an angel of masculine build”. Even though I was not so familiar with the biblical terms when I first saw the Creation of Adam, I was well aware that it is an iconic work of religious art and a key work of the Renaissance in Rome. Michelangelo was principally a sculptor who did not know enough about painting using fresco. Despite that, he created this artwork which remains a quintessential expression of Renaissance art and one of the finest Renaissance paintings of the 15th and 16th centuries simply because of the outstanding realism and beauty of Adam and God. His figures of God and Adam are emblematic of Renaissance paintings as they reflect the idealist-realist ideology of the time. Source.

Italians are deciding whether to choose their most right-wing government since World War Two, in an election being followed closely across Europe. Giorgia Meloni leads the far-right Brothers of Italy party and is aiming to become the country's first female prime minister allied with two other parties on the right. She has softened her image and resents being linked to Italy's fascist past. Almost 51 million Italians have the right to vote until 23:00 (21:00 GMT). By midday, turnout was more than 19%, similar to the last election four years ago, and long queues were reported at some polling stations in Rome. Ms Meloni's main rival - centre-left leader Enrico Letta - voted in the capital, while her far-right ally Matteo Salvini cast his ballot in Milan. There are 2.6 million first-time voters and 4.7 million abroad. Exit polls will come out when polls close and results will follow hours later. In the Garbatella area of southern Rome - where the Brothers of Italy leader grew up - one voter praised her "strong character", while another said she had voted to keep the far right out. "It's not who I want to win, it's who I don't want," said Emma. Giorgia Meloni backs Western sanctions on Russia and has toned down rhetoric on Europe. But she still embraces an old slogan adopted by Benito Mussolini's fascists: "God, fatherland and family". She has also spoken out against the "LGBT lobby" and called for a naval blockade of Libya to halt migration. An hour south of Rome, in the town of Latina, observers believe the far right can seize the town from the left. Founded by Mussolini in 1932, Latina still bears traces of the dictator, but has suffered from years of underfunding. "Take a look, it's a disaster," says one passer by. The town has had a left-wing mayor in recent years, but the far right has Latina in its sights. Matteo Salvini came here last week to round off his League party's campaign. Centre-right Forza Italia under ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, 85, is also part of Meloni's coalition. "Meloni speaks to the guts of the people," says Gianluca Atlante, a journalist with regional newspaper Latina Oggi. Behind him sits the imposing Palazzo Emme, built in the shape of a letter M for Mussolini. These days it serves as the local headquarters of the finance ministry's law enforcement agency. Italy's economy was picking up after the Covid-19 pandemic, but then the energy crisis - largely triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine - sent prices soaring. While the politicians have spent recent days arguing over Russia and Europe, Italians are most worried about paying their bills. For a year and a half Italy was led by a unity government under Mario Draghi, a widely respected ex-head of the European Central Bank. Giorgia Meloni was one of the few party leaders who refused to take part. The Draghi government's main task was to push through reforms agreed as part of the EU's eye-watering €200bn (£178bn) in post-Covid recovery grants and loans. By July, the government had collapsed and Meloni wants those reforms revisited in light of the energy crisis. She has also talked of doing more to "defend" Italy's national interests in the EU. No wonder many of Europe's leaders are watching this vote closely. Italy's left and centre parties failed to mount a joint challenge to the Meloni alliance. Enrico Letta's centre left has several policies in common with the Five Star Movement led by Giuseppe Conte, but they do not see eye to eye. Whichever alliance wins Sunday's vote could benefit from new rules that have cut the sizes of the two elected houses of parliament by a third: the Chamber of Deputies now has 400 seats and the Senate 200. Italy has a mixed electoral system. More than a third of seats are won by a UK-style first-past-the-post constituency contest, and more than 60% by proportional representation across Italy. Commentators believe that the voting system and the shrunken parliament could mean that if an alliance wins 40% of the vote, they could also control as many as 60% of seats. If the right wing were to succeed, that could help the push through a keynote policy - making the president a directly elected figure. Even if Brothers of Italy do top the vote, and Giorgia Meloni's allies hand her an overall majority, the decision on who becomes prime minister rests with President Sergio Mattarella, an impartial figure backed by parliament. Replacing that with an elected president may sound more democratic, but there's a reason why some Italians are worried by the thought of handing more power to their head of state - and that also goes back to Italy's previous experience of fascism. In Latina, they are not just watching the political battle playing out between left and right, there is another story that is also on people's minds. Standing for the Senate is one of Italy's most treasured stars of the past, Gina Lollobrigida. Now 95, she became a cinema legend in the 1960s and she has defied a fractured femur to fight in Sunday's election. Source.

