Wassim MH

While the Volkswagen Galaxy continues to grow in the electric market, the group is fine-tuning the range of its offer. The Audi Q4 E-Tron comes at the right time to fill a significant gap on the premium side. Volkswagen is booming on electric and wants to make it known. After years of supremacy for the Renault Zoé and then since last year for the Tesla Model 3 in the field of "general public" electric vehicles, the manufacturer is the first to have succeeded in scoring decisive points in this area, with conclusive commercial results. This revolution has a name, ID. Expertly prepared thanks to a strong identity, a high level of technology coupled with a multipurpose platform (MEB), Volkswagen in just two years has succeeded in its bet: to produce an electric car capable of nibbling sales from the market leaders. In the middle of two years complicated by the Covid crisis and the shortage of semiconductors, the Volkswagen ID3 ended the year 2020 number 3 in European electric sales (55,000 copies). And the brand even ends the year 2021 with 2 models in the Top 5, the ID.3 (53,000), but also its SUV version, the ID.4 (38,000). Range Strategy A great performance, certainly facilitated by Volkswagen's massive size and high-tech industrial tool, its tens of billions of euros in investment budgets, but also by a real success with the public. The second stage of the rocket at Volkswagen will be to take advantage of this success to expand its range of compact electric cars as much as possible through its multiple brands, each with its own specificities. The ID3/4 has cousins, launched and in the process of being launched: Skoda Enyaq for the family side, Cupra Born for the sports side, a future Seat model with a low-cost vocation… Luxury was missing with Audi. And the initiative comes at the right time for the brand with the 4 rings: despite the undeniable success of electrified models (rechargeable hybrids) through the E-Tron label, and 2 100% electric models ("Grand" E-Tron and E- Tron GT, cousin of the Porsche Taycan), Audi lacked a more accessible model, truly designed to score points in the field of electric compact SUVs, THE growth sector of the moment. The strong point: a great visual impact This is done with this Audi Q4 E-Tron, and in particular in this 50 Sportback Quattro version. Based on the same platform and the same technology as the Volkswagen ID4 GTX, it uses its engine (2 electric motors with a combined power of 299 horsepower) and the 82 kWh battery. Solid fundamentals, but… Audi really wanted to make it something other than a simple rebadged ID4. Very fluid, sporty lines, coupe tailgate, give a real impression of lightness to a rather heavy machine (2.2 tons!), with a rather short bonnet with very suggestive optics. In our test version (One Bronze Edition), this impression of quality and sportiness is even more striking, with Audi logos on the rear fenders, black lacquered bodywork trim instead of chrome, and satin rims absolutely spectacular bronze/gold, which would almost in themselves justify the choice of the vehicle. An absolute must, which makes it a kind of RSQ3 of the future, has a very strong visual impact. Premium… and sound Inside, no doubt, it's an Audi. Very stylish cabin furniture, including a slightly off-centered triangular passenger side console, leather, lacquered plastics, and a very beautiful steering wheel once again In all respects the quality and comfort correspond 100% to the brand, we feel that the work has been intense and careful to make the perceived quality very convincing and worthy of the 4 rings. And as on the E-Tron 55 that we had the chance to try, all the in-house technology is there to make journeys pleasant, without overloading the driver with information. A beautiful digital screen behind the steering wheel (with a very practical head-up display), an infotainment system with a multitude of display possibilities, all via a readable but not omnipresent screen... clearly the motorist in got his money's worth. You don't even need a stop/start button, sit down and the Q4 E-Tron is ready to go. At low speed, under 30km/h, Audi has designed an excellent rolling noise (imposed figure and casually important for the electric driving experience…) evoking both a futuristic flying saucer sound but also modulating a noise a rather velvety "engine", evoking a little the group's large-displacement petrol… sound that goes so far as to "imitate" downshifts during deceleration. Impressive. The strong point: safe behavior and exceptional road holding The behavior of this Q4 E-Tron 50 is also worthy of Audi. Very maneuverable at low speed, precise and dynamic, it becomes imperial in terms of handling at normal speed. We are literally on track. The suspension is optimally tuned, without dragging the driver too far from the road, and the Quattro transmission guarantees perfect traction. As for the accelerations, they are very sensitive and very rewarding (0 to 100 km/h around 6.5 seconds) but far from the unexpected savagery of a Volvo C40 Twin Recharge (which is normal with 100 less horsepower) . But it is ultimately a blessing in disguise, the machine being only more coherent and homogeneous. Consumption point of view, the Q4 E-Tron 50 is relatively sober, with (in a mixed route combining city and expressways) a noted consumption of 17 to 20 kWh / 100km, which would give, according to calculations of averages, an autonomy in the vicinity from 460 to 470 kilometers, roughly in line with the 485 kilometers claimed in WLTP standards. Audi explains in particular that it has optimized consumption, particularly at low speeds, with in particular a "B" position on the gear lever which will allow you to optimize energy recovery under braking, and to drive almost only with one pedal. In terms of charging time, the machine fills up (80%) in about 30 minutes on a high-power charging station (125 kW), 1 hour 45 minutes on a 50 kW direct current system, 6 hours on most charging stations. 7.4kW/32A and 24-hour public charging on a domestic socket, which remains completely standard for cars in the segment. The downside: a very high price Not really any faults to report on this Audi Q4 E-Tron 50 Quattro. Except… Its price. At 69,950 euros base price (and even 87,920 for the One Bronze special edition tested here), it is well ahead of a much more powerful Volvo C40 Twin Recharge, and more than 10,000 euros at the above the Mercedes EQA 350… and the entry-level Tesla Model Y, which is more autonomous and more… Tesla. Once again Audi will cap everyone from a price point of view, just as its "big" E-Tron 50/55 was the most expensive in the upper segment, which opposed it to the Jaguar IPace, the Mercedes EQC, the BMW IX3 and the Tesla Model X. A clear choice for a dynamic segment, certainly, but where the competition will be increasingly fierce, and where the premium will have to fully justify its ambitions in terms of price. Undoubtedly there remains one quality that will place this very convincing Q4 Etron 50 Quattro a little above the rest, homogeneity. It offers the best balance in this segment between performance, power, operating economy and perceived quality. But again at a (very) high price. https://www.bfmtv.com/auto/essais/essai-audi-q4-sportback-50-e-tron-le-choix-gagnant-pour-l-electrique-premium-dans-le-groupe-vw_AN-202203120114.html

