MERNIZ

Scott Knudsen was holding his baby when a strike tore through his body. He reflects on the challenging, laughter-filled path to reclaiming his health and identity by Elle Hunt Tue 9 May 2023 06.00 BST For Scott Knudsen, it was shaping up to be a good day. It was his daughter’s first birthday, and his wife Tracy had just called to say she had a surprise for him. Knudsen had been in town, fetching hay and running chores for their ranch in rural Texas. He thought Tracy might have got him another horse. But when he got home, it was even better: Tracy was there, with baby Hailey and they had washed his dirty tractor. Now, nearly 20 years later, still on the same ranch, Knudsen smiles at the memory. “Oh my goodness, it made me so happy.” It was mid-afternoon, on a July day in 2005. Knudsen was 37 years old. In the distance there was a thunderstorm – he could see the rain clouds, 15 or so miles away – but where they stood there were blue-skies and calm. Several of their horses were out to pasture; there were chickens around, pecking at the dirt. Tracy handed Hailey to Knudsen to hold. He remembers it as a contented moment: “It was one of those young-couple, happy moments; it was so peaceful. And then, just like that – it changed.” Suddenly, a lightning bolt struck Knudsen, entering through his head and exiting through his left hand. He remembers bright light and “the loudest noise”. The horses ran for cover, while pipes that had been buried deep underground lurched to the surface. In their home, 300 yards (275m) from where they stood, the television blew out. Then, just as abruptly, the chaos passed. Knudsen was still standing, but Hailey had somehow ended up in Tracy’s arms in the commotion. “I knew we’d been hit by lightning,” he says. “We started laughing.” There was just something ludicrous about it. “There were blue skies! How in the world could that have happened?” ‘My wife went from one kid to two as I had to relearn how to read and write’ … Scott Knudsen with wife Tracy and daughter Hailey. ‘My wife went from one kid to two as I had to relearn how to read and write’ … Scott Knudsen with wife Tracy and daughter Hailey. Photograph: Courtesy of Scott Knudsen In fact, lightning is one of nature’s most frequently occurring spectacles, with around 3m flashes globally every day – equating to 1.4bn strikes each year, or 44 strikes every second. In the US, about 40m lightning strikes hit the ground annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nonetheless, the odds of being struck are slim: less than one in a million. Of those unlucky ones, the majority – almost 90% – survive. In 15 years, from 2006 to 2021, 444 deaths from lightning were recorded across the entire US. Knudsen is a fifth-generation Texan, born and raised in Georgetown, 75 miles away from Fredericksburg, his closest city. Now 54 years old, he appears on a video call as the quintessential cowboy, wearing a white Stetson that accentuates his tan, in front of a wall covered with bridles and reins. Knudsen and his wife bought their ranch soon after learning she was pregnant with Hailey. Tracy was a “city girl”, he says, but Knudsen had grown up knowing how to read the land – how to watch the weather, which risks to take. Lightning strikes were a known danger: Knudsen had once seen a tree get hit, instantly killing the cows beneath it. But that afternoon, there was no sign, no time to take cover. After the impact, his brain felt like an old TV that had been unplugged. “You remember back in the old days, all those fuzzies and it would take a minute to reboot?” The three of them made their way back to the house, shell-shocked but apparently unharmed. “I thought I was OK,” says Knudsen. “I’m not trying to be a macho cowboy or anything – I just thought we were going to be fine, because I’ve had hard hits my whole life, doing what I do.” Scott Knudsen. ‘By the grace of God, I’m still here – because I shouldn’t be’ … Scott Knudsen. Photograph: Matthew Busch/The Guardian Though her ears were ringing and her eyes smarting, Tracy left to go to pick up Hailey’s birthday cake from town, a half-hour drive away. “She wouldn’t have left me … but I said: ‘I’m fine’,” Knudsen says.“We were trying to celebrate Hailey, to be good parents.” By the time Tracy got home, an hour or so later, Knudsen hadn’t moved. His head and hand felt as if they were burning: “I couldn’t do anything.” But he only realised something was seriously wrong when he saw Tracy’s horrified expression. The upper half of his face was solid black, “from here up,” Knudsen gestures to the bridge of his nose. “It just went south really quick after that.” Knudsen only knows what happened next from Tracy’s retelling. The trauma of the event was still catching up to them and, seeking to call a hospital, Knudsen tried to dial using his computer keyboard and not the nearby phone. “I was all messed up,” he says. “Just totally fried.” The word is apposite. As sharply as lightning might split the horizon, in fact a bolt is only 2-3cm wide. This small channel, about the same width as a thumb, carries a charge so intense that its temperature is 30,000C: five times hotter than the surface of the sun. It was touch and go as to whether they would make it to the hospital in Fredericksburg, Knudsen says – “it was bad; it was so bad” – but they did. A doctor gave the three of them a cursory checkup, but admitted she wasn’t sure what to do. “They didn’t know what to look for,” Knudsen recalls. “There wasn’t that chapter in the book.” After some back-and-forth, the family were eventually seen by someone with relevant expertise. The lightning had travelled down the arm in which Knudsen had been holding Hailey, but “thank God she was fine,” he says, fervent still. “Tracy was fine after a couple of days. And I …” Knudsen gives a one-shouldered shrug. “And I just wasn’t. By the grace of God, I’m still here – because I shouldn’t be.” I never let myself get to a low point, ever – because once you’re down there, it’s a much longer ride to get back to the top The physical toll was immense. Knudsen developed heart palpitations. A brain scan revealed his cognition had also been affected. “Everything was just going fast, trying to reprogramme.” His hand felt as if it was on fire for months afterwards; the spot on his head where the lightning made contact took years to heal. More aftereffects took time to reveal themselves, such as fluid around Knudsen’s lungs. Nearly a year later, when he was at the cinema, “I was eating some popcorn and all the fillings in my teeth fell out,” he says. “It just tore up my body.” Some challenges, however, were immediate. Knudsen’s memory had been almost entirely wiped, including his knowledge of how to perform basic skills. “I couldn’t read or write,” he says. Even in his depleted state, Knudsen was determined not to put more strain than was necessary on his family. In part, Knudsen was helped by his strong Christian faith – but, equally, he had confidence in his ability to recover. By the time of the lightning strike, Knudsen had already suffered dozens of broken bones from breaking in horses and helping out on the ranch. Some had been serious At age 16, for example, a horse had fallen on his leg, prompting fears that it would have to be amputated. Knudsen’s prior experience meant that he knew to approach recovery with a survival mindset. “I never let myself get to a low point, ever, with any injury – because once you’re down there, it’s a much longer ride to get back to the top.” Instead, he says, “I just accepted it – and we made it fun.” Tracy taught him to read and write again, alongside