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Contra, you gotta improve your works, i wanna say u gotta improve your texts only but... u gotta improve everything mate... my advice for u is keep working and learning, watch tutorials and you're going to be a great designer with time. for now, you're not ready yet.

Not one to be missed during the September blitz of Tokyo Game Show, hands-on previews and reviews, and media events taking place every single week, Wccftech recently sat down in a relatively intimate session of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope among a roomful of select other journalists. After a brief onboarding session, we were given a free run to explore the Prologue followed by the second planet to see whatever we can within a three-hour period. Even if you haven’t played Kingdom Battle, the second in the Mario + Rabbids franchise should feel accessible for players of all skill levels. The teams at Ubisoft Paris and Milan (among other ancillary studios such as Montpelier and Chengdu) have revamped the tactical RPG in more ways than one. Ubisoft began its presentation with some numbers. Development for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope began in 2017 when Kingdom Battle was released. Many players, according to Ubisoft, stated that Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was their first tactical game. It wasn’t just a select few that decided to pick up this Nintendo Switch-exclusive RPG; Ubisoft touted surpassing more than ten million players ahead of our preview session. One of the most notable omissions from the first Mario + Rabbids title was in Nintendo enemies. There were a number of redesigned characters in the likes of the final boss and cosplaying Rabbids Bwario and Bwaluigi, among others. This time around, expect to square up against Shy Guys, Bob-Ombs, and other iconic Mario antagonists in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Similarly, the hero roster will be shaken up, removing Yoshi and replacing them with the likes of Bowser and Rosalina. Square isn’t a word you’ll see very often in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. First and foremost, the tactical gameplay has been overhauled to get away from the typical square grid in place of a free movement system. Mario and his square can freely move in centimeters, not designate squares, to approach enemies and a number of circular attack radii to strike more than one enemy for select attacks and abilities. There’s still a constant system of only being able to move prior to shooting (Rabbid Mario has a key ability to circumvent that restriction), but it is possible to move, use a character ability or two, and finish the character movement phase before attacking. Stationary cover also plays an important part in combat, with full cover blocking any direct shots for only a couple of brief hits as it whittled away. The partial cover is still quite useful as it reduces the chance of being hit by half with hit percentages neatly appearing along the line of fire. Some weapons, such as a certain Rabbid’s rocket launcher, can arc over and shoot over partial cover. Sparks of Hope, much like the prequel Kingdom Battle, is a much more focused tactical approach than most other RPGs out on the market. For starters, players only control three heroes in a given battle (starting with just two to get players acclimated to the gridless changes). With such a minimal squad to send out on skirmishes, the synergies are more important than ever. Each hero only has a single weapon style to carry through the entire adventure and a similarly limited set of skills. However, as characters progress through the adventure and level up their given heroes or complete objectives, skill points in a five-tier skill tree (only the first four were available to modify during the preview with the fifth locked away). Players can invest in newcomer Rabbid Edge’s Stormblade to increase its range or damage multiplier, for example. There isn’t a risk of making the wrong build or investing too many points into a single hero as players can freely swap around unlock skill points that are allocated on a per-character basis. Discovering the strength of each hero and finding how to make that specialization shine with the skills of two other heroes. Most heroes in the roster come with both the standard Nintendo versions as well as Rabbid characters that have completely different weapon types and approaches to combat (Mario is a mid-range gunner with a natural affinity for jump-based attacks while Rabbid Mario is melee and counterattack-focused). For those that want to have a traditional tank character, investing in the ability for Peach to give a Hero that assists her with a Team Jump a one-hit barrier can easily help mitigate any oncoming damage. Another team combo that was suggested was to use Rabbid Rosalina to destroy cover while Luigi