Marine Le Pen and some of her relatives are accused of having embezzled around 600,000 euros of European public money. Marine Le Pen (RN) and her relatives are accused by the European Anti-Fraud Office (Olaf) of having embezzled around 600,000 euros of European public money during their mandates as MEPs, according to a new report revealed on Saturday by Mediapart and handed over to French justice. Asked by AFP, the Paris prosecutor's office confirmed that it had received this report on March 11, which is currently being analyzed. "Marine Le Pen disputes it. She disputes without having access to the report, without having access to the indictments. It is an instrumentalization, but unfortunately I am not surprised", denounced her lawyer, Me Rodolphe Bosselut on BFMTV. According to him, Olaf's investigation has been open since 2016 and Marine Le Pen was questioned by mail in March 2021. He denounced an investigation "not very compliant with the most essential and basic rules of the law of the defense". 600,000 euros misappropriated? Olaf's new report, of which Mediapart publishes extracts, concerns the fees that political groups can use in the context of their mandate as MEPs and that Marine Le Pen and her relatives would have used for national political purposes, to personal expenses or for services for the benefit of commercial companies close to the National Rally and the far-right parliamentary group Europe des nations et des libertés (ENL). Olaf implicates Marine Le Pen, the ENL and three other former MEPs: his father Jean-Marie Le Pen, his former companion Louis Aliot and Bruno Gollnisch, member of the national office of the RN. The office accuses them of having embezzled around 600,000 euros, of which it recommends reimbursement. According to the report, the candidate of the National Rally would have personally embezzled around 137,000 euros of public money from the Parliament of Strasbourg when she was an MEP between 2004 and 2017. Since June 2017, Marine Le Pen has also been prosecuted in the investigation carried out in Paris on suspicion of fictitious jobs in the European Parliament of party assistants. She is indicted for "embezzlement of public funds" and "complicity" in this offense as part of this judicial investigation. https://www.bfmtv.com/politique/elections/presidentielle/presidentielle-visee-par-un-rapport-europeen-de-lutte-contre-la-fraude-marine-le-pen-conteste_AD-202204160315.html

