Alexandru

Request rejected! Hello! Before making request for Moderator please make sure to be in 2 projects and have some activity. Stop copying other requests, just be yourself and be sincere with us, if you copy a request that it was accepted, that doesn’t mean you will get accepted too. Please, come back with a new request when you have some activity and being atleast in 2 projects. Good luck!

OFF: Love to see there is still people who are doing battles, anyway, let’s get on topic! ON: I love the work of V2, great text, great effects, great work! 🤗

Request accepted. Welcome back in our team! 🤗

Source Samsung is reportedly planning to introduce a Fan Edition of its wearables as well. The company is likely to launch Galaxy Buds FE soon. The earphones' name, design and specifications have recently been leaked via a user manual. The earphones have been spotted in a black colour option and will sport an in-ear design. The user manual also reveals active noise cancellation, multiple touch controls and support for voice assistant. The earphones could have a dedicated gaming mode. Meanwhile, the company is also likely to launch the Galaxy S23 FE this year. Samsung's Galaxy Buds FE's user manual, spotted by the GalaxyClub, reveals the colour options, design as well as the specifications of the earphones. The purported Galaxy Buds FE carries the model number SM-R400N. The buds have been teased to feature a wingtip design. They are likely to be equipped with four microphones as well as touch sensors. The earphones are said to come with small, medium and large sized silicone tips. Additionally, the user manual also suggests that the Galaxy Buds FE will feature active noise cancellation, support for voice assistant and a dedicated gaming mode. They could also come with in-built Bixby support. Furthermore, the earphones will also get support for firmware OTA update via Galaxy wearable app. Other leaked details are ambient sound support, and in-ear detection for calls. The wearable devices are tipped to come in a square charging case with support for USB Type-C charging. The charging case is teased in a white colour on the outer side and black colour on the inner side. Meanwhile, Samsung is also planning to launch Galaxy S23 FE soon. The smartphone has also been spotted on the TENAA certification site, revealing a black colour option. The listing suggests that the purported handset will sport a 6.3-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone is expected to pack either a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset or an Exynos 2200 SoC coupled with 8GB of RAM.

Source A virtual private network (VPN) is a useful and sometimes indispensable tool for protecting privacy, circumventing country restrictions, or protecting oneself from persecution by totalitarian regimes. For example, you can use it to access your Netflix content from another country, send absolutely anonymous emails, or protect yourself as a whistleblower. In principle, it works quite simply: Instead of connecting directly to the internet, you first log on to a VPN service through which all web traffic is redirected. Because you get a new IP address, curious people, trackers, or malicious actors can no longer follow you on the web. The new IP address no longer leads to one’s own connection or internet provider, but only to the VPN service used. However, this is exactly where the weak point of the process lies: If the VPN provider is not trustworthy, uses weak encryption, or is lax with user data, the VPN protection shield quickly collapses. Free VPN services often give a bad picture. This is our list of the best VPN services. And below are seven good reasons why you should choose one of our picks over a free VPN service. Lousy data protection Quite ironic: Actually, we use VPNs for reasons of data protection, but sometimes the exact opposite occurs with a free service. Instead of protecting us from surveillance and the sale of our data, free VPN services like to collect data about their users themselves — to make it worthwhile for the “free” provider. The tried-and-tested saying applies: “If you don’t have to pay anything for a product, you are probably the product yourself.” One can almost understand it: Hosting servers and managing traffic takes effort and costs money that cannot be recovered directly from free users. That’s why it’s almost always worthwhile to go for a paid VPN: Here, market-leading providers rely on well-founded data protection guidelines, do not use logs or sell off private user data. Anonymity and data protection are the benchmark for paid VPN services that potential customers use as a point of comparison among the competition. Serious providers therefore attach great importance to this. Slow transfer rates A short but crisp point: With almost all free VPN services, limited bandwidths is a top annoyance. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that free services are popular and attract numerous users, but at the same time the providers here like to save on the infrastructure — after all, no one pays to use them. If you want to avoid the geo-blocking of a foreign news site, a narrow bandwidth is usually no problem, but you can usually forget about streaming, loading videos, or online gaming. Data limits This continues the previous point in a logical but nerve-racking way: The low bandwidth of a free VPN is always accompanied by a limited data volume. After a few gigabytes per month, that’s it. Users either have to switch to the next free VPN service (which can further undermine data protection) or wait until the end of the month when the provider distributes new data crumbs. Advertising and pop-ups If you look hard enough, you can find it: A free VPN that does without log files (zero-log policy) and promises truly anonymous surfing with secure protocols. But even this joy quickly comes to an end with the free VPN when the free service covers us with pop-ups, annoying advertisements, or promos on its own behalf. There is one thing you can be sure of: There are certainly no data limits when loading such ads. Restricted server landscape Because with a VPN service the traffic is redirected via a remote server, it is quite important where this server is located. In order to avoid geo-blocking, it is important, among other things, that the server used is located in the same country from which the requested content is transmitted. With 195 countries in the world, VPN services often have to invest a lot of money in their infrastructure in order to operate servers in all relevant parts of the world. Free users, however, are deprived of many such nodes. Without an available server in the USA, for example, you cannot access the country-specific Netflix offer there. Encryption sometimes not up to scratch The main argument for a VPN is, after all, data protection and the promised anonymity. Both depend directly on the encryption used — and can quickly disappoint with free services. Sometimes outdated and weak protocols such as PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) are used. The NSA probably cracks this standard with ease by now. Without the protection of solid encryption, private data can be siphoned off and abused without much effort. A free VPN has neither the financial means nor any particular interest in investing in sound data protection for users who pay nothing for it. Customer service – what customer service? You can probably imagine that as a free user you shouldn’t have high hopes for solid support. In case of questions, breakdowns or technical problems, you are pretty much on your own. The situation is completely different with premium services like CyberGhost or NordVPN, where you can expect trained customer service representatives to be available seven days a week. Any uncertainties or technical problems can be solved at short notice.

Source In a bid to boost profitability and increase the value of the company to potential investors, Arm is developing reference chip designs, it transpired in late April. This week Bloomberg added some more bits to this information, and it turns out that the company is indeed developing system-on-chip designs for various high-growth markets. In fact, Arm confirmed that it was offering its customers to license 'SoC solutions' rather than just IP in its IPO filing with the SEC. "More recently, we have invested in a holistic, solution-focused approach to design, expanding beyond individual design IP elements to providing a more complete system," a statement by Arm reads. "By delivering SoC solutions optimized for specific use cases, we can ensure that the entire system works together seamlessly to provide maximum performance and efficiency. At the same time, by designing an increasingly greater portion of the overall chip design, we are further reducing incremental development investment and risk borne by our customers while also enabling us to capture more value per device." Traditionally, Arm's processor cores have been used for various consumer electronics chips, microcontrollers, and smartphones. But more recently, Arm's technologies found their place in considerably more lucrative applications, such as system-on-chips for automotive, client PCs, and cloud data centers. Arm naturally wants a bigger piece of the pie now that its technology is used for devices that are sold for thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. It is particularly important that many new emerging Arm SoC applications are developed by companies that are not exactly chip companies. For example, automakers and cloud data center providers are not in the business of chips, but they know very well what they need to power their cars or servers. These companies are quite inclined to license a larger portion of Arm IP and add their own IP rather than design their SoCs from the ground up. Normally, such companies would turn to contract chip designers to build their custom SoCs, and nowadays, such bespoke chip developers are thriving as there are many firms that want to have custom silicon. But it looks like Arm wants to bite a piece of that market and now offers to license the whole (or nearly whole) SoC rather than only core IP. Arm unsurprisingly does not seem to share too many details about its SoC initiative, but its partnership with Intel Foundry Services focused on Arm's mobile IP, and the Intel 18A (1.8nm-class) fabrication technology may shed some light on the scope of its plans. The collaboration with Intel involves design technology co-optimization (DTCO) and system technology co-optimization (STCO), which work best when implemented for the whole SoC rather than for core IP only. This also means a very deep collaboration to optimize the performance and power consumption of SoC designs, which means very competitive characteristics. Such a change of business model naturally makes Arm a competitor not only for contract designers of chips, but also for its clients among traditional SoC developers, such as Ampere, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. On the one hand, this is indeed true and these companies are hardly happy about it, especially given the fact innovation of the Arm instruction set architecture (ISA) is Arm's sole prerogative and it takes time to innovate it.