snipes enemies behind that partial cover from afar. The aforementioned Sparks imbue Mario and the team with passive boons as well as an active skill to be unleashed during battle. With characters being able to equip any two Sparks at a given time and get the passive effects from both, this adds yet another layer to the tactical potential of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Giving a character like Edge that already has the highest number of dashes a Spark like Electrodash that makes all dashes deal over 150 damage for that turn means that she can simply move forward ahead of the pack and significantly cripple the enemy strength just with a few quick dashes and that’s before even drawing a weapon to attack normally. When not engaging in combat or mortal peril, Mario and his team are free to run around the open sandbox environment, shaking bushes for coins, spinning around on conspicuously marked patches in the ground, or solving the odd sidequest here and there. Most of what Mario and his Rabbid entourage will discover pay off not just in the immediate but also in long-term potential. Collecting keys for later use or accumulating enough Sparks to bypass a secret checkpoint is all part of taking some extra time to explore the open maps for all manner of tucked-away secrets. The wait to get hands-on with Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope isn’t too far off, as players can look forward to on October 20th, 2022, as a Nintendo Switch exclusive. With only a month to go until launch, there’s plenty of time to check out the original Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle to cut your teeth on Ubisoft’s newest tactical RPG series. Now, if only we could see a new Ghost Recon in the vein of the 3DS exclusive Shadow Wars with a similar battle system. Source. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Preview Gameplay.

Microsoft has revealed the findings of a huge new study examining what issues are still going wrong with hybrid working. The “Hybrid Work Is Just Work. Are We Doing It Wrong?” report(opens in new tab) is based on 20,000 people from 11 countries, looking at “trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals." The report claims that “people are working more than ever”, although managers are continuing to question their employees’ productivity. Productivity risks? According to the data, users are having 153% more Microsoft Teams meetings than pre-pandemic levels, which has led to an 84% increase in meeting declines and a 216% growth in tentative RSVPs. The significant rise in meetings could be partly due to the sentiment that hybrid working has made it challenging to have confidence in employees’ productivity - a thought shared by 85% of the leaders surveyed. With so many video conferencing and collaboration tools battling it out to offer the best services following a recent spike in hybrid working and WFH routines, companies are looking for new ways to target their audiences. Microsoft believes managers should focus on helping their workers be more productive and to prioritize their workload, rather than so-called “productivity paranoia”, and to help with this, its new Viva Pulse app is designed to facilitate feedback between employees and leaders with “research-backed questions” and confidentiality at heart. Return to office? Earlier this year, Apple implemented a return-to-office policy in the wake of Google’s return policy, while Tesla CEO Elon Musk has threatened to fire office no-shows. For many, though, the prospect of leaving their home is not an enticing one. Microsoft says 73% of employees and 78% of business decision makers need a “better reason to go in than just company expectations.” Some of the key reasons for travelling into the formal working location are socializing with colleagues and improving teamwork on projects that require collaboration. The study suggests that businesses build better digital communities to help workers stay connected. Among some of the many new Viva updates is Viva Amplify which is designed to help users “elevate” their messages with built-in guidance. Other updates, like People in Viva and Viva Answers, use artificial intelligence to help create better connections and responses. WFH and side hustles The third point, entitled “re-recruit your employees”, comes in response to LinkedIn data suggesting that Gen Z employees are changing jobs 22% faster this year compared to the last, which cites “Job-hopping, the creator economy, side hustles, and entrepreneurship” as some key drivers. Despite their hunger for development, 76% of the workers surveyed said that they would stay at their companies longer if they have more learning opportunities. Instead of seeing a career as a vertical “ladder”, the report wants companies to employ a more “climbing wall or playground” approach where workers can expand in a wider range of directions. Source.

