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Rabat - Morocco is deliberating over the prospect of partnering with Asia’s wealthiest person Gautam Adani on a massive hydrogen project. Morocco is studying the possibility of sealing an investment deal for two industrial projects in 2023, according to a report from business-focused media Bloomberg. In an interview this weekend with Bloomberg, Morocco’s Energy Transition Minister Leila Benali said that Indian private conglomerate Adani Group is among the firms interested in the Moroccan hydrogen proposition, confirming previous reports. While Morocco is already a major green energy producer compared to its peers, the country continues to attract investors looking to produce cost-efficient green energy and export it to the European Union leveraging Morocco’s geographical proximity to the bloc. The EU is turning into a ripe market for green energy as it looks to diversify its energy supply chain away from Russia. “With Adani, we had some specific discussions and they came up with some very good ideas that we are looking at because they are aligned with the Moroccan vision on some specific aspects,” Benali told Bloomberg. In addition to producing green hydrogen for export, Morocco has much to gain from producing the fuel for domestic use. Green hydrogen could solve Morocco’s dependency on ammonia imports amid the ongoing supply crisis. The country is a major ammonia importer given its large fertilizer industry. The production of ammonia is an energy-intensive process that requires gas; hydrogen can be used to substitute gas. Over the weekend, Morocco’s fertilizer giant OCP announced that it is set to accelerate investment in green hydrogen as part of a $13 billion plan to reduce the company’s dependency on ammonia imports. Link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2022/12/352855/morocco-seeks-to-finance-mega-hydrogen-projects-for-export-to-europe

In a victory for wildlife conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has announced its decision to maintain Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for grizzly bears. The decision comes after thorough scientific analysis and extensive collaboration with state, tribal, and conservation partners. It ensures that grizzly bears, one of North America’s most iconic species, will continue to receive vital protections as they face ongoing threats to their survival. This announcement has been met with praise from conservation advocates and policymakers alike. U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) both issued statements applauding the agency’s choice to base its decision on sound science and diverse stakeholder input. Unfortunately, the agency also introduced a proposed rule that would relax restrictions on when grizzly bears can be killed. Additionally, the proposal establishes boundaries that limit where grizzly bears receive federal protections, excluding areas such as California and Colorado—regions where the bears once thrived and where suitable habitat still exists. “The science is clear — we need strong protections for grizzly bears,” said Ranking Member Huffman. “The compounding threats of climate change and politically motivated state policies have the potential to decimate grizzly bear po[CENSORED]tions and dramatically impact their habitats. I’m glad the Fish and Wildlife Service understands these threats, has listened to stakeholders and scientists, and decided to maintain Endangered Species Act protections for this iconic species. I will continue to work with FWS over the coming comment period to determine whether any additional updates or revisions to the accompanying proposed rules are needed to ensure grizzlies are successfully recovered.” “Biologists estimated that around 100,000 grizzly bears once roamed western North America, but human encroachment and other threats have pushed this po[CENSORED]tion to the edge of extinction,” said Senator Booker. “I commend the FWS for their decision to maintain Endangered Species Act protections for grizzly bears, and ultimately listening to the scientists and the local community. I will continue to advocate for science-based recovery plans and policies that ensure grizzly bears and other endangered species have the space and safety they need to recover their po[CENSORED]tions and thrive in spite of a warming climate, habitat loss, and other challenges.” For now, this decision ends an effort by Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming to strip grizzly bears of federal protections. Grizzly bears, once widespread across the United States, now inhabit only a small portion of their original range. Despite ongoing and significant recovery efforts, the species remains at risk. By maintaining protections under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is playing a crucial role in facilitating the grizzlies’ journey toward recovery, while also protecting the vital ecosystems they depend on. This decision is not just a win for grizzly bears but also for the broader efforts to preserve biodiversity and protect America’s wild heritage. Maintaining protections for these critical species highlights the importance of science-based conservation policies in addressing the challenges faced by wildlife in a rapidly changing world. Link: https://worldanimalnews.com/victory-grizzly-bears-remain-protected-under-the-endangered-species-act/