Source WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Donald Trump on Monday asked the federal judge presiding over his election subversion case in Washington to recuse herself, saying her past public statements about the former president and his connection to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol call into question whether she can be fair. The recusal motion from Trump’s lawyers takes aim at U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, a former assistant public defender who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama and has stood out as one of the toughest punishers of Jan. 6 defendants. The request is a long shot given the high threshold for recusal and because the decision on whether to recuse belongs to Chutkan, who is unlikely to see cause to step aside from the case. Even so, the request that she give up the high-stakes trial marks the latest flashpoint in already delicate relations between the defense team and the judge, who has repeatedly cautioned against inflammatory public comments from Trump but has nonetheless been lambasted on social media by him. Special counsel Jack Smith’s team signaled its own concern about his comments, writing last week that Trump’s daily statements — he has derided her as “highly partisan” — could taint a potential jury pool. Chutkan ordered Smith’s team to file any opposition to Trump’s recusal bid by Thursday. Chutkan last month scheduled the trial for March 4, 2024, over the vigorous objections of defense lawyers who said that would not give them enough time to prepare. The case in Washington, charging Trump in a four-count indictment with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election, is one of four criminal cases confronting the former president as he seeks reelection to the White House. In asking Chutkan to step aside, the Trump legal team is relying on a familiar playbook. He tried unsuccessfully to get the judge removed from the hush-money case against him in New York state court, with his lawyers claiming that Judge Juan Manuel Merchan is biased because he’s given cash to Democrats and his daughter is a party consultant. But the judge last month rejected Trump’s demand that he step aside, saying he is certain of his “ability to be fair and impartial.” Federal judges are supposed to step aside in cases where their “impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” Other bases for recusal include a personal bias against one of the parties. Trump’s lawyers say Chutkan’s comments in cases against Jan. 6 rioters show she has “already formed an opinion about President Trump’s guilt” and many of the allegations that underpin the indictment against him. “Although Judge Chutkan may genuinely intend to give President Trump a fair trial — and may believe that she can do so — her public statements unavoidably taint these proceedings, regardless of outcome,” the defense team wrote. “The public will reasonably and understandably question whether Judge Chutkan arrived at all of her decisions in this matter impartially, or in fulfillment of her prior negative statements regarding President Trump.” Chutkan has often handed down prison sentences in Jan. 6 cases that are harsher than Justice Department prosecutors recommended. The judge also previously ruled against Trump in a separate Jan. 6 case, refusing his request to block the release of documents to the U.S. House’s Jan. 6 committee by asserting executive privilege. Trump’s lawyers quoted from remarks Chutkan made in a 2022 sentencing hearing for Christine Priola, a Jan. 6 defendant from Ohio who pleaded guilty to obstructing Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s electoral victory — one of the same charges Trump is facing. “The people who mobbed that Capitol were there in fealty, in loyalty, to one man — not to the Constitution, of which most of the people who come before me seem woefully ignorant; not to the ideals of this country, and not to the principles of democracy,” Chutkan said. “It’s a blind loyalty to one person who, by the way, remains free to this day.” The defense also cited Chutkan’s comments from the sentencing of a rioter from Florida who attacked police officers working to hold back the crowd. During the December 2021 hearing for Robert Palmer, who was sentenced to more than five years in prison, Chutkan said the defendant “made a very good point” that the “people who exhorted” and encouraged him “to go and take action and to fight” had not been charged. Chutkan added that she doesn’t “make charging decisions” and has no “influence on that.” “I have my opinions, but they are not relevant,” Chutkan said. Trump’s attorneys said that comment suggests she believed at the time that Trump should be charged. “Public statements of this sort create a perception of prejudgment incompatible with our justice system. In a case this widely watched, of such monumental significance, the public must have the utmost confidence that the Court will administer justice neutrally and dispassionately,” Trump’s attorneys wrote. Besides the Washington and New York cases, Trump faces a separate federal prosecution in Florida on charges that he illegally hoarded classified documents, and state charges in Atlanta arising from efforts to overturn the Georgia state election in 2020.

Source It's not too difficult to farm COAM—that's Armored Core 6's currency—on Rubicon 3. While repair and ammo costs are a thing, you can replay missions at any time. Plus, if you tailor-make a mech to trash them you'll be flying through repeat runs. My cash cow of choice was Operation Wallclimber, which I chewed through wielding double shotguns —but for a lot of the game's community, the best early-game farm has involved shoving this poor guy into a locker again and again… and again. The mission, titled "Destroy the Tester AC", shows up real early on in the game. It involves zipping to a location and obliterating a student pilot behind the wheel of a Dafeng Tester AC. You're only rewarded a measly 95,000 COAM for your butchery, but you can knock out a run in about two to three minutes. Just some quick napkin math puts that at 1,900,000 COAM an hour, which isn't too shabby if you can endure the repetition—or gunning down the poor guy. In most stories, we'd be playing someone like the student pilot—a plucky underdog out to make a name for themselves. Our mech would be a villain jetting over the horizon, and we'd spend the whole story training to destroy it. But this isn't that kind of game. In true, brutal FromSoftware fashion, the pilot is destined to be little more than a cash pinata. The horrific consequences of 621's actions haven't stopped him from becoming a memed-upon punching bag, though.

Source Good morning. Dog attacks have been back in the news after a video of an 11-year-old girl being attacked by an American bully XL surfaced on social media, prompting the home secretary, Suella Braverman, to announce she has commissioned urgent advice on outlawing the dogs – a move criticised as too slow by family members of victims. In the disturbing footage, the girl can be heard screaming as people try to get her to safety. Two men who intervened were taken to hospital to be treated for their wounds. The story caused an outcry for the breed to be banned, with critics pointing to figures that show bully XLs account for a high number of the fatalities in dog attacks. Because the breed is not recognised by Kennel Club in the UK, there is no clear figure for how many bully XLs are currently owned in the country, but it is slim proportion of the dog population. Yet in 2022, out of the 10 fatal dog attacks, six involved a bully XL – and earlier this month two bully XL dogs were shot dead after killing 24 pregnant sheep in north Wales. Braverman has said the animals are a “clear and lethal” danger, but the Dog Control Coalition, a group that includes the RSPCA, Battersea Dogs Home and the Royal Kennel Club, have pushed back, insisting the problem is not the breed as a whole, rather the attacks are due to “irresponsible breeding, rearing and ownership”. For today’s newsletter, I spoke to the Guardian’s Midlands correspondent, Jessica Murray, about how dangerous these dogs are and what can be done to stop the attacks. But first, the headlines. Five big stories Environment | The World Bank poured billions of dollars into fossil fuels around the world last year despite repeated promises to refocus on shifting to a low-carbon economy, research for Urgewald, a campaign group that tracks global fossil fuel finance, has found. The money, about $3.7bn (£2.95bn), went through a special form of funding known as trade finance, which is used to facilitate global transactions. China espionage | MPs have vented their fury over a six-month silence that followed an aide operating at the heart of parliament being arrested on suspicion of allegedly spying for China. On Monday, some voiced concern that the gap meant they had been unable to take their own security precautions. Health | Vulnerable eating disorder patients from England are being sent hundreds of miles from their homes to Scotland for treatment, as the number of available beds south of the border has dropped in two years. 84 patients were sent from England to Scotland between 2020 to May 23, costing a total of almost £9m. Teaching | Only half of the required number of trainee secondary school teachers in England have been recruited as the academic year gets under way, analysis shows. The figures, obtained by the National Education Union (NEU) and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), show ministers are on course to miss their recruitment targets by 48%. North Korea | Kim Jong-un has arrived in Russia for a rare summit with president Vladimir Putin to discuss a possible deal to supply North Korean arms for the war in Ukraine. Kim’s armoured train arrived at Khasan station, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported today, citing an unnamed Russian official source. The meeting is expected to be held this afternoon in Vladivostok, where Putin has already arrived. In depth: ‘This type of dog is one of the main perpetrators of an increase in attacks, but some say it’s not that simple’ American bully XLs are a relatively new breed first thought to have been brought to the UK less than a decade ago. Originating in the US, they are closely related to the pitbull terrier, which was banned in the UK in 1991 as part of the Dangerous Dogs Act. They have been crossbred with English bulldogs, American bulldogs and American Staffordshire terriers to become even bigger and stronger, and became a recognised breed in 2013 in the US by the United Kennel Club. Because of its tough look, this type of dog has become something of a status symbol, with some owners using them as guard dogs. West Midlands police said the dog involved in an attack in Bordesley Green in Birmingham on Saturday was a “crossbreed bully XL/Staffordshire bull terrier puppy”. The girl who required hospital treatment, Ana Paun, has said: “It was so scary. I was screaming. He let my arm go and then bit my shoulder. I want him [the dog] to go away, to die. I think all of the dogs, the bulldogs, all of them should be banned. The owner should be in prison because he never did anything, he just let the dog bite everyone.” A documentary by the BBC’s Panorama uncovered links between the breeders of bully XLs and organised crime – sellers were using dogs to make huge amounts of cash and launder money, often at the expense of animal welfare. This trend seems to have waned in recent years but it has nonetheless coloured the image of bully XLs, especially as there is a widely held belief that a significant number of breeders are not as licensed as they should be, Jessica says.