Intel has yet to formally announce and start shipments of its unlocked Core i9-13900K 'Raptor Lake' processor, but some of its synthetic benchmark results have already been published. The flagship CPU already tops PassMark's single-thread rankings, beating predecessors and processors from AMD and Apple (as noticed by @Tum_Apisak). Intel's Core i9-13900K processor has eight high-performance cores operating at 3.0 GHz base clock and 16 energy-efficient working at 2.20 GHz base frequency. However, when maximum single-thread performance is needed, it turns on Thermal Velocity Boost and skyrockets high-performance cores to an impressive 5.80 GHz (at 241W). The CPU scores 4,883 points in PassMark's single-thread performance benchmark, which is 471 points higher than Intel's Core i9-12900KS. In fact, Intel's 12th Generation Core i7 and Core i9 'Alder Lake' processors have led PassMark single-thread CPU performance rankings for a while now. Mostly because of high clocks and high IPC execution, these processors dethroned Apple's M1 system-on-chip that topped this benchmark throughout 2021. Yet, Apple's single-thread efficiency speaks for itself: in a bid to beat Apple's M2 processor (up to 3.50 GHz at 22W ~ 30W), Intel's Core i9-13900K (up to 5.80 GHz at 241W) had to work at a 65% higher frequency while consuming almost an order of magnitude more power. Of course, Intel's new flagship CPU has 24 (8P+16E) cores and can process up to 32 threads per clock, beating all of Apple's offerings in synthetic benchmarks. Meanwhile, Intel's yet-to-be-released Core i9-13900K is not the best high-end CPU in PassMark's general CPU benchmark that takes into account both single-thread and multi-thread performance. AMD's Ryzen Threadripper processors clearly lead the game here. For now, the Core i9-13900K leaves behind AMD's previous-generation Ryzen 9 5950X by a comfortable margin. However, in a few days, AMD's next-generation Ryzen 9 7950X enters the arena, and we are eager to see whether it beats Intel's offering. While the results of Intel's upcoming Core i9-13900K processor seem legit, take them with a grain of sale as we might be dealing with pre-production hardware with all possible consequences. Source.

Flipkart Big Billion Days 2022 sale is live with exciting offers and discounts. The week-long sale began on September 22 for Plus Members, and from September 23 for all other customers. Flipkart is providing some of the best deals and discounts on the smartphones from several brands including Apple, Xiaomi, Samsung, Motorola and others. The Flipkart Big Billion Days 2022 sale is offering exchange offers for customers willing to buy budget smartphones under Rs. 20,000. Moreover, ICICI and Axis Bank customers can avail an additional 10 percent instant discount on each purchase. Here, we have compiled some of the best smartphone deals under Rs. 20,000. Flipkart Big Billion Days 2022 sale: Best deals on smartphones under Rs. 20,000 Redmi Note 11SE (Rs. 12,249) Around 150$ The Redmi Note 11SE, which sports a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with 1,080 x 2,400 pixels resolution, is available for Rs. 12,249 for the sole 6GB RAM + 64GB storage variant. The handset from Xiaomi was launched recently in India on August 26. It is powered by a MediaTek Helio G95 SoC, coupled with Mali-G76 MC4 GPU. Redmi Note 11SE comes with a quad rear camera setup which comprises a 64-megapixel primary sensor. Customers can also buy the smartphone with an exchange offer discount of up to Rs. 11,700. Buy now at: Rs. 12,249 (MRP Rs. 16,999) Motorola Moto G5 (Rs. 12,999) Around 160$ Flipkart Big Billion Days 2022 sale is offering Motorola Moto G5 at starting price of Rs. 12,999 for the base 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant. The smartphone, launched in April this year, comes with a 90 Hz refresh rate and a 6.60-inch touchscreen display. The Motorola Moto G52 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor. The handset boasts of providing a 5000mAh battery. For those interested in buying the smartphone, Axis bank and ICICI bank are offering an instant 10 percent discount. One can also get an additional off up to Rs. 12,400 on exchange offer. Buy now at: Rs. 12,999 (MRP Rs. 17,999) Samsung Galaxy F13 (Rs. 15,999) Around 196$ The Samsung Galaxy F13 smartphone coupled with a 60 Hz refresh rate and a 6.60-inch touchscreen display, is available at a 36 percent discount, making the effective cost without offers at Rs. 15,999. The Samsung Galaxy F13 is powered by an octa-core Samsung Exynos 850 processor. The base 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant can be available at a lower price when combined with bank offers and special discounts. Buy now at: Rs. 15,999 (MRP Rs. 24,999) Vivo T1 44W (Rs. 13,499) Around 166$ Another great smartphone deal under Rs. 20,000 during the Flipkart Big Billion Days 200 sale is Vivo T1 44W, available for a reduced price of Rs. 13,499. The included exchange offer can reduce its price by up to Rs. 12,850. The smartphone comes with a 6.44-inch touchscreen display and powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor. The Vivo T1 44W also supports proprietary fast charging. Buy now at: Rs. 13,499 (MRP Rs. 19,990) Oppo K10 5G (Rs. 15,999) Around 196$ The Oppo K10 5G's 8GB RAM + 128GB variant can be purchased for a reduced