The factory will produce electric passenger cars, busses, motorcycles, and charging stations, according to a statement on Wednesday. With investments worth EGP 300 million, the factory will be built on 50,000 square metres in the 10th of Ramadan city. It will also create 500 jobs. According to the company’s website, EgyptSat Auto is a private local auto manufacturer founded in March 2023. The company's chairman, Mohammed El-Ghamry, is the Vice President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) and Dean of Applied Research at the academy. Last August, the AASTMT announced that it would produce and market the first electric car in the Egyptian market during the first quarter of 2024 in partnership with EgyptSat Auto and local EV sales agent MATGR. The AASTMT produced prototypes for Egypt's first electric cars in February. Egypt seeks to develop the local automotive industry to keep up with regional players. In June 2022, the government launched a national strategy for localizing the automotive industry. The country has recently taken significant steps to encourage investment and entrepreneurship, level the field between the public and private sectors, and support the investment climate. The golden licence allows investors to acquire or lease land and operate enterprises without requiring further government approvals. Expanding gas capabilities The Egyptian government also granted the Egyptian Natural Gas Company (GASCO) a golden licence to add a fourth production line to its Western Desert Gas Complex with investments worth $380 million. The new line will be built on 33 feddans in Alexandria’s Amreya city. It will add 600 million cubic metres of natural gas per day. The project is expected to create 2,500 jobs. GASCO has designed the new line to increase the production of natural gas by-products, petrochemicals raw materials, condensates, and butane. Egyptian Natural Gas is a subsidiary of the state-owned Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company. It operates in natural gas transmission, distribution, and processing. To push up its gas production and meet local demand, Egypt is investing $1.8 billion in digging 35 new exploratory natural gas wells in the Mediterranean and the Nile Delta by 2025. According to the government’s plan, 21 wells will be completed during the fiscal year 2023/2024 and 14 in 2024/2025. Link: https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/508766.aspx

Holders Celtic and city rivals Rangers were both handed home draws against second-tier opponents in the draw for the last 16 of the Scottish Cup. Celtic will take on Raith Rovers, while Rangers host fellow Glasgow side Queen's Park. Speaking on Premier Sports immediately after the draw, Queen's Park head coach Callum Davidson said: "Financially, it is great for the club to get a draw like that, but it will be a tough game for us." Three other Premiership sides will host Championship opposition. Dunfermline Athletic visit Aberdeen, while St Johnstone, sitting bottom of the Premiership, will entertain Hamilton Academical. And Dundee will take on Airdrieonians after becoming the final side to clinch their place in the fifth round with a 1-0 victory over city rivals Dundee United on Monday. Dundee manager Tony Docherty told BBC Scotland: "We'll give Airdrieonians the upmost respect. I've just glad we've got a home tie. "I see the atmosphere tonight and that's what you can get at Dens Park with the synergy between players and fans. They see the effort the players are putting in, but we're not getting ahead of ourselves - tonight was a real big task to beat a good side at home and keep a clean sheet." There will be one all-Premiership tie, as St Mirren host Heart of Midlothian. Second-tier promotion hopefuls Ayr United head to Easter Road to face Hibernian, where manager Scott Brown started his playing career. The quarter-finals will feature one team outside the Premiership, with Championship side Livingston hosting League 1 outfit Cove Rangers. Ties will be played on the weekend of 8/9 February. Link: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cy8xenn0731o

Free three-month courses to help people with health conditions are on offer to islanders in Jersey. Lifestyle Medicine Jersey, a non-profit organisation, said it had launched the courses to help people manage - and sometimes reverse - metabolic syndrome. It is the name for a group of health problems - such as being overweight and having high blood pressure - that can put you at risk of type 2 diabetes or effect heart or blood vessels. Dr Jo Darwood, GP and director at Lifestyle Medicine Jersey, said the courses were "all about prevention and empowerment". She added: "By addressing the root causes of metabolic syndrome, we aim to help people take control of their health, reduce dependence on medication and live longer, healthier lives." It has been funded by a grant from Jersey Community Foundation. Organisers said it provided practical ways to improve health through lifestyle changes such as better nutrition, exercise and stress management. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4glkjwpk02o

Citizens of Morocco have once again expressed their frustration about the long and unnecessary delays when applying for a Spain Schengen visa in Tangier. Fed up with the current long waiting times, applicants have called on the authorities to justify the delays and, at the same time, have required that the processing time be accelerated and compensation be provided to everyone affected, Schengen.News reports. As Morocco World News explains, local reports suggest the BLS, which is responsible for accepting Spain Schengen visa applications, in not responding to applications in a legal and timely manner. Due to the failure of BLS to respond to applications in an appropriate manner, applicants in Tangier have complained that they are wasting large amounts of money just to obtain a Schengen visa. A Moroccan who submitted a Spain Schengen visa application in Tangier said that despite providing all the required documents and meeting the procedures, they have been waiting for a long time to receive a response on their application. According to the applicant, many others are also facing the same problem, with applications not being processed for up to 60 days. This delay is a clear violation of the laws sti[CENSORED]ted on the official visa application website, as the specified period for processing applications is not respected. Nationals of Morocco spent a total of €10.9 million on rejected Schengen visa applications last year. This is a 14.2 per cent increase compared to the expenditure levels of 2022. Taking into account the large amount of money that Moroccans have wasted on rejected Schengen visas, Moroccan MPs have demanded that reimbursement be offered to everyone affected. Data show that a Schengen visa application costs a quarter of a national wage in Morocco. According to WageIndicator.org, nationals of Morocco who work in the public sector get paid around €328 per month while those working in the private sector get paid around €292. Considering such numbers, calculations indicate that a Schengen visa application costs Moroccans up to a quarter of their wage. Schengen visa application expenditure for Moroccans is expected to grow even higher now that the EU is applying a new increased Schengen visa fee. Schengen Statistics Portal reveals that Moroccans filed a total of 591,401 Schengen visa applications in 2023, ranking as the fifth nationality with most filed applications. Link: https://schengen.news/moroccans-fed-up-with-spain-schengen-visa-delays-in-tangier/