Hailey: “My wife went from one kid to two,” says Knudsen. Together they learned numbers using the phone’s key pad and watched children’s music group The Wiggles on TV. ‘It happened’ – we’re going to make the most of it’ … Knudsen has rebranded his business ‘Lightning K’. with a new logo, left. ‘It happened’ – we’re going to make the most of it’ … Knudsen has rebranded his business ‘Lightning K’. with a new logo, left. Photograph: Matthew Busch/The Guardian Hailey was much better than he was at colouring between the lines. “It was a struggle, you know: the hand-eye coordination, the mind coordination – I had to relearn a lot of stuff.” After three months, Knudsen started making faster progress, but he was still unable to drive or work on the ranch. His muddied thinking and slow responses put him at too great a risk of injury. For Tracy, it meant more work to keep the home-fires burning; for her husband, it amounted to a loss of identity. “After all these years of being a perfect cowboy, it didn’t make sense,” says Knudsen. He recalls watching Tracy doing the rounds, feeding the animals, while he sat at the window, powerless to help. “It was such a low feeling – but also such a proud feeling, because my wife, man, she just gritted up and did it.” Knudsen believes that he has always held the power of positive thinking, “ingrained in my DNA” – but the lightning strike tested it to the limit. He sought out situations that would give him a lift: “I would just find my peace: whether it was trying to read a book or the Bible, or going to the barn and seeing the horses.” Spending time with Tracy and Hailey reliably reset a bad mood: “We laughed a lot.” But on days when joy was elusive, Knudsen would seek out comedy – a Seinfeld episode, or Tim Allen – or teach himself something new. “At the end of the day, I’d figure: ‘I’m better today, because I learned this.’ That one victory in the morning could change my day.” Challenges motivated Knudsen. Sometimes, people would make comments such as: “Well, you might not ever be able to read again, but at least you’re alive.” They meant well, but their perception of his ability rankled. “It just lights my fire,” he grins. “I want to do it – not for them, but for me.” Knudsen felt a deep-seated aversion to seeing himself as a victim. Instead, he fed his curiosity. “This happened to me for a reason: What is this reason? How am I going to get better? It doesn’t matter where you start the day, as long as you’re not there when you finish it.” What he appreciated most was friends telling him: “I knew you’d be fine.” Six months after the strike, Knudsen was reading and writing again; he was back in the driver’s seat of his truck and he was able to feed his beloved horses. The real milestone, he jokes, was when he could colour between the lines. “Once I hit that stride, man, there was no looking back.” The past, however, continued to trip Knudsen up. His memories predating the strike – of his parents, his childhood, his wedding day – in large part did not return. Tracy and his relatives told him stories and showed him photos, “so that I would feel like a part of the family – and now I do,” Knudsen says. “It feels like I was there.” It was so peaceful. And then, just like that – it changed But there was “definitely a learning curve”, especially as he re-entered the world beyond the ranch. Knudsen had not publicised his injury (“I didn’t want to bring anybody down”) and, when out and about in Fredericksburg, he feared inadvertently snubbing someone he had known. “That always made me nervous … I didn’t want to go out, because I didn’t want to be disrespectful.” When Knudsen was greeted by an unfamiliar face, either Tracy would “lean over and give me the notes” – or “I’d go talk to him like I knew him and then connect the dots”. Eventually he gained back his confidence, and soon enough, his absent memories were supplanted by new ones. “Now I just tell everybody ‘hello’ – which I probably did before.” The physical trauma was more insidious. Long after the strike, Knudsen found that his heart and mind were both still inclined to race. Those heart palpitations only stopped a year ago. After two years, Tracy got him a border collie. The dog went everywhere with Knudsen and was a steadying presence. “Stroking him would just calm my brain … I really needed something to slow me down.” Being around animals, in general, was therapeutic: “Horses and dogs, man,” says Knudsen appreciatively. “But I get peace watching the chickens just scratch.” His near-death experience taught Knudsen to take care of himself and be present in the moment. He is in better shape than he was before, works out daily and has even started doing yoga on YouTube. (“Don’t tell anyone,” he grins.) But most vital of all, he has been cultivating that lifesaving sense of gratitude. Knudsen has his favourite Bible verses on display around his house, along with phrases he finds motivating and pictures of loved ones. “I don’t think I ever take anything for granted.” Knudsen has since made his story of survival pivotal to his business, rebranding his ranch “Lightning K”. The lightning-bolt logo appears everywhere, from his chaps to his trucks. In part, this rebrand was to embrace an experience that could easily have ended in tragedy. “We didn’t want to run away from it – it happened, we’re going to make the most of it.” But, as the self-styled “Cowboy Entrepreneur”, Knudsen also speaks publicly about his recovery to inspire those who have also suffered trauma, or even just setbacks. “We talk about the lightning and how we flipped it to good.” Now, when Knudsen passes the spot where he was hit, as he does several times a day, he feels a sense of accomplishment – if he even thinks about it at all. “Once in a while, I will think about how blessed I’ve been,” he says. “But I’m usually thinking: ‘I’ve got to feed the chickens.’” The free press is under attack from multiple forces. Media outlets are closing their doors, victims to a broken business model. In much of the world, journalism is morphing into propaganda, as governments dictate what can and can’t be printed. In the last year alone, hundreds of reporters have been killed or imprisoned for doing their jobs. The UN reports that 85% of the world’s po[CENSORED]tion experienced a decline in press freedom in their country in recent years. Last week marked the 30th annual World Press Freedom Day, a day for everyone to reflect on the importance of free expression as fundamental for all other rights. It is also an opportunity to pledge support for independent media – because without a robust and free press, a healthy democracy is impossible. As you’re joining us today from Algeria, we hope you will consider marking this day by supporting the Guardian. Despite the financial challenges plaguing the media industry, we’ve decided to keep our journalism paywall-free, because we deeply believe everyone has the right to access high-quality, fact-checked reporting. And we maintain our independence thanks to generosity from readers all over the world, who understand that supporting the free press is an investment in an informed and empowered public. Unlike many others, we have no billionaire owner – this helps us maintain the freedom to fearlessly chase the truth and report it with integrity. Your support will allow us to continue to work with trademark determination and passion to bring you journalism that’s always free from commercial or political interference. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/may/09/struck-by-lightning-my-face-burned-and-my-memory-disappeared-here-is-how-i-made-it-back

