MERNIZ

Even if you’re the longest of long-shot presidential candidates, it’s pretty easy to register at 1 percent in a poll. In a survey of, say, 800 voters, all you need is 4 to say they’ll vote for you to hit that mark. The doctrine that we must round up remains a huge political gift. But actually meeting the Republican National Committee’s polling requirements — which holds that a candidate must earn 1 percent in three polls to participate in the party’s first primary debate next month — might be a lot harder than it looked at first blush. That’s because the RNC’s criteria exclude virtually all of the public surveys conducted these days, meaning there may not be many opportunities for the lower-polling candidates to even hit that 1 percent. According to the RNC’s guidelines, in order to count for debate qualifying, polls have to survey at least 800 “likely” primary voters or caucus-goers. That criteria aren’t just strict — they’re unrealistic. As the 51-day qualifying period begins on Saturday, a review of FiveThirtyEight’s database of GOP primary polling nationally and in the four early “carve out” states shows that only two polls out of 70 conducted in the previous 51 days would meet those requirements. While it’s a good bet that there will be at least three qualifying polls conducted between now and the Aug. 21 deadline, the RNC’s criteria could spell trouble for candidates outside of the five polling leaders: former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.). With only a handful of polls, candidates like former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson who are only at 1 percent in about half of the prior surveys may not be able to get the three polls they need. And even candidates who are typically at or above 1 percent — like former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie or Vivek Ramaswamy — could be in danger of missing out if they register an inopportune goose egg. Donald Trump departs after speaking at the Oakland County Republican Party's Lincoln Day dinner at Suburban Collection Showplace. ELECTIONS ‘Ego, pure delusion and fantasy’: How the 2024 GOP field got so big BY ADAM WREN To get a sense of how both the large sample size and the requirement could exclude the vast majority of polls, look at some of those conducted so far this year. This week’s Fox News poll, sponsored by the media outlet producing and airing next month’s debate, surveyed only 391 registered voters who said they were more likely to vote in the Republican primary or caucus in their state. Hitting the poll metrics needed to qualify for the debates is no small matter. The debates could be crucial, given the expected large TV audience, which will give candidates their best chance to upend a race so far defined by Trump’s dominance. And polling isn’t the only element of the qualification process that could lead to candidates’ exclusion, as some may struggle to assemble 40,000 individual donors or refuse to sign the RNC’s pledge that the candidates all support the eventual nominee. But the polling threshold is the one the candidates have the least control over, especially if the RNC’s criteria remain unworkable for many of the pollsters currently in the field. Republicans’ guidelines differ greatly from the ones Democrats used to cull and order their large presidential primary field four years ago. Back then, the Democratic National Committee identified a number of mainstream media and academic pollsters, without nit-picking the methodologies they used to conduct their surveys. Now, barring major changes to those media polls, those surveys won’t count for the RNC. It’s not only the new Fox News poll (sample size of 391) that falls far short of the committee’s threshold, but also recent surveys commissioned by NBC News (500), CNN (561), Quinnipiac University (700), CBS News (586) and USA Today (245). That’s because most major national polls start with a sample size of around 1,000 respondents, and Republican primary voters — like their counterparts in the other party — make up a minority of the country. Getting to a sample size of 800 primary voters would require doubling the size of most of these samples — at roughly double the financial cost. National polls — none of the 53 in FiveThirtyEight’s database would meet the RNC’s requirements — aren’t the only way to meet the threshold. Candidates can also hit the 1-percent mark in a poll from one of the four early states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. President Donald Trump speaks during a FOX News Channel Town Hall, co-moderated by FNC's chief political anchor Bret Baier of Special Report and The Story anchor Martha MacCallum. ELECTIONS Your guide to the first Republican presidential primary debate BY KELLY GARRITY But the state polling is just as sparse. Combined since May 10, there have been six polls in Iowa, four polls in New Hampshire, four polls in South Carolina and three in Nevada. Only two of those 17 early-state polls would meet the RNC’s requirements. The candidates who hit 1 percent in both of the only two polls to meet the requirements in the past 51 days are: Trump, DeSantis, Haley, Scott, Christie, Pence and Ramaswamy. Pence and Ramaswamy were at 2 percent in one of the two polls, close to failing to register entirely. Asa Hutchinson and Doug Burgum, a former and sitting North Dakota governor, respectively, hit 1 percent in one of the two polls but not the other. POLITICO sent the RNC a series of questions about the criteria, including sharing its data on the period leading up to debate qualification. The RNC replied with a statement, attributable to an unidentified committee official, which described the criteria as “very clear.” “We are ensuring quality polls are used to determine which candidates make the debate stage and we are confident that there will be enough polls for our candidates to qualify,” the official said. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/01/rnc-debate-poll-problem-00104502