Marshall is one of the few brands that is close to the audio community. The company is well-known for its audio lineup in consumer electronics with its variety of products, including Bluetooth speakers, earbuds, and over-ear headphones. The company is relatively new to this field but has already rolled out third-generation products, including the all-new Marshall Monitor III ANC. The headphones are touted to be one of the best headsets with an Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature. The headphones come with a price tag of Rs 29,999. This, coupled with a premium design and some interesting set of features, makes these headphones all set to challenge the throne of established players like Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, and more. But are the headphones really that good? Let's find out in this review. Marshall Monitor III ANC Design and Features: Comfortable and Lightweight Marshall has paid special attention to designing its products. Throughout the product lineup, you will get some reminiscence of those stage-based amps and cab stacks, which are unique in the audio market. The brand has managed to create a sense of identity through this, and the latest Monitor III ANC continues to take this legacy forward. The headphones' folding mechanism is also good, letting you fold the headphones in a compact way. Moreover, the case is also compact, which makes it easier to carry around without much hassle. Coming to the ports and placement, you get a joystick on the right earcup, while the left earcup comes with a USB Type-C port and LED indicator at the bottom. Interestingly, at both the hinges of the earcups. You have the M button on the right and the ANC button on the left. That said, Marshall Monitor III ANC brings a solid build quality and offers high-end fabrics, plastics, and metal to make it look premium from all angles. On the downside, the headphones do not offer a dedicated 3.5mm audio port, which could have been a better deal for the audiophiles. Moreover, the headphones do not come with any IP rating, which is pretty odd considering the price point. The Marshall Monitor III ANC comes with a companion app through which you can control multiple functions. The Marshall Bluetooth app is available on Android and iOS, which is good. The interface is basic and easy to use. Once you connect the headphones, you will get a battery indicator along with ANC control, an Equaliser, the option to customise ANC and M buttons, a Soundstage, and more features. Link: https://www.gadgets360.com/audio/reviews/marshall-monitor-3-anc-review-7495538#pfrom=indepth

Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2025 event yesterday had no shortage of new AI tools, but one little audio tool – Audio Eraser – really stood out for me, and surprisingly I think it also got the biggest cheer from the crowd out of all the new AI tools on show. At the Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung demoed some truly groundbreaking advancements towards the age of agentic AI, which are the first steps towards using your phone as a true virtual assistant that can perform all the tasks you tell it to without your direct involvement. But while the ability to get your phone to book you a restaurant, add it to your calendar, and invite your friends via text message is a game changer, it feels like it’s asking a lot of people to embrace this right now. We’re still in the phase where people don’t know exactly why they need AI and have concerns about its safety and adopting AI agents wholesale will involve a significant change to how we live our lives that I’m not sure people are quite ready for. There’s a lot to worry about in the world at the moment. There are wars, inflation, starvation, and political and economic uncertainty. With this general background of chaos, the idea of giving up even more control over our lives to make them a little bit easier, which is the big promise of AI agents, can make things seem even more uncertain. Contrast this with a simple AI tool like Audio Eraser. Dubbed by Samsung as “A sound studio at your fingertips”, it has one job to do and it does it very well. It listens to your video clips and identifies background sounds like wind, music, nature, noise, voice and crowd, then lets you change the volume of each one so that the person speaking in the video is much easier to hear. With Audio Eraser Samsung is using AI to make a complex task simple in such an easy and accessible way. As somebody who records interviews myself, often in noisy environments this would be perfect for me. I love the idea of being able to have complete control of the different types of background noise in the clip. At the moment I sometimes use Enhance Speech in Adobe’s AI podcast studio to accomplish the task of removing background noise from recordings, but it’s not customizable to the degree that Audio Eraser is, not to mention being able to do it all on the phone is a lot more convenient than having to upload audio clips to be worked on in the cloud. TechRadar got hands-on with Audio Eraser to try it out, too. You can see Lance Ulanoff our US Editor at Large and our US Managing Editor of News, Jacob Krol using it at 2.14 in this video: You can see how quick and easy it is to use. Audio Eraser is a perfect example of how you can get people excited about AI tools without scaring them. It’s not complicated and it fits into your life without you having to change anything. I think it’s no coincidence that it got a bigger audience reaction during its demo at the event than even the most impressive AI tools involving Gemini, Gemini Live, One UI, and Galaxy AI did. Don’t get me wrong, I think that AI assistants will be truly life-changing when they can seamlessly integrate with absolutely everything on our phones, but we’re not quite there yet, and companies like Samsung, Google, and OpenAI need to find a way to get us there in a way that makes sense with the way we live our lives now. Link: https://www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/forget-galaxy-ai-gemini-or-one-ui-one-tiny-ai-tool-got-the-biggest-cheer-at-the-samsung-s25-launch-event-and-heres-why