At least 12 Palestinians, including three commanders of the militant group Islamic Jihad, have been killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip. Palestinian health officials said three women and three children were among the dead. Another 20 people were injured. Israel said it had launched an operation targeting militants who posed an imminent threat to its citizens. Islamic Jihad has vowed revenge and Gaza-based militants are expected to respond with rocket fire into Israel. Correspondents say one significant factor will be the extent to which Hamas, which controls the Strip, joins in. Israel officials are said to be preparing for days of fighting. Forty Israeli warplanes and helicopters attacked in several waves of pre-dawn air strikes across Gaza, hitting homes and causing panic among residents. Pictures showed at least two apartments with their fronts ripped away and others damaged. The Israeli military said that in addition to targeting the three militants its aircraft struck 10 sites used to manufacture weapons and six Islamic Jihad military facilities. Islamic Jihad's military wing, the al-Quds Brigades, confirmed that three commanders were among those killed. It identified them as Jihad Shaker al-Ghannam, secretary of the al-Quds Brigades' Military Council; Khalil Salah al-Bahtini, the commander of its Northern Region, and Tariq Muhammad Ezzedine, a leader of its military activities in the occupied West Bank. "As we mourn our martyr leaders, along with their mujahideen wives and a number of their children, we affirm that the blood of the martyrs will increase our resolve," the al-Quds Brigades said. "We will not leave our positions, and the resistance will continue, God willing." Israel's Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, said: "Any terrorist who harms Israeli citizens will be made to regret it." Islamic Jihad was behind recent rounds of rocket fire into Israel, some of which was sparked by the death in an Israeli prison of a Palestinian hunger striker. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-65529490