price of Rs. 15,999 during the Flipkart Big Billion Days 2022 sale. With the included exchange offer, one can avail a discount up to Rs. 15,300. The smartphone packing 6.59-inch touchscreen display runs Android 12 and provides a 5000mAH non-removable battery. Oppo K10 5G comes with a triple camera setup headlined by a 64-megapixel (f/1.8) primary camera and a single front camera setup featuring a 16-megapixel sensor. Buy now at: Rs. 15,999 (MRP Rs. 25,999) Realme 9 4G (Rs. 15,499) Around 190$ The Realme 9 4G features a 6.40-inch touchscreen display. Under the hood, this smartphone packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680SoC. It has a 108-megapixel triple rear camera setup and a 16-megapixel selfie sensor. Flipkart is also offering an exchange offer of up to Rs. 14,950 on the smartphone. Buy now at: Rs. 15,499 (MRP Rs. 22,999) Source.

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In November 2021, Alejandro Arteaga and his team traveled to the cloud forests of southern Ecuador on a mission to find toads that were feared lost to extinction. Unfortunately, the scientists failed to find a single one. But a chance encounter on the way home tipped the team off to a different sort of discovery. Disappointed and hungry, Arteaga and his crew had stopped in the small town of Amaluza in search of a meal. “This is how it usually is in rural areas of Ecuador,” says Arteaga, a research biologist at the Khamai Foundation, a new non-governmental organization that aims to protect Ecuador’s biodiversity. “There isn't really like a drive-through restaurant where you can get your food, so you basically need to knock on doors. And if there's people there, they will gladly cook for you and tell you stories.” A local woman welcomed the travelers, and as she began preparing locally caught trout, she overheard the crew talking about amphibians and snakes. “And then she told us that she often sees snakes in the local graveyard, while visiting her deceased family members,” recalls Arteaga. (Read how graveyards have a surprising amount of biodiversity.) Based on the chef’s description, Arteaga suspected they might be ground snakes from the genus Atractus—secretive animals that spend a lot of time underground and had never been scientifically recorded in that area of Ecuador. Rejuvenated, the crew decided to take a small detour and spend a few hours picking through the hillside graveyard. “Lo and behold, we actually found two of the snakes buried in the soft soil beside the graves,” says Arteaga, who adds that no burial grounds were excavated or disturbed during the research. Stunned by the yellow-bellied serpents, the team dedicated more time to the Andean region, even gathering samples of snakes collected by a local schoolteacher named Diego Piñán. All told, the expedition led to the description of three ground snake species new to science, according to a study published September 15 in the journal ZooKeys. The scientists propose naming the new species A. discovery; which has especially small eyes and a yellow belly with a black line; A. zgap, which has a yellow belly with no line, and A. michaelsabini, which is “the chubbiest of the lot,” says Arteaga. (Michael Sabin, after whom the snake is named, is a young naturalist whose family has protected over 264,365 acres of critical habitat with a focus on amphibians and reptiles.) “It is important never to disregard the observations or the beliefs of local people, because they might be hiding impressive discoveries,” says Arteaga. Cryptic snakes If this is the first you’re hearing of ground snakes, you’re not alone. “It wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that they are the least studied group of snakes on the planet,” says Arteaga; for instance, some species’ males or young have never been recorded. This is partly because the 146 known ground snake species of live underground, in deep rock crevices, often within remote cloud forests. All are native to Central and South America. But with the new finding, human-made habitats, such as small-town graveyards and churches, can also be added to that list. In this region of Ecuador, Arteaga says the snakes may be drawn to such places precisely because they’re quiet and relatively undisturbed by people, who often kill snakes out of fear. And, fortunately for people living alongside ground snakes, they’re completely harmless. “Unless you’re an earthworm!” jokes Paulo Roberto Melo-Sampaio, a ground snake researcher at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro’s National Museum who was not involved in the new study. “The finding of new species is always exciting,” says Melo-Sampaio, who adds that nearly half of the known Atractus species have been described in just the last 40 years. (Read about a new ground snake species named for a Greek monster of the underworld.) “Now in Ecuador, Alejandro Arteaga and his team have great merit for being able to carry out their research in the neotropics, where there is a shortage of funding and logistical difficulties for fieldwork,” he says by email. More research needed? Yet Melo-Sampaio also expressed concerns about the paper’s methodology, specifically its heavy reliance on genetics to parse out the three new species. (See 22 spectacular snake pictures.) When describing a new species, scientists generally