MERNIZ

French President Emmanuel Macron said he has heard "positive" news about the condition of child victims of Thursday's knife attack in Annecy. Mr Macron was visiting the town where four children were attacked. He said a young British girl had "woken up" after surgery. A Dutch toddler is also reportedly recovering. The suspect - a Syrian man with refugee status in Sweden - remains in custody and is due to undergo a psychiatric assessment. The 31-year-old is thought to have been living homeless in Annecy and recently had an asylum claim rejected. No terrorist motive is suspected. Four children in all - aged between 22 and 36 months - and two pensioners were wounded during the assault. In a speech in the Alpine town, Mr Macron said that attacking children was "the most barbaric act". He visited a local hospital, where he met a man who was stabbed by the assailant during the attack. He also met Henri, the so-called "backpack hero" who used his backpack to stop the attacker. Mr Macron said the young British girl who was attacked and received surgery had "woken up". "She is watching TV and [the attack] is just a bad memory already," he said, according to the AFP news agency. "Doctors are optimistic," the president said, adding that caution was still required. Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said he was "relieved" to hear that the Dutch girl who fell victim to the attack "is out of danger". The playground where the attack took place, by the lake in Annecy, was full on Friday. But there was not a child in sight - the glare of television cameras kept parents away. Their place was taken by a crowd of journalists, as well as local people coming to leave tributes along the playground wall: white flowers for the innocence of the victims - messages that hint at the outrage in France. "Innocence attacked!" one read. "We must not fear the evil that sometimes resides in people," said another. Matic William, a 40-year-old shopkeeper from the area, said he often brought his three-year-old son to the playground. "It feels like we're in another world," he told the BBC. "You can feel this very heavy atmosphere, this tension." Prosecutors are trying to work out the motive for the attack. They have said that the suspect - a Syrian man with refugee status in Sweden - has no recorded history of psychiatric illness, but there are growing questions about his current mental state. He is thought to have been living as a homeless person in Annecy since last autumn, after leaving his ex-wife and three year old son in Sweden. France's interior minister says his claim for asylum in France was rejected a few days ago. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65858926

The US affiliate of Binance said it was halting dollar deposits and gave customers until Tuesday to withdraw their dollar funds, after the US securities regulator asked a court to freeze its assets. Binance.US, the purportedly independent partner of Binance, said in a tweet on Thursday that its banking partners were preparing to stop dollar withdrawal channels as early as June 13. The SEC sued Binance, its CEO and founder Changpeng Zhao, and Binance.US's operator on Monday, in a dramatic escalation of a crackdown on the industry by US regulators. The SEC sued major US exchange Coinbase a day later. Binance.US said in the tweeted customer notice that it would no longer accept dollar deposits as part of plans to change to a "crypto-only exchange". It called the SEC's civil charges "unjustified" and said it would "vigorously defend" itself. The SEC alleged in 13 charges on Monday that Binance had in a "web of deception" artificially inflated trading volumes and diverted customer funds, as well as failing to restrict US customers from its platform. The SEC on Tuesday asked a federal court to freeze Binance's US assets. Binance.US called the motion "unwarranted", saying it had addressed SEC concerns over the safety of customer assets. The SEC said it had not received "sufficient reassurance" that Binance.US's customer assets were controlled by its operator, BAM Trading, "rather than under the control or influence of Binance or Zhao, a person who has openly expressed his desire to avoid compliance with US law." Zhao and Binance had "free reign" to handle Binance.US assets, the SEC said. "They have exercised this control over US investor assets with no oversight or controls to ensure that those assets are properly secured," it added. Binance did not immediately reply to a request for comment. It has said it would "defend our platform vigorously," saying the SEC was limited in reach as Binance was not a US exchange. Binance.US's customer assets total more than $2.2 billion. (nearly Rs. 18,100 crore) held in crypto and some $377 (nearly Rs. 3,100 crore) million in US dollar bank accounts, the SEC said. 'Existential Threat' BAM Trading holds customer's funds directly with California-based Axos Bank, according to a letter from lawyers for BAM Trading to the SEC dated May 26, which was made public by the SEC on Tuesday. Axos did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent via email. Binance.US had struggled to find banking partners after the failure of Signature Bank, the Wall Street Journal reported in April. In its tweet on Thursday, Binance.US said crypto-denominated trading, deposits, withdrawals and "staking" - where users deposit cryptocurrencies for use in blockchain transactions — would remain fully operational. "This is very serious for Binance.US because Americans cannot use Binance Global," said Clara Medalie, director of research at Kaiko. "The inability for Binance.US to offer USD trading services in a region the exchange was specifically built to operate in is an existential threat." Crypto prices barely reacted to the news, with bitcoin last trading up 0.4 percent at $26,610 (nearly Rs. 22 lakh). It was headed for a weekly loss of about 1.9 percent, after having dipped to an over two-month low of $25,350 (nearly Rs. 21 lakh) earlier in the week as the SEC crackdown stoked nerves. https://www.gadgets360.com/cryptocurrency/news/binance-us-halts-dollar-deposits-asks-customers-withdraw-funds-sec-crackdown-4108884