New reports suggest that Asus' newly launched Q-Release Slim feature can damage your GPU's PCIe connector. As HXL and Andreas Schilling from HardwareLuxx shared, frequently unseating your GPU using this ejection mechanism can scrape off the sides of the connector. While there haven't been any reports of broken PCIe gold fingers, insight from Uniko's Hardware suggests a design flaw in Asus' implementation. This news is particularly alarming as it comes hot on the heels of the $2,000 RTX 5090. For some context, Asus debuted the first iteration of its Q-Release feature on its high-end ROG motherboards in 2021. With the press of a button, you can release your GPU's PCIe latch without having to worry about bulky CPU coolers or needing raccoon-sized fingers. Asus announced Q-Release Slim in August last year, improving on the previous design. Available on 800-series AMD and Intel motherboards, this feature lets you eject your GPU by simply tilting the card while pulling it upward. However, innovation isn't always smooth sailing, as new reports indicate that Asus' implementation can potentially scratch your GPU. A metallic piece embedded on the peg side of the PCIe slot on the motherboard, scrapes against the GPU's PCIe connector. This particular issue is accelerated when you take your GPU in and out of the PC a lot. Something that GPU reviewers and overclockers will do with some frequency. In the shared image, after around 60 removals, there are visible signs of wear and tear, and the connector looks partially deformed from the side. However, the gold fingers or traces essential for the GPU's functionality remain untouched. Based on the cases we've seen while researching this story, the damage is purely cosmetic but may affect the resale value of your GPU. Asus has not yet published a statement on the matter. If you're encountering the same issue, we recommend contacting customer support. Not all users with these motherboards are affected, but that could boil down to how frequently they plug and unplug their GPU. You may try gently removing your GPU as a remedy or using another full-sized PCIe slot. Maybe change your motherboard altogether? Link: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/motherboards/asus-q-release-slim-feature-is-reportedly-damaging-some-gpu-pcie-connectors

Final Fantasy 14's community has been frayed at the edges recently, as widespread awareness of a modding tool that allows stalkers—an issue FF14 has had for a while—to have access to every alternate character on their target's account. Dawntrail received a more powerful blacklisting system to help fight stalking behaviour, but the mod actually takes advantage of those changes. As revealed earlier in the month, the new blacklisting system swaps out a character ID (invisibly sent to clients) for an account-wide ID which—from what I've seen—isn't even particularly hard for a person to snag, because it's all client-side. The mods in question can then simply check for other characters with the same ID from a database for convenience's sake, but the privacy problem starts and ends with the way the game's built. Game director Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P) responded to the community's concerns via the Lodestone forums yesterday. The post explains that: "The Development and Operations teams are aware of the situation and the concerns being raised by the community and are discussing the following options." Those options, however, only include "requesting that the tool in question be removed and deleted" and "pursuing legal action". The post also asks "everyone to refrain from using third-party tools. We also ask that players do not share information about third-party tools such as details about their installation methods, or take any other actions to assist in their dissemination." I'm not convinced that these measures are remotely good enough. Why? Well, the method for nabbing this ID is already in the ecosystem. Square Enix could absolutely pursue legal action against one mod author, but there's nothing to stop another popping up somewhere else—you can't control your playerbase, but you can control what the game sends to other clients. And sure, FF14 is in a bit of a bind when it comes to mods. For context: While mods are technically against the game's terms of service, and are a bannable offense, Square Enix does not proactively try to detect them—instead, if you're reported for using one (or are just cheating), the hammer will come down. They also aren't typically used for nefarious purposes like this—from my observations, players mainly use mods for quality of life adjustments, housebuilding, fixes to the game's wonky netcode, building outfits, accessibility options, taking screenshots and making custom poses, animations, and other silly nonsense. There are also cosmetic mods that alter your character, which can range from innocuous expression such as adding scars, half-elf ears, and different body types—to smutty Second-Life style monstrosities (or 'modbeasts', as the community dubs them) but nothing actively deleterious to the game's health, or worse than a Google search can provide. As long as nobody puts up a billboard about it. As such, this unofficial 'don't be an idiot' agreement has stood decently so far, bar a few cheating scandals in world first races. Any effort to see mods forcibly removed via an anti-cheat or similar would be disastrous for the playerbase—and likely see a hefty exodus of players. Whether the extent of that would be ruinous isn't clear, but I don't think that's a gamble Square's willing to take. Yoshida can politely ask people to stop using them all he wants, but they've been a part of the game's ecosystem forever. The rub? If they can't reasonably stop mods—and I'm not sure I'd want them to—then it's really on the Final Fantasy 14 devs to find a way to implement these blacklisting changes (which, to be clear, were solid in concept and a long time coming) without sending clients data that scuppers the whole effort. And you can't just ask people to play nice, either, because somebody won't—and the moment they don't, you've already got a problem. Link: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/final-fantasy/yoshi-p-says-ff14-team-is-discussing-options-to-fight-mod-that-can-be-used-for-stalking-like-legal-action-and-uh-asking-them-to-stop/

