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BirSaNN
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Nick Movie: The Little Mermaid Time: 2023-05-26 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: - about 2 h Trailer:
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Xiaomi 12 Pro was launched with MIUI 13 based on Android 12 and the handset is receiving its first major Android update. Xiaomi 12 Pro is receiving an update to Android 13-based MIUI 14 in India. The update for Xiaomi's 2022 flagship smartphone comes with new redesigned home screen icons, widgets, folders, dual apps support, and the ability to remove objects from images. The Xiaomi 12 Pro was launched last year with Android 12-based MIUI 13 out-of-the-box. It also brings several improvements to performance, including faster app launch times, improved system stability, and better battery life. MIUI 14 is claimed to use 214MB less memory while booting up in comparison to MIUI 13, as part of Xiaomi's efforts to optimise system memory usage. Xiaomi has announced the rollout of MIUI 14 for Xiaomi 12 Pro in India via its Twitter handle. The MIUI 14 update on Xiaomi 12 Pro in India brings new redesigned home screens, apps, widgets, and folders. Additionally, it comes with a lighter firmware version compared MIUI 13. It also optimises foreground RAM usage by 11 percent and background RAM use by 6 percent, according to the company. The MIUI 14 update for the Xiaomi 12 Pro also saves 4GB of storage by reducing system storage space. It has also added 6 new wallpapers along with 39 visual effects. Other features and improvements include dual app support, the ability to take notes while reading with the Sidebar feature, and the ability to remove objects from photos. It has also improved system performance as well as battery life. Xiaomi 12 Pro was launched in India in April last year with Android 12-based MIUI 13 and it is now receiving the first major OS update with the company's MIUI 14 skin on top. To download the update, users can open the Settings app and tap About phone > MIUI version > Check for updates. The smartphone sports a 6.72-inch WQHD+ (1,440x3,200 pixels) E5 AMOLED display with a dynamic refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz. The phone is equipped with an octa-core Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, along with an Adreno 730 GPU and up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. For optics, it packs a triple rear camera setup that houses a 50-megapixel Sony IMX707 primary sensor, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide shooter, and a 50-megapixel telephoto shooter. link: https://www.gadgets360.com/mobiles/news/xiaomi-12-pro-android-13-update-miui-14-india-new-features-security-patches-how-to-download-3857733
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Microsoft announced a major update of Windows 11. In the latest Windows update, a new version of Bing that integrates the ChatGPT function will appear on the search bar of the computer, making it easier for users to call AI search robots, enhancing performance and simplifying workflow. This new update reshapes the future of artificial intelligence, putting Microsoft at the forefront of cutting-edge innovation. With a strong commitment to AI, Microsoft is upgrading Edge with AI capabilities and integrating it into Office apps for a seamless user experience. This means users can enjoy an enhanced user experience and productivity boost like never. With the addition of revolutionary tools and next-generation capabilities, Microsoft is leading the charge toward more efficient and collaborative work environments. So don't wait any longer to upgrade and experience the power of AI for yourself. 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Godeal24 is a reseller of Microsoft licenses and major IT security software, allowing you to purchase Windows OS and MS Office at discounted prices, as well as useful computer tools such as IOBIT series, Ashampoo software, Disk Drill, and many more. Save up to 90%! The licenses are 100% original and authentic. Godeal24 knows the "history" of each license it sells, and users can use them without any problems. For this reason, the licenses that can be purchased on Godeal24 are "lifetime", i.e. they can be used without restriction: the operating system will be updated and supported by Microsoft for its entire lifetime. Godeal24 promises that they offer 24/7 professional technical support and lifetime after-sales service and that you can use the product without problems! link: https://wccftech.com/godeal24-spring-sale-get-genuine-microsoft-windows-10-11-and-ms-office-2021-from-just-7-25/