Google is working on a sizable security update that'll introduce a total of seven new features to Chrome for desktop and iOS. Four of those features are currently making their way to desktop users, and they all involve the company’s Password Manager software. Be sure to keep an eye out for the patch once it arrives. Starting from the top, Password Manager will have a new home in Chrome’s Settings menu. There, users will be able to manage their login credentials or adjust their security settings. But if you prefer a more direct approach, “you [can] create a desktop shortcut for Google Password Manager,” according to the post. The tech giant is also adding the ability to write down notes for specific logins. As an example, let’s say you have multiple accounts for one website, but you have a hard time remembering every single detail. You can click the key icon in Chrome’s address bar to open a context menu, revealing your notes that house those details. Clicking the pencil icon lets you make edits. Next, the company will allow users to import passwords from third-party managers to Chrome on desktop. The Google Help webpage states people must first convert their credentials into a .csv file before uploading anything to the browser. Detailed instructions on how to do this can be found on the Chrome Help website. However, it appears the tool will only be able to bring in your information from certain apps. Those apps are Microsoft Edge, Safari, 1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane and LastPass. No word on future plans to support other sources. Coming soon Regarding the final three additions, they will arrive later in the year. First, Chrome on desktop will be getting biometric authentication, something that's been exclusive to the mobile app up to this point. Google states that enabling this will add a second “layer of security before” auto-filling credentials. The types of biometric authentication Chrome supports ultimately depends on your computer. For example, if you own a laptop sporting a fingerprint reader, then the browser allow you to sign into accounts with only your fingerprint. On iOS, Password Checkup on Chrome will begin to flag faulty logins. The tool will urge you to change your information if it detects a weak, reused, or compromised password. The rest of the iOS update consists of minor design tweaks to make some things easier to do. Autofill prompts will be made larger, and whenever you review your saved credentials in the Settings, “multiple saved accounts for one website will be [now] grouped together." We reached out to Google for more info on when both the biometric authentication expansion and iOS patch will launch. This story will be updated at a later time. https://www.techradar.com/news/googles-new-chrome-security-update-to-make-password-management-easier

@momomo_us on Twitter has published a new set of listings showing off an entire list of AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 CPU models, with many of them being identified as "Mass Market" SKUs. The new listing confirms that Zen 4 Threadripper is well on its way and should be coming out very soon. The list also includes several chip identification numbers featuring part numbers and OPNs that will make it easy to identify these CPUs in future benchmark reports. The best news of all is that AMD could be returning to the HEDT market, with the new listing highlighting two different Threadripper segments, 7000WX Pro and 7000 (vanilla Non-Pro). This could be the first time AMD has emerged back onto the HEDT market, since the Zen 2 era when it announced it would not make HEDT chips for that generation, and will bring ultra-high core counts back to the high-end consumer desktop market. We still don't know all of the architectural design changes AMD is putting into Threadripper 7000, but we do know that it should feature AMD's latest Zen 4 CPU architecture operating on TSMC's 5nm node according to an AMD roadmap update back in 2022. If AMD doesn't do anything unusual, Zen 4 Threadripper should be a quadruple CCD version of AMD's Ryzen 7000 desktop CPUs, with massive improvements to core counts, memory channels, PCIe lanes, and I/O. We suspect AMD will regulate its maximum core count SKU to 64 cores, just like the past two generations of Threadripper parts, but there's still a chance AMD might increase core counts this generation to improve multi-core performance. With Intel back in the workstation market with its W-3400 and W-2400 series CPUs, there's a chance AMD will want to do something exotic with its Threadripper parts to make them stand out, but we'll have to wait until AMD's official announcement to see what happens. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/threadripper-7000-hedt-wx-spotted-new-listings