https://youtu.be/Ik75w3Vi-Us

An article titled "On misbehaviour and fault tolerance in machine learning systems," by doctoral researcher Lalli Myllyaho was named one of the best papers in 2022 by the Journal of Systems and Software. "The fundamental idea of the study is that if you put critical systems in the hands of artificial intelligence and algorithms, you should also learn to prepare for their failure," Myllyaho says. It may not necessarily be dangerous if a streaming service suggests uninteresting options to users, but such behavior undermines trust in the functionality of the system. However, faults in more critical systems that rely on machine learning can be much more harmful. "I wanted to investigate how to prepare for, for example, computer vision misidentifying things. For instance, in computed tomography artificial intelligence can identify objects in sections. If errors occur, it raises questions about to what extent computers should be trusted in such matters, and when to ask a human to take a look," says Myllyaho. The more critical the system is, the more relevant is the capacity for minimizing the associated risks. More complex systems generate increasingly complex errors In addition to Myllyaho, the study was carried out by Mikko Raatikainen, Tomi Männistö, Jukka K. Nurminen and Tommi Mikkonen. The publication is structured around expert interviews. "Software architects were interviewed about the defects and inaccuracies in and around machine learning models. And we also wanted to find out which design choices could be made to prevent faults," Myllyaho says. Should machine learning models contain broken data, the problem can extend to systems in whose implementation the models have been used. It is also necessary to determine which mechanisms are suited to correcting errors. "The structures must be designed to prevent radical errors from escalating. Ultimately, the severity to which the problem can progress depends on the system." For example, it is easy for people to understand that with autonomous vehicles, the system requires various safety and security mechanisms. This also applies to other AI solutions that need appropriately functioning safe modes. "We have to investigate how to ensure that, in a range of circumstances, artificial intelligence functions as it should, that is with human rationality. The most appropriate solution is not always self-evident, and developers must make choices on what to do when you cannot be certain about it." Myllyaho has expanded on the study by developing a related mechanism for identifying faults, although it has not yet advanced to an actual algorithm. "It's just an idea of neural networks. A functional machine learning model would be able to switch working models on the fly if the current one does not work. In other words, it should also be able to predict errors, or to recognize indications of errors." Recently, Myllyaho has concentrated on finalizing his doctoral thesis, which is why he is unable to say anything about his future in the project. The IVVES project headed by Jukka K. Nurminen will continue to carry out its work in testing the safety of machine learning systems. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-04-machine-absolute-certainty.html

A rather brief story about overwhelming demand for Nvidia's high-performance computing hardware in China has revealed the performance of Nvidia's mysterious A800 compute GPU, which is made for the Chinese market. According to MyDrivers, the A800 operates at 70% of the speed of A100 GPUs while complying with strict U.S. export standards that limit how much processing power Nvidia can sell. Being three years old now, Nvidia's A100 is quite a performer: it delivers 9.7 FP64/19.5 FP64 Tensor TFLOPS for HPC and up to 624 BF16/FP16 TFLOPS (with sparsity) for AI workloads. Even being cut by around 30%, these numbers will still look formidable: 6.8 FP64/13.7 FP64 Tensor TFLOPS as well as 437 BF16/FP16 (with sparsity). Despite 'castration', (performance caps) as MyDrivers puts it it, Nvidia's A800 is quite a rival against fully-blown China-based Biren's BR104 and BR100 compute GPUs in terms of compute capabilities. Meanwhile, Nvidia's compute GPUs and its CUDA architecture are widely supported by applications run by its customers, whereas Biren's processors yet have to be adopted. And even Biren cannot ship its fully-fledged compute GPUs to China due to the latest regulations. Row 0 - Cell 0 Biren BR104 Nvidia A800 Nvidia A100 Nvidia H100 Form-Factor FHFL Card FHFL Card (?) SXM4 SXM5 Transistor Count ? 54.2 billion 54.2 billion 80 billion Node N7 N7 N7 4N Power 300W ? 400W 700W FP32 TFLOPS 128 13.7 (?) 19.5 60 TF32+ TFLOPS 256 ? ? ? TF32 TFLOPS ? 109/218* (?) 156/312* 500/1000* FP16 TFLOPS ? 56 (?) 78 120 FP16 TFLOPS Tensor ? 218/437* 312/624* 1000/2000* BF16 TFLOPS 512 27 39 120 BF16 TFLOPS Tensor ? 218/437* 312/624* 1000/2000* INT8 1024 ? ? ? INT8 TFLOPS Tensor ? 437/874* 624/1248* 2000/4000* * With sparsity The export rules imposed by the United States in October 2021 prohibit the export of American technologies that allow for supercomputers with performance exceeding 100 FP64 PetaFLOPS or 200 FP32 PetaFLOPS within a space of 41,600 cubic feet (1,178 cubic meters) or less to China. While the export curbs do not specifically limit performance of each compute GPU sold to a China-based entity, they put curbs on their throughput and scalability. After the new rules went into effect, Nvidia lost the ability to sell its ultra-high-end A100 and H100 compute GPUs to China-based customers without an export license, which is hard to get. In a bid to satisfy demand for the performance required by Chinese hyperscalers, the company introduced a cut down version of its A100 GPU dubbed the A800. Up until now, it was not clear how capable this GPU is. As usage of artificial intelligence is increasing both among consumers and businesses, the po[CENSORED]rity of high-performance hardware that can handle appropriate workloads is booming. Nvidia is among the main beneficiaries of the AI megatrend, which is why its GPUs are in such high demand that even the cut-down A800 is sold out in China. Biren's BR100 will be available in an OAM form-factor and consume up to 550W of power. The chip supports the company's proprietary 8-way BLink technology that allows the installation of up to eight BR100 GPUs per system. In contrast, the 300W BR104 will ship in a FHFL dual-wide PCIe card form-factor and support up to 3-way multi-GPU configuration. Both chips use a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface with the CXL protocol for accelerators on top, reports EETrend (via VideoCardz). Biren says that both of its chips are made using TSMC's 7nm-class fabrication process (without elaborating whether it uses N7, N7+, or N7P). The larger BR100 packs 77 billion transistors, outweighing the 54.2 billion with the Nvidia A100 that's also made using one of TSMC's N7 nodes. The company also says that to overcome limitations imposed by TSMC's reticle size, it had to use chiplet design and the foundry's CoWoS 2.5D technology, which is completely logical as Nvidia's A100 was approaching the size of a reticle and the BR100 is supposed to be even larger given its higher transistor count. Given the specs, we can speculate that BR100 basically uses two BR104s, though the developer has not formally confirmed that. To commercialize its BR100 OAM accelerator, Biren worked with Inspur on an 8-way AI server that will be sampling starting Q4 2022. Baidu and China Mobile will be among the first customers to use Biren's compute GPUs. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/nvidia-a800-performance-revealed