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Intel recently commented on the 16-pin cable design currently used by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series graphics cards, which opted for a 12VHPWR connector comprising a 12+4-pin design to produce a large amount of wattage to power the company's GPUs. Intel's new ATX 3.0 specifications reveal recommendations for NVIDIA's 12VHPWR connector with an alternative design When NVIDIA introduced the new design, reports flooded in on users having melted plugs and connections which turned out to be a user error since the connectors weren't being plugged in fully. Intel has developed a way of eliminating the issues by creating a new connection design. The 16-Pin 12VHPWR connector is part of the new ATX 3.0 specifications that were defined by Intel and incorporates the latest Gen 5.0 platform. NVIDIA researched the situation thoroughly and found that if the cable is not fully inserted into the connection to the graphics card, there would be a fault in the link, causing a high temperature and melting of the cable and connection. Also, space to connect the graphics card to the cable was an increased issue with insufficient clearance in some users' personal computers. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 design made the card one of the largest graphics cards developed to date and caused several difficulties for users. Since then, several cable alternatives have come out to allow better connection and enhanced clearance for the GPU. A recent "recommendation" coming from Intel has recommended a design change of the 12VHPWR power connector from the current 3-dimple design to a 4-spring approach, as shown in the image below: This is not to say that Intel is developing a graphics card offering the same connection as NVIDIA. This came to light because Intel further defined the ATX 3.0 specifications, and the cable design is part of its new generation. The method also was derivative of discoveries made by Igor Wallosek of the website Igor's Lab. It turns out that the company had two different suppliers for the adapter, one was the three-dimple design, and the other was the four-spring design. NVIDIA chose to utilize the four-spring option as it was more accessible and capable of wearing above the other. A spokesperson for Intel explained what the company's engineers revealed in its in-house research, stating, "Crimp Contacts inside of the cable plug are recommended to use the 4 Spring design instead of 3 dimple design (as shown in below figure) which will increase the contact area for electrical current flow inside the 12VHWPR connector and reduce the temperature rise of each contact." link: https://wccftech.com/new-intel-atx-3-0-specs-reveal-redesign-of-12vhpwr-connector-to-eliminate-faulty-connections/
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It'll pay a $3 million settlement penalty Cloud software company Blackbaud has agreed to pay a $3 million settlement for misleading disclosures about a ransomware attack that happened almost three years ago, in May 2020. The public company, which provides donor data management software to non-profit organizations and educational establishments, had failed, until now(opens in new tab), to disclose a ransomware attack it was aware of at the time. Said attack was believed to have affected over 13,000 customers, putting personally identifiable information like names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers at risk. Blackbaud's 2020 ransomware attack The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) explained(opens in new tab) that “[...] in August 2020, the company filed a quarterly report with the SEC that omitted this material information about the scope of the attack and misleadingly characterized the risk of an attacker obtaining such sensitive donor information as hypothetical.” Chief of the SEC Enforcement Division’s Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit, David Hirsch, noted that Blackbaud failed to inform investors in an accurate and timely manner about the ransomware attack - an obligation it has as a public company. However, it complied with the threat and paid the cybercriminal’s demand “with confirmation that the copy they removed had been destroyed”, citing customer data as a key priority in its decision. Due to its poor communication and subsequent events, various sections and rules of the Securities Act of 1933 and Securities Exchange Act of 1934 were found to have been violated, resulting in a $3 million civil penalty and Blackbaud’s cease and desist from committing these violations. The company has not yet made a public comment about the settlement, nor has it issued any reassurance to customers whose doubts have been raised following the ransomware attack entering public discussions. link: https://www.techradar.com/news/cloud-provider-blackbaud-pays-the-price-for-its-ransomware-cover-up
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These ten cards are part of the Paldea region's card game debut. The Pokemon Trading Card Game will soon include the Paldea region, as the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet expansions will debut March 17 at prerelease events before launching in full on March 31. Pokemon from across Paldea will soon be playable on tabletop, and we have an exclusive sneak preview of what's to come. We can exclusively reveal new cards from the Pokemon TCG Scarlet and Violet expansion, a group which includes new Pokemon, a new Trainer card, and a few of the set's ultra-powerful Pokemon-ex cards--including one Tera Pokemon-ex showcasing a new mechanic. All Tera Pokemon-ex found in Pokemon's Scarlet and Violet expansion have an extra perk: Tera Pokemon-ex cannot be damaged while sitting on the bench, whether the damage is coming from the opponent or the owner of the card. Below