Infinix Note 30 5G is set to launch in India on June 14. The phone was released globally earlier this year in May. It is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 6080 SoC and is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with 45W wired fast charging support. The handset is available in varying configurations of 4GB and 8GB of RAM and 128GB and 256GB of inbuilt storage. It is offered in three colour variants and features a triple rear camera setup. Infinix Note 30 5G specifications, features Sporting a 6.78-inch full-HD+ (1,080x2,460 pixels) IPS LTPS LCD display, the Infinix Note 30 5G comes with a touch sampling rate of 240Hz and a peak brightness level of 580 nits. The dual nano SIM-supported smartphone runs stock Android 13 out-of-the-box. The Infinix Note 30 5G is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 6080 SoC paired with Mali-G57 GPU. The phone is available in different configurations of 4GB and 8GB of RAM and 128GB and 256GB of inbuilt storage. An additional 8GB of virtual RAM is offered with the handset. It also offers external microSD card support with a dedicated slot that allows storage to be expanded up to 2TB. In the camera department, a triple rear camera unit on the Infinix Note 30 5G comes with a 108-megapixel primary sensor, which the launch announcement confirmed as well, an 8-megapixel secondary sensor, and an AI sensor. The cameras and an LED flash are placed on a slightly raised rectangular camera module at the top left corner of the back panel. For selfies, a centre-aligned punch-hole slot at the top of the display is equipped with a 16-megapixel sensor. The Infinix Note 30 5G packs a 5,000mAh battery with 45W wired fast charging support. For security, the phone comes with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. The handset is also equipped with dual JBL speakers, a USB Type-C charging port, a 3.55mm audio jack, and an IP53 rating for dust and water resistance. It is available in Interstellar Blue, Magic Black, and Sunset Gold colour options, the last of which comes with a lychee-like leatherback finish. Weighing 204.7 grams, the phone measures 168.51mm x 76.51mm x 8.45mm in size. https://www.gadgets360.com/mobiles/news/infinix-note-30-5g-india-launch-date-june-14-specifications-features-4105278

Two University of Bath graduates have launched their revolutionary women's safety smartwatch app, Epowar, that monitors heart rate and body motion to sense distress and automatically sends an emergency alert if the wearer is attacked. The Epowar app, aimed primarily at women's safety, eliminates the major issue with conventional rape alarms and personal safety products: they need to be physically activated, which is often not an option in a violent assault. The innovative smartwatch app uses AI to respond immediately if a user is attacked when walking or running alone. The app detects distress, sends an alert to the wearer's contacts and automatically records and stores evidence, including microphone data, GPS, vital signs and movement in a cloud system. The app became available on the UK App Store on June 1 and will be rolled out to other devices, such as Fitbit, Android and Garmin, later this year. "We are so excited that after three years of continual research, painstaking experiments and trials, we can finally launch the Epowar app. We believe it will make a major contribution to women's safety. The key is that it all happens automatically—an assailant would have little or no time to prevent this, which is not always possible with conventional panic buttons, rape alarms or your mobile phone," Epowar co-founder E-J Roodt says. "Many women feel scared to walk or run alone—we're afraid of becoming a victim of violence. Technology alone cannot make women safer on our streets, but tech like Epowar can play its part, giving women back some power and control," Roodt says. Inspiration for the app came to Roodt, a BSc Business graduate of the University's School of Management, while jogging in a badly lit park and worrying about the risk of an attack. Roodt, a keen smartwatch user, was aware of the advances in wearable technology and how it was being used to detect heart attacks. She wondered if those concepts could be applied to women's safety and took her ideas to Maks Rahman, an engineering student. Together, they co-founded Epowar. They started building Epowar while studying, supported by the University's Enterprise and Entrepreneurship program, which included funding and a business mentor. They have continued its development full-time since graduating—Roodt in 2022, Rahman a year earlier. The AI-powered system was built on extensive research into detectable responses to physical distress and an analysis of thousands of samples of physiological and motion data. The AI models can distinguish incidents of distress from regular activities and exercises, such as walking. Rahman said the team was keen to avoid the privacy issues that have clouded other security apps, which may include tracking the user. Epowar's software does not track or identify the wearer, up to the point where an alert is issued. Currently, users must switch on the app for specific journeys where they feel there is potential risk but, in future, users will be able to run the app permanently. The data collected is used to fine-tune the app, and is completely anonymized. "I'm used to walking my female friends home whenever it's late or they feel unsafe. I have two younger sisters, I wondered what it would be like for them and if someone would do the same. I hope they use Epowar to be safe and also independent," Rahman says. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-06-app-revolutionizes-safety-women.html