Charley on Matt Charley What were you hoping for? I went into the date with no expectations. I’m not really looking for anything specific at the moment so I was looking for a fun evening with someone interesting. I was mostly hoping it wouldn’t be boring! First impressions? Great shirt and instantly friendly. What did you talk about? Veganism. Why our past relationships ended. His foray into swing dance. Most awkward moment? Nothing really – except a rogue piece of bruschetta that flew off my plate and on to the floor. Good table manners? Definitely. It was tapas and he was a good sharer. Best thing about Matt? He has interesting opinions on a lot of topics, but was also a good listener. Q&A Fancy a blind date? Show Would you introduce Matt to your friends? Matt seems like the kind of guy you could introduce to anyone. Describe Matt in three words. Thoughtful, interesting, mature. What do you think Matt made of you? I hope Matt liked me as a friend. We had some interesting conversations but I think he felt the same as me – that chemistry-wise it wasn’t quite there. Did you go on somewhere? No. And … did you kiss? We didn’t. He’s a lovely guy but there was definitely more of a friendly vibe than a flirty one. If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be? I like a bit more banter on a date. Maybe we just have a different sense of humour. Marks out of 10? 7. Would you meet again? Not romantically, but it sounds like he’d be a fun mate on a night out – he says he’s always the first on the dancefloor, and the last to leave. Matt and Charley on their date Matt and Charley on their date Matt on Charley Matt What were you hoping for? To eat good food and break the monotony of using dating apps. First impressions? Relaxed, articulate, full of earnest curiosity, and striking green eyes. What did you talk about? She said her friends found me online before our date, but she didn’t look. How she is yet to experience “wedding season” in her friendship circle, also – Jewish weddings and the hora chair dance. There was a shared enthusiasm for autofiction, Abba Voyage and dancing. She asked why my previous relationships ended. Most awkward moment? Honestly, there wasn’t one. Good table manners? Very. She studied Spanish and helped decipher some items on the menu. And asked me if she had food on her face, which then made me think I must have food on my face. Best thing about Charley? Her get-up-and-go attitude. Would you introduce Charley to your friends? With great pleasure. Katie & Will Blind date: ‘I got way too excited seeing margaritas on the menu’ Read more Describe Charley in three words. Warm, clever, funny. What do you think Charley made of you? Hopefully that I made an effort and that we had things in common. She didn’t seem in a hurry to leave – we stayed talking until the place closed. Did you go on somewhere? No. And … did you kiss? We didn’t. If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be? Better weather. Marks out of 10? 9. Would you meet again? I don’t think so, the romantic chemistry wasn’t quite there. Also, she’s moving to Italy in three months’ time. Charley and Matt ate at Parrillan, London SE1. Fancy a blind date? Email blind.date@theguardian.com You've read 28 articles in the last year Article count on Why support the Guardian? It’s a question many of our readers have, and maybe you do too, as you join us today from Algeria. Here are FVE good reasons why more than one million readers now fund our work, sharing in our mission for journalism … 1. We’re truly independent, with no billionaire owner. This means we are free to report on people and power with no political or commercial mani[CENSORED]tion. No one edits our editor or suppresses our voice 2. Our fearless investigations shed light on truth and exploitation, at a time when the rich and powerful are getting away with more and more, and inequality is rife 3. Unlike so many others, our quality reporting is open and does not sit behind a wall, meaning absolutely everyone can understand the events shaping our world without having to pay 4. For the last 200 years, we have championed freedom of expression, because without a robust and free press, a healthy democracy is impossible 5. Funding our work doesn’t need to be expensive. Every single penny or cent matters. And it takes less time to support us than it took to read this message We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for news right now. Please continue to read for free if that’s the case for you. You’re always welcome here. But, if you agree with our reader-funded model, and you can spare either a little or a larger sum, now’s the time to make an impact. Sustain open, independent Guardian journalism in perpetuity from just $2 per month. Thank you. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jul/01/blind-date-charley-matt

Scientists have braved 50C heat and poisonous snakes to track down a "leopard-print" frog virtually unknown to science and learn how it reproduces. Argentinian conservation scientists are fighting to protect the tiny Santa Fe frog, which is under threat as its habitat in one of the world's driest forests, the Dry Chaco, is cut down. The all-female team found it hides in caves, exiting only to call for a mate. And for the first time they found tadpoles of the species. "It's not been an easy journey so far, but we're determined to do what we can to secure the future for this wonderful amphibian," said Isis Ibañez, who leads the Santa Fe frog project, based in Buenos Aires. The Santa Fe frog (Leptodactylus laticeps) is largely unknown to science despite being discovered more than a century ago. Found only in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay, the frog is now rare due to the loss of the tropical dry forests in which it lives. The researchers set up camera traps to locate the brightly-coloured frogs and study their behaviour. Most frogs attract a mate by calling loudly from a pond, stream or swamp, but this species lives underground. The team found the males emerged at nightfall to advertise their presence, then hopped back down their burrows with interested females. Digging for the frogs at night IMAGE SOURCE,CAMILADEUTSCH Image caption, Finding the frogs meant searching in the dark After digging for hours at night they eventually found evidence of eggs and tadpoles for the first time. Investigating the frog's breeding behaviour is the first step towards protecting it in the wild. By drawing attention to the plight of the frog the conservation scientists hope to highlight the biodiversity of the Dry (or Grand) Chaco - and other animals at risk of extinction. "This species is a clear example of why we have to defend the forest in the Dry Chaco," said team member, Camila Deutsch. "We don't have much time." The scientists are also liaising with local community leaders, hunters and farmers to learn more about the frog and how to better protect it. Killer frog disease wipes out 90 species The mission to save the biggest frog on earth Can we save the Lord of the Rings toad? Three members of the team IMAGE SOURCE,I IBANEZ Image caption, Three of the team members: Camila Deutsch, Gabriela Agostini and Sofia Perrone Grand Chaco IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, The Grand Chaco has a mixed landscape of low, dry forests and savannas The Grand Chaco is a large expanse of forest and dusty plains straddling parts of Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay. The Chaco woodlands have been gradually cleared over the past few decades to make way for cropland and ranches. The forest has one of the highest deforestation rates on the planet though it attracts less attention than its Amazon neighbour. The area has been dubbed "El Impenetrable" and even "hell on Earth" for its inaccessibility and extreme temperatures. Temperatures can reach 50C in the daytime and there is very little rainfall. Yet wildlife thrives in the harsh conditions, including hundreds of different birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. "It's a dry forest with an incredible biodiversity," said Gabriela Agostini. Fieldwork IMAGE SOURCE,G. AGOSTINI Image caption, The fourth team member, Isis Ibañez, holding a Sante Fe frog Amphibians are at high risk of extinction. A pathogenic fungus has been ravaging po[CENSORED]tions around the world for about 40 years. The animals are also under pressure from habitat loss and hunting. The Santa Fe frog project is supported by the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) - an initiative run by Fauna & Flora, BirdLife International and the Wildlife Conservation Society. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-66001590