Source Star quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a suspected Achilles injury on his New York Jets debut against Buffalo Bills. The NFL's four-time Most Valuable Player, who joined from the Green Bay Packers in the off-season, was injured in the first quarter as he was sacked by Bills defensive end Leonard Floyd. "We're concerned with his Achilles," said Jets coach Robert Saleh. "It's not good." The Jets won 22-16 in overtime at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Rodgers arrived at the Jets amid much excitement as the franchise look to end the NFL's longest play-off drought of 12 years. The 39-year-old had spent his entire NFL career with Green Bay and won the Super Bowl in 2011. In the Jets' first game of the season, he lasted a little over three minutes when he landed awkwardly on his left ankle. He spent several minutes on the turf before being helped off the field by the medical team. The Jets announced during the second quarter that Rodgers would not return to the game but that X-rays showed no broken bones. "An MRI is probably going to confirm what we think has happened, so prayers tonight," said Saleh. "I hurt for Aaron and how much he has invested in all of this. I'm still going to hold out hope. But my heart's with Aaron right now, nobody else." Zach Wilson, the Jets' regular quarterback for the past two years, replaced Rodgers and completed 14 of 21 passes for 140 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Buffalo reserve safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch in January, was at the game but was not named in the matchday squad.

Source North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived via rail in Russia where he is due to meet President Vladimir Putin. Mr Kim left Pyongyang for Russia on Sunday on his private train, North Korea's state media reported. It is not known where the leaders will meet, as Mr Kim's train is reportedly heading north, away from the city of Vladivostok. A US official said they were expected to discuss an arms deal as Russia faces a Ukrainian counter-offensive. The Kremlin said that the "fully fledged visit" would cover "bilateral relations, the situation in the region and in the global arena". The meeting could take place as early as Tuesday local time - although the statement from the Kremlin said it would happen in the "coming days". Mr Kim left his train to meet Russian representatives when it pulled into the border station of Khasan on Tuesday morning. Footage shows him stepping off the train onto a red carpet to be greeted by a Russian delegation as a brass band plays. He also met Alexander Kozlov, Russia's minister for natural resources. According to Oleg Kozhemyako, a regional governor who released footage of the meeting, they discussed the potential launch this year of joint tourism and agricultural projects. Mr Kim's train is rumoured to include at least 20 heavy bulletproof carriages. The extra weight means the train is very slow - it can only travel at around 37mph (59 km/h). The North Korean leader's last trip abroad was to Vladivostok in 2019 for a summit with Mr Putin after the collapse of nuclear disarmament talks with the then-US president, Donald Trump. The Vostochny cosmodrome, located in Russia's far east near the border with China, has been suggested as the possible meeting place for the two leaders. It is the country's first commercial space centre and is one of Mr Putin's pet projects. The Russian president has announced he plans to go to the cosmodrome but has not confirmed that Mr Kim will meet him there. Responding to a question at the Eastern Economic Forum, Mr Putin said: "When I get there, you will know". North Korea may seek co-operation from Russia on its space programme, which late last month failed a for second time to place a spy satellite in orbit after a rocket failure. The White House said it had new information that negotiations between the Russia and North Korea were on a weapons deal "actively advancing". National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had tried to "convince Pyongyang to sell artillery ammunition" to Russia during a recent visit to North Korea. Both sides have denied the reports. The US and its allies have expressed concern over the possibility of closer military ties between Russia and Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would always act in its national interest. "The interests of our two countries are important to us, and not warnings from Washington," he was quoted as saying by Russian media. North Korea also wants food aid and possibly technology to help its banned nuclear and missiles programme, analysts say.