Seagate this week revealed some of the details concerning its heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology roadmap. The company's first HAMR hard drive will feature a 32TB capacity. Meanwhile, the 32TB drive exists alongside Seagate's 24TB HDD, the company's last drive based on perpendicular magnetic recording. Seagate's first HAMR HDD will use ten 3.2TB platters and will thus offer a capacity of 32TB. The 10-disk platform — which is already used for Seagate's high-capacity PMR drives — will continue to be used for a while as the company's following HAMR drive will feature a 36TB capacity and will pack 3.6TB platters. Next up will be 40TB with 4TB media and the company is already mulling 50TB hard drives featuring 5TB disks that already exist in the lab. The company did not reveal launch timeframes for its HAMR drives, but it once said that they were set to be released in Q3 2023. "When you go to HAMR, our 32TB is based on 10 disks and 20 heads," said Gianluca Romano, Seagate's chief financial officer, at the Bank of America 2023 Global Technology Conference (via SeekingAlpha). "The following product will be a 36TB and will still be based on 10 disks and 20 heads. So, all the increase is coming through areal density. The following one, 40TB, still the same 10 disks and 20 heads. Also, the 50TB, we said at our earnings release, in our lab, we are already running individual disk at 5TB." Some of Seagate's HAMR HDDs are already shipping for revenue inside its Corvault systems, though Seagate didn't officially disclose their capacity, but says they rely on its 30TB+ platform. Meanwhile, the company only plans to ship its 30TB+ HAMR hard drives in volume to its hyperscale customers after they qualify them. Before some of them start using HAMR drives, at least some of the large cloud service providers will deploy the company's 24TB HDDs based on conventional PMR technology. Furthermore, some might even adopt Seagate's 28TB hard drives featuring shingled magnetic recording technology. Meanwhile, these will be the company's final high-capacity nearline PMR HDDs. "So, we have a 24TB coming out soon, next few months, you will see it," said Romano. "That is the last PMR product. So I would say [higher] capacity point above 24TB PMR, that is probably 28TB SMR." https://www.tomshardware.com/news/seagate-reveals-hamr-roadmap-32-tb-comes-first

Liverpool have completed a £35m deal to sign midfielder Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton on a five-year contract. The fee could rise to £55m for the Argentina playmaker, who helped Brighton finish sixth in the Premier League this season to qualify for Europe for the first time. The 24-year-old scored 20 goals in 112 appearances for the Seagulls and helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup. "It's a dream come true and I can't wait," said Mac Allister. "I wanted to be in [from] the first day of pre-season, so it's good that everything is done. I'm looking forward to meeting my team-mates. "It was a fantastic year for me - World Cup, what we achieved with Brighton - but now it's time to think about Liverpool and try to be a better player and a better human being every day." 'He never hides' - new Liverpool signing Mac Allister Get Liverpool news notifications Listen to the latest The Red Kop podcast Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is looking to reinforce his midfield with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all leaving Anfield this summer. They were priced out of a move for Borussia Dortmund's England teenager Jude Bellingham, who looks set to join Real Madrid after the clubs agreed a 103m euro (£88.5m) fee. Mac Allister joined Brighton from Argentinos Juniors in January 2019 and immediately went back to the Buenos Aires club on loan. He has played 16 times for Argentina and emerged as a key player during their third World Cup triumph in December. Having sat out their opening defeat by Saudi Arabia, he started the next six games and starred in the final against France. "Since I won the World Cup, I said that I want to win more trophies and I think that this club will help me to do that," said Mac Allister. "That's the aim and when you are in a big club like this one you have to win trophies. I can see how big this club is - the players we have, the staff, everyone. I'm really pleased and looking forward to playing for this club." Mac Allister thanked Brighton on Instagram, writing: "It's time to say goodbye to the club that opened the doors for me and gave me such amazing moments. "I never thought I was going to live what I have lived in these three and a half years, but this club gave me that opportunity and I'll be forever grateful. "I don't have any doubts that this team is going to achieve many important things, because they have the football skills and human quality to do it. "I'll always watch you and support you. Thanks a lot Seagulls, you will always have a special place in my heart!" 'Another smart and impressive deal' - analysis Mandeep Sanghera, BBC Sport Liverpool have been renowned for pulling off some impressive deals and this looks like another one. They have brought in a player who was key to helping Argentina win the World Cup and who has gone from strength to strength in the Premier League with Brighton - helping the south-coast club into the Europa League. Mac Allister was Brighton's leading scorer in the top flight this season and his ability to play in all positions across midfield, along with his game intelligence, were big factors in the Reds moving for the player. Liverpool are also starting what should be a summer rebuild of their midfield. A number of players in that position are leaving and adding in a high-quality addition like Mac Allister will excite fans and bodes well for the future as the Reds look to bounce back from a disappointing season. Julian Ward, who is leaving as the club's sporting director this summer and being replaced by Jorg Schmadtke, led on securing the deal for Mac Allister with the football operations team. Ward has now handed over to Schmadtke, who will take the lead on all transfers. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65842033