V2 - Text & Effects

V2 text & color & Effects

The Redmi Note 11 is on sale on the Mi store. The Xiaomi brand smartphone goes below 180 euros thanks to a multitude of reductions. This promotional offer is part of a limited time offer. Until Monday April 18, 2022, Xiaomi is carrying out its Xiaomi Fan Festival, a commercial operation that allows fans of the brand to obtain a product from the Chinese brand at a very reduced price. Among the high-tech products on promotion from Xiaomi, we find the Redmi Note 11. Available in its 128 GB version, the smartphone offered in several colors is at 179.90 euros instead of 249.90 euros. The reduction of 70 euros includes in particular a refund offer which is valid before May 15. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 sees its price drop like never before Released at the beginning of 2022 in France, Xiaomi's Redmi Note 11 is a phone that has a 6.43-inch AMOLED DotDisplay screen with a definition of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 90 Hz The smartphone also has 4GB RAM, 128GB storage expandable up to 1TB, Snapdragon 680 processor, 5000mAh battery with fast charging and of the Android mobile operating system with an overlay. Regarding the photo / video part, there is a quadruple main sensor of 50 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP and a front sensor of 13 MP dedicated to selfies. Connectivity essentially consists of Wifi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 5.0, a USB-C port, a headphone jack and GPS. Finally, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 comes with an adapter, a USB Type-C cable, a SIM card eject tool and a protective case. Click here to see the Xiaomi offer on the Redmi Note 11 >> Take advantage of offers on current mobile plans The BFMTV editorial staff did not participate in the production of this content. BFMTV is likely to receive compensation when one of our readers makes a purchase via the links included in this article. LINK: https://www.bfmtv.com/pratique/shopping/xiaomi-fait-une-folie-et-propose-une-offre-a-saisir-sur-le-redmi-note-11_AB-202204160004.html

April 15, 2022 “HPC Matters!” was the big, bold title of a talk by Piyush Mehrotra, division chief of NASA’s Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) Division at its Ames Research Center, during the meeting of the HPC Advisory Council at Stanford last week. At the meeting, Mehrotra offered a glimpse into the state of supercomputing at NASA—and how its systems are being applied. “The NASA Ames supercomputing facility that is located just down the road from you guys there at Stanford is NASA’s premiere supercomputer center,” Mehrotra said. “There’s another one in Colorado which is slightly smaller in size, focused more on the earth sciences.” “Our charter is to support all of NASA’s missions,” he continued. “At any point, we have about 1,500, 1,600 users, with about 600 projects—science and engineering projects which are spread across all the four mission directives that NASA supports on the science side.” NASA’s HPC operations The center, he explained, has three main systems: Pleiades, launched in 2016, delivers 5.95 Linpack petaflops (81st on the Top500); Electra, launched two years later in 2018, delivers 5.44 Linpack petaflops; and the newcomer, Aitken, launched in 2020 and, according to the Top500 (where it ranks 84th) delivers 5.80 Linpack petaflops—but Mehrotra said that this had just changed. “Some of you may have used this—Pleiades was our main system until recently,” he said. “Aitken … has taken over as our biggest system as of, actually, last week.” He said the system now rates at 6.39 Linpack petaflops. The newer systems—Electra and Aitken—are housed in a modular supercomputing facility, which Mehrotra said saves on time and capital expenditure when installing new systems. “We can [also] leverage California’s great weather … to be much more eco-friendly,” he said. “So instead of having big huge chillers and air conditioning units to cool Pleiades in the building, [for] Electra and Aitken, what we have been doing is using outside air 90 percent of the time to cool the systems. When it becomes too hot—above 85 degrees, like it was yesterday—then we have fiber curtains where water flows through it, and as the water flows through it … that cools down the air, which then cools the systems.” (“Aitken,” he said, “has a similar kind of facility, but it’s slightly different, with a closed water loop which cools the actual chips.”) Mehrotra explained that Electra was the pilot for this modular approach, but that NASA now has a one-acre pad in place for modules—the first of which is already completely full, with a second on the way. The facility’s supercomputers are supplemented by 50-60 petabytes of primary storage with about an exabyte of tape storage. They are also complemented by NASA’s massive, 128-screen visualization system, called the Hyperwall, which is used for displaying NASA’s simulations. “And of course we have some amount of GPUs [and] other smaller systems,” Mehrotra said. “GPUs are not a big part of my environment because we haven’t seen a lot of usage of GPUs at this point for traditional scientific applications. The use for AI and ML is increasing, and as it increases we’ll add more GPUs, too.” A constellation of science in support of NASA’s strategy “NASA’s strategic plan is organized around four themes, with the vision of exploring the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all,” Mehrotra explained, outlining each: “discover,” “explore,” “develop … the technologies of tomorrow,” and “enable … the capabilities, workforce and facilities that allow NASA to achieve its mission.” “High-performance computing actually lands in this ‘enabling technologies’ piece,” he said, but affects the others as well. To illustrate the impact of HPC at NASA, Mehrotra highlighted a series of projects run on NASA’s supercomputers. LINK:https://www.hpcwire.com/2022/04/15/nasa-spotlights-its-galaxy-of-hpc-activities/