are the descriptions of each card in the reveal, as well as some potential uses for the card in future deck composition. Images of each card can be found in the gallery above. Arcanine-ex (Tera) Card Number: 32/198 Type: Fire HP: 280 Evolves From: Growlithe Attack 1: Raging Claws Costs 2 Fire Energy 30 base damage This attack does 10 more damage for each damage counter on this Pokemon. Attack 2: Bright Flame Costs 3 Fire Energy 250 base damage Discard two Fire Energy from this Pokemon. This Terastallized Arcanine is a powerhouse, with plenty of HP to keep it alive and a two-energy attack in Raging Claws that only gets stronger the more damage it takes--up to 300 damage total! Bright Flame is a good nuclear option in a pinch, but that forced discard of two Fire energy means it should only be deployed when a replacement energy card is in your hand. Oinkologne-ex Card Number: 158/198 Type: Normal HP: 260 Evolves From: Lechonk Attack 1: Maddening Scent Costs 1 Colorless Energy 10 base damage This attack does 30 more damage for each of your opponent's Benched Pokemon. Attack 2: Heavy Stomp Costs 3 Colorless Energy 210 base damage Flip a coin. If tails, during your next turn, this Pokemon can't attack. Oinkologne-ex has potential as a mid-game heavy-hitting option, as it can use an opponent's full bench against them thanks to Maddening Scent--which will inflict 160 damage at full strength. Heavy Stomp is also a solid option, but the coin flip could negate any Oinkologne-ex attacks in the next turn, which means you'll have to discard two energy to replace it with something on your bench. Armarouge (Trainer Gallery) Card Number: 203/198 Type: Fire HP: 130 Evolves From: Charcadet Ability: Fire Off As often as you like during your turn, you may move a Fire Energy from one of your Benched Pokemon to your Active Pokemon. Attack: Flame Cannon Costs 2 Fire Energy and 1 Colorless Energy 90 base damage Your opponent's Active Pokemon is now Burned (it takes 20 damage every turn it's Burned until its owner flips a coin that lands on heads). Go back and look at Arcanine-ex Tera for a second, then scoot back here and read Armarouge's Ability. Abilities, for those that aren't familiar, stay active even when a Pokemon is on the Bench, meaning that if Arcanine should have to discard two Fire energy for having to use Bright Flame, Armarouge can reload the Arcanine's energy immediately. That's one potent ability, and we expect Fire-focused decks will include Armarouge immediately. Greavard (Trainer Gallery) Card Number: 214/198 Type: Psychic HP: 70 Evolves From: N/A (Basic Pokemon) Attack: Graveyard Gamboling Costs 1 Psychic Energy This attack does 10 damage for every Psychic-type Pokemon in your discard pile. On the surface, Greavard doesn't look like it'll amount to much. Considering Pokemon usually reach the discard pile through being knocked out by the opponent, you could find yourself falling behind before this card starts packing a punch. However, any type of deck that relies heavily on discarding cards--either from the top of the deck or from the player's hand--might want to consider the ghostly good boy as an attack option. Riolu (Trainer Gallery) Card Number: 215/198 Type: Fighting HP: 70 Evolves From: N/A (Basic Pokemon) Attack: Punch Costs 1 Fighting Energy 10 base damage Attack: Reckless Charge Costs 1 Fighting Energy and 1 Colorless Energy 50 base damage This Pokemon also does 20 damage to itself. Riolu here is best used at the beginning of a match, as the aptly named Punch attack can get things started quickly for a single Fighting Energy. The second attack, Reckless Charge, can only be used three times without knocking out Riolu by itself, so leave that as a last resort--or against a Pokemon weak to Fighting-type attacks, where it will deal 100 damage for only two Energy. Bombirdier (Trainer Gallery) Card Number: 219/198 Type: Dark HP: 110 Evolves From: N/A (Basic Pokemon) Attack: Knickknack Carrying Costs 1 Colorless Energy Search your deck for up to three Pokemon Tool cards, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck. Attack: Clutch Costs 1 Dark Energy and 1 Colorless Energy 60 base damage During your opponent's next turn, the Defending Pokemon can't retreat. Card retrieval is always a powerful tool--pun absolutely intended--so being able to snag three Pokemon Tool cards for a single Energy will easily make Bombirdier one of the strongest starting Pokemon in the set. We haven't seen many of the new Tools yet, but once we do the possibilities will become clear. Great Tusk-ex (Secret Rainbow Alternate) Card Number: 230/198 Type: Fighting HP: 250 Evolves From: N/A (Basic Pokemon) Attack: Bedrock Breaker Costs 1 Fighting Energy 40 base damage Discard a Stadium in play. Attack: Gigantic Tusks Costs 3 Fighting Energy 250 base damage This Pokemon also does 50 damage to itself. Great Tusk-ex is shaping up to be a high risk/high reward sort of Pokemon, as that Gigantic Tusks attack will wipe out plenty of Pokemon on its own, but each time it's used the opponent gets one step closer to two more Prize cards. That being said, a 250 HP Pokemon starting the game will give you a good amount of time to set up a strategy. Iron Treads-ex (Secret Rainbow Alternate and Trainer Gallery) Card Number: 233/198 (Rainbow), 248/198 (Trainer Gallery) Type: Steel HP: 220 Evolves From: N/A (Basic Pokemon) Attack: Triple Laser Costs 3 Colorless Energy This attack does 30 damage to three of your opponent's Pokemon. Attack: Cybernetic Wheels Costs 3 Steel Energy and 1 Colorless Energy 160 base damage Switch this Pokemon with one of your Benched Pokemon. Here we have two versions of Iron Treads-ex, one in the secret rainbow alternate art and the other from the Trainer Gallery. The attacks and costs are the same for each variant, however, and the ability to attack any three of your opponent's Pokemon with Triple Laser means that heavily damaged Pokemon trying to retreat cannot hide from this guy. If you should suffer a big hit, however, Cybernetic Wheels will let Iron Treads-ex scoot out of harm's way while dealing big damage. Penny (Trainer Gallery) Card Number: 252/198 Type: Supporter Trainer Ability: Put one of your Basic Pokemon and all attached cards into your hand. The lone Trainer card in our preview is Penny, the shy student who's more than she seems. Like the trainer herself, the card seems to be simple and straightforward, as it merely snatches a Pokemon from an opponent's clutches. However, the ability to also recoup every card attached to the Pokemon means that Energy resources can be recycled, which opens up new attack opportunities for the rest of your field with a single card. link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-tcgs-scarlet-and-violet-expansion-revealed-check-out-the-new-cards/1100-6512242/
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Galacticare, from the creators of War for the Overworld, asks you to "Save the galaxy—one patient at a time!" 2018's Two Point Hospital(opens in new tab) was a worthy spiritual successor to management sim classic Theme Hospital(opens in new tab), but I'll tell you something it didn't have: aliens. Thankfully, Galacticare is here to fix that tragic and obvious misstep. The game charges you with running a medical space station, caring for a broad and bizarre array of species. "From tiny, biomechanical lemurs, to starship-sized spacefarers, to entire planets, take on patients of all shapes and sizes," says the Steam page. The basic building and management of your facilities looks very similar to Theme Hospital, but with a colourful sci-fi aesthetic reminiscent of another management sim classic: Startopia. It's a clever mix—freaky aliens and a sci-fi setting are the perfect justification for taking Theme Hospital's weird and comical diseases and treatments to new levels of absurdity. There's more to it than just a shiny new skin over an old favourite, though. Developer Brightrock Games previously made War for the Overworld, which recreated the Dungeon Keeper formula but added in whole new layers of play to expand the experience. Galacticare looks to have similar ambitions. For example, your crew of doctors and surgeons are named characters that you recruit and take with you from mission to mission—including a DJ and a "fungus-addled monk". Each has its own mechanics, and you can choose how they level up over the course of a campaign, and even uncover their backstories. Similarly, as you treat patients of different species, you'll build reputation with their kind, unlocking new rewards to add to those revealed through your research labs. The vibrant vibes and cheerful humour of the trailer(opens in new tab) have definitely captured my attention. There's no release date yet—just a vague aim for 2023—but it looks like one for any management sim fan to keep their telescope trained on this year. link: https://www.pcgamer.com/this-management-sim-is-basically-theme-hospital-in-space/
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More people are contemplating suicide as they "cannot cope" as a result of rising costs, charities have said. Charities supporting those with chronic diseases or disabilities have called for an overhaul of the benefits system. One woman who has multiple sclerosis (MS) said her costs had almost trebled. The UK government said it was committed to protecting the most vulnerable and is increasing benefits in line with inflation. A chronic illness is a long-term health condition that may not have a cure, such as MS, arthritis or diabetes. Sioned Williams, who has MS, said she struggled to pay the bills and could not do anything when she was cold due to her symptoms. 'My energy bills have doubled to £3,000 in a year' Woman struggling with bills uses cat to keep warm Disabled residents fear energy cap could pose risk Ms Williams, from Anglesey, has a 15-year-old son who has additional learning needs. She said she sacrificed her own health by not switching on the heating in order to pay for petrol to take him to activities and appointments. "My costs have almost trebled with just the price of gas and electric, and I wear more clothes and blankets to keep warm, as well as carrying a hot water bottle around, anything not to put the heating on," she said. "There are costs when it comes to living with disabilities, to get things like scooters, the different aids we need to walk, they all cost a lot of money." Ms Williams said she had to change her habits overnight and could not go out as often, which was having an impact on her mental health. "They say stress is one of the worst things for MS, the stress to do with living costs is making me worse," she explained. "I just don't know how we're going to cope if things are going as fast as they are." Cat Shorney-Jones, from MS Society Wales, said many who come to them were "at the end of their tether", with the stress often affecting their condition and exacerbating their symptoms. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-64918787