Napoleon’s bed, anyone? French treasures go under the hammer The interior designer who redecorated Versailles and the Louvre is auctioning 75 of his most cherished pieces French interior designer and art collector Jacques Garcia is a man for whom the word “understated” does not exist. The owner of the lavish Sicilian palazzo Villa Elena that featured in the second season of The White Lotus, who transformed the five-star Hotel Costes in Paris, the Banyan Tree in Doha and the palatial Hotel Mamounia in Marrakech has made opulence his trademark. Now 75 pieces from his exceptional collection – one for every year of his life – will be sold by Sotheby’s in Paris to raise funds to secure the future of his home, the historic Château du Champ de Bataille in Normandy. Most of the items are of royal provenance, including two pairs of armchairs and a sofa thought to have been ordered for Marie-Antoinette’s Turkish boudoir at Fontainebleau (each estimated at €400,000-600,000), as well as a fireguard and writing table used by the queen. The sale also features a day bed believed to have been made for the wedding of Napoleon Bonaparte to Empress Marie-Louise in 1810 (estimated €100,000-200,000) and decorated with a medallion profile portrait of the couple. A pair of Sèvres vases valued at up to €1.2m, purchased by Alexander Hamilton in St Petersburg where he was serving as British ambassador to Russia, will also go under the hammer along with two cabinets that belonged to King William III and Queen Mary II of England. Garcia, who also redecorated the private rooms at the royal Palais de Versailles and over 30 rooms at the Louvre museum, bought the Champ de Bataille, originally designed by Louis le Vau, the architect of Versailles in the 1600s, 30 years ago in a state of dilapidation. Since then he has transformed the château, filling it with a treasure trove of 17th to 19th century furniture and art, and its vast grounds. The estate, where Garcia keeps the reported purchase of at least one artefact every day, is an extraordinary monument to his eclectic and extravagant taste. From the dazzling splendour of rooms filled with baroque treasures from the reign of kings Louis XV and XVI to the Dalí-esque and disturbing: a hallway ceiling is decorated with taxidermy crocodiles above cabinets of stuffed animals and a vast collection of pinned insects. Even more macabre are the mummies in glass cases in the corners of a library that was once a swimming pool. The manicured grounds – one of the largest private gardens in Europe – feature follies including a grotto named the Temple de Leda and a rose-coloured Mughal palace Le Pavillion des Rêves, to which Garcia decamps from the main house each summer, built from ruins imported from Rajastan after an earthquake more than 20 years ago. Garcia admits nobody will even notice the 75 missing works when the auctioneers’ vans sweep down the château’s imposing gravel drive to transport them to Paris, but says it will not be easy parting with them. “It was a difficult decision. This places is like a love affair for me. Each object was bought with my own money often when money was tight and finances complicated. But you can take away these 75 objects and the house remains the same for visitors,” he said. “But I have a duty to think of the future, and as I have no direct successors I have to do something, so the money will be used for some kind of fund or foundation.” Mario Tavella, president of Sotheby’s France, has described Garcia as the “holy grail of French taste” and said the auction would be a “one off”. “The power of exceptional residences lies in the unforgettable feeling that stays with those who has visited them. As with all of Jacques Garcia’s creations, Champ de Bataille is one such memorable place.” The Jacques Garcia, Timeless auction will be at Sotheby’s Paris on 16 May. The free press is under attack from multiple forces. Media outlets are closing their doors, victims to a broken business model. In much of the world, journalism is morphing into propaganda, as governments dictate what can and can’t be printed. In the last year alone, hundreds of reporters have been killed or imprisoned for doing their jobs. The UN reports that 85% of the world’s po[CENSORED]tion experienced a decline in press freedom in their country in recent years. This week marks the 30th annual World Press Freedom Day, a day for everyone to reflect on the importance of free expression as fundamental for all other rights. It is also an opportunity to pledge support for independent media – because without a robust and free press, a healthy democracy is impossible. As you’re joining us today from Algeria, we hope you will consider marking this day by supporting the Guardian. Despite the financial challenges plaguing the media industry, we’ve decided to keep our journalism paywall-free, because we deeply believe everyone has the right to access high-quality, fact-checked reporting. And we maintain our independence thanks to generosity from readers all over the world, who understand that supporting the free press is an investment in an informed and empowered public. Unlike many others, we have no billionaire owner – this helps us maintain the freedom to fearlessly chase the truth and report it with integrity. Your support will allow us to continue to work with trademark determination and passion to bring you journalism that’s always free from commercial or political interference.