Source "What are you still doing here?" Daniil Medvedev joked to Novak Djokovic following the Serb's historic 24th Grand Slam triumph. "I don't know, when are you planning to slow down a little bit?" the Russian enquired. It is a fair question. Overcoming Medvedev in straight sets on Sunday, 36-year-old Djokovic equalled Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 major singles titles to stand at the pinnacle of his sport. And it appeared to mean more than any other before it. The emotion came pouring out of Djokovic as the magnitude of his achievement sank in, before the celebrations with his family and team members commenced. "This is one of the biggest achievements in sport history," his coach Goran Ivanisevic later declared. "We're not talking about tennis. We are talking generally, in sport." He added: "If he wins 25, he's going to think 'why not 26?' It's always one more, something more. "He's taking care of his body, he's taking care of everything, every single detail has to be perfect." Perhaps most remarkably, the Serb - who is peerless in the Open era (since tennis went professional in 1968) - has accomplished such remarkable heights despite competing in the greatest era the men's game has witnessed. A 24th Slam extended his lead over rival Rafael Nadal to two titles in the ongoing race for supremacy, after Swiss great Roger Federer retired with 20. But while Spain's Nadal has announced his plans to stop at the end of the 2024 season, there are no signs of Djokovic's remarkable career coming to an end. "I don't put any number right now in my mind on how many Slams I want to win," Djokovic said. "Knowing that I play at such a high level still and I win the biggest tournaments, I don't want to leave this sport if I'm still at the top." Djokovic gets US Open revenge to match Court Djokovic admitted that the weight of history contributed to an underperformance when, on the brink of a stunning calendar Grand Slam in 2021, he lost to Medvedev in the US Open final to miss out on winning all four major titles in the same year. But, two months after being denied a 24th title by Carlos Alcaraz in an epic five-set Wimbledon final, he would not allow his latest opportunity to pass him by. The possibility of winning all four majors in the same year was not on the line here - although matching Rod Laver in that regard is no doubt an achievement he will have on his mind after losing just one match in Grand Slams in 2023. However, a 24th major represented the most significant trophy of his illustrious career to date. The only player to have previously reached 24 titles is Australian Court, whose achievements came during tennis' transition to a professional sport. While Djokovic has won his Slams in the Open era, the majority of Court's titles - 13 to be precise - arrived before 1968. Until that point, Grand Slams were contested by amateurs while top players sought the prize money on offer at private events. It was a factor that Serena Williams alluded to when she spoke about falling agonisingly short of Court's tally when she retired last year. "I think [Djokovic is the greatest of all time]. How can you argue with these numbers?" said BBC Radio 5 Live commentator David Law. "He's got the same number as Court and, let's be honest, they were registered at a time when tennis was a different sport. Many of them were at the Australian Open, when there wasn't a huge amount of competition. "He has had to come after Federer and Nadal, play against them when they have been at their best. He had to hunt them down, despite being considerably less popular with the crowds." Court won her first singles Slam on home soil at the 1960 Australian Open, where she triumphed on 11 occasions, with her last coming in New York in 1973. Similarly, Djokovic has won an all-time record 10 men's titles in Melbourne since clinching his very first Slam there in 2008. Wimbledon is his next most successful tournament, where he is just one title behind Federer's men's record eight triumphs. One feat achieved by Court which Djokovic is yet to match is that elusive calendar Slam. Court is one of five people to have won a calendar Grand Slam - winning all four majors in 1970. Rod Laver and Don Budge are the two men to have done it. 'Superhuman' Djokovic 'not stopping soon' It is the fourth season of Djokovic's career in which he has won three Grand Slam titles, becoming the first man to achieve that on as many occasions. The records continue to fall and the numbers involved become more staggering with each success. Victory over Medvedev came in Djokovic's record-extending 36th Grand Slam final, and record-tying 10th US Open final - equalling Bill Tilden's total. He is the oldest man to triumph at Flushing Meadows in the Open era, surpassing Ken Rosewall, who won in 1970 aged 35. Overall, he is the fourth-oldest Grand Slam champion. By next year's US Open he will be old enough to beat Rosewall for that record. And with his 96th career title overall, he reduced the gap to Federer (103) and Jimmy Connors (109) for the most by male players in the Open era. "I don't think he's stopping any time soon," British former player Annabel Croft said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "Why would he? It was almost a perfect season. "We witnessed something incredibly special tonight. We witnessed him tying Margaret Court with 24 titles. It has taken him time to get there but he's done it. He's superhuman, isn't he." On Monday, Djokovic will return to world number one, replacing 20-year-old Spaniard Alcaraz - beaten by Medvedev in the semi-finals - who now appears the biggest threat to his bid for an all-time record 25th major. The Serb has spent the most weeks at number one in ATP ranking history (since 1973) and next week will be his 390th at the top of the men's game. "You need to reinvent yourself, because everyone else does," Djokovic said. "As a 36-year-old competing with 20-year-olds, I probably have to do it more than ever." The four-time US Open champion added: "It's a constant, evolving process of me trying to implement certain things that will give me an edge over the young guns." It is difficult to comprehend what he may have achieved in another era. Since Wimbledon 2003, Djokovic, Nadal and Federer have together claimed 66 of the 81 Grand Slam titles available over that period. That is more than 81% of the available titles, with just 15 Slams in 20 years going to other players. Now Djokovic will intend on increasing that share further when he returns to his favourite Grand Slam in January. "To make the history of this sport is something truly remarkable and special," Djokovic said. "I never imagined that I would be here, talking about 24 Slams. I never thought that would be the reality. But the last couple of years I felt I had a chance, a shot at history - and why not grab it if it's presented?"

Source I failed to notice the ants at first. Small and pale red, they were barely visible on my sunburned feet as I bumbled around the barbecue in what I wrongly believed then to be “my” Amazonian rainforest garden. But the insects, I was about to learn, had prior ownership and they aggressively made clear I was not welcome on their territory. At first, I felt a barely imperceptible sting, then another, and another until they had my full attention. Like a dull-witted, clumsy Gulliver, I looked down in disbelief to see dozens of the tiny insect Lilliputians swarming up my toes and across the instep. The ants, I observed with a mixture of horror and curiosity, were stopping every few seconds to clamp down and inject venom into the flesh. They appeared to be armed with the repeater rifle of the insect world that gave them an ability to sting multiple times in rapid succession. As more and more joined the attack, the buildup of alkaloid poison turned my skin blotchy and the sensation felt less and less like a pinprick and more and more like a burn. Fascination was now replaced by fear as I hopped back and forth, desperately trying to brush the invaders off of my legs. I had finally realised what I was dealing with: fire ants. In the hours that followed, the area around each of the dozens of bites grew inflamed and dotted with prickling red bumps. Within a day, these swelled into a mountain range of epidermic volcanoes, each capped with a white, fluid-filled blister. The urge to itch was enormous. I wanted to scratch all the skin off my feet – but at the same time I was filled with admiration that something so small could create a sensation so powerful. My wife, Eliane (Ani) Brum, suggested that perhaps the lesson I should take from this was not just about the wonder of nature, but that I wear something stouter on my feet than flip-flops. To live in the rainforest is to live with ants. More than any other residents, they are the great forest engineers and waste-disposal teams. There are at least six different species in our garden. (Ani and I no longer claim sole ownership of this land, but hope we can peacefully share the space with them.) The most impressive visitors are the army ants, which march in columns through the centre of our home once or twice a year. The first time I woke up to find thousands of these insects parading across our living room floor, I was amazed and a little terrified. “Don’t worry,” a neighbour reassured me. “They’ll be gone in a few hours.” And sure enough, they were. Among the permanent residents, the most visible are the leafcutters, who are misleadingly nicknamed “big-arse ants” in many parts of Latin America because their heads are shaped like bums. As the name suggests, leafcutters are normally gentle herbivores. I have seen their nests – which can rise up to waist-height and look like an architectural design by Antoni Gaudí – overrun by much smaller, but more aggressive, numerous and agile termites. But even leafcutters can be moody. Once a year, when the winged virgin queens and drones take to the air during the height of the rainy season, their colonies are on high alert. Once again I was slow to realise the change. I should have realised when my dog started to whimper and back away as we approached the nest, but I was too eager to take a photograph of the swarm of insects rising out of the colony like billowing smoke from a fire. Sure enough, within seconds, I felt a painful bite. Relative to its size, the leafcutter has one of the most powerful mandibles in the world. One of them had removed a chunk of skin several layers deep from my big toe, leaving my foot so bloodied that it looked more like the aftermath of an encounter with a piranha. Once again, Ani reminded me not to wear flip-flops in the forest. But it was at least only a bite. No poison. No after-effects. The same could not be said of the bullet ant that wandered on to our balcony earlier this year. This time I was bare-footed, feeling safe in my home, but it was dark and I didn’t notice the solitary predator. The tucandeira – as bullet ants are known in our part of Brazil – are usually hard to miss. They are five or six times bigger than fire ants and their armour has the shiny reflective black sheen of an insect Darth Vader. They also pack one of the most vicious stings in the animal world, a bullet-like surge of poneratoxin that is said to be 30 times more painful than a common wasp. The entomologist Justin O. Schmidt ranked this at the maximum level 4 on his sting pain index and described the sensation as “pure, intense, brilliant pain … like walking over flaming charcoal with a three-inch nail embedded in your heel”. For me, it was a more gradual evolution of agony. At first, I thought I had stubbed my toe, but instead of subsiding, the ache welled up like a tsunami as my foot turned red and puffy over the coming hours. I then looked for the culprit, who – sure enough – was still lurking on our deck. The smarting persisted all night and most of the next day, despite my efforts to numb the area with ice. Another lesson from the ant world. Another reminder from Ani to wear sensible shoes. With the news that invasive fire ants (not necessarily the same subspecies as the ones that bit me) are now being found in southern Europe – with perhaps other species to follow – Ani’s advice is probably the best precaution that holidaymakers can take. But I would not worry too much, as long as you are not allergic (in which case there may be a risk of anaphylactic shock). Despite headlines about killer insects, the risks are manageable for most people and the bites and stings are intriguing. Even so, it may be wise not to sit on the ground in shorts unless you have first scoured the area for the nests of one of the world’s hardest-working creatures.