From the June 2023 issue of Car and Driver. Break out your American-flag shirt and grab your passport, because NASCAR is headed to France for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The crossover isn't as strange as it might seem. American sports-car teams have long been vying for glory on the Mulsanne straight at the famed endurance race, but NASCAR has only been to Le Mans once before. Each year, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) welcomes a team to Le Mans to participate in the Garage 56 program, an exhibition class created in 2012 to encourage technical innovation. Past G56 racers have run on alternative fuels or featured cockpits equipped for disabled drivers, with two teams from the latter category being the only G56 entries to have ever finished the race. For 2023, the ACO invited NASCAR to compete in the Garage 56 spot to bring the rowdy V-8 NASCAR experience to Europe. Even though NASCAR runs road courses, endurance racing has different rules and challenges. So it's not as simple as just shipping over a Cup Series car. NASCAR chose Hendrick Motorsports, the most successful team in NASCAR's premier class, to go to France. This year's G56 entry will be a Camaro ZL1 Cup Car, modified for the long hours and difficult racing conditions at Le Mans. "We had to adapt it to make it an endurance vehicle," says Brandon Thomas, vice president of vehicle design. "But it's a Cup car in spirit." Check out the photo gallery to learn more about how NASCAR modified the Camaro stock car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 1976, with gas prices high and track attendance low, the ACO invited NASCAR to send over a couple of its big V-8-powered cars to battle with Porsches and prototypes at Le Mans. A Dodge Charger and a Ford Torino made the journey, but neither survived the 24 hours. Nissan campaigned the odd-looking Deltawing in 2012, G56's inaugural year. A study in aerodynamics and weight reduction, the oddly shaped, narrow-front-track wingless design (nearly all downforce came from its diffuser) could run while sipping a fraction of the fuel and using fewer tires. It weighed just over 1000 pounds and successfully hit the pace the ACO requested (between prototype and GT racers). It retired on lap 76 after making contact with a barrier, but that was after it made good on its goal and returned 8.8 mpg at race pace. That'd be just as shocking as a production car getting 100 mpg. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a43965959/nascar-at-24-hours-of-le-mans-2023/

House Oversight Chairman James Comer is scrapping his plans to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress after the two sides reached an agreement over an FBI document that includes an unverified allegation that Joe Biden, while vice president, was involved in a bribery scheme involving a foreign national. Comer, a Kentucky Republican, accepted the FBI’s offer to allow all members on the House Oversight panel to view the internal law enforcement document he initially subpoenaed, known as an FD-1023, in exchange for halting contempt proceedings. The FBI will also make two additional documents available to Comer and the top Democrat on the panel, Rep. Jamie Raskin, according to Comer’s statement announcing the agreement. As a result of the deal, Comer removed Thursday’s scheduled committee meeting to refer Wray for contempt from the schedule. “Allowing all Oversight Committee members to review this record is an important step toward conducting oversight of the FBI and holding it accountable to the American people,” Comer said in a statement. Oversight Committee members can begin viewing the FBI document starting Thursday, a source familiar told CNN. Lawmakers on the panel will have multiple opportunities to view the document, the source added. In response to the deal, Raskin said Wednesday night in a statement, “Chairman Comer’s acceptance of these further accommodations comes after he has spent weeks attacking the FBI despite its extraordinary efforts to provide Committee Republicans the information they claim to seek.” CNN first reported the FBI’s offer earlier Wednesday. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had said earlier in the day that Comer and Wray were planning to speak Wednesday night to negotiate, and signaled that he would accept the FBI’s offer and cease contempt efforts if all committee members could view the document in question. “He needs to show it to every Republican and every Democrat on the committee. If he is willing to do that, then there’s not a need to have contempt. But if he doesn’t follow through with that, then there would be a need for contempt,” McCarthy said of Wray. Earlier this week, senior FBI officials briefed Comer and Raskin. Previously, Comer had said he wanted the FBI to actually turn the document over to him. While the FBI had previously declined to hand over a hard copy of the document, noting it contains unverified information from a confidential human source, the bureau said it was willing to hold a briefing with members of the panel and allow them to view the document as early as Wednesday, sources told CNN, in an effort to stave off contempt of Congress proceedings. The alleged bribery claims documented in the 1023 form surfaced years ago under the Trump administration and eventually became part of Delaware US Attorney David Weiss’ investigation of Hunter Biden, which remains ongoing, people briefed on the matter said. The 1023 includes allegations related to Hunter Biden, as well as Joe Biden, according to people familiar with matter. The FBI interviewed the informant, who was known to the bureau and had considered him a trusted source based on interactions in a previous investigation. Investigators were unable to corroborate the claims, but Pittsburgh US Attorney Scott Brady, who then-Attorney General William Barr had appointed to review allegations brought to the Justice Department by Rudy Giuliani, decided to send the informant’s allegations to Weiss, who was already leading the Hunter Biden probe. It’s unclear what additional steps the FBI took to investigate the claims, but Weiss’ investigation of Hunter Biden has since narrowed in scope to focus on alleged tax violations and a possible false statement. The White House has denied the allegation and dismissed the GOP probe as a political stunt. The decision to halt contempt proceedings comes as a number of House Republicans have been pushing to hold Wray in contempt. GOP Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, a member of the Oversight Committee, told CNN she plans to vote in favor of contempt. “I voted to hold people in contempt up here before. If you don’t follow through with the subpoena, there are consequences to it,” she said. “They’ve stonewalled, they’ve obfuscated, they’ve bullshitted, you know what I mean? It’s like, just follow the law.” GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, also a member of the Oversight panel, told CNN, “It’s an unclassified form. Just showing it to our chairman and to the ranking member, Congressman Raskin, that’s not enough. We subpoenaed the form. And so, the form needs to be handed over. This is his job – Chris Wray’s job.” “If the director of the FBI is flouting subpoenas from Congress, I’m fully supportive of every effort to enforce the subpoena,” GOP Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina, who serves on the House Judiciary Committee told CNN. This story and headline have been updated to reflect additional developments. https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/07/politics/fbi-oversight-committee-document/index.html