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For Valentine's Day, Live Science gathers together some of the more extravagant and outlandish courtship rituals in the animal kingdom. On Valentine's Day, lovers who are eager to woo their partners show their affection with traditional gifts of red roses, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates or with romantic dinners at fancy restaurants. There's usually some effort involved, but pulling off a memorable Valentine's Day is easier — and generally safer — than some of the courtship rituals performed by other animal species. For most animals, wooing comes with heightened personal risk. A male's showy displays, while attracting a female's attention, could also attract nearby predators, and fights between male rivals can also result in a date night with a body count. In some cases, winning a cannibalistic female's affections places the male at the top of the post-coital menu. Many of the courting behaviors practiced by animals may seem strange to us, but as peculiar and risky as they are, they work just fine for their intended audiences. Here are a few examples of unusual and extreme courtship rituals in the animal kingdom. GIANT PANDAS Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are notoriously difficult to mate in captivity. Mating is no picnic in the wild, but for completely different reasons. In the first-ever footage of giant pandas getting intimate in the wild, filmmakers in China recorded an older male and a younger rival courting the same female, who was high above the ground in a tree. The males had a tense standoff until the younger panda retreated. But the female wasn't ready to mate; upon descending, the female fought the older male and escaped. The two males followed her for weeks, growling at each other until one suitor dropped off and the female was ready to mate with the younger fellow. It's possible that this prolonged male rivalry, including female "hostage"-taking, triggers female ovulation. So maybe that's why these black-and-white bears are so hard to breed in captivity, where male competition is nonexistent, according to the 2020 program "Pandas: Born to be Wild(opens in new tab)" that debuted the footage. GIRAFFES Male giraffes have to taste a lot of pee before they can do the deed. That's because the only way males (bulls) can tell if females (cows) are fertile is to determine if specific pheromones are present in her urine. First, the bull nudges the cows and sniffs her genitalia. Sometimes it takes a few nudges, but then the cow will widen her stance and urinate into the bull's mouth. Next, the bull does a "flehmen response" by curling back its upper lip and breathing in through its nostrils, using its sensitive vomeronasal organ above the roof of the mouth to smell his potential partner's pee. Other also animals smell pee when mating, but usually the female pees on the ground for the male to sniff. In the giraffe's case, they're way too tall to do it that way. On average, bulls have to approach 150 females before finding one who is ready to mate, a 2023 study published in the journal Animals(opens in new tab) found. link: https://www.livescience.com/57869-animals-with-weird-courtship-rituals.html
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The Cayenne EV will be positioned below a new electric flagship SUV, which will ride on a new platform and feature some degree of autonomous driving. Porsche confirmed that an electric version of the Cayenne is on its way in a press conference today. The Cayenne EV will come after the electric 718 sports cars that are due in 2025, and is expected to ride on the PPE platform. An update on the gas-powered Cayenne will be launched this year and will include three plug-in hybrid versions with improved all-electric range. Porsche laid out its plans for upcoming models at a press conference this morning, but the future vehicles won't take the form of a new sports car. Instead, Porsche's announcement focuses on the continued expansion of its crossover lineup, confirming an electric version of the Cayenne for the first time, which will slot below a new flagship electric SUV that Porsche confirmed last year. A Growing Electric Lineup No further details were provided on the Cayenne EV, which has been rumored since 2021, but the electric crossover is expected to share the same PPE platform as the upcoming Macan EV. Porsche will, however, continue to offer the Cayenne with an internal combustion engine, with a "new version of the third generation" launching this year. This update will bring three plug-in hybrid models promising increased electric range. Porsche did provide a few new specifics on the electric flagship SUV. While the automaker had previously said it would use technology developed on the 2021 Mission R concept, Porsche has now announced that it will ride on SSP Sport, a variant of the Volkswagen Group's Scalable Systems Platform. Porsche insists that the EV will have "strong performance" and will be fitted with "automated driving functions." What's Coming for the 718? Porsche also reaffirmed that deliveries of the electric Macan will commence in 2024, with an electric version of the 718 sports cars coming the following year. At first it will exist in parallel to the gas-powered Boxster and Cayman, but Porsche announced that "in the medium term" it will be exclusively available as an EV. link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a43294814/porsche-electric-cayenne-confirmation/