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Music title: Twenty One Pilots - The Line (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Audio] Signer: twenty one pilots Release date: Nov 22, 2024 Official YouTube link:

Throwing missiles and attacking hotels was "not the way we do politics" in this country, the Deputy Prime Minister has said. Angela Rayner's comments came as she visited the Holiday Inn Express at Manvers, near Rotherham, where clean-up efforts were taking place after Sunday's riot. "Coming on the streets throwing missiles at the police, attacking police, attacking hotels like this one here today is not a legitimate grievance," she said. "It's not the way we do politics in this country and nobody should be condoning that." Ms Rayner confirmed more than 140 people had been charged so far in connection with the riots across the UK. "It's right that our courts deal with that and we've said that we will support the courts and will support the police in carrying out their duties," she added. "But people need to understand that if you throw missiles, if you attack people, if you incite hatred and violence, whether that's online, or whether you're offline, you will be met with the law because it is unlawful." Ms Rayner said the public in South Yorkshire had been "afraid and scared" by people "shouting racist abuse, shouting abuse and hurling missiles at police" during the weekend's violence. She condemned the "criminality and thuggish behaviour" that had put "lives at risk". Moving forward, the Deputy Prime Minister explained the number one priority was to keep people and streets safe. "The prime minister has set out how we're de ploying police and how we're making sure that we're working with social media companies on the online situation as well," she said. Ms Rayner asked people to "move away" from and not get involved in online material designed to stir up disorder. "I hope that the public and anyone who sees what is happening online, that they will know that online and offline criminality will be faced with the courts and with the law," she added. "We have seen what has happened on the streets, like here in Rotherham, that is not our British values." Several arrests have been made in connection with the violent disorder in Rotherham, with nine people appearing in court. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9v8pgl4d4lo

A wildlife rescue charity has announced its temporary closure after reaching "maximum capacity" and dealing with what it called daily misuse of its public hotline. Blyth Wildlife Rescue has worked across Newcastle and Northumberland since 2006 to help and rehabilitate a variety of animals, but has recently faced an unprecedented level of demand. In July alone, the charity received 2,896 calls from across Tyneside and admitted almost 300 new casualties while dealing with "critically low" funds. The rescue service will continue to care for its current animals and hopes to keep its emergency hotline for larger animals open, such as deer, foxes and badgers, but will cease to assist with small mammals and birds. In a post on social media, the Blyth Wildlife Rescue cited its already stretched workload was being "greatly burdened by the misuse of our charity’s helpline". Sara Perry, a volunteer medic at the charity, said it faced "daily" calls on the emergency line that were not serious in anyway. On Thursday, someone called to say there was a seagull in their garden. "There was nothing wrong with it," said Ms Perry. "No specialist rescue was needed." The charity has said it will look at how it will work in the future and if any permanent cut backs need to be made after it addresses its funding and resource issues. Ms Perry said it normally cost £80,000 to run the charity each year but, by January, it had spent £10,000 alone on herring fish for its two seal pups. "It's going to be an expensive year for us," she said. "It's always in the back of our minds that we have to get the funds, or we can't take the animals in." Alongside the announcement of the closure of its services, Blyth Wildlife Rescue launched a £20,000 appeal to address its current shortfall. "I get to see the good work the charity does when we finally release animals back into the wild," Ms Perry added. "It's at the forefront of every decision we make." Link:https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw5y5vz0qdgo

England spinner Sophie Ecclestone broke the record for the fastest woman to 100 ODI wickets as England clinched a series win over Pakistan in the third ODI in Chelmsford. Ecclestone reached the milestone in 64 matches to level Australian great Cathryn Fitzpatrick, but beats the record in terms of number of innings bowled (63).Ecclestone removed Pakistan's Umm-e-Hani (4) and Nashra Sandhu (0) with consecutive deliveries in the 28th over to reach the 100 mark and find herself on a hat-trick - which Diana Baig denied her by blocking out the third delivery.England clinched an emphatic 178-run victory shortly after, as Ecclestone (3-15) claimed her third, the hosts triumphing 2-0 in the three-match ODI series to go with their 3-0 whitewash win in the preceding T20s.Heather's Knight side earlier posted 302-5 with the bat, Nat Sciver-Brunt (124no) smashing her ninth ODI ton before Pakistan were dismissed for 124 in reply.Lauren Bell (2-26) prized out openers Sadaf Shamas (2) and Sidra Ameen (10) as Pakistan slipped to 35-3 inside seven overs, before Muneeba Ali (47) provided some resistance with an enterprising cameo, the left-hander taking a particular liking to off-spinner Charlie Dean. Link: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/13145156/england-vs-pakistan-sophie-ecclestone-breaks-record-for-fastest-woman-to-100-odi-wickets-as-hosts-clinch-series-win