Gujarat Titans vs Lucknow Super Giants IPL Live Score Updates: Lucknow Super Giants skipper Krunal Pandya won the toss and elected to bowl first against Gujarat Titans in an Indian Premier League match on Sunday. LSG made one change, bringing in Quinton de Kock for Naveen-ul-Haq, while Josh Little, who returned home to play for Ireland, is unavailable for GT, paving the way for Alzarri Joseph’s inclusion as one of the impact substitutes. Batting first, Gujarat were off to a blazing start as Saha smashed a 20-ball fifty. Giving company is Gill as Gujarat go past the 100-run mark. https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/gujarat-titans-vs-lucknow-super-giants-live-score-ipl-2023-gt-vs-lsg-match-latest-scorecard-updates-at-narendra-modi-stadium-8596023/

A humpback whale that washed up in a Highland loch possibly died after becoming caught up in creel fishing lines, say experts. The animal's carcass was found on sand banks in Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve, near Golspie, on Wednesday. Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (Smass) has identified it as a juvenile female humpback whale. A spokeswoman said an initial examination indicated it died due to entanglement in creel lines. Highland Council said the carcass was within a tidal zone and could be washed back out to sea. Responsibility for disposing of the whale would either fall to Highland Council or the Scottish government, depending on its size - and if the carcass can be recovered. Creel fishing involves dropping baited creels from boats to catch prawns, crabs and lobsters. Whales and other large marine life can become caught in rope that runs between the creels on the seabed to a buoy on the surface. Efforts have been made by the fishing industry and conservationists to find solutions to the problem, including the Scottish Entanglement Alliance. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65493964

A gunman has shot and killed eight people shopping at a mall north of Dallas, Texas, emergency services say. Hundreds of people were evacuated from the Allen Premium Outlets mall as eyewitnesses described a man firing indiscriminately at passers-by. A police officer on an unrelated call killed the gunman after hearing shots. Some of the victims are reported to be children. At least seven people are being treated in hospital, three of whom are critically ill. Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said seven people - including the gunman - were pronounced dead at the scene and two died later in hospital. A police officer at the mall "heard gunshots, went to the gunshots, engaged the suspect and neutralised the suspect," Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey said. The victims' ages range from 5 to 51, according to a hospital spokesperson. Some witnesses described the gunman as dressed all in black and wearing combat gear. Footage taken after the gunman's death appeared to show an AR-15 style rifle lying near his body. Texas Governor Greg Abbott described the shooting as an "unspeakable tragedy" and said the state was ready to offer any assistance to local authorities. US police have asked members of the public with video captured at the scene to contact the FBI, as they collect evidence. "I heard about 10 pops go off, then ten to fifteen more shots - we see this guy dressed all in black, a vest, just shooting at people," said one witness, adding "we just got to the back of the store". Video from the scene showed people running for cover across a car park as a series of shots rang out. Allen has about 105,000 residents and is 20 miles (32km) north of central Dallas. Most adults aged 21 or over in Texas are allowed to carry a handgun without a licence, unless they have a previous conviction. In addition, there are few restrictions on possession of rifles and shotguns. Republicans control the Texas state legislature. In the US so far this year there have been at least 198 mass shootings in which four or more people were killed or wounded, according to the Gun Violence Archive. That is the most at this point in the year since at least 2016. One eyewitness at the mall, Fontayne Payton, told the AP news agency he heard gunshots though his headphones as he shopped at H&M. When people were allowed to leave the mall, he described seeing bodies outside. "I pray it wasn't kids, but it looked like kids," he said. "It broke me when I walked out to see that." Allen Mayor Ken Fulk called it "a tragic day" for the city. "Allen is a proud and safe city, which makes today's senseless act of violence even more shocking," he said on the city's website. "However, I want to commend our police and fire departments for their quick response. Their thorough training not to hesitate to move toward the threat likely saved more lives today." Texas Senator John Cornyn tweeted that he was "grieving with the Allen community" and praised the quick response of "all of those involved in responding to this afternoon's horrific incident". Earlier this week police in Texas arrested a man accused of shooting dead five neighbours, including a nine-year-old boy. Francisco Oropesa was found hiding in a cupboard after a four-day manhunt. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65515915

Nick Movie: smile Time: 2022 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: Netflix Duration of the movie: 115min Trailer:

Do you like ads in your Gmail account? No? Well, too bad because it looks like we’re going to get even more. Screenshots from across the internet show users getting way more ads than usual on Gmail for desktop and mobile. Advertisements are nothing new to Gmail, but they’re normally tucked away at the top of the Promotions and Social tabs where they can be easily ignored. The new placement, however, changes all that, integrating ads in between actual emails. As a result, it’s much harder to tell the difference between the two at a glance even if they have an Ad icon signifying them as such. Intrusive ads Looking at screenshots on Twitter(opens in new tab), there doesn't appear to be any specific targeting behind the ads. It appears to be all at random. One user showed he had ads from Edible Arrangements and a job listing from the U.S. Border Patrol(opens in new tab). Another had a combination of Amazon and KFC(opens in new tab). The intrusiveness is also pretty egregious on smartphones as some have gotten images alongside the ads(opens in new tab) taking up even more space. It is worth pointing out that this Zerg Rush of advertisements isn’t affecting every single user. Personally, we didn’t see any changes on Gmail for desktop. Everything was business as usual. We did, however, see more ads than usual in the Promotions on the mobile version, although there were no extra images. Benefit of the doubt Now, to be fair to Google, it’s possible none of this is being done on purpose. In a response to an upset user, the official Gmail account on Twitter(opens in new tab) said the sudden influx of ads doesn’t “sound good” and asked them to send feedback via the Gmail Help tool. There also have been instances this year where bad actors would hijack the Google Ads network to push adult content to “unsuspecting victims”. In one instance, hackers were so bold to push malware onto people. On the other hand, it’s not like Google is innocent either. 80 percent of the company’s revenue comes from digital ads, according to The Guardian(opens in new tab). So the tech giant has more than enough reason to create new ways for businesses to advertise. In a recent report, The Financial Times “claims to have seen an internal presentation” where the tech giant aims to use generative AI to create original advertisements drawing “from those already created by human hands.” We would love to give Google the benefit of the doubt that this is another hijacking or some internal accident and not the start of another advertising program. At the time of this writing, the only official word we’ve heard so far is the tweet from earlier. So, we asked Google if they would like to make a statement about these ads appearing inside Gmail accounts. We’ll update this story if we hear back. Be sure to check out TechRadar’s recently updated list on the best ad blocker of 2023. We have a feeling you might need one. https://www.techradar.com/news/gmail-caught-mixing-ads-with-regular-emails-annoying-many-on-the-internet

If you think getting Windows 11 to work on just 200MB of memory is impressive, how about running the operating system off your graphics card's VRAM? Remember that the best graphics cards aren't just one-trick ponies. They sport VRAM, which you can turn into a RAM drive. NTDev(opens in new tab), the developer behind Tiny11, a stripped-down version of Windows 11, got his creation to run off his modest GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU. RAM drives, also known as RAM disks, used to be a thing back when speedy and high capacity storage devices didn't exist. Converting leftover memory into a virtual disk can improve I/O performance substantially. Logically, we didn’t store operating systems on RAM drives but rather use the virtual disks for specific software that requires intensive read and write operations. RAM drives have lost their appeal over the years and nowadays, we just use them for fun, such as running Crysis 3 off a GeForce RTX 3090’s 24GB of VRAM. Instead of using conventional RAM like a normal user, NTDev's latest project taps into the VRAM from his GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU to create a RAM drive. The magic behind the experiment is GPU RAM Drive(opens in new tab), a utility that creates a memory buffer inside the graphics card's VRAM to function as a RAM drive. The GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU has two variants: one with 4GB of GDDR6 and another with 6GB of GDDR6. Regardless of the SKU, the GDDR6 memory clocks in at 12 Gbps. NTDev's test laptop features the 4GB variant. He created a RAM drive with a capacity of 3,550MB to run his Tiny11 virtual machine (VM). The sequential performance on the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU's GDDR6 chips wasn't shabby, either. According to the CrystalDiskMark results, the graphics card's VRAM delivered sequential reads and writes up to 1,960 MB/s and 2,497 MB/s, respectively. However, it's far from rivaling the best SSDs, since the performance numbers are somewhat inferior to your typical PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 SSD. With all the jokes and fun aside, Tiny11 is an excellent option for outdated systems with legacy hardware. The lightweight operating system can run on PCs with just 2GB of RAM and requires around 8GB of space as opposed to a standard Windows 11 that eats up to 20GB of your hard drive or SSD. NTDev also offers an Arm version of Tiny11 for non-Windows users that want to try the operating system on Arm64 devices, such as the Raspberry Pi 4 or Apple devices with the M1 or M2 chip via VMs. Besides maintaining Tiny11, NTDev obviously has a fondness for unconventional experiments. Remember when the developer got Windows 7 to work on a system with a 5 MHz processor and 128MB of RAM? It took 28 minutes to fully boot up, but it was an impressive feat, nonetheless. We can’t wait to see what other wacky trials NTDev has in store for us. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lightweight-windows-11-runs-entirely-in-gpus-vram

Nickname: Merniz Video author: sensei Name of the game:fortnite Link video: Rate this video 1-10:8