The audacity lives on in this unusual and desirable classic from an independent American carmaker. BY BRENDAN MCALEERPUBLISHED: JUL 1, 2023 1963 studebaker avanti r2 BRING A TRAILER Studebaker's Avanti was a last, lovely roll of the dice for the independent carmaker. The R2 version featured a supercharged 289-cubic-inch V-8 and only 1833 were built. This no-reserve auction runs through July 5. bring a trailer badge CAR AND DRIVER The grille-less design of the Studebaker Avanti is perhaps an acquired taste, but the story of the car's creation has broad appeal. Tasked with shuttering Studebaker's car operations and focusing on trucks only, new president Sherwood Egbert instead rolled the dice on a radical design sketched out on a cocktail napkin during a cross-country flight. Working in a rented house in Palm Springs, the design team pulled the car together in record time. The dramatic result, though, couldn't save the company. This well-kept and supercharged Studebaker Avanti R2 is for sale on Bring A Trailer, which like Car and Driver is part of Hearst Autos. 1963 studebaker avanti r2 rear BRING A TRAILER First, a brief history lesson. During the 1950s, Studebaker was a long-established brand that was essentially caught in the three-way crossfire between General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. While the domestic auto giants battled it out, Studebaker edged closer to bankruptcy, and despite a merger with Packard, was barely keeping the doors open as the 1960s arrived. Enter Sherwood Egbert, ex-USMC Major. Despite having a name suitable for an accountant, Egbert had served in the South Pacific during WWII and was as tough as they come. He came to head Studebaker via the Packard merger, as Packard owned the company Egbert worked for, McCullough Motors. McCullough Motors was a chainsaw manufacturer (now part of Husqvarna) and also had a supercharger division called Paxton Automotive, still around today. 1963 studebaker avanti r2 engine BRING A TRAILER Egbert arrived at Studebaker without any automotive experience, but he grabbed the reins with both hands. Convinced that the market had room for a small, premium four-seater, he tasked the team of Raymond Loewy, Tom Kellog, Bob Andrews, and John Ebstein to design a car in just 40 days. (As an aside, Kellog, the youngest of the four, would go on to sketch out the original Star Trek shuttle.) Underneath, the Avanti was basically Studebaker's older Lark model, but with a stylish fiberglass body on top. Think four-seat Corvette—the body was built by the same supplier that made body panels for the 'Vette in the 1950s. Also recycled was the 289-cubic-inch V-8 from the Studebaker Hawk. Happily, thanks to the Paxton link, strapping a supercharger on that engine cost just $210. As the Avanti was just over $4000 to start, the car was something of a performance bargain. 1963 studebaker avanti r2 interior dash BRING A TRAILER This 1963 example is fitted with that optional supercharger, giving the V-8 a healthy 290 horsepower and 303 pound-feet of torque. With a three-speed automatic transmission and limited-slip differential, and niceties such as power steering and electric windows, this Avanti Red coupe would have turned a few heads in its day. It still does. As one of just 1832 R2 models built for the 1963 and 1964 model years, it is a rare and collectible machine. Again, think of it as a more genteel Corvette, and the appeal is obvious. As for Egbert and his dreams, those ended in 1963 as the Avanti failed to sell in sufficient numbers. Further, he was diagnosed with cancer in 1962 and did not survive the decade. But back in August of 1962, when this car was built, a trio of supercharged Studebaker Avantis showed up at the Bonneville Salt Flats and proceeded to break some 29 production-car speed records. The next year, Avanti serial number R1007 set a speed record of 170.81 mph, making it the fastest production car in the world. The original Avanti's flame burned briefly but brightly. And an early-'60s example like this is still filled with that spirit of audacity. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44376429/1963-studebaker-avanti-r2-auction/