More than 130,000 people in England will be offered free workplace health checks in the next six months under a new initiative to try and prevent heart disease. From September, employees in several sectors including building and hospitality will be able to access quick assessments that will determine their risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), which can cause heart attacks and strokes. Those aged between 40 and 74 who do not have certain pre-existing conditions linked to heart disease will be eligible. According to the government, these checks will save thousands of hours of NHS time and will help to cut waiting lists. The scheme is an effort to increase the number of NHS Health Checks, first introduced in 2009, that are carried out. As well as targting heart disease, the programme aims to prevent diabetes and kidney disease, as well as some cases of dementia among adults. Health minister Andrew Gwynne said that while over 16 million people were eligible for the check, current data showed only 40% went on to complete one. "This is especially true for men, who are less likely to get early help but who are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease at an earlier age than women," he said. "This new programme aims to reach more people through their place of work and make it more convenient for people to understand and improve their cardiovascular health." People taking part will be required to answer a short lifestyle questionnaire; have their height, weight, and waist measured; undergo a blood pressure test; and have a simple blood test to measure cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The checks will also record key information including smoking status; family history of coronary heart disease; and cholesterol level. They are part of government efforts to boost economic growth in the UK by improving healthcare. “Health checks can save lives. They can prevent people from developing largely preventable diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and liver disease," said Louise Gittins, chair of the Local Government Association. Plans for a digital version of the NHS Health Check have also been announced, with testing for this due to take place next year. Councils in Norfolk, Medway and the London borough of Lambeth have signed up for the trial. It is estimated the initiative will deliver one million checks in its first four years and there are plans to then roll it out nationally alongside face-to-face assessments. CVD is a leading cause of death and disability in England. It accounts for 1 in 4 deaths in England, according to NHS figures, despite being largely preventable if people lead a healthy lifestyle. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clywg73vzxdo

Donald Trump is facing blowback both from anti-abortion activists and from within his own party after he implied he might support easing restrictions on the procedure in his home state of Florida. The Republican presidential nominee was asked in an interview with NBC News on Thursday how he would vote this November on the state’s ballot measure to protect abortion. Florida banned the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy after the US Supreme Court struck down the right to abortion nationwide – a law reproductive rights activists are now campaigning to end. “I think the six week is too short,” Trump said. “It has to be more time. I told them that I want more weeks.” “I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks,” he said when pressed. Trump has criticised Florida's six-week abortion ban before. Last September he said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made a "terrible mistake" signing the ban into law. Mr DeSantis was challenging the former president in the Republican primary at the time. Thursday's comments further open a rift between Trump and the anti-abortion movement, which plays a critical role in shaping conservative politics in the US. “If Donald Trump loses, today is the day he lost,” conservative pundit Erick Erickson wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “The committed pro-life community could turn a blind eye, in part, to national abortion issues. But for Trump to weigh in on Florida as he did will be a bridge too far for too many.” Albert Mohler Jr, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote on X that Trump's comments on reproductive rights, including on the six-week ban, "seem almost calculated to alienate prolife voters". “Pro-life Christian voters are going to have to think clearly, honestly, and soberly about our challenge in this election - starting at the top of the ticket," he said. The November ballot initiative would amend the Florida constitution to protect abortion access in the state until the point of foetal viability, which is about 23-25 weeks of pregnancy. As it stands, the state has a near-total ban on abortion, as many women do not know they are pregnant at six weeks. The proposed amendment states: “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.” Voters cannot choose a number of weeks into a pregnancy that abortion should be permitted. They can only choose “Yes” to support the amendment or “No” to reject it. The Trump campaign did not respond to a request to clarify his stance and whether he would vote yes or no to the measure. Campaign spokeswoman Karoline Levitt told the New York Times that Trump “has not yet said how he will vote on the ballot initiative in Florida”. “He simply reiterated that he believes six weeks is too short,” she said. Trump's running mate, Senator JD Vance, tried to clarify the campaign's position on CNN on Friday. Mr Vance said the former president will "make his own announcement on how he's going to vote" on the Florida measure that will be based on "his own judgement". Opinion polling indicates that a majority of Americans support abortion access. A July poll from the University of North Florida suggested that 69% of likely voters supported the ballot measure, and 23% opposed it. The political backlash after the Supreme Court brought an end to Roe v Wade - the landmark precedent that protected abortion access nationwide - in 2022 has presented Trump with a political conundrum he has yet to fully solve. Trump rose to power with the help of the religious right, which broadly supports restrictions on the procedure. In his first run for president, he pledged to appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn the constitutional right to abortion in the US. He kept the promise by appointing three conservative jurists who ultimately voted to overturn Roe v Wade. Abortion has now become a central issue in the 2024 presidential campaign - one that Democrats have used to rally voters. His opponent, Vice-President Kamala Harris, has made reproductive rights central to her campaign. Trump has taken the position that abortion policy should be left to individual states. At the Republican National Convention in July, rank-and-file party members fell in line behind the former president, even though his position can seem at odds with their personal opposition to abortion. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy547v72nd4o