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I’ve had doubts about the old grey matter for a long time. Fifty one years to be exact. And now, at the age of 60, those doubts are increasing. When I was a young boy, my brain took a beating. I had been an A1 swot until then – loved school, was a quick learner, and was super independent. At the age of nine, I was racing around the neighbourhood on my bike delivering messages and cakes for my mum. I was fearless. Nothing fazed me. Bury Old Road in Salford was my Route 66 – I’d fly down it on my Chopper, wind in my hair, embracing the freedom. Then one day I woke up with a burning headache, high temperature, and an aversion to light and noise (actually pretty much all sound). I lived much of the next two years in darkness. I felt as if my head had caved in, that I was detached from my body, and regressed to a little boy who just wanted to play with baby toys. It was the best part of a year before I was diagnosed with encephalitis – inflammation of the brain – a relatively rare but dangerous condition. One in 10 people are still estimated to die from it, and back then misdiagnosis was common. My head was opened and a biopsy was taken of my brain that showed I had encephalitis. At the time I was told by the doctors that they were going to have “a little look inside”. I guess if they’d told me they were going to cut a little bit of brain out it might have put me off. Having said that, given how I was feeling at the time, I might well have begged them to chop out the whole lot. When I eventually returned to a regular school three years later, I was regarded as a bit of a miracle child in medical circles. The experts didn’t know how I’d had encephalitis for so long without popping my clogs. They labelled it “low-grade” chronic viral encephalitis because if it had been anything more I couldn’t have survived over that period of time. But it couldn’t have felt less low-grade. My brain made a good recovery, but I came out of it a very different person. This isn’t uncommon. I’ve been an ambassador of the Encephalitis Society for many years, and everybody I’ve spoken to who’s had it says the same thing. They have had two lives, before enceph and after. Encephalitis tends to change you socially, intellectually, emotionally and physically. Many people come out of it not being able to live independently. Hearing, memory, speech and language problems, balance and coordination are some of the areas that can be affected. Other common consequences are epilepsy and depression. I’m one of the lucky ones. I went on to live a full life. And when you’re so lucky, it’s tempting to say there have been no long-term effects. But that isn’t true. After encephalitis, I had terrible headaches for decades, and have had lifelong depression. Unsurprisingly, my brain had never been examined before encephalitis. But, amazingly, it has never been examined since. Magnetic resonance imaging was first used in a clinical setting in August 1980 at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary – seven years after I returned to school. It transformed neurology, allowing a much clearer and more precise picture of the grey and white matter that makes up our brain. If I contracted encephalitis now, I’d have MRIs galore to monitor how my encephalitis was progressing and long-term effects. But in the 1970s, they just drilled a hole, poked around, extracted a bit of cerebral gunge. If they discovered viral encephalitis, they crossed their fingers and hoped for the best. I have a hunch that certain areas of my brain were left damaged. Post-encephalitis, that sense of direction I’d been so proud of as a young boy was kaput, and I was rubbish at finding my way. I’d also become spectacularly bad at following coordination instructions, and mirroring physical actions. It was more complicated than just having bad coordination, though. I could teach myself to do loads of kick ups with a football and was world-class at diving like a goalkeeper to catch peanuts in my mouth, but I couldn’t replicate a dance move. There’s another thing I think my brain lost after encephalitis – my sense of the past and the future There’s another thing I think my brain lost after encephalitis – my sense of the past and the future. Not only can I remember very little from life before the illness, but I can also remember very little from my past full stop. As for the future, I just don’t have a sense of it, and never have since enceph – no dreams, no fears. I count this as a blessing. It stops me worrying about stuff that I probably can’t do much about