Sign up for notifications to the latest Insight features via the BBC Sport app and find the most recent in the series here. On 12 April 1998, Alastair Campbell, the Downing Street press secretary, sat down to write a letter. "An idea," he started. He went on to describe a vision which he hoped might cement support for the Good Friday Agreement, before the ground-breaking peace deal was put to a referendum in Northern Ireland. It was certainly out of left field. Campbell's letter imagined a match between Celtic and Rangers - two teams divided by history, rivalry and religion - in Belfast. "We could add to it by getting Celtic players to wear Rangers strips and Rangers players to wear Celtic strips", he added, admitting that some players "may have difficulty with this". He sent the idea to Prime Minister Tony Blair, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Mo Mowlam and Scotland Secretary of State Donald Dewar. None seemed enthused. There is no record of anyone responding. Campbell has since admitted it was "perhaps not one of my better ideas". But, perhaps it wasn't the worst either. Because nearly 40 years before, the two Glasgow rivals had indeed come together in an extraordinary combined XI for a good cause. The motivation wasn't peace though. Instead, the hunt for the Loch Ness monster was behind the match. Short presentational grey line In March 1933, Inverness Caledonian hosted the first football match in Scotland under modern floodlights, at their Telford Street Park ground. "Inverness had given the lead to Scotland in regards to floodlit football," reported The Press & Journal newspaper at the time. The installation of lights brought Scottish football into a new, modern era and was revolutionary in 1933. Floodlit football was rare - it had been tried numerous times in England, but it had been banned by the Football Association in August 1930 and would remain so, south of the border, until December 1950. In Inverness, where the sun sets shortly after 16:00 GMT in the depths of winter, the floodlights were a great success. But they were short-lived too. They stayed in place for only a few weeks. Because Caledonian had suddenly been supplanted as the biggest draw in town. On 2 May 1933, the Inverness Courier published a story of a local businessman who was driving along the north shore of Loch Ness, when his wife let out a scream. She had seen "a tremendous upheaval on the loch, which, previously, had been as calm as the proverbial mill-pond". The report continued describing an unknown creature, "rolling and plunging for fully a minute, its body resembling that of a whale, and the water cascading and churning like a simmering cauldron". And so the Loch Ness Monster phenomenon began. Hundreds of people flocked to the Loch in the hope of glimpsing the monster. A circus impresario - Bertram Mills - put up a prize of £20,000 - equivalent of £1.24m today - for the person who caught it. Mills added some sti[CENSORED]tions to the competition - the creature had to be at least 20ft long, weigh more than 1,000lbs (454kg) and have previously been believed to be extinct. Onlookers try to spot the Loch Ness monster in 1934 Tales of a monster in the depths of Loch Ness drew hundreds of visitors to its banks in the 1930s No-one was put off by the small print. Crowds continued to grow on the shore and people camped out to try to spot the beast. To assist with the search for Nessie, Caley's pioneering football floodlights were dismantled and moved a few miles down the road to light up some of the 22 square miles of water. No-one ever caught Nessie. But more than 25 years later two brothers, William and Hugh MacDonald, paid for floodlighting to be installed for a second time at the Telford Street ground. To celebrate the occasion, an Old Firm Select XI was invited up to Inverness to inaugurate the new set of lights. It wasn't totally without precedent. A Celtic and Rangers combined team had played in a testimonial match for Billy Meredith - one of football's first stars - in 1925. But the concept had not been revived since and the rivalry between the two clubs seemed to make a repeat unlikely. Celtic midfielder Paddy Crerand, raised in the Gorbals area of Glasgow by Irish immigrant parents, admitted being asked to play in the select team was "very strange" at first. "Where I was from, Rangers weren't a very po[CENSORED]r club," he told BBC Sport. "But we were all footballers and we were friendly with a lot of the Rangers players in those days anyway. "There wasn't the animosity amongst the Celtic and Rangers players that people may have thought. "But I'm amazed Caledonian were able to organise a Celtic and Rangers select because the clubs were miles apart in those days. "They couldn't connect with each other unless they played with each other. It was a totally different world. There was so much anti-Catholicism about, it was ridiculous." Paddy Crerand throws a toy for a dog while playing for Celtic at Aberdeen in 1963 Crerand left Celtic for Manchester United in 1963, playing in United's 1968 European Cup winning side But, somehow, the idea was approved. And Crerand was one of five Celtic players who would be included in the Celtic and Rangers combined XI. Scottish League regulations at the time required all competing players to be signed to a single member club. The five Celtic players would have to sign for Rangers for the day on the trust that they would re-join Celtic the following day. This would have been unheard of for supporters of both clubs. A 19-year-old Jim Conway was one of the Celtic players who crossed the divide. "For me, it was another football match and a great chance to play in this unique team," he told BBC Sport. "Looking back, perhaps it was more of an important moment of unity." At the time, Rangers had an unwritten rule in place stating that as a club, they would not sign or employ a Roman Catholic. When Mo Johnston signed for Rangers in 1989, some of the club's fans laid a wreath outside Ibrox decrying the end of more than 100 years of history signalled by the signing of a Catholic. But, albeit very briefly, Jim Conway, Paddy Crerand, Jim Kennedy and Charlie Tully had been part of breaking down that barrier 40 years before. Conway recalls meeting up with the Rangers players at Glasgow Central station a few days before the game. "Initially the Celtic and Rangers players were in two separate train carriages on the way up to the game," Conway said. "But then as time went on, I remember Dick Beattie who was the Celtic goalkeeper saying, 'I've had enough of this' and he got out a pack of cards and went to ask the Rangers players if they wanted to play. "Soon, all of the players were all mixing and we were having a really good time and getting on well. Religion aside, family opinions aside, teams aside, supporters aside, we were just footballers doing our job." The select team was coached by the Rangers manager Scot Symon, described by Crerand as a 'nice man' and the team wore the Rangers' away kit. Conway remembers there being a big crowd in Inverness to watch the game. "It was a huge moment and you can see why lots of people wanted to come out and watch us play," Conway said. Crerand said: "We were not used to playing under floodlights. It was a very new thing so it was great to do that. We got a great reception from the people. There wasn't bigotry in Inverness those days, so they welcomed us." Jim Conway, now 82 Conway, now 82, at a recent Celtic game The match ended with Caley suffering a 4-2 defeat by the Old Firm select team. Sammy Baird got a hat-trick and Conway scored the other goal for the visitors, while Rodwill Clyne and Jimmy Ingram replied for Caley. "It was brilliant to score in that game. I felt really proud," said Conway. This game had longer-term effects for the players themselves. "I got to know the Rangers players much better than I'd ever known them before because of that match," Conway said. "Certainly for me, it broke down barriers. I felt very comfortable speaking to the Rangers players and some, like Bobby King, became my great friends and subsequently our next-door neighbours when we both played together at Southend United, four years later." It was the last time, despite Campbell's brief attempt, that Celtic and Rangers stars played in the same team. But perhaps if it were a sight more regularly seen, then this game, like the Loch Ness monster, would lose its mystique and unique place in Scottish history. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66042371