rely on a combination of genetic analysis and morphology—or an animal’s physical attributes—to determine that it’s different from its relatives. In the case of A. michaelsabini, for instance, Melo-Sampaio says the reptile’s physical appearance is very similar to an already described ground snake, A. roulei, so it’s too early to say it’s definitively a new species. Likewise, he says A. discovery also resembles another known species known as A. resplendens. For his part, Arteaga says he and his team plan to study more of the ground snakes’ morphology in a follow-up paper, which is already in the works. Ground snakes to the rescue Though ground snakes are still little known, Arteaga predicts they could have a big impact on human health. “At first sight, ground snakes aren’t as brightly colored and might not seem like they have as much biomedical importance as things like vipers and coral snakes,” whose venom is often studied, says Arteaga. (Read more about the search for new and better antivenoms.) “But the primary predator of ground snakes is those venomous coral snakes.” Because of this, scientists suspect that ground snakes may evolved have some sort of biological resistance to coral snake venom. Studying the blood of ground snakes, then, could lead to breakthroughs in developing antivenoms that can help people bit by coral snakes. Ecuador, for instance, has one of the highest rates of snakebites in South America, with between 1,400 and 1,600 incidents a year. So it’s possible that someday, a creature found burrowed between the tombstones could hold the key to keeping people out of the graveyard. Source.

Election Day may still be weeks away, but voting for this year's midterm elections has already begun. North Carolina officially kicked off this voting season on Sept. 9, when — almost two months before Election Day — its county boards of elections started mailing out absentee ballots. And on Friday, voters can start casting ballots in person in Minnesota, South Dakota, Virginia and Wyoming. These wider windows to participate in U.S. democracy come as a majority of states allow mail-in voting for all eligible voters and most states have at least two weeks of early voting. The COVID-19 pandemic drove interest in both of those ways of voting during the 2020 elections, when, according to a U.S. Election Assistance Commission report, just 30.5% of voters cast ballots in person on Election Day — down from 58.2% in 2018 and 54.5% in 2016. Election officials are expecting these trends to continue in many communities, leaving elections to be increasingly less about what happens on a Tuesday in November and more about what happens over the weeks earlier. For many voters, it means that Election Day has turned into a last call of sorts. "If you haven't taken care of it yet, don't wait any longer," says Paul Linnell, deputy elections director for the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, about the role of Election Day in a state with a 46-day early voting period. The longest voting season of any state is in North Carolina, where, the state's board of elections reported earlier this month, close to 53,000 voters had asked for an absentee ballot for the general election. Given early voting patterns in North Carolina's Durham County, any bombshell news about a candidate that lands as an "October surprise" won't necessarily influence local results, says Derek Bowens, the county's elections director. "I guess it could have an effect. But generally, in our larger, even-numbered-year elections, before Election Day, the bulk of our voters have voted," Bowens adds, noting that an "August surprise" might be a different story. In Buncombe County, N.C., more pre-Election Day voting also means more foot traffic, phone calls and computer dings at the elections office, which hits "almost peak busyness" in September, according to Corinne Duncan, the local elections director. "When voters vote early, that means that we have more votes that we can pre-process and audit before Election Day," Duncan adds, referencing state law that allows elections officials to start preparing absentee ballots for counting before Election Day. "That canvass period is extremely busy for us, and we use all of it to make sure that everything is audited. And so if we can push some of that forward, that really helps." Still, in some North Carolina counties, Election Day remains the day to cast ballots for many voters, says Devon Houck, the director of the Ashe County Board of Elections who followed voting patterns during this year's primary elections. "We did not have an excessive amount of absentee by mail. And we are an older county, but we are also a highly Republican county. And so I believe that makes a difference as well," Houck says. Since 2020, there has been a growing difference in preference for voting by mail that falls along partisan lines. With many GOP officials targeting mail voting laws, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they prefer to cast mail ballots. However voters choose to vote, though, Houck says for election officials, at least one thing is for sure. "Something my friends would say to me: 'Oh, well, you only work one day a year.' And I'm like, 'No,' " Houck says with a laugh. "It takes a lot more than the public actually knows to get ready for an election."