2024 is the year Google finally introduced its entire range of Pixel devices in India, including the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. In short, this year, consumers have plenty of Pixel devices to choose from, depending on the budget. Starting at Rs. 79,999 for the base Pixel 9 and going all the way to Rs. 172,999 for the book-style Pixel 9 Pro Fold. 2024 is the year Google finally introduced its entire range of Pixel devices in India, including the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. In short, this year, consumers have plenty of Pixel devices to choose from, depending on the budget. Starting at Rs. 79,999 for the base Pixel 9 and going all the way to Rs. 172,999 for the book-style Pixel 9 Pro Fold. On paper, the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL might only differ in terms of display size and battery, but the real difference lies in everyday use. One is compact to fit in the smallest pockets and convenient to use with one hand, while the other is huge at 6.8 inches. This year, Google added one phone to its Pixel lineup, which is the Pixel 9 Pro, which we will review here. Much like how Apple brought all the bells and whistles from its Pro Max model to Pro this year, Google also tries to fit all the firepower in the compact body of the Pixel 9 Pro. So, who should exactly buy this one or consider an alternate flagship? I try to answer this in my review. Google Pixel 9 Pro Design: Compact form wins Dimensions - 152.8mm x 72mm x 8.5mm Weight - 199 grams Durability - IP68 dust and water resistance The Pixel 9 series finally ditches the bar-style rear back that housed the camera in a way that was loved and hated by some. The good news is that there's a new island placement on the rear for cameras, and it looks mature. It is easy on the eyes and makes the new Pixels shine in a crowded market with no distinct design except the iPhones. I like the matte back panel and glossy frame finish on the Pixel 9 Pro. Thanks to the matte treatment, the back isn't a fingerprint magnet; however, it is a slippery phone. I accidentally dropped it twice during this review, but thankfully, the 9 Pro survived both drops without scratches. Unlike the iPhone 16 Plus (Review), the Google Pixel 9 Pro doesn't wobble on a flat surface mainly because the centre-aligned island at the back keeps it even. Link: https://www.gadgets360.com/mobiles/reviews/google-pixel-9-pro-review-7090497#pfrom=indepth

It’ll be no surprise to regular readers that I love my Meta Quest 3. Whether it’s diving into the excellent Batman: Arkham Shadow or streaming a Netflix show onto a giant virtual screen I love using the VR headset – and thanks to a capture card I might have a new favorite use for it. A few months ago Meta launched HDMI Link, a tool which allows you to use it as a display for your PC or a console like a PS5. The only catch is you need a capture card, as the Quest 3 lacks the hardware to translate the HDMI signal through its USB-C port. I’ve finally picked one up – the Elgato 4K X – and have been spending my evenings playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in my own private cinema. Folks, it’s superb and as I write this all I can think about is my next gaming session. HDMI Link is fantastic, and easy to set up After tweaking the HDR settings to suit the Meta Quest 3’s displays the picture looks excellent even on the vision-filling immersive screen. If anything the screen is a little too big, as there have been times I’ve had to physically turn to see action on the fringes of the virtual monitor. The latency and refresh rate seems manageable, though. Black Ops 6 comfortably runs at 60Hz and I haven’t noticed any obvious issues with lag – if there is any, it didn’t stop me earning a free-for-all victory (even if an in-game bug counts 1st-place finishes as a defeat right now). Plus, HDMI Link was super-easy to set up. After downloading the latest firmware to the Elgato 4K X and turning off HDCP in my PS5’s HDMI settings I simply had to connect my console to the capture card via the HDMI-in port, and my headset to the card via the included USB-C to USB-C cable and I was off to the races. It’s not just a PS5 that should work. Any gadget that outputs video via HDMI should be able to work with the capture card and the Quest’s HDMI Link, provided it doesn’t have any HDCP restrictions. Given that I mentioned it above, here's a quick explainer on HDCP: High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection is used by some apps and devices to try to prevent you from recording content from the best streaming services, such as Netflix, or in some games it stops you being able to stream key cutscenes that contain major spoilers. On PS5, if HDCP is turned off, you won’t be able to use some media apps – but you can always switch it back on when you’re finished using the HDMI Link app. If you’re wanting to try Meta’s HDMI link for yourself you’ll need a capture card. They can be a little pricey – especially the Elgato card I used – but thanks to this year’s Black Friday deals you can score one at a great price. Below I’m highlighting four for the US and UK respectively: two from Elgato and two from other brands. I can only vouch for the Elgato cards from my own experience, as that’s what I used, but other HDMI Link guides have relied on the two cheaper alternatives that you might want to try if you plan to use the capture card as solely a Quest 3 add-on, rather than for creating gaming content for YouTube or Twitch as well. Link: https://www.techradar.com/computing/virtual-reality-augmented-reality/playing-black-ops-6-on-my-meta-quest-3-is-fantastic-all-you-need-is-a-ps5-a-free-app-and-one-of-these-capture-cards