Emmanuel Macron has accused protesters of exploiting the death of a teenager shot by police at point-blank range. At a crisis meeting, France's president said more officers would be deployed to contain the violence, but stopped short of declaring a state of emergency. He urged parents to keep rioting children at home and social media platforms to remove certain content. France has been rocked by three nights of unrest after Nahel M, 17, was killed as he drove away from a traffic stop. More than 915 arrests were made on Thursday night alone, officials said, and the government announced it would deploy 45,000 police officers in a bid to contain further violence. Mr Macron said that about a third of those arrested for rioting were "young, or very young", with Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin later clarifying that some were as young as 13. Imploring parents to take action, he said it was their "responsibility" to keep any child intending to protest "at home". Mr Macron condemned the violence of the last three days "with the greatest firmness" and said Nahel's death had been used to justify acts of violence - calling it an "unacceptable exploitation of the adolescent's death". Follow our live coverage of the riots Who was Nahel M, shot by police in Nanterre? He also urged social media companies such as TikTok and Snapchat to take down "the most sensitive types of content" that had been posted, and supply authorities with the names of people using their services to organise violence. A spokesperson for Snapchat said it had a "zero tolerance" for content that promoted violence and hatred, and would continue to monitor the situation closely. From Lille and Roubaix in the north to Marseille in the south, shops were ransacked across France on Thursday night, streets were badly damaged and cars set on fire. The interior ministry said there had been more than 3,880 fires on public roads, compared with 2,391 on Wednesday. Police in Marseille, France's second-largest city, had already arrested 80 people by Friday evening. It followed more clashes between protesters and riot police. Public transport halted early in some places and curfews were enforced, with a nationwide curb on buses and trams running from 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT). View of a street with cars burnt during night clashes between protesters and police at the Alma district in Roubaix, northern France IMAGE SOURCE,REUTERS Image caption, The damage in cities such as Roubaix became apparent as night turned to day on Friday Some public events have also been cancelled, including two concerts by French pop star Mylène Farmer, due to take place at the Stade de France just outside Paris on Friday and Saturday night. France's capital has been at the heart of the unrest because Nahel lived in Nanterre, a north-west Parisian suburb, and was killed there just after 09:00 on Tuesday. He was shot after refusing to stop for a traffic check and died after emergency services attended the scene. A video, shared online in the hours following Nahel's death, showed two police officers trying to stop the vehicle and one pointing his weapon at the driver. The officer who fired the fatal shot has since been charged with voluntary homicide and apologised to the family. His lawyer said he is devastated. Nahel's death has reignited debate around the state of French policing, including a controversial 2017 firearms law which allows officers to shoot when a driver ignores an order to stop. More widely, it has led to questions of racism in the force. The UN's human rights office said the unrest was a chance for France "to address deep issues of racism in law enforcement". Media caption, Watch: What social media videos reveal about Paris teen's death A spokeswoman pointed to a recent report by the UN committee on the elimination of racial discrimination, which last December expressed concern at aspects of French policing, including what the report suggested was the disproportionate use of identity checks and imposition of fines on specific ethnic groups. Nahel's mother, Mounia, made her own accusations, saying the officer who shot her son "didn't have to kill" him. "He saw the face of an Arab, of a little kid, he wanted to take his life," she told broadcaster France 5. Nahel was of Algerian descent. On Thursday, Mounia led a largely peaceful march of more than 6,000 people in Nanterre. Wearing a white T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan "Justice pour Nahel" ("Justice for Nahel"), she said she hoped the tribute would be an opportunity for the community in and around Paris to remember her only child. By late afternoon, the march had descended into violence, sparking the third night of unrest. Police fired tear gas at masked protesters who set fire to various objects, with people thought to have been out on the streets until the early hours of Friday morning. Nahel's funeral is due to be held in Nanterre on Saturday morning. In the UK, travellers have been warned to expect disruptions when trying to reach France over the weekend. The Foreign Office told people to "monitor the media, avoid protests, check the latest advice with operators when travelling and follow the advice of the authorities". https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66069080

* Realme Buds Wireless 3 is confirmed to be released in India on July 6. The upcoming Bluetooth earphones will succeed the Realme Buds Wireless 2, which were launched in May 2021 and come with an active noise cancellation feature and support for the LDAC advanced Bluetooth codec, 13.6mm dynamic drivers, up to 22 hours of battery life per charge and an IPX5 rating for water resistance. At launch, the earbuds were priced at Rs. 2,299. Realme India has now revealed some key specifications of the Realme Buds Wireless 3. The earbuds are confirmed to come with a 13.6mm Dynamic Bass Driver in each bud and 30dB Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which the company claims will offer an improved sound experience and higher resolution audio quality. It also claims to provide a 360-degree Spatial Audio experience. The earphones will weigh 30.1 grams. The website teaser page also confirms that the earphones will be offered in three colour options -- Bass Yellow, Pure Black and Vitality White. You May See Full-Length Music Videos on Spotify Soon An earlier leak suggested that the upcoming Realme earphones are expected to be water resistant and offer a Bluetooth connectivity range of up to 10m. The neckband is said to come equipped with an App Control. The Realme Buds Wireless 3 have been tipped to measure 42 x 10.2 x 2.2 cm in size. The wearables are expected to be priced under Rs. 2,999. They will be available for purchase on Amazon. The company will also launch the Realme Narzo 60 series of smartphones on July 6. The lineup will include the Realme Narzo 60 5G and Realme Narzo 60 Pro 5G, which are also to be sold on Amazon. The phones are expected to come with a 61-degree curved display with very slim bezels and the base variant is expected to have a similar design to that of the Realme 11 5G. https://www.gadgets360.com/audio/news/realme-buds-wireless-3-india-launch-date-july-6-colour-options-specifications-features-4169187

If you use a data processing service provider of any kind, you may be happy to hear about the Data Act coming out of the EU. It requires service providers to make it easier to move your business data between services, demands interoperability, and gives users power over how their data is used. A big step against vendor lock-in At first sight, all these requirements are very positive, as they prevent service providers from forcing clients to stick with them because of the challenge of shifting data to other providers. This has been a sticking point for most "as-a-service" users in both enterprise and consumer markets for much too long. If and when the proposed laws wend their way through the EU, the first experience for many that something has changed is it will become much easier to shift data from iCloud to other services. (Though any old DRM-infested iTunes purchases you might still have lying around may remain problematic.) [ Keep up on the latest thought leadership, insights, how-to, and analysis on IT through Computerworld’s newsletters. ] User-focused lock-in? Apple will likely argue that as you can already download all your data to your local device and upload it elsewhere, not much change is required. It might have a point, as creating a system to automate shifting your information elsewhere could be seen as a security vulnerability to be exploited. Perhaps it is better for personal users to maintain complete control over the data transfer service by doing so manually — though I think every Photos user would like some way to archive vast collections other than downloading to a local drive at huge cost of bandwidth. But the act isn’t really about consumer cloud services such as iCloud. More of an industry thing, actually It’s aimed at Internet of Things, industrial data, and the information generated by devices and services related to those devices. That’s actually a huge quantity of information, but while some may argue that this should be kept opaque to protect privacy, others will counter that ownership oof your own information is equally important. A few highlights from the Data Act include: Users of connected systems will be able to access the data generated by them and share that information with third parties. Unfair, unilaterally imposed contracts will be stopped. Public sector bodies will be able to access and use data held by the private sector, though the act seems to specify this will only be in case of public emergency. Interoperability in data-sharing and processing will get a boost. However, for most business users, the key change is that the rules “grant customers the freedom to switch between various cloud data-processing service providers.” That rule is aimed quite accurately at all the many service providers using proprietary formats around client data, which makes migration to alternative providers much harder than it should be. “Tonight’s agreement on the Data Act is a milestone in reshaping the digital space…. We are on the way of a thriving EU data economy that is innovative and open — on our conditions,” tweeted EU industry chief Thierry Breton. Interoperability without uniformity? One aspect of the rules is challenging. Not every service is equal, not all are built on the same code or operating system, and to some extent an element of lock-in seems inevitable. It isn’t clear the extent to which the EU has considered this, nor if has deeply considered the complexity of building completely interoperable systems while maintaining trade secrets and security. The proof of that particular pudding will be in the pie. It is also unclear whether egress charges (the cost of transferring data across services) are within the scope of the act. Meanwhile, Gartner confirms that the use of cloud services by business and personal users continues to grow at a rapid clip. Opposers are opposing Service providers aren’t pretending to be happy. They lobbied to ensure some rights to refuse data-sharing requests when trade secrets might be exposed, and the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) said in a statement: "We have ongoing concerns regarding the Act's broad and ambiguous approach to data sharing, including on the expansion of the products and services originally in scope and the safeguards for trade secrets protection, as well as the rules impacting international transfers of non-personal data.” The ITI teamed up with 12 other trade associations in early 2023 to publish a joint letter critical of some aspects of the act. “We share the concern that several provisions, in their current form, present significant technical and legal challenges for companies. They will also create legal uncertainty as to how data will be handled, which will likely decrease the quantity and quality of the data that businesses gather and process,” they wrote. They will no doubt continue to lobby to get sections of the act altered during the pending approvals process. What happens next? Europe’s Data Act isn’t approved yet. It will need to go through the lengthy approval process and even once it is adopted it will take 20 months more to come into force. That means most service providers should have time to figure out their own approach to interoperability. But, at least in theory, you’ll be able to shift your data more easily from iCloud to OneDrive. https://www.computerworld.com/article/3701368/the-eu-data-act-is-a-lot-bigger-than-icloud.html