Source North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly started his journey to Vladivostok for a summit with Russia's President Vladimir Putin. The armoured train that Mr Kim uses for foreign visits appears to have departed Pyongyang, South Korean media reported citing a government official. The meeting between the two leaders is expected to take place as early as Tuesday local time. The Kremlin has confirmed that Mr Kim will visit Russia "in the coming days". The Pentagon said it believes Mr Kim is travelling to Russia and it expects "some type of meeting", according to the BBC's US partner CBS News. If the summit with Mr Putin goes ahead, it will be the North Korean leader's first international trip in more than four years, and the first since the pandemic. The two leaders will likely discuss the possibility of North Korea providing Moscow with weapons to support its war in Ukraine, a US official earlier told CBS, the BBC's US partner. Mr Kim's last trip abroad was also to Vladivostok in 2019 for his first summit with Mr Putin after the collapse of North Korea's nuclear disarmament talks with then US President Donald Trump. Mr Kim also travelled to Vladivostok by train in 2019. It is rumoured to include at least 20 bulletproof cars, making it heavier than average trains and unable to go beyond 59 km/h (37mph). His journey to Vladivostok is expected to take an entire day. The possible meeting comes after the White House said it had new information that arms negotiations between the two countries were "actively advancing". National Security Council spokesman John Kirby earlier said Russia's Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu, had tried to "convince Pyongyang to sell artillery ammunition" to Russia during a recent visit to North Korea. The summit comes at a time when both Russia and North Korea have things that the other country wants, according to Ankit Panda from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "What'll matter now is if both sides can find suitable prices they're willing to pay for the other's assistance," he told the BBC. Russia will likely ask North Korea for conventional arms, including artillery shells and rocket artillery munitions in exchange for food and raw materials, and continuing support at international forums like the United Nations, he said. "This could open up the possibility of North Korea transferring more sophisticated weaponry to Russia to allow Moscow to maintain and backfill its own stocks of conventional weapons," he said. It is thought that Russia might need 122mm and 152mm shells because its stocks are running low, but it is not easy to determine North Korea's full artillery inventory, given its secretive nature. Weapons on display at the meeting between Mr Kim and Mr Shoigu in July included the Hwasong intercontinental ballistic missile, believed to be the country's first ICBM to use solid propellants. It was the first time Mr Kim had opened the country's doors to foreign guests since the Covid pandemic.

Source New images have appeared online purporting to show a prototype RTX 3090 Super graphics card (via Videocardz), and honestly, I think it's gorgeous. I am very much a fan of the design of Nvidia's last two generations of Founders Edition cards—though I do still find the sheer scale of the RTX 3090, RTX 4090, and RTX 4080 absolutely ludicrous—but I think I would be even more down for this all-black design. It's a world away from the original Super series of cards Nvidia released for the RTX 20-series generation. Those used the standard cards' shroud, itself reminiscent of a twin burner camping stove, and then added a mirror finish and a green negative space "super" logo. And I hated them. It wasn't just that they were horrible to photograph for a review, but that mirror finish just made them look so damned tacky. If Nvidia had done the same thing with the otherwise good-looking RTX 30-series refresh I would have been suitably unimpressed. This isn't the first time we've seen snippets of the cancelled RTX 3090 Super design, but this is absolutely the best look we've got at the thing as a whole. And in my head I can't shake the comparison between Threepio and Triple-Zero from Star Wars when it comes to the different Super designs. In the end, despite many rumours, Nvidia didn't release a Super serious of refreshed RTX 30-series cards with speedier Ampere GPUs, instead it opted to squeeze more Ti cards into the range. And they all lined up behind the top GPU in town, the RTX 3090 Ti. Which was stupidly priced because of the chip shortage and pandemic, and relatively quickly superseded by Ada and the RTX 40-series.

Source Nvidia announced today that it had submitted its first benchmark results for its Grace Hopper CPU+GPU Superchip and its L4 GPU accelerators to the newest version of MLPerf, an industry-standard AI benchmark that's designed to offer a level playing field for measuring AI performance in different workloads. Today's round of benchmark results marks two notable new firsts for the MLPerf benchmark: The addition of a new Large Language model (LLM) GPT-J inference benchmark and a revamped recommendation model. Nvidia claims the Grace Hopper Superchip delivers up to 17% more inference performance than one of its market-leading H100 GPUs in the GPT-J benchmark and that its L4 GPUs deliver up to 6X the performance of Intel's Xeon CPUs. The industry is moving at breakneck speed as it rapidly evolves to newer AI models and more powerful implementations. In the same vein, the MLPerf benchmark, managed by the MLCommons body, is constantly evolving to better reflect the changing nature of the AI landscape with its new v3.1 revision. GPT-J 6B, a summarization model for text used in real-world workloads since 2021, is now used within the MLPerf suite as a benchmark for measuring inference performance. The GPT-J 6-billion-parameter LLM is rather lightweight compared to some of the more advanced AI models, like the 175-billion-parameter GPT-3, but it fits the role of an inference benchmark nicely. This model summarizes blocks of text and operates in both online mode, which is latency sensitive, and offline mode, which is throughput-intensive. The MLPerf suite also now employs a larger DLRM-DCNv2 recommendation model with twice the parameter count, a larger multi-hot dataset, and a cross-layer algorithm that better represents real-world environments. With that background, we can see some of Nvidia's performance claims here. Be aware that Nvidia itself submits these benchmarks to MLCommons, so they likely represent highly tuned best-case scenarios. Nvidia also likes to point out that it is the only company to submit benchmarks for every AI model used in the MLPerf suite, which is an objectively true statement. Some companies are wholly absent, like AMD, or only submit a few chosen benchmarks, like Intel with Habana and Google with its TPU. Reasons for the lack of submissions vary by company, but seeing more competitors step into the MLPerf ring would be nice. Nvidia submitted its first GH200 Grace Hopper Superchip MLPerf result, highlighting that the CPU+GPU combo delivers 17% more performance than a single H100 GPU. On the surface, that's surprising, given that the GH200 uses the same silicon as the H100 CPU, but we'll explain why below. Naturally, Nvidia's systems armed with eight H100s outperformed the Grace Hopper Superchip, taking the lead in every inference test. As a reminder, the Grace Hopper Superchip combines a Hopper GPU and the Grace CPU on the same board, providing a C2C link (deep dive here) with 900GB/s of throughput between the two units, thus providing 7x the bandwidth of a typical PCIe connection for CPU-to-GPU data transfers, boosting the GH200's accessible memory bandwidth, augmented by a coherent memory pool that includes 96GB of HBM3 memory and 4TB/s of GPU memory bandwidth. In contrast, the comparison H100 tested in the HGX has only 80GB of HBM3 (next-gen Grace Hopper models will have 144GB of 1.7X faster HBM3e in Q2 2024). Nvidia also touts a dynamic power-shifting tech called Automatic Power Steering that dynamically balances the power budget between the CPU and GPU, steering the spillover budget to whichever unit is under the most load. This tech is used in many competing modern CPU+GPU combos, so it isn't new, but it does allow the GPU onboard the Grace Hopper Superchip to enjoy a higher power delivery budget than it does in the HGX due to power being shifted from the Grace CPU — that isn't possible in a standard server. The full CPU+GPU system ran at a 1000W TDP. Most inference continues to execute on CPUs, which could change in the future as larger models become more common; Displacing CPUs for these workloads with small low-power GPUs like the L4 is paramount for Nvidia because it would fuel high-volume sales. This round of MLPerf submissions also includes the first results for Nvidia's L4 GPUs, with the inference-optimized card delivering 6X the performance of a single Xeon 9480 in the GPT-J inference benchmark, despite pulling a mere 72W in a slim form factor card that doesn't require an auxiliary power connection. Nvidia also claims up to 120X the performance in a video+AI decode-inference-encode workload against CPUs by measuring the performance of eight L4 GPUs versus two previous-gen Xeon 8380s CPUs, which is a bit lopsided. This is probably intended to be a direct comparison of the sheer amount of computing power that can be crammed into a single chassis. Still, it's noteworthy that quad-socket servers are available despite not being the best fit for the job, and newer Xeon chips would probably perform a bit better in this test. The test configuration is in the small print at the bottom of the slide, so be sure to pay attention to those details. Finally, Nvidia also submitted benchmarks of its Jetson Orin robotics chips, showing an 84% gain in inference throughput that's largely driven by improvements to software. it's important to remember that, in the real world, each AI model runs as part of a longer series of models that execute in an AI pipeline to accomplish a specific job or task. Nvidia's illustration above encompasses this nicely, with eight different AI models being performed on one query before completion — and it isn't unheard of for these types of AI pipelines to extend up to 15 networks to satisfy a single query. This is important context, as the throughput-oriented benchmarks above tend to focus on running a single AI model at high utilization, as opposed to the real-world pipeline that requires quite a bit more versatility with multiple AI models running serially to complete a given task. Nvidia also announced last week that its TensorRT-LLM software for generative AI workloads delivers optimized performance in inference workloads, overall delivering more than double the performance when used on its H100 GPUs, at no added cost. Nvidia provided details about this software recently, which you can read about here, and points out that it didn't have this inference-boosting software ready for this round of results; MLCommons requires a 30-day lead time for MLPerf submissions, and TensorRT-LLM wasn't available at the time. That means that Nvidia's inaugural round of MLPerf benchmarks should see a tremendous improvement with the next round of submissions.