Anker is selling a 3-pack of 20W USB-C chargers for a measly price of just $26.34. These chargers are perfect for fast charging iPhone 13. Grab 3 USB-C Chargers from Anker for Just $26.34 - Perfect for Fast Charging Any iPhone, iPad or Android Device Fast chargers can cost an arm and a leg at times, especially if you're buying first party ones. But, if you know where to look, you can save a decent amount of money on top-notch fast chargers. Right now, Anker is giving everyone a chance to pick up not one, not two, but three USB-C chargers for a low price of just $26.34. Being able to pump out 20W of power, these chargers are fully MagSafe compatible and will charge any iPhone 13 smartphone at full speed. But that's not all, all of these chargers offer fast charging for all USB Power Delivery compatible devices including a ton of Android phones. Even if you have an iPad, this charger will handle everything like a champ. Also, Nintendo Switch users should be able to top up their console at a decent pace as well. In short, anything and everything that support USB-C charging will be handled brilliantly here. LINK:https://wccftech.com/this-deal-from-anker-is-nuts-pack-of-3-20w-usb-c-chargers-for-just-26-34/

Today is the first day of 2022, and there are already close to 2000 new mobile games ready to download. Most of these games are absolutely horrible, but some of them are quite amazing. 10 of which are definitely going to be the best mobile games of 2022.

The Esports & Gaming Agency (EGA) and Acer partnered to launch Predator’s po[CENSORED]r ‘It Lies Within’ campaign in the MENA region. The ‘It Lies Within’ campaign is a Predator original; it includes a one of a kind three-part miniseries that focuses on the power that lies within gamers and what they can achieve with the performance of the latest technology from Predator Gaming. “We were very excited to kickstart and launch It Lies Within.” said Michele Montecchio, Country Manager, Acer Middle East. “With the vision and energy of what It Lies Within represents, we believe that EGA share our goal to showcase that gamers can be empowered by the technology and performance of Predator gaming devices. Montecchio continued, “The Middle East gaming community continues to impress everyone with its growth, and Predator is committed to contributing to the development of the gaming community – both on a grass roots and professional level.” The ‘It Lies Within’ campaign was extended by locally amplifying the mini-series by collaborating with two of the region’s biggest gaming influencers who hosted watch parties and highlighted powerful Predator products on their social media channels. Competitions were held in which Predator products were also given away to fans of Predator on their channels. The ‘It Lies Within’ campaign ended with a community based Fortnite e-sports tournament with a $2,000 prize pool. The invitational tournament occurred in early March and was hosted by one of the region’s biggest Fortnite casters. The invitational was a perfect opportunity for Fortnite pro players to get their chance to shine and share their “power” with the community. “We are proud to be associated with Predator to launch the It Lies Within Campaign Karim Mousa, Director at EGA. “With our legacy of fostering the gaming community from the ground up, we know that a gamer is as powerful as the hardware they use and having the best gear provides an edge over the competition. With Predator’s stellar line up of gaming hardware that provides this, it’s a perfect opportunity to build upon the community.” The campaign reached millions of players across the Middle East, and was viewed by thousands of live audiences: 4.2 Million social media reach More than 325,000 views of video & streamed content 100 Esports players participating in the invitational tournament LINK: https://me.pcmag.com/en/gaming/13634/ega-and-acer-partner-to-launch-it-lies-within-predator-gaming-campaign