Upgrades to the BMW 3 Series Touring’s cabin have added a welcome boost in technology and interior quality to its already-excellent driving dynamics. It’s as practical as many people will ever need, and this 320d would be a terrific choice for anyone after a spacious, comfortable long-distance cruiser. We look forward to trying the BiK-busting plug-in hybrid edition in the near future. The estate version of the 3 Series accounts for around half of the model’s sales in its native Germany, but barely 10 per cent in the UK. That’s an odd stat that’s likely to remain in place, even after the 3 Series Touring gets the same worthy updates as the saloon. Indeed, you could argue that the 320d Touring we’re trying here makes a good case for two lost causes – the estate bodystyle, and diesel power. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine produces 187bhp and a hefty 400Nm of torque, taking the car from 0-62mph in 7.1 seconds and ensuring that it can still make swift progress even when the loadbay is in full use. It’s a fantastic motor and one that has been cleverly installed, with little or no vibration to speak of, and barely a dull rumble coming from beneath the bonnet when you’re cruising along. It’s beautifully paired with BMW’s eight-speed automatic gearbox, too; the transmission’s software is happy to shift up early and use the wads of torque, allowing you to make rapid progress without sending the revs beyond the powertrain’s comfort zone (it’s all done and dusted by 2,500rpm, in any case). This effortless pace and refinement plus combined fuel economy that’s north of 50mpg make you realise what a great fuel choice diesel can still be for high-mileage customers. There’s still scope here for enjoyment too, since the steering and body control are every bit as well judged as they are in the saloon; heavy loads might get in the way a little, but in most scenarios you could certainly press on a bit in a 320d Touring along a fast, flowing road. The range has been simplified a little but the kit lists are generous. Even entry-level Sport editions get BMW’s curved screen on the dash, mixing a 12.3-inch display for digital dials and a 14.9-inch infotainment system running the latest software. It benefits from having both a touchscreen and the iDrive controller. The material upgrades have been well chosen for the facelift, with high-quality fabrics and finishes in almost all of the key areas; in this respect, the 3 Series recovers significant ground on the Mercedes C-Class. The boot still measures a useful 500 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,500 litres when all of the 40:20:40 split is folded down. BMW’s load area also has some neat features such as rubber floor grips that rise slightly when the car is turned on, to help prevent items from sliding around on twisty roads. After spirited driving on the Bavarian test route, we can attest that they work well. Source.