Controls on deer numbers have led to woodland regeneration around the Cairngorms' green lochan, according to Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS). An Lochan Uaine, south of Aviemore, is one of the area's best-known lochs because of its emerald colour. FLS said deer culls had allowed woods in the Ryvoan Pass, which overlooks the lochan, to flourish. The public agency said photographs taken in 1984 and the present day showed the scale of recovery. Why are large numbers of red deer being killed? An Lochan Uaine - meaning the Green Lochan - gets its colour from the Sun reflecting minerals in rocks in and around the lochan. According to folklore, the colour is the result of fairies washing their clothes in the small loch at night. An Lochan Uaine lies within an area of surviving ancient Caledonian Forest. FLS said a photograph taken in 1984 by a forester, George Dey, and an image taken by one of its ecology interns, Rossina Parvanova, showed how well the woodland had expanded. Woodland restoration has been ongoing since the early 1990s and has involved increased deer management and removal of non-native trees. Tom Cameron, an FLS area wildlife manager, said: "In the 1984 photo, you can see the trees were sparse with limited regeneration and vegetation growth. "That was down to deer trampling and grazing on vegetation and new shoots." He added: "Ryvoan Pass has regenerated itself incredibly well in the absence of deer. "You can see the Caledonian pine has expanded back up the hillside, accompanied by the associated native broadleaf species such as willow, rowan and birch. "We haven't added or planted anything here - nature did this all by herself once we increased deer management efforts." https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65820467

India to host Miss World 2023: The announcement has come as a surprise as it comes months after confirmation of United Arab Emirates (UAE) as this year's venue for the much-awaited event.(Facebook/Miss World) "I am delighted to announce India as the new home of the 71st Miss World Final! I have had a great affection for India from the first moment I visited this incredible country more than 30 years ago! We cannot wait to share your unique and diverse culture, world class attractions and breathtaking locations with the rest of the world," said Julia Morley, Chairperson and CEO, Miss World Organization in a statement. India that last hosted the event in the year 1996 is set to host 71st Miss World 2023 pageant after a gap of 27 years. The announcement has come as a surprise as it comes months after confirmation of United Arab Emirates (UAE) as this year's venue for the much-awaited event. Though the exact date is yet to be announced, the beauty pageant is expected to take place in November or December this year. (Also read: Sushmita Sen celebrates 29 years of her Miss Universe win with pic from when she was 18: 'It brings me to tears of joy') Reigning Miss World Karolina Bielawska with Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.(Miss World) Contestants from over 130 countries will gather in India to showcase their unique talents, intelligence, and compassion and will participate in a series of rigorous competitions, including talent showcases, sports challenges, and charitable initiatives. The statement further said that there will be several rounds to shortlist participants taking over a period of one month before the grand finale scheduled in November/December 2023. “The 71st Miss World Festival is in the most deserving country, to showcase this magnificent event. It enables representatives of 140 countries to come and experience Incredible India!” said Jamil Saidi, Chairman, PME. “India prepares to welcome the world with open arms with the 71st Miss World 2023 and showcase the country's grace, beauty, and progressive spirit. Join us in celebrating the power of women to make a difference, as we embark on this extraordinary journey together,” said the current Miss World Karolina Bielawska. In February this year, Julia Morley had announced that the competition will take place in the United Arab Emirates in 2023. "Further details to follow," Morley had said at the time. Julia Morley is a former model and is the chairman and CEO of the Miss World Organization, which organizes the Miss World and Mr World(Facebook/Miss World) The first-ever Miss World from India Reita Faria won the contest in 1966. Aishwarya Rai (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999), Priyanka Chopra (2000) and most recently Manushi Chillar (2017) are the other Indian winners of the contest. Miss India World 2022 Sini Shetty will be representing India in Miss World 2023 contest. https://www.hindustantimes.com/photos/lifestyle/janhvi-kapoor-is-a-breath-of-fresh-air-in-black-plunging-neckline-ribbed-dress-101686223523954.html