Source When Zoom exploded in popularity in 2020 because of the pandemic, many people installed and used it for the first time. This necessity led to virtually everyone sticking to the basics of virtual meetings. But if you’re still only using the core Zoom features, you’re missing out. There are loads of ways to make your calls much more fun and useful, though it’s not always obvious that they exist. And that’s why we’ve highlighted eight of the best here. If you want to improve your video calling experience without buying a new webcam or microphone, look no further: we’ve got tips that will help. Crucially, all these features are available on the free version of Zoom. Removing the 40-minute limit is the main perk of paid plans (from $149.90/£119.90 per year). 1. Stop looking at yourself We all want to look presentable on video calls, but it’s not a good idea to keep looking at yourself during a meeting. Instead, once you’re happy with the lighting and framing, click the ‘View’ button in the top-right corner and click ‘Hide Self View’. 2. Use Immersive View Rather than just looking at the person speaking or a grid of all participants, how about something that makes it at least seem like you’re in the same room? Immersive View is as close as it gets, allowing you to place up to 25 participants on a single virtual background. There are plenty to choose from, including a classroom, auditorium or even art gallery. To get started, create or join a call with two or more participants. Click the ‘View’ button in the top-right corner, then select ‘Immersive. From the window that appears, choose which of the virtual environments you’d like to use – some will take a few seconds to download. 3. Create an avatar If you’d prefer not to show your video at all, how about an avatar instead? While appropriate for casual meetings and probably not when others need to see the real you, avatars can be a fun way to add some personality to your video calls. From the main Zoom home screen, click the Settings cog in the top-right corner, just below your profile icon. Choose ‘Background & Effects’ from the left side, then ‘Avatars’ (still in beta at the time of writing). Click the + icon to fully customize your own avatar, then click ‘Done’ once finished. Alternatively, simply click one of the preset animal versions below. Your avatar’s head and face movements will mirror your own, so it’s still easy to know when you’re speaking. 4. Use PowerPoint as a virtual background Adding blur or an image to your background is a popular feature on Zoom. But how about a full PowerPoint presentation? It’s a great option for presenting to a group, but not something many people know about. Provided the host has allowed it, anyone can present with a PowerPoint background. After joining the call, click the green ‘Share Screen’ button, then select the ‘Advanced’ tab. Double-click ‘PowerPoint as Virtual Background’, then select your PowerPoint file. 5. Use the vanishing pen You might be familiar with Zoom’s annotating features, which allow participants to add notes and other information to a shared document from within the call. But to get someone’s attention about something, you don’t want to draw all over it. Instead, you can use the vanishing pen, which ensures any drawings disappear after only a couple of seconds. To use it, start a call and click the green ‘Share Screen’ button and choose which window you’d like to share. Click the ‘Annotate’ button from the toolbar at the top, then hover over ‘Spotlight’ and select the icon which looks like a dashed line below a pen – that’s the Vanishing Pen. 6. Turn on Live Captions Live Captions is an excellent accessibility feature, allowing those who are hard of hearing to understand what’s being said in a meeting. But it can be useful for everyone, especially if someone’s audio is breaking up, or their mic is too quiet. To get started, open the Zoom website and sign in. Click ‘Settings’ from the left side, then ‘Meeting’ and ‘In Meeting (Advanced)’. Scroll down to ‘Automated captions’, then click the toggle to turn it on. 7. Send video messages As you might be aware, Zoom can be used for much more than just meetings. It can also work as a standalone messaging app, with channels, mentions, and chats making it a genuine Slack rival. Alongside the usual text, emojis, GIFs, documents, and voice messages, you can also send video messages. These are clearly more personal than the other forms of communication, and mean you don’t have to be in a call together to share information. But with access to all the usual virtual backgrounds and filters, they can also look very professional. Simply open the Zoom app and click the ‘Team Chat’ section at the top. Find someone you’d like to send a video message to, or click the blue compose button to start a new chat. Then, click the camcorder icon in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen. Click the image icon to choose a virtual background and/or filter (if you’d like), then click ‘Record’. Each video message can last up to three minutes, but won’t be sent until you click the blue ‘Send’ button. 8. Give non-verbal feedback In large meetings, it’s often not appropriate to just start talking when you want to give a response. Messaging in the chat is a better option, but it can easily be missed. Instead, how about raising a virtual hand? This flags to the host that you’d like to speak without interrupting what’s currently being said. To use it, simply join a meeting and click the ‘Reactions’ button from the toolbar at the bottom of the screen (if the host has made it available). Select ‘Raise hand’ and a hand emoji will be displayed next to your name and video feed. Once you’ve finished speaking, simply click ‘Lower hand’. But if you’d like to respond without adding any comment, just use an emoji. Click ‘Reactions’, then one of the six most popular or the three dots and any emoji you’d like. Whichever you choose will stay on screen for a few seconds.