Royal fans have poured into the heart of London to experience the flag-lined roads, pomp-filled processions and, above all, brave a mileslong line for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to bid adieu to Queen Elizabeth II, who died after an unprecedented seven decades on the throne. And while they’re here, they’re packing hotels, restaurants and shops. Visitors crowding into central London from as far away as the U.S. and India for the historic moment are giving a boost to businesses at a time when the British economy is facing a cost-of-living crisis fueled by the highest inflation in four decades and predictions of a looming recession. “This is the history, you know, this happens once in the lifetime,” said Kanakkantt Benedict, who was visiting from India with his wife and filed past the queen’s flag-draped coffin this week. “So we became a part of it.” The pomp and pageantry leading up to the funeral for Britain’s longest-reigning monarch underscored the royal family’s power as a global attraction, from an elaborate military procession for her crown-topped coffin drawing live viewers around the world to piles of flowers filling up Green Park near Buckingham Palace and gift shops hastily churning out souvenirs commemorating the queen’s life as people clamor for mementos. Hundreds of thousands are expected to pay tribute to the queen in the four days that her body lies in state ahead of her state funeral Monday, pushing up demand for hotel rooms in central London that in some cases have doubled in price. Hundreds of world leaders, from U.S. President Joe Biden to Japan’s emperor and empress, plus their entourages need places to stay as they arrive for the queen’s funeral. So do police officers coming from around Britain to help with security. Occupancy levels could reach an all-time high of 95%, according to London-based group-booking platform Hotelplanner.com. “That’s not surprising when you consider that the eyes of the world really are on the capital and the media, dignitaries and members of the public, just like myself, who just want to be part of such a historic occasion,” said Thomas Emanuel, senior director of hotel analytics firm STR. All 35 rooms at the two-star Corbigoe Hotel in London’s Victoria neighborhood, near Buckingham Palace, were booked, duty manager Riaz Badar said. “Nowadays, rooms are full in this area, not only in our hotel but around all the hotels in this area,” Badar said. On the Thames, the Riverside Cafe that’s next to the mileslong, round-the-clock line for people to get a glimpse of the queen’s coffin, has been “extremely busy,” manager Zab Istanik said. He’s been opening two hours earlier than normal, at 7 a.m. “We were busy like this when the Queen Mum passed away in 2002. But it wasn’t as busy as it is… this week,” Istanik said. Also on the route, Jason Rich’s food stall, Fed By Plants, was doing brisk business selling lentil burgers. “It’s a long queue,” Rich said. “So definitely it had a good boost on the business.” The U.K. was already an attractive place to visit as demand rebounds for international travel since the COVID-19 pandemic and the weakened pound, especially for American visitors, makes transatlantic travel more affordable. University professor Chad Broughton, 51, who was visiting London from Chicago with two friends after a long pandemic delay, said their hotel room in the tourist-heavy Covent Garden neighborhood was pricey at 400 pounds ($456) a night. But the trip to London was unique. “Seeing all these people queued up, seeing the reaction on BBC and just feeling this, you get a sense of how important it is to the people here,” he said. Plus, costs were offset by the currency’s fall, friend Josh Walsman said. “We’ve found everything to be a pretty surprising value,” Walsman, 51-year-old musician, said as they walked by Westminster Hall, where mourners inside paid homage to the queen and tourists outside snapped photos on streets closed to traffic. Walsman said they went to a Champions League soccer match, had tickets for a play and a dinner reservation at the upscale Cinnamon Club Indian restaurant. “We’ve been mostly spending our money at pubs,” he said. “The conversion rate has meant that each time a bill comes, it’s like, ‘Oh, I thought it was about 30% more.'” The pound briefly slumped to a 37-year low against the dollar on Friday after U.K. retail sales volumes slid more than expected in August — a fresh sign of economic weakness. The British economy is reeling from rising energy prices spurred by Russia’s war in Ukraine, driving the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. The government said it will cap energy bills for households and businesses, but prices are still painfully high. Inflation is the highest in the Group of Seven economies, at 9.9%. With that backdrop, the money being spent by visitors offered a glimmer of hope. “Speaking to our hospitality sector, not just our hotels, but restaurants, bars and pubs, they’ve had an awful three years because of this pandemic,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan said. Budget hotel operator Travelodge said it’s ordered extra breakfast supplies for its 78 London hotels for Monday, saying it expects many mourners to start their day with a “traditional full English” breakfast. Pub chain JD Wetherspoon says it will keep its pubs in central London open Monday during the queen’s funeral. Some analysts predicted the overall economic boost for the U.K. from the royal mourning period would be limited. That’s because it would be offset by supermarkets, retailers, hardware stores and other businesses closing for the funeral Monday, which has been made a public holiday. However, renewed interest in the royal family could give an extended boost to the travel and tourism industry, said Tim Hentschel, co-founder and CEO of Hotelplanner.com. “Yes, short term, the bank holiday will probably cut down productivity a little bit,” Hentschel said. But “the overall momentum that the U.K. is going to gain from all the tourism that’s going to flock here over the next few days and then over the next few months will far outweigh” the short-term loss. Source.