Russia has blamed Ukraine for a blast on a key ammonia pipeline and says it may have a "negative" impact on efforts to renew a landmark grain export deal. Moscow has accused Ukrainian "sabotage" groups for the blast that damaged the Togliatti-Odesa pipeline on Monday. And the Kremlin says it will not renew last year's grain export deal with Kyiv unless the pipeline is operational. But President Volodymyr Zelensky denied the allegations and said the explosion was likely caused by Russian shelling. Before the war, the 2,500-km (1,530-mile) pipeline - which runs from the Russian city of Togliatti to three Black Sea ports in southern and western Ukraine - exported 2.5 million tonnes of ammonia annually. But operations on the pipeline ceased after Russian's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. During talks to ensure the export of grain from Ukraine last year, Kyiv and Moscow struck a deal to ensure the safe passage of ammonia through the pipeline, which is a key ingredient in the production of fertiliser. The landmark deal brokered by the UN and Turkey was initially agreed in June 2022 for 120 days, and has been extended three times since. The current agreement is set to expire on 17 July. But speaking to reporters in Moscow, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said the blast "can only have a negative impact" on talks to renew the deal. "You know that this topic figured as an integral part of the half of the deal that concerned us, so this is yet another complication in terms of extending the deal." "We don't know what kind of destruction there is, we don't know what the Ukrainian side is going to do next," Mr Peskov added. On Wednesday, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said it would take between one and three months to repair the damage caused to the pipeline, but Industry and Trade minister Denis Manturov said on Thursday that Moscow has no access to the damaged section. Ukraine has strenuously denied being behind the blast, and insisted that Moscow conducted the attack. President Zelensky told reporters that the attack had occurred in a "grey zone" between territory controlled by Ukraine and Russia, and drew a distinction between the explosion and the blast at the Khakovka dam. "It's one story when it is the consequences of war. Yes, the Russian Federation is to blame, but those are the consequences of war," President Zelensky said. "But [in Kakhovka], we understand that this is terrorism. They mined it in advance and did it with their own hands." "We see this as a completely different category," he added. What we know about Ukraine dam incident What is the Ukraine grain deal? Dam destruction devastates vast Ukraine farmland Elsewhere, Russian pro-war bloggers have suggested that a long awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive has begun in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia. Andrey Rudenko, a correspondent for Russian state television channel Rossiya 24, claimed that Ukrainian tanks had launched attacks on Russian lines in the region and said Russian forces had repelled the attack. And Vladimir Rogov, the Russian-installed governor of occupied Zaporzhzhia told state TV that he believed there had been an "attempt at a full-scale offensive for three days, even four" in the region. But Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's national security council, denied reports of the new offensive and said that when Kyiv does launch an offensive "everyone will know about it". Senior US officials have previously told the BBC's US partner CBS News that it is accurate to say that the Ukraine counter offensive is in its opening phases, but that the main thrust has not yet begun. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65845441

Redmi 12 4G has surfaced online in an unboxing video ahead of its launch. The unofficial video gives us a glimpse at the design of the phone and its possible price and specifications. The purported Redmi 12 is seen with a hole-punch cutout on the display and is said to be powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio G88 SoC. The 4G smartphone could be offered in three different colour options. The Redmi 12 is tipped to carry a triple rear camera unit, led by a 50-megapixel primary sensor. Tipster Paras Guglani (@passionategeekz), in collaboration with Newzonly, leaked an unboxing video of the Redmi 12 4G. As per the leak, the handset will go on sale in the next 10 days with a price tag of $155 (roughly Rs. 12,700). It is said to be offered in midnight black, polar silver, and sky blue shades. The alleged video of Redmi 12 4G shows off the retail box of the handset. It is shown in a sky blue colour option with a hole-punch display design. As per the video, the power button and volume rockers are arranged on the left spine of the smartphone, while the sim tray is seen on the right. It appears to have an AI-backed triple rear camera setup and LED flash as well. Redmi 12 4G specifications (expected) Redmi 12 is tipped to feature a 6.79-inch full-HD LCD display with a refresh rate of 90Hz. It is said to run on an octa-core MediaTek Helio G88 SoC. The handset is expected to come with a triple rear camera unit, headlined by a 50-megapixel primary sensor. For selfies and video chats, the phone could include an 8-megapixel sensor at the front. The Redmi 12 was recently spotted on Redmi's official Portugal website. The listing confirmed a 5,000mAh battery with 18W wired charging support on the handset. It is said to feature a side-mounted fingerprint sensor as well. The purported smartphone is expected to succeed the Redmi 10. The latter was launched in March last year with a price tag of Rs. 10,999 for the base 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant. https://www.gadgets360.com/mobiles/news/redmi-12-4g-specifications-price-usd-155-design-unboxing-video-leak-4102194