anyway. It’s not that I don’t worry; I do intensely – in the present. But not being haunted by your past or petrified by the future makes life a lot easier. For years, I have discussed having an MRI scan with Prof Tom Solomon, a prominent neurologist who is president of the Encephalitis Society, to see what state my brain is actually in and whether my theories about my brain reflect the reality. We’ve never got round to it, but recently my headaches have been getting worse and I’ve developed a facial tic underneath my eye, which feels as if my left cheek has decided to turn itself into a hugely distracting stopclock. My GP refers me to Solomon at Liverpool’s Walton Centre, the UK’s only specialist NHS foundation trust dedicated to neurosciences. As I wait for the referral, I do an audit on what I do to keep my head healthy. I’ve never been great at looking after myself, and that goes for the brain too. I’ve been on antidepressants for almost 30 years. A couple of years ago I went on more sophisticated ones after a crack-up following a long physical illness. They give me shocking nightmares, but it is worth paying that price for the relatively calm days they’re allowing me to have. After my recent illness, I’ve started running again. That has always helped my brain – the natural serotonin buzz is wonderful. I’m thinking about what I eat these days – more fish than in the past, even oily fish like mackerel on a good day. It is an improvement on the half dozen Creme Eggs, masses of chicken tikka masala and 20 Bensons that made up my diet in the old days. I also drink less alcohol than before. link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/mar/13/i-have-a-hunch-i-was-left-damaged-what-would-a-scan-reveal-about-my-brain
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Finding people willing to speak to me from Mariupol was never going to be easy. After 10 months of Russian occupation, fear and distrust are the two most frequent responses I encountered when looking for someone who could tell me how things really are in Mariupol, in Ukraine's south-east. "I think you are a Russian journalist. You won't like what I've got to say. People like you kill if you tell them the truth," said one social media user who claimed to be from the port city. Russian forces put the people of Mariupol through a horrific months-long siege, before finally capturing it last May. I eventually found three residents willing to speak to me at length: a local city councillor, a retired pensioner and an engineer. All spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals from the local authorities installed by Russia (who block access to occupied Ukraine by Western journalists). They paint a picture of a massively expensive campaign conducted by Russia to win over the hearts and minds of the people of Mariupol, and rebuild a city damaged beyond recognition by Russia's own troops. The purpose of this campaign is to assimilate Mariupol and make it Russia's own. Their accounts corroborate each other, and are confirmed by social media posts about recent developments in Mariupol. Short presentational grey line Before this war began about half a million people lived in the city. According to UN estimates, 90% of residential buildings were damaged or destroyed, and 350,000 people were forced to leave after Russia attacked in February 2022. It is difficult to estimate the exact number of people killed as a result of the relentless shelling of Mariupol, but Ukrainian authorities say more than 20,000 died there. Russian-installed authorities in Mariupol say some 300,000 people are now living there. The people who spoke to me from Mariupol said their city had been inundated with labourers from across Russia, as well as from Central Asia. Oleg Morgun, the Russia-installed "mayor" of Mariupol, says some 70,000 of those currently in the city are construction workers and members of the Russian military. Rebuilding New buildings have appeared and many buildings damaged during the bombardment have gone. For example, the Russian military has built a whole new district comprised of a dozen apartment blocks in the western part of Mariupol. It is called Nevsky, after the River Neva, on which President Vladimir Putin's home city of St Petersburg stands. According to Russian state media, St Petersburg is the main sponsor of the reconstruction of Mariupol. "It says on the bus: St Petersburg and Mariupol are twinned cities. There are slogans everywhere telling us that we're part of Russia now," pensioner Maria (not her real name) told me. "I liked things the way they used to be. Now we live in fear. We have no idea what to expect." In the houses that escaped relatively unscathed after months of fierce fighting, the Russians are replacing windows, radiators and sometimes heating and sewage pipes. Heating, running water and electricity supplies have largely been restored. Buses are running and full of passengers again, although the electric trolley bus and tram networks are still out of action. Many schools, hospitals and shops have reopened as well, although numerous traders are selling their wares straight from the pavement. Maria was particularly impressed with one school rebuilt under Russian rule: "It's so beautiful, covered in multi-coloured squares." According to her, the number of children in Mariupol now is greater than schools can currently accommodate, so they have classes in two shifts: one in the morning, and another in the afternoon. Russia has imposed its own Russian-language curriculum in occupied areas - complicating efforts to get children back to school. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64887890