Obama and his longtime photographer and friend Pete Souza reminisce over some of their favorite photos from their visits to the world’s greatest national parks. Watch Our Great National Parks, only on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/OurGreatNatio... More about Our Great National Parks From the executive producer of Blue Planet II comes OUR GREAT NATIONAL PARKS, a breathtaking five-part series narrated by President Barack Obama that invites viewers to experience nature in the world's most iconic national parks. Spanning five continents, the series brims with wonder, humor, and optimism as each episode tells the story of a national park through the lives of its wildest residents — both big and exceptionally small — and explores our changing relationship with wilderness. Traveling from the waters of Monterey Bay, California, to the bright red soil of Kenya’s Tsavo National Park, the lush rainforests of Indonesia’s Gunung Leuser National Park, the majestic terrain of Chilean Patagonia, and more, OUR GREAT NATIONAL PARKS beckons us to get out and explore, create new ways for these wild places to thrive, and vigorously preserve them for future generations to come. This series is a Wild Space production in association with Higher Ground Productions and Freeborne Media. Using the social hashtag #WildForAll, viewers can share the wild spaces in their personal lives while learning about the spaces others enjoy — all toward the goal of ultimately making a meaningful change for our world.To learn more, please visit https://www.wildforall.org/ #OurGreatNationalParks #WildForAll SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/29qBUt7 About Netflix: Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with 222 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries, feature films and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments. President Obama and Pete Souza React to Photos from Their Adventures | Our Great National Parks https://youtube.com/Netflix Narrated by former President Barack Obama, this stunning docuseries shines the spotlight on some of the planet's most spectacular national parks.

Things are looking bright for Zhuzhou. The city of 4m people in landlocked Hunan province has often caught the runoff of industrial business from the more populous provincial capital, Changsha, to its north. In the 1990s it became a regional hub for chemicals and metals production. But that caused horrible environmental destruction; more than 1,000 polluters were eventually shut down, with dire economic consequences. Zhuzhou’s inland economy has remained behind that of coastal cities. Over the past decade its moderate growth has been typical of the mid-tier cities that dot China’s interior. Now, however, its officials talk as if it were a tech hub. Hundreds of artificial-intelligence (ai), robotics and data companies have sprung up in the past year. Local planning documents reflect the exuberance of a boomtown in the making, something Zhuzhou could only watch from afar in the 1990s as eastern ports became rich. LINK:https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/04/16/xi-jinpings-bold-plan-for-chinas-next-phase-of-innovation

During the mating season, male blue-footed boobies strut around with exaggerated movements that show off their fabulous blue feet. Females tend to pick the males with the bluest feet as their mates. COMMON NAME: Blue-Footed Booby SCIENTIFIC NAME: Sula nebouxii TYPE: Birds DIET: Carnivore GROUP NAME: Flock AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 17 years SIZE: 32 to 34 inches; wingspan: nearly 5 feet WEIGHT: 3.25 pounds Blue-footed boobies sleep at night, generally on land, and feed at sea during the day. Sometimes boobies feed in a group. They often fly far out to sea to look for their prey—small fish such as anchovies. The birds either zip underwater for fish from a floating position on the water's surface or make awesome dives from as high as 80 feet (24 meters) in the air. Once it spots a school of fish, the bird folds those wings back, becoming a streamlined, torpedo-shaped predator. The booby dives into the water among the school of fish, using its long beak to grab dinner. Parents take care of their chicks feeding and protecting them—until they're about two months old. At that point, young boobies can survive on their own. LINK:https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/blue-footed-booby