PixelOpus, an in-house studio for Sony, has shuttered. The developers behind Concrete Genie and Entwined announced that the "adventure has come to an end." On Twitter, PixelOpus--self-described as a small Sony team--revealed that it was closing up shop. "As we look to new futures, we wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to the millions of passionate players who have supported us, and our mission to make beautiful, imaginative games with heart," the studio wrote. GameSpot reached out to Sony for an official comment and was told the following: "PlayStation Studios regularly evaluates its portfolio and the status of studio projects to ensure they meet the organization’s short and long-term strategic objectives," a Sony representative said. "As part of a recent review process, it has been decided that PixelOpus will close on June 2." Sony revealed the formation of PixelOpus in 2014 before E3. The studio was reportedly founded by Carnegie Mellon University and San Jose State University students who worked on game prototypes for PlayStation Vita. Entwined was the team's first game and launched on PS4 before arriving on PS3 and Vita. In 2017, PixelOpus revealed the PS4 game Concrete Genie, starring a kid named Ash who can bring his paintings to life. GameSpot's Concrete Genie review found the title "an endearing experience throughout." There was a report in 2021 that PixelOpus was working on a PS5 game in collaboration with Sony Pictures. But nothing was ever officially unveiled, with a job listing mentioning that the title was seemingly utilizing Unreal Engine 5. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstations-pixelopus-studio-is-shutting-down/1100-6513891/

Honkai Star Rail has taken the world by storm, the community of the game is ever-growing and the community posts are booming with new tricks and hacks for new players to make use of. One such trick, shared by a fan allows the players to walk and run through the walls and explore unbound regions off the map in Honkai Star Rail. Ice Hero Pela can help bump the players into and enter the wall Reddit user u/Cthulhuhopp recently shared a video showing how the whole process works, Players have to be accompanied by Ice Hero Pela who follows them around on the map. Once the players are near the glitched wall they have to make sure they are running towards the wall from an angle and then stop just before Pela bumps them into the wall. The trick which the player shared showed that Ice Hero Pela has to be present while making this trick happen. Players can get help from Pela by letting her bump the characters into the wall, which would glitch the game and let players enter and explore the unbounded section of the map. However, there is not much to do once you are on the other side of the map, being just a glitch there is just the residue of level designing which players can explore for themselves. Once inside the wall, the clip showed how the player explored the unbound section of the map, there wasn’t much to be seen however still was interesting as they exploited the glitch in the game. The game has just been released and it is very unlikely that this bug will stay here forever. With the coming updates to the game, HoYoverse will be expected to not just add new characters, new missions, and features but also to maintain and take care of these bugs and glitches present in the game. https://gamingonphone.com/news/a-new-honkai-star-rail-trick-lets-players-walk-through-walls/

An early announcement of the Destiny 2 Guardian Games winner by Bungie was a mistake, leaving Warlock players celebrating erroneously in the space FPS game. The Destiny 2 Guardian Games winner hasn’t yet been chosen, despite what you may have heard. Unfortunately for the many Warlock mains who logged into the space FPS game to see that they’d been victorious in the class showdown, Bungie says the early announcement was an accident – although its choice of wording has only led to plenty of tongue-in-cheek jokes from the Destiny 2 community. Booting up the game to compete in the race to earn Medallions and claim glory for their favourite Destiny 2 class, players were surprised to find an announcement banner proclaiming, “Warlocks won Guardian Games 2023!” The message relays that “Warlocks earned the most Medallions and won this year’s Games,” and tells players that they should head to the Tower to see the closing ceremony. If you’re a Titan or Hunter main, don’t fear, as Bungie has since confirmed the message was delivered in error. The official Bungie Help account tweets, “We’re aware that an in-game message announcing the winner of Guardian Games was sent out erroneously. Guardian Games still have two weeks left and the winning class has not been officially announced yet.” Of course, that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, given that – as the tweet notes – there are still two more weeks before a winner is chosen. That hasn’t, however, stopped Warlock players on Twitter and the Destiny 2 Reddit from calling Bungie to “Stop the count!” Other players take a different tack. With Titans victorious in the inaugural 2020 Guardian Games, Hunters bringing home the trophy in 2021, and Warlocks claiming it in 2022, there’s long been a half-joking rumour that the games were “rigged” to give every class their chance. That’s not helped by Bungie tweeting that the winning class hasn’t been “announced,” instead of saying it hasn’t been determined yet. However, that pattern suggests Warlocks shouldn’t be next in line for the throne anyway. Another in-game message, one that seems more intentional, suggests that Titans are in fact the class to have taken an early lead in the competition – something that would fall in line with large swathes of the community who are rooting for a Titan win to honour Zavala actor Lance Reddick, who passed away suddenly this year. Reddick himself was famously a Warlock main, however, so the mistaken announcement would probably have put a smile on his face. There’s still plenty to play for in the Destiny 2 Guardian Games, then – so get out there and make it count by gearing up with one of the best Destiny 2 builds and rocking the best Destiny 2 Exotics in Lightfall. You’ll want to keep an eye out for the recent Destiny 2 season pass price increase, however, or it may prove more expensive than it looks at first glance. https://www.pcgamesn.com/destiny-2/guardian-games-winner-mistake

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