Corsair is well known in almost every corner of the component, peripheral space, and PC space, offering up cooling and power supply options like H170i Elite 420mm AIO and CX750M Power Supply, as well as monitors, mice, and even laptops. Of course, the company is also a mainstay in the PC case realm, and its latest SFF chassis, the Corsair 2000D Airflow offers some interesting features for a case with this small of a footprint. The 2000D Airflow is a tall and slim SFF computer case that features mesh panels on all sides for maximum airflow, as well as 360mm AIO support – something that’s rare in SFF-style cases. We’ll also take a quick look at the SF850L PSU, which the company included with the case for testing purposes. Features of Corsair’s 2000D Airflow • SFX PSU Support As is common with compact cases, the 2000D Airflow doesn’t support full-size PSUs, so you’ll need an SFX PSU in order to use this case. The power supply mounts onto an included bracket, which can be removed from the case to facilitate easier installation. • Low profile AC Power Cable Due to the unique position of the power supply in the 2000D Airflow (it sits vertically up at the top of the case), Corsair includes a low-profile AC Power cable adapter and velcro ties along the path of the cable. This allows for an unobstructed and organized look, although it would look better if the case was designed to route the cable on the inside of the chassis. • Fits up to three 2.5-inch storage drives To accommodate plenty of storage, Corsair’s 2000D airflow supports up to three 2.5-inch storage drives. But only two drives can be used out of the box. There are two locations you can install drives on – at the very top of the case there are holes for one SSD, and there is an included 2.5-inch mount that attaches to the top of the PSU bracket. The PSU mount supports two of these brackets, but only includes one. So if you want to install three drives you’ll need to purchase another (separately) if you wish to use three 2.5-inch drives. I’ll touch on this subject again later. • Three-slot GPU support Support for GPUs of up to three slot slots thick (and 14.37 inches long) means most of today’s best GPUs, including Nvidia’s RTX 4090 and AMD’s 7900XTX should fit here – so long as you don’t choose the largest of those models available. Each side panel included with the 2000D Airflow features a mesh design to allow for maximum airflow. And eachl panel can be removed, so you can easily access the interior to replace components. • 360mm AIO Support Many cases designed for Mini-ITX motherboards are limited to 240mm AIO or air cooling support, but Corsair’s 2000D Airflow supports full size 360mm AIOs (up to 400mm in length) for maximum cooling capacity. https://www.tomshardware.com/features/corsair-2000d-airflow-pc-case

Amazon, earlier this week, made an announcement to allow customers to exchange their Rs. 2,000 notes. The statement came after the Reserve Bank of India on May 19 decided to withdraw all the Rs. 2,000 currency notes from circulation under its Clean Note Policy. The central bank of India has announced that the existing notes circulation can be deposited in bank accounts or can be exchanged by September 30. As many people struggle to get their notes exchanged or deposited in the bank, Amazon has rolled out an initiative to exchange the notes for their customers. According to the official statement by Amazon, the company will let customers top up their Amazon Pay balances using Rs. 2,000 notes during cash-on-delivery orders. The leftover change can be loaded to the Amazon Pay wallet. The e-commerce giant has specified that customers can deposit a maximum amount of Rs. 50,000 per month, including notes of Rs. 2,000 denomination. Step 1: To begin with, customers need to complete video KYC on the Amazon app Step 2: Once the KYC process is done, customers can place a cash on delivery order Step 3: Next, customers can hand over the cash to delivery agent on their order Step 4: The delivery agent will update the remaining balance on the customer's Amazon Pay balance instantly The amount updated on the Amazon Pay wallet can be used for online shopping, or paying using QRs, doing recharges, sending money to friends and family or digital payments on apps like Swiggy and Zomato. The facility to exchange or update Amazon Pay balance with Rs. 2,000 note is only available for KYCed customers. Hence, it is important for the customers to get the KYC process done before initiating the exchange. https://www.gadgets360.com/apps/news/amazon-pay-wallet-rs-2000-note-currency-note-exchange-rbi-4151429