The Kapoor family is on cloud nine as they welcomed their gorgeous bride Alia Bhatt on April 14. Neetu Kapoor, in particular, is beaming with joy after his son Ranbir Kapoor’s marriage. Not only this, but she is singing praises for her daughter-in-law Alia, and while sharing their pictures from their dreamy wedding, she also described Alia and Ranbir as her “world”. The veteran actress, who will be seen as one of the judges of the kids' dance reality show Dance Deewane Juniors, recently revealed that she would like her daughter-in-law to rule the house. The dance reality show is all set to premiere on Colors TV on April 23, and the official Instagram account of the channel has dropped a new promo of an episode wherein Neetu Kapoor can be seen talking about Alia. As per Neetu Kapoor’s outfit, the episode was shot on April 11, when she and other family members were still denying the reports of Alia and Ranbir’s wedding. We say this as Neetu Kapoor earlier dropped a fun BTS video from the reality show wherein she can be seen dancing with her co-judges Nora Fatehi and Marzi Pestonji wearing the same outfit. The video begins with Nora notoriously making a pun on the word sass and pronouncing it as ‘saas’, which in Hindi means mother-in-law. Nora can be heard saying, “Aapne sass seekha hai na (you have learned sass right)?” To this Neetu Kapoor responds by saying that learning the art of sass and swag is proving very handy to her. Show host Karan Kundrra jumps at the moment and hints at the reports of Ranbir and Alia's wedding by saying, “Sass to aarahi hai kyonki bahu bhi to aahi rahi hai (she is learning sass because her daughter-in-law is also coming).” While smiling, Neetu Kapoor replies, “Aa gayi hai (She has already arrived)." Karan then asks, “Ghar pe chal kiski rahi hai? Sass (saas) ki ya bahu ki (who rules the house? Mother-in-law or daughter-in-law)?" To this, the Do Dooni Chaar actress replies, “Khaali bahu ki. Mai chahti hu ki sirf bahu ki hi chale (daughter-in-law rules the house. I want only my daughter-in-law to rule the house).” LINK:https://www.news18.com/news/movies/neetu-kapoor-wants-daughter-in-law-alia-bhatt-to-rule-the-house-sirf-bahu-ki-hi-chale-4994143.html