Forget the fact that Black Friday is officially known as November 29 in 2024, because "Black Friday," the deal-a-palooza is already underway right now. And this is one of the best times of the year to find significant savings on SSDs and external storage drives. The Black Friday 2024 SSD deals are here and they could change your computing life. The nice thing about storage devices -- whether it's a new boot drive for your laptop, a second internal SSD for your desktop or a small USB Flash drive you can use to keep files in your pocket -- is that you always need more of them. If you have a 1TB drive, going to 2TB helps and, if you have a 2TB, moving up to 4TB is a major improvement. And there's also the opportunity to get faster internal drives that speed up your application open times or external ones that connect via 10, 20 or 40 Gbps ports. On this Black Friday SSD deals live blog, we're tracking all the best and latest deals of all kinds, throughout the holiday shopping season. If it's cheap, it holds your data and it's actually worth your money, we'll be highlighting it here, with updates many times per day. Link: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/live/best-black-friday-ssd-deals-2024

Assassin's Creed Valhalla studio Ubisoft Montreal is reportedly working on a new Animal Crossing-inspired social sim featuring Minecraft-like building elements, with former Gotham Knights creative director Patrick Redding said to be at the reins. That's according to Insider Gaming, which claims the title - currently codenamed Alterra - has been in the works for around 18 months. Alterra is said to have risen from the ashes of an earlier Ubisoft Montreal project, canceled after four years of development, with the two games supposedly sharing a focus on voxel creation. Insider Gaming's source describes Alterra as an "Animal Crossing-inspired social sim" in which players inhabit a home island po[CENSORED]ted by NPCs known as Matterlings. These Matterlings are "somewhat like Funko Pop figures", sporting large heads and designs blending fictional and real-world creatures, from polar bears to dragons. Alterra's social aspect is reportedly combined with that aforementioned voxel creation element, featuring building mechanics "somewhat similar" to those seen in Minecraft, with players able to fashion items using resources found out in the world beyond their home. Here, it's claimed they'll encounter different biomes containing specific resources and different Matterling types, as well as unique enemies, materials, and more - with one example given being an ice biome, inhabited by snow-ice Matterlings, where players can create objects from snow and ice. It'll apparently be possible to encounter other players out in the world too. Insider Gaming adds Ubisoft veteran Fabien Lhéraud is serving as lead producer on Alterra, and that the project's launch is "likely still a few years away". Ubisoft's release slate is, of course, a bit fuzzy beyond next year's delayed Assassin's Creed Shadows and Anno 117: Pax Romana, although the publisher has confirmed a new Rayman project is currently in the "exploration phase". That's alongside the very long in the works Beyond Good & Evil 2 and Ubisoft's troubled Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake, with the latter now targeting a 2026 release. In more recent news, Ubisoft has now launched its first-ever blockchain game, featuring NFT figurines costing up to £50k. Link: https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-reportedly-developing-animal-crossing-style-social-sim-with-minecraft-like-building

PlayStation is set to announce black versions of its DualSense Edge controller, Pulse Elite wireless headphones and Pulse Explore wireless headphones. That's according to reliable leaker billbil-kun of Dealabs, who suggested the lineup will be announced "within the month", so we are looking at some time before Christmas (yes, Christmas really is that soon). Outside of the recently released anniversary controller, these accessories have previously only been available in white. billbil-kun said these alleged black PlayStation accessories will retail for the same price as their white equivalents. As per the source, the black versions will be priced as such: Stay tuned for more information as and when it is available. Perhaps we will hear something on 3rd December, as part of PlayStation's 30th anniversary celebations? At least there isn't too much longer until we find out. In the meantime, if you are looking for some PlayStation savings in the here and now, be sure to check out Digital Foundry's best PS5 Deals for Black Friday 2024. In other news, it was recently reported that Sony is developing a portable version of the PlayStation 5, however the device is said to be in the "early stages" of development, and may not make the market at all. Link: https://www.eurogamer.net/ps5-dualsense-edge-and-pulse-headphones-reportedly-getting-black-colour-version