Source Apple is extending an agreement to get modem semiconductors from Qualcomm for three more years, a sign that its ambitious effort to design the chips in-house is taking longer than expected. Qualcomm shares surged on the news. The new pact will cover “smartphone launches in 2024, 2025 and 2026,” Qualcomm said in a statement Monday. The companies' agreement had been set to end this year, and the latest iPhone — due on Tuesday — was expected to be one of the last to rely on the Qualcomm modem chip. Instead, Qualcomm will maintain its lucrative position within Apple's supply chain. The iPhone maker is Qualcomm's largest customer — accounting for nearly a quarter of revenue, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. And their relationship helps validate Qualcomm's claim to having the best smartphone modem, a critical component that allows devices to connect to the internet and make calls. Starting with the iPhone 12 generation, the chip has supported speedier 5G networks. “This agreement reinforces Qualcomm's track record of sustained leadership across 5G technologies and products,” the San Diego-based chipmaker said. Though the financial terms of the new deal weren't disclosed, Qualcomm said it was similar to the previous arrangement signed in 2019. Qualcomm shares jumped more than 8 percent in premarket trading in New York on Monday. Apple was up less than 1 percent. For Apple, the move suggests that building a modem component has been more challenging than expected. The effort has been years in the works. The Cupertino, California-based company kicked off the project in 2018 and then bolstered it with the acquisition of Intel Corp.'s smartphone chip business in 2019. By 2020, Apple heralded the development of its own modem as a “key strategy transition.” Johny Srouji, its chip chief, said at the time that the work was full speed ahead. Some analysts expected the component to be ready for the 2023 iPhone, but Qualcomm quashed that speculation last year. Apple was still looking to ship the modem at either the end of 2024 or in early 2025, Bloomberg News previously reported. Now the project has a longer runway before it needs to be ready. It's been a difficult undertaking: Apple needs a chip that can connect to various cellular networks globally without fail, while offering as good or better performance as Qualcomm. It's run into trouble with battery life, and there are bureaucratic challenges, such as certifying the modem with authorities. The company's in-house chip push — branded as Apple Silicon — has had more success elsewhere. Apple replaced the Intel processors in its Macs over the past three years without many hitches, and the battery life and performance gains of those machines have been a selling point. The company also has been working to replace other semiconductors within the iPhone, including a key Broadcom part. Like Qualcomm, Broadcom counts Apple as its biggest customer. As part of the push, Apple has staffed up in Southern California, where Qualcomm and Broadcom both have offices, aiming to recruit chip talent. The company has teams working on the new wireless chips in Cupertino, San Diego and Germany. The new agreement comes just a day before Apple's biggest announcement of the year. The company is set to unveil the iPhone 15, as well as updated Apple Watch models and AirPods, at a presentation Tuesday. It's counting on the products to help reverse a sales slide that has lasted for three quarters. The iPhone is Apple's largest single moneymaker, accounting for roughly half of its revenue. Qualcomm, the world's largest maker of smartphone chips, has had a turbulent relationship with Apple over the years. Apple waged legal challenges against a key tenet of Qualcomm's business model: charging licensing fees for patents that govern the fundamentals of how wireless phone networks operate. Apple eventually lost that fight and agreed, like other major phone makers, to license Qualcomm's technology. That arrangement will run until 2025, with the option to extend it for another two years. Because wireless carriers around the world use a wide range of equipment and standards, it's hard to design technology that works seamlessly. A modem chip has to be able to quickly connect to older 3G and 4G networks, as well as more modern 5G systems. Since the advent of data-centric phones, Qualcomm has led the field. Though the new contract extends until 2026, Apple could still start using its own modem before then. The company has been planning to gradually roll out the component. In fact, Qualcomm is only projecting that it will have a 20 percent share of the business when the 2026 iPhone launches. Still, the company used similar wording with the original agreement, suggesting that it could be a conservative forecast.

Nickname : Mindsphere. Age: 24 How much time you can be active on TS3: seems i don’t use TS3 that much, i will say 0. Link of Reviews you have posted recently: i haven’t posted it yet, today i will start doing my activity and i will try to maintain active! How much you rate VGame Reviewers Team 1-10: 10 Why do you want be part of the Reviewer's team: Because i want to help every project, posts. Any suggest you want to make for your Request: No.

Source US Policy Editor Charles Sauer has a new article in Real Clear Markets on new antitrust guidelines released by the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice. He writes: “The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently unveiled revised antitrust guidelines. The guidelines are to help the FTC and DOJ staff determine when to bring an antitrust case. As anyone who has followed the pronouncements and actions of FTC Chair Lina Khan and DOJ Antitrust Division Head Jonathan Kanter would expect, the guidelines expand the federal government’s involvement in business activity. Since penning a widely praised law review article arguing that the rise of big tech companies like Amazon necessitated an expansion of federal internet prosecutions, Khan has been a leading advocate of using government power to rein in big tech. While not as well-known as Khan, Kanter is also an advocate of this neo-Brandeisianism (named after famed Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis who pioneered the “big is bad” approach to antitrust). The new guidelines set forth thirteen principles that FTC and DOJ staff are to use in determining whether to attempt to block a proposed merger or acquisition. The principles focus on market concentration, competition between firms, risk coordination, market entrants, competitor supply, vertical mergers, market positions, market concentration, examination scope, platform usage, employee competition, and more squishy areas. Not only do these guidelines create a distinct end the consumer welfare standard – the general nature of the language is to throw all mergers into question and dramatically increase the power of the FTC. For instance, stating that all mergers and acquisitions can be challenged if they lessen competition among business, make the labor market less competitive, or further extend or entrench a dominant firm gives the FTC and the DOJ cart blanche to challenge virtually any and all mergers and acquisitions. One principle of particular interest is number 9: When a merger is part of a series of multiple acquisitions, the agencies may examine the whole series of acquisitions. This principle may be used to justify the agency reversing previously approved mergers and acquisitions on the grounds that since the initial approval, the business has become too big. Chair Khan and her allies are particularly interested in forcing Meta to divest itself of Instagram and WhatsApp. In fact, one of the principles states that mergers should not extend or entrench a dominant position. But the problem with this principle is that gaining, extending, and enhancing a dominant position is why businesses engage in mergers, acquisitions, and most other activities, including selling goods and services to customers. Therefore this principle essentially outlaws businesses behaving the way they should behave in a competitive market. The fact that the “big is bad” approach to antitrust could have outlawed businesses behaving like businesses is one reason that the big is bad standard was abandoned in the 1980s in favor of the consumer welfare standard. As the name implies, the consumer welfare standard judges business activity by how it affects consumers. It thus provides an objective test to determine when the government should bring an antitrust action. It also limits the ambitions of those like Lina Khan who want to use antitrust laws as a tool to reshape the American economy. Some free-market advocates say we should not be concerned about the new guidelines since the federal courts are finally limiting federal agencies’ ability to unilaterally expand their mandates beyond what Congress intended. However, the FTC and DOJ were very careful to root their guidelines in the clear statutory amendments that the laws be used to promote and ensure fairness. Therefore, it is possible a conservative court could find the principles a valid Interpretation of the FTC’s and DOJ’s congressionally granted authority.”

Source A man in his 60s has died from a snake bite in central Queensland, after helping to remove a snake which had coiled around his friend’s leg. Two men were treated by the Queensland Ambulance Service in Koumala, a town 60km south of Mackay, shortly after 6.30pm on Saturday evening. They were at Koumala State School, attending a celebration for the school’s 100-year anniversary. The snake was coiled around one man’s leg, and the second man was bitten as he helped to remove it. Claire Bertenshaw, the Queensland Ambulance Service’s acting deputy commissioner for operations south, said the man had likely been bitten on the arm. “There was a rapid call for an ambulance and bystanders performed CPR immediately as the man collapsed,” Bertenshaw said at a press conference on Sunday. The man who removed the snake was in cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived on the scene. They performed CPR and used a defibrillator. “Despite heroic measures by both the bystanders and the Queensland Ambulance Service, he was unfortunately unable to be revived and has passed away.” The second man, also in his 60s, was transported to Mackay Base Hospital and is in a stable condition. “The other fellow is well – he was taken to the hospital last night. I can’t say with any certainty whether he was bitten or not,” Bertenshaw said. “My thoughts are with the family and friends of the patient who tragically lost their life last night.” Authorities are uncertain of the species of the snake involved. “From the symptoms that the patient had, and the cardiac collapse, and it would be more than likely a brown snake,” Bertenshaw said. There are seven venomous snake species found in central Queensland, including the highly venomous the eastern brown snake and the coastal taipan. Bertenshaw reiterated the first aid steps people should take if bitten by a snake. “We want to try and limit the amount that [any venom] moves around your body and what is circulated around,” she said. “You need to lie down, stay still as possible, call for help as quickly as possible. “Have someone else apply a pressure immobilisation bandage to the affected limb – and that should be about as tight as you would do for a sprain – and just wait for help to arrive. Try and stay as calm as possible.”