It is difficult to find a high-performance sports car on the French market without having to pay significant penalties now. One and only exception: the Suzuki Swift Sport. The best deal of the moment? Times are getting tougher and tougher for the sports car. Beyond the very high-end market, and supercars and hypercars, which are experiencing no crisis, the entire sports segment on four wheels is the main victim of new anti-pollution standards and regulatory requirements in terms of CO2. If this does not mean the total death of the mainstream sports car, the major manufacturers are reorganizing their priorities. Because if paying monstrous penalties is ultimately of little importance to luxury customers (Porsche, Ferrari, etc.), ecological penalties have gradually made certain models for the general public unsaleable. At Renault, exit the RS brand (Clio and Mégane) which have become overpriced with penalties of several thousand euros. Everything is now grouped together at Alpine, which will undergo an intensive electrification treatment to survive. Same thing at Peugeot where the Peugeot Sport Engineered label has taken high-performance models under its wing (notably the 508 to begin with), but not without the adoption of plug-in hybridization to drastically reduce emissions. And the same thing at Volkswagen where the days of the GTI label are numbered as such, as it is now complex to sell affordable high-performance cars without deeply electrifying them. The GTE label and its hybrid traction chain have taken over. Some thermal sports models are still manufactured, but primarily reserved for other markets, Asia and America, where environmental constraints are less financially severe. If Toyota has nevertheless confirmed that it will sell its sporty GR86 in France, in particular because the CO2 average of its entire range still allows it, Nissan, for example, has given up importing its future 400ZX there. The strong point: a real Japanese-style "Mini" It's hard to find authentic thermal sports cars so... But not impossible. Some high-performance, small-displacement cars are still affordable thanks to low penalties. But one and only one escapes it completely among the big generalists: the Suzuki Swift Sport. Sold since 1997 in Europe (around 50,000 copies per year, the sport version representing less than 10%), this Japanese interpretation of the mini city car has its small loyal clientele, attracted by a really interesting value for money. The Suzuki Swift Sport, to stick to Euro 6 standards, "cheated" a bit. It is no longer 100% thermal. The small car indeed embeds the light hybridization technology house, a 48v battery, an alternator-starter and a transformer, which support an already lively 1.4 liter turbo engine, by recharging thanks to the recovery of energy at the braking. The result is a power of 129 horsepower at 5500 rpm, and a torque greater than the old thermal version at 235N/m at half the tachometer. The contribution of the electric part is significant, and makes it possible to offer a small additional booster effect, by filling in the dips in engine speed and reducing consumption and CO2 emissions. Result: 5.6 liters per 100 kilometers on average mixed WLTP (about 7.5 liters in sporty driving) for 125g of CO2. So… strictly neutral from a regulatory point of view. Comfortable, practical, well equipped The result is a round engine, rather discreet at idle and very smooth when driving, backed up by (Oh Wonder!) a very convincing 6-speed manual gearbox. The little Suzuki Swift Sport is playful and determined thanks to its contained mass (a little over a ton), and has a suspension that is comfortable enough to make city trips pleasant. The passenger compartment, very simple but well finished, "old-fashioned" (notably needle counters), is embellished with good bucket seats with excellent support. Not to spoil anything, the rear space is rather generous for a city car, the roof guard is significant and contributes to the impression of space, accentuated by large glass surfaces, and its access is facilitated by camouflaged opening rear doors. The trunk, even small (263 liters) remains roomy, sufficient to carry a large suitcase, two sports bags and a few odds and ends. In addition, even if the mutimedia system is a bit dated, the Swift Sport has a good level of technological equipment, from Apple Car Play to lane keeping assistance, as well as intelligent cruise control and flexible… among others. A very good point for a vehicle of this category. We love even more: a happy little sportswoman But make way for sport! And in terms of sensations, if you press the button (in compliance with speed limits, of course), the Suzuki Swift sport is truly full of qualities. If those nostalgic for the old models will regret the performance in retreat (the 0 to 100 km/h goes back to 9.1 seconds) and an increase in mass, this little car is just waiting to give truly sporting sensations. The powertrain makes a nice noise when it goes up in the towers, without being ostentatious, and you really feel the beneficial contribution of the electric supercharging. The Swift Sport accelerates well, reacts sanely and leaps from corner to corner, just waiting to climb the revs. We are certainly far from the brilliant acceleration if only of a Clio RS or the rigorous behavior of the chassis and the front axle of a Ford Fiesta ST, but we are driving an authentic little sports car full of good will. We will not lead her with a knife between her teeth, but rather smile on her lips, filling up with good feelings. The black point: some frustrating adjustments The only areas of frustration really relate to the detail: certainly the gearbox could have been a little better guided, the suspensions less flexible to avoid a little roll, and the switch less killjoy (it comes in a little early just below 6000 rpm)… also note a very small tank (32 litres) which requires refueling often despite the low consumption. But at what cost? For the rest, at 22,550 euros, Suzuki offers with its Swift Sport an absolutely unbeatable price/sensation ratio, with the key being a joyful little authentic sports car that avoids the cold shower of the penalty. A high-level technical and commercial performance in the current context, for a unique car. Link: https://www.bfmtv.com/auto/essais/essai-suzuki-swift-sport-la-derniere-sportive-sans-malus_AN-202202130077.html