YouTube is going to help its creators reach an international audience as the platform plans on introducing a new AI-powered dubbing tool for translating videos into other languages. Announced at VidCon 2023, the goal of this latest endeavor is to provide a quick and easy way for creators to translate “at no cost” their content into languages they don’t speak. This can help out smaller channels as they may not have the resources to hire a human translator. To make this all possible, Amjad Hanif, vice president of Creator Products at YouTube, revealed the tool will utilize the Google-created Aloud plus the platform will be bringing over the team behind the AI from Area 120, a division of the parent company that frequently works on experimental tech. Easy translation The way the translation system works, according to the official Aloud website, is the AI will first transcribe a video into a script. You then edit the transcription to get rid of any errors, make clarifications, or highlight text “where timing is critical.” From there, you give the edited script back to Aloud where it will automatically translate your video into the language of your choice. Once done, you can publish the newly dubbed content by uploading any new audio tracks onto their original video. A Google representative told us “creators do not have to [actually] understand any of the languages that they are dubbing into.” Aloud will handle all of the heavy lifting surrounding complex tasks like “translation, timing, and speech synthesis.” Again, all you have to do is double-check the transcription. Future changes It’s unknown when the Aloud update will launch. However, YouTube is already working on expanding the AI beyond what it’s currently possible. Right now, Aloud can only translate English content to either Spanish or Portuguese. But there are plans to expand into other languages from Hindi to Indonesian plus support for different dialects. Later down the line, the platform will introduce a variety of features such as “voice preservation, better emotion transfer, and even lip reanimation” to improve enunciation. Additionally, YouTube is going to build in some safeguards ensuring only the creators can “dub their own content”. The same Google representative from earlier also told us the platform is testing the Aloud AI with “hundreds of [YouTube] creators” with plans to add more over time. As of June 2023, over 10,000 videos have been dubbed in over 70 languages. You can join the early access program by filling out the official Google Docs form. If you want to know what an Aloud dub sounds like, go watch the channel trailer for the Amoeba Sisters channel on YouTube. Click the gear icon, go to Audio Track, then select Spanish. The robotic voice you’ll hear is what the AI will create. https://www.techradar.com/computing/software/youtube-video-translation-is-getting-an-ai-powered-dubbing-tool-upgrade

AMD's Zen 4 processors may compete with the best CPUs. Nevertheless, the chipmaker hasn't moved on from Zen 3. As VideoCardz spotted, Gigabyte has listed an unannounced Zen 3 chip from the Ryzen 5000G (Cezanne) days. The Ryzen 7 5700 first popped up last year, but this is the first time it's been part of an official listing. The Ryzen 7 5700 is an octa-core processor with 16 threads, a familiar configuration we've seen on the Ryzen 7 5700X (Vermeer) and Ryzen 7 5700G (Cezanne). However, according to Gigabyte's CPU support list, the Ryzen 7 5700 is more related to the latter, essentially turning it into a Ryzen 7 5700G without integrated graphics. The Ryzen 7 5700 has a 3.7 GHz base clock and a 4.6 GHz boost clock. The chip's base clock is 100 MHz under the Ryzen 7 5700G. It shares the same 4MB L2 and 16MB L3 cache. Like the Ryzen 7 5700G, the non-G variant has a 65W TDP. Therefore, the unreleased processor is faster than the Ryzen 7 5700GE, the 35W more energy-efficient version of the Ryzen 7 5700G. The Ryzen 7 5700 slots into the AM4 socket. Interestingly, the octa-core processor doesn't require new motherboard board firmware. It relies on the same firmware as the Ryzen 7 5700G and Ryzen 7 5700GE; however, AMD never announced the Ryzen 7 5700. It's uncertain when Gigabyte added the SKU to the list. Other motherboard manufacturers haven't listed the Ryzen 7 5700. The Ryzen 7 5700 probably isn't a retail product. Nevertheless, OEM parts often appear on platforms like eBay but lack warranty. Given the specifications, we suspect it may be an SKU that's exclusive for OEMs to use in their pre-built systems. We've found a few PCs online that leverage the Ryzen 7 5700, such as this one from an Argentine retailer. With AMD fleshing its product portfolio with new Zen 4 parts, the chipmaker is likely getting rid of leftover Zen 3 silicon, and what better way to do so than to release another Ryzen chip, even if it lacks an iGPU? https://www.tomshardware.com/news/cezanne-lives-on-ryzen-7-5700-surfaces-without-integrated-graphics