It looks like Microsoft is in trouble again with European Union regulators over anti-competitive practices, and it could sacrifice Teams in Windows 11 to avoid any conflicts. While I don’t usually applaud companies for removing features from their products, in this case it would be a good move. Let’s be honest: Windows 11 has a bloat problem, with Microsoft filling it with apps and services that most people don’t use, but can’t be easily removed from the device the operating system is running on. Teams is one of those. While Microsoft Teams is an app that’s used by businesses for communication between team members (hence the name), Microsoft also wanted to inflict it on regular users of Windows 11 as well, so built it into the operating system as the Chat app. However, despite Microsoft bundling in Teams via the Chat app, it never properly took off. Most people use the likes of Facebook and WhatsApp for instant messaging these days. That wouldn’t be much of an issue, but not only is Chat pre-installed in Windows 11, you can’t uninstall it. Add it to the list of other apps you don’t want to use but are installed anyway, and Windows 11 can start feeling rather bloated. Right move, wrong reasons However, as Windows Latest reports, it looks like Microsoft may be considering adding the ability to remove Chat in an upcoming version of Windows 11, with references to “RemoveChat” in early Windows 11 preview builds. When enabled, this seems to allow users to completely remove Chat from their system, rather than simply hiding it. This would be a good move for people who want to keep their PCs organized and tidy, without any unused apps clogging things up. However, it doesn’t seem like Microsoft is doing this voluntarily. As Windows Latest points out, the EU is keeping a close eye on Microsoft and how it combines its products like Office and Teams with Windows 11, which could give those products an unfair advantage over rivals. Adding an option to fully remove Chat could avoid those accusations, while also allowing Microsoft to still preinstall it. Interestingly, the RemoveChat option appears to be linked to geographical data, which suggests this might only be available to users in certain regions – such as the European Union. If that’s the case, then it looks like Microsoft is determined to do the absolute minimum so that it can avoid any fines from the EU, but still trying to make Chat po[CENSORED]r with users. This is frustrating, as while Windows 11 is a decent enough operating system, Microsoft continues to add apps and services, or adverts for those apps and services, to the OS, regardless of whether users want them or not. By doing this, and not allowing users to remove the apps or adverts, many people – myself included – have increasingly felt like Microsoft has been pushing its luck, and been a bit too aggressive when trying to get us to use its products. So, while I certainly would welcome this move, I can’t say I’m too thrilled about Microsoft’s seeming reluctance to give its customers more freedom at the expense of its own commercial ambitions. https://www.techradar.com/news/microsoft-is-willing-to-sacrifice-teams-in-windows-11-and-im-ok-with-that

There’s nothing quite like delving into an unknown story inside of a brand new book. But what if you could find a new adventure every time you opened the cover? That’s exactly what this Raspberry Pi project, created by Erin St Blaine for Adafruit, does and it’s beyond magical. This Raspberry Pi-powered storybook writes new stories on demand using ChatGPT, merging the creative potential of AI with the fun of microelectronics. When you open the cover, you’re met with a touch screen display. It has a microphone integrated that listens for you to say a story prompt out loud. Inside is a Raspberry Pi that processes the speech to text and parses it to Open AI. From there, a new story is written on the spot using your own parameters—much like Roald Dahl’s short story The Great Automatic Grammatizator. In addition to writing stories on the spot, it also has a special prompt file that you can use to edit in specific features. For example, you can create a list of character names that will insert into the stories it creates. You can also choose how long the stories are and even specify a specific writing style for ChatGPT to emulate. For this tutorial, St Blaine recommends using a book that measures in at 8 x 6 x 2.5in. She used a jig saw and drill to hollow out a cavity for the electronics. Inside is a Raspberry Pi 4B with 8GB of RAM, a USB microphone, and a 7-inch touchscreen display. A magnetic contact switch is used to trigger the startup script so it knows when the cover has been opened. Because this project uses OpenAI, it helps to have plenty of processing power so the 8GB Raspberry Pi 4B is an optimal choice but you might get away with a lesser Pi model—as long as it can run the 64-bit version of Raspberry Pi OS. You can find a detailed tutorial on how to recreate this project over at the Adafruit website. This Raspberry Pi project looks great on paper but we definitely recommend checking out the live demo. You can see it in action over at YouTube. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/raspberry-pi-ai-storybook

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