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The PJD questioned Morocco’s position on the Palestine cause, and accused the country’s FM of defending Israel at regional and international meetings. Rabat - Head of the former ruling Justice and Development Party (PJD) Abdelilah Benkirane has asked the members of the political party not to comment on the Royal Cabinet’s Monday statement on Morocco’s commitment to Palestine. PJD published a short press release in which Benkirane instructed all members of the party “not to comment in any way on the statement” issued by the royal cabinet, until after a meeting by the party’s secretariat to discuss the issue. The royal cabinet communique had criticized recent comments by the PJD’s leadership over Morocco’s position on the Palestinian cause. Read also: King Mohammed VI Reaffirms Morocco’s Unchanged Position on Palestine Earlier in March, the party's general secretariat took issue with Morocco’s approach to Palestine and notably accused the country’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Nasser Bourita, of defending Israel at regional and international meetings. “The General Secretariat disapproves of the recent positions of the Foreign Minister who looked as if he was defending the Zionist entity in some African and European meetings, at a time when the Israeli occupation continues its criminal aggression on our Palestinian brothers, especially in Palestinian Nablus,” PJD’s statement read. The royal cabinet responded by describing PJD’s claims as “irresponsibly excessive views” and “dangerous approximations,” stressing that Morocco’s principled support for the Palestinian cause “is irreversible.” Commitment to the Palestinian cause “constitutes one of the priorities of the foreign policy of His Majesty the King, the Commander of the Faithful and Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, who places this issue on a par with the question of the Kingdom’s territorial integrity,” the communique said. The statement went on to underline that Morocco’s principled position on the Palestinian question should not be open to “political posturing and narrow electoral campaigns,” adding that the country’s foreign relations cannot be the subject of “blackmail by anyone or for any consideration whatsoever.” “The Kingdom’s foreign policy in a domestic partisan agenda thus constitutes dangerous, unacceptable precedent,” the communique noted. Morocco has consistently made it clear that its position on Palestine is unchanged, the royal cabinet concluded, recalling that the country stressed its commitment to the Palestinians in the immediate aftermath of the resumption of relations between Morocco and Israel in December 2020 and has continued to do so over the two years. Read also: Declaration: Morocco, Israel Officially Establish Diplomatic Ties Indeed, following the announcement of the resumption of ties between Israel and Morocco, King Mohammed VI held a phone conversation with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, reassuring him about Morocco’s “unchanged position” and emphasizing the North African country's support for an independent Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital. PJD suffered a significant defeat in the 2021 legislative elections, losing to the Rally of Independents (RNI), Al Istiqlal, and Modernity and Authenticity Party (PAM) by a considerable margin. The defeat pushed members of the increasingly sidelined former ruling party, including Benkirane, to question the legitimacy of the elections. The PJD leader claimed that the vote “might have been directed by certain agents of authority.” The situation prompted backlash, with the Ministry of Interior denying accusations questioning the credibility and neutrality of authorities during the elections. The Interior Ministry accused the PJD leadership of engaging in “propaganda” and spreading “erroneous information.” “The defamatory remarks are not up to the level of the serious political speech which the secretary general of a political party must demonstrate,” the ministry added, condemning Benkirane’s “malicious and unacceptable” allegations. Against this charged backdrop, many think the PJD’s frustration at being sidelined after two decades in power explains its continued invoking of the Palestinian question. The goal, the party’s critics have maintained, is to stay relevant and reposition itself for future elections by claiming to be the only party that can uphold values and causes that Moroccans hold dear. link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/03/354439/benkirane-asks-pjd-members-not-to-comment-on-royal-cabinets-palestine-statement
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Nick Movie: One True Loves Time: April 7, 2023. Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: 1h 40m Trailer:
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