The whiplash-inducing events in Russia on Saturday have U.S. officials scurrying to understand what the Wagner Group’s now-stalled advance on Moscow means for Ukraine’s chances in its war against Russia. Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group mercenaries had taken the command center of Russia’s war in Ukraine in Rostov-on-Don while a column made its way northward toward the Kremlin. But Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko seemingly brokered an agreement that has the contractors heading back to unspecified “field camps” instead of seeking the overthrow of Russia’s military leadership. “The moment has come when blood may spill. That’s why, understanding the responsibility for spilling Russian blood on one of the sides, we are turning back our convoys and going back to field camps according to the plan,” Prigozhin said in a Saturday statement. In the hours before the dramatic turnaround, when it seemed the mercenaries were planning for urban combat in Moscow, U.S. officials engaged in multiple interagency meetings Friday night and Saturday morning to assess its potential impact. They arrived at a preliminary consensus that the Wagner mercenary group’s insurrection would occupy the Kremlin’s attention. That would provide Ukraine with a much-needed opportunity to reverse the fortunes of its sputtering counteroffensive. The Biden administration had yet to draw up a formal assessment and officials then cautioned it was too early for definitive conclusions. “I don’t see how it could hurt them,” said one of the senior administration officials. Others said it was likely to help, especially since Wagner overtook the Southern Military District headquarters, the epicenter of Russia’s operational management for the invasion. The officials, granted permission to speak anonymously about the greatest challenge to Vladimir Putin in more than 20 years, said they were tracking Wagner forces into Rostov and now as they make their way northward toward the Russian capital. The local governor of the Lipetsk region, roughly six hours from Moscow, said Wagner troops drove through the oblast with armored vehicles Saturday morning. Russian military bloggers indicated that a Wagner advance reached the Moscow region. Even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conceded his country’s counteroffensive hasn’t gone to plan as Russian airpower and dormant mines stalled Kyiv’s advances on multiple fronts. The Biden administration feared that a lack of clear success heading into next month’s NATO summit would erode alliance unity and complicate the politics of continued support for Ukraine. But Prigozhin’s play could change the calculus. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed Saturday by Cabinet-level officials — including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines — about the Wagner Group’s advances before Prigozhin’s stand down. Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs, spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Gen. Valery Zaluzhnyy Saturday. “I told him about the offensive and offensive actions of our units,” Zaluzhnyy said, according to a readout of the conversation. “I informed him that the operation is going in accordance with the plan.” Biden also spoke Saturday about the situation in Russia with President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom. Further, Blinken chatted with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. “Ukraine remains focused on achieving the goals of its counteroffensive in the territory of Ukraine with the steadfast support of our American allies,” Kuleba said in a Saturday tweet. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin plans to speak to Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov later on Saturday. A U.S. official said phone calls to European counterparts are focused on the effort to “reassure them” and also reinforce the need to message neutrality. “No one should be spiking the football.” The general agreement on the calls between the U.S. and its European allies is that Kyiv now has an unprecedented opportunity to advance while a key mercenary force shifts its attention from holding Ukrainian positions to attacking points inside Russia. Biden was scheduled to travel Saturday to Camp David — which is equipped with resources with which he could monitor the unfolding situation — but his departure for the presidential retreat in the Maryland woods was delayed until early Saturday afternoon. Even if Putin quashes the rebellion, it could occupy the resources of the Russian military and would likely eliminate the use of the Wagner Group at the front, where it had proven successful against Ukrainian forces. “Cracks in the Putin regime are wide and bright now. The Kremlin has to put the Prigozhin rebellion down with force to avoid it from threatening regime legitimacy,” said Alina Polyakova, president and CEO of the Washington-based Center for European Policy Analysis. MOST READ supreme-court-abortion-california-refuge-54670.jpg Florida provided far more abortions than California and New York post-Dobbs. Here’s why. Biden administration releases intelligence on Wuhan lab ‘I Underestimated the Depth of Outrage’: A Year in Post-Roe America U.S. evaluating what Wagner Group rebellion means for Ukraine war California strikes huge deal unlocking billions for health care NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said the military bloc is “monitoring the situation.” One early complication for NATO is that Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, a NATO ally, already pledged his “full support” in a call with Putin Saturday. But the open rebellion — and the ease with which Wagner took the military command center in Rostov, where the Kremlin controls its war on Ukraine — also vividly displayed the weakness of Russia’s military. Officials cautioned that events over the next few hours and days were difficult to predict, as evidenced by the Lukashenko-brokered arrangement, from Putin swiftly putting down the insurrection to his grip on power slipping, as the myth of his total control over Russia shatters in real time. Administration figures said they couldn’t confirm Putin’s whereabouts. And while U.S. officials currently believe Putin will remain in charge, there’s quiet fear inside the administration that the Russian leader could reach for the most catastrophic options available to him if he sniffs a challenge to his power. No one in the White House would miss Putin, but there’s no evidence that Prigozhin — or at least someone aligned with him — would be any less dangerous. Any sort of tumult or coup in the country with the world’s largest nuclear arsenal would be an inherently deep concern, the officials said. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/24/u-s-officials-russian-warlords-rebellion-could-be-just-what-ukraine-needs-00103540

The owner of a llama is being sought after it was seen wandering in an Aberdeenshire field. The Scottish SPCA said the llama was spotted near the new Pitsligo area. The animal charity said it went out to investigate and found the llama but it was difficult to catch. "Llamas are herd animals so it will likely be quite stressed out by being in the field alone," Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer Debbie Gibson said. More from NE Scotland, Orkney & Shetland - BBC News "We have been in touch with the locals in the area to try and identify the owner but we have had no luck so far. "We would like to try and find their owner in the hope they can assist us with catching. "If anyone recognises this llama, they should call our helpline on 03000 999 999." https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-65996860

Infiniti has revealed a redesigned, three-dimensional logo. According to the manufacturer, the new logo puts more emphasis on the "infinite road" and "horizon line" aspects of the logo. The newest version marks the fourth iteration of the Infiniti logo since the brand's inception in 1989. In the grand scheme of automotive brands, Infiniti hasn't been around all that long. Despite its young age, in the 34 years since its inception, the Infiniti logo has changed three times. As of this week, the logo enters its fourth generation. According to the manufacturer, the newest design for the logo puts more emphasis on the infinite road and horizon aspects of the logo. "Adding greater emphasis to the point where the infinite road intersects with the horizon, we are showcasing our steadfast commitment to always look forward to the future and to new horizons," said Sam Xin, global divisional general manager for Infiniti. Where older versions of the logo end in a sharp point, the new version joins two flat lines extending into the background. The new, three-dimensional logo was created to adorn production vehicles in the future. Infiniti wasn't clear about which vehicles the new logo would appear on, or when, but with a host of new vehicles planned for next summer, the logo probably won't debut until then. According to the brand, the new 3-D aspect of the logo expresses dynamism, motion, and power. The new logo will be illuminated on the hood of new Infiniti models. On top of the redesigned infinite road section of the logo, Infiniti also increased the spacing of the lettering. According to the manufacturer, the change helps to visually accentuate the horizon. Like most automotive logo redesigns, the changes are subtle, and most who pass by the new logo won't spot the difference. But a new logo can also signify the start of a new era for a brand, and we're always here for that.

Former Coventry and Wolves striker Cedric Roussel has died aged 45. Roussel, capped three times by Belgium, partnered Robbie Keane after joining Coventry from Gent in October 1999. He moved to fellow Midlands club Wolves in February 2001 and spent 18 months at Molineux before returning to Belgian side Mons, where he enjoyed the most success over two spells. "Our legend and ambassador Cedric Roussel passed away this Saturday," Mons said in a statement on Twitter. "The RAEC Mons family is devastated by this news and offers its most sincere condolences to Cedric's family and loved ones. You marked our history." Roussel played for several Belgian clubs and also had spells in Russia, the Netherlands, Italy and Cyprus. Coventry said the club was "deeply saddened to learn of the death of our former striker Cedric Roussel" while Wolves said: "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Cedric Roussel." https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66010300