Source Shortly after she won the US Open title, there was a video doing the rounds on social media of Coco Gauff dancing on Arthur Ashe Stadium as an excited eight-year-old. Eleven years later, the American teenager was standing in the same stadium - this time on the court lifting a Grand Slam trophy like she had long dreamed. Gauff burst on to the scene as a 15-year-old phenomenon at Wimbledon in 2019, now fulfilling her date with the destiny many had predicted ever since - and with the charisma she showed even then. After beating Aryna Sabalenka 2-6 6-3 6-2 in Saturday's New York showpiece, she took the microphone to deliver an accomplished and heartfelt speech that covered every base. She spilled the secret of her dad Corey crying in celebration - "he thinks he is hard" - and also threw shade on the people who doubted whether she would live up to the "hype". "I want to say 'thank you' to the people who didn't believe in me," she said. "I tried my best to carry on with with grace but, honestly, to those who thought you were putting water on my fire, you were really adding gas to it. "I'm burning so bright right now." Without any written notes in front of her, she also thanked her parents, grandparents, coaches and the crowd and spoke of the importance of her faith. Crediting Billie Jean King, the pioneering major champion who fought for gender equality in the sport, for enabling her to take home a $3m prize pot was another endearing touch. Gauff had even called one of her brothers while waiting for the trophy ceremony but had to hang up because the noise in the stadium was "so loud" and "hurting" her ears. She was prepared for this moment and is also ready for whatever comes next. "I feel like this is a big achievement, but honestly I feel like I've been so used to being in the public eye since I was basically 15 years old in high school," she said. "I'm sure it might be a much bigger scale now because of this achievement, but I'm ready. I embrace it. "I think the pressure has been taken off a little bit and I still am hungry for more." Not only has Gauff become a leading light in the sport because of her tennis ability, but also because of her engaging personality. In simple terms, she has the one ingredient you can't teach or learn: star quality. And she uses her voice - and uses it powerfully. She has also spoken out strongly in the past about racial injustice and gun crime in the United States. "She's well beyond her years," Jarmere Jenkins, part of Gauff's new-look coaching team, told BBC Sport. "For a 19-year-old, how grounded she is, how well spoken she is, it's incredible. I love how she's an advocate. "Me at 19? I'm so glad I didn't have the spotlight. I wouldn't know how to handle it." How Gauff went from drawing board to reviving dying dream If a picture paints a thousand words, the image of Gauff disconsolately trudging off court at Wimbledon in July told us everything. The youngster looked startled, drained even, as the emotion of a humbling first-round defeat by qualifier Sofia Kenin hit home. Gauff's usual effervescence had, understandably, still not returned when she spoke to the media a couple of hours later. While displaying her equally-omnipresent eloquence, the answers about the loss were straight to the point. Frustrated. Disappointed. A catalyst to work even harder. "I feel like I have been working hard, but clearly it's not enough. I have to go back to the drawing board and see where I need to improve," Gauff said at the All England Club. Two months later she has improved considerably. On Saturday, Gauff beat incoming world number one Sabalenka to win a maiden Grand Slam title. It came on the back of a morale-boosting run during the North American hard-court swing, where she won the two biggest titles of her career so far in Washington and Cincinnati. "I felt like I lost a little bit of the dream as this journey has gone on - for sure, after the Wimbledon loss," Gauff said after her US Open victory. "I felt like people were saying 'Oh, she's hit her peak and she's done. It was all hype'. "I see the comments. People don't think I see it but I see it. I know who's talking trash. "So this means a lot to me. I wish I could give this trophy to my past self so she can be like 'All those tears are for this moment'." Maturing teenager handles the expectation Gauff's emergence at Wimbledon in 2019 captured the world's attention, leading to many predictions - some wilder than others - about how many Grand Slam titles she would go on to win. The more measured analysis was that she would need time to mature on the court and develop her game when she transitioned full-time to the WTA Tour. Her progress since then had been significant but steady, becoming a fixture in the world's top 10 over the past 12 months without winning a major title. Defeat in the French Open final last year, winning just four games against Iga Swiatek, left Gauff in tears as she sat on court afterwards. "Putting together the title win in [Washington] DC was huge," Jenkins said. "It let her know that she can do this, she belongs here and gave her a boost of confidence. We've been able to ride that momentum since. "Coco has always belonged. She has always proven she is meant for the big lights. "The tools were already there. People say things about technique but sometimes what is missing is the faith. "In New York she has been able to show up and execute the game plan. She has been solid: mentally, spiritually and emotionally." How an experienced team has provided belief One of the key factors behind Gauff's improved results has been the recently-assembled coaching team guiding her. Pere Riba, a Spaniard who previously worked with Chinese player Zheng Qinwen, heads up the staff. The vastly-experienced Brad Gilbert - best known for helping Andre Agassi win six major titles and coaching Andy Murray - arrived last month as a consultant. Jenkins, another American who used to be Serena Williams' hitting partner, was also brought in earlier this year. "Having all these experiences in one team really gave her a boost of confidence," Jenkins said. "It enabled her to think: 'These guys know what they're talking about and I trust what they're saying. All I have to do is listen, apply it and execute it'." Gauff's forehand has been identified as a weakness and is often targeted by opponents, including Sabalenka in Saturday's final. Jenkins, however, disputes it was a serious technical issue. "We didn't do anything technically with her forehand," he said. "We gave her a couple of mental representations that she could use when she is out there, whether it be footwork or being aggressive, picking the right moments and managing it well. "For me there have been people with way worse situations going on with their forehand than Coco and been able to win Grand Slams. "It was never about the technique. It was about the belief, the confidence and the faith." Why Gilbert helps lighten the mood A lot of attention has been placed on Gilbert, a former world number four player turned coach and commentator. Twenty years ago, he famously wrote a book called Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis. Gauff has been doing just that at Flushing Meadows, overcoming adversity in several of her matches on her way to the final and coming from behind against Sabalenka. "When you're confident and clear in what you've got to do it puts your mind at ease," Jenkins said. "Before I feel she was going out there and hoping to play well. Now she is going into a match like 'I've got this if I play well or if I don't'. "A lot of matches she has been winning has not been her best tennis, but the best tennis is going to come. "Brad has a great saying that five days of the year you're going to play great [and] five days of the year you will play terrible. In between that time you've got to compete your ass off. "We've really embraced that mentality and it has been working." Finding the right blend of personalities in the team - off court as well as on - can be difficult for a player. Gauff - who is very much her own boss but is still guided by parents Corey and Candi - has been at ease with the current dynamic, illustrated by how hilarious she has found some of Gilbert's quirks. Gilbert's habit of regularly eating hard-boiled fruit sweets during matches, his tendency to use only even numbers when speaking and his unorthodox sleeping patterns provide fun talking points. Taking it in turns to choose the music in the car rides in New York is another way for Gauff and the team to build camaraderie. Gauff, who counts J Cole, SZA and Jaden Smith among her favourites, shares similar taste with Jenkins, while Gilbert is a classic rock man and Riba prefers Spanish dance beats. "That's one of the coolest experiences I've personally had with a team," Jenkins said. "We will play some tunes, talk about the match, sometimes talk about something funny which happened earlier in the day. "It's a really down to earth group of people and we all have the same goal in mind - trying to get Coco this first Grand Slam and then many more." Williams sisters 'allowed me to believe in this dream' As a precociously-talented black American teenager, Gauff has regularly been compared to 23-time major singles champion Serena Williams. Gauff has followed in the footsteps of her idol this fortnight and became the first American teenager since Williams in 1999 to win the US Open final. Asked what it meant to have her name on the trophy alongside Williams and her sister Venus, Gauff replied: "Yes, it's crazy. I mean, they're the reason why I have this trophy today, to be honest. "They have allowed me to believe in this dream growing up. You know, there wasn't too many just Black tennis players dominating the sport. It was literally, at that time when I was younger, it was just them that I can remember. "All the things that they had to go through, they made it easier for someone like me to do this."