The First Secretary of the party, Olivier Faure, calls for blocking the far right before obstructing Emmanuel Macron in the legislative elections. New support for Emmanuel Macron. In a statement titled "We all want to say shit, but on April 24, we vote 'Macron' to block the far right", the Socialist Party of Anne Hidalgo, credited with less than 2% in the first round of the presidential election, lent its support to the current President of the Republic. In this document signed by the First Secretary of the left party Olivier Faure, the first paragraph recalls that "the danger is real, the danger is imminent." "The far right's only promise is chaos!" In this press release, the socialist leader lists the reasons why "everything separates us" with Marine Le Pen's program. "The National Rally may move, it does not change. Its software remains identity-based, xenophobic, populist and anti-European", he writes, before denouncing "the 'soft' strategy of the RN candidate" which "in truth masks a 'shock' project: institutional coup to impose national preference, hidden frexit to leave the European Union, redefinition of our strategic alliances for the benefit of dictatorships. The only promise of the far right is chaos !”, is it hammered. After recalling "examples abroad" which show that "with the far right, it's always the same story, Olivier Faure launches a solemn appeal. ON THE SAME SUBJECT Presidential: after the failure, the difficult return of Anne Hidalgo and Valérie Pécresse to local politics "On April 24, we save democracy, we do not choose a program", he attacks, before ensuring that he wants, at the end of the second round, to "obstruct Emmanuel Macron's project!" "On June 12, we choose a majority to avoid retirement at 65, the guilt of RSA recipients, the creeping privatization of public schools and the abandonment of public services", he concludes. https://www.bfmtv.com/politique/elections/presidentielle/presidentielle-le-ps-appelle-a-voter-macron-et-a-se-mobiliser-pour-les-legislatives_AN-202204150541.html

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is displayed on Rakuten at a surprising price. Normally displayed at 759 euros, it is offered on the e-merchant's site at only 479.99 euros! If the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is the smartphone you are looking for, now is the time to buy it! It is indeed offered at only 479.99 euros on Rakuten. When you buy a smartphone, several criteria come into play. The brand, screen size, performance, camera or battery life. The price is also a decisive factor. Sometimes you just have to wait a few weeks to see the desired smartphone on sale! Not necessarily on the official brand website, but on the sites of dealers, smartphones are often available at discounted prices. This is the case of the Galaxy S21 FE! The famous Galaxy S21 FE is less than 480 euros The Galaxy S21 FE is one of the most recent smartphones offered by Samsung. This smartphone features a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. The glass of the screen is also protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, the most resistant glass of Galaxy smartphones. The Galaxy S21 FE features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, a fast and smart chip that lets you enjoy much more intense gaming and multitasking performance. For the photo, there is a triple camera, with an ultra wide-angle sensor of 12MP, a wide-angle sensor of 12 MP also and an optical zoom X3 of 8MP. Up front, you get a 32-megapixel selfie camera. Finally, the 4500mAh battery guarantees you long-lasting autonomy. Take advantage of the Galaxy S21 FE offer on Rakuten >> The Galaxy S21 is also on sale The BFMTV editorial staff did not participate in the production of this content. BFMTV is likely to receive compensation when one of our readers makes a purchase via the links included in this article. https://www.bfmtv.com/pratique/shopping/samsung-galaxy-s21-fe-prix-choquant-sur-ce-site-que-personne-n-a-vu-venir_AB-202204150007.html?dicbo=v1-0b0c65d206003d77918b5f4c9de8876f-001b27df2c4f7e4bf4131033ccf4cc4029-g5swcylcmm4giljxmmyweljumrrggllbg42dgljqgq4dcolfmzrggzbshe

Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Columbia University, the University of Connecticut, University of Edinburgh, Regensburg University, and the University of Southampton are seeking answers to physics mysteries at the highest energies and shortest distances. The team is devising new methods and enhancing their code in order to exploit the huge potential of the forthcoming Intel-HPE Aurora exascale supercomputer. Dr. Norman Christ, Ephraim Gildor Professor of Computational Theoretical Physics at Columbia University explains, “Supercomputers are required because we are studying phenomena that involve quarks and gluons whose interactions require enormous computer resources to accurately predict results. Using the Aurora exascale supercomputer will allow us to do high energy physics research that isn’t possible on existing supercomputers. Our research focuses on rare processes that are sensitive to new phenomena, which can appear directly only in experiments performed at energies far higher than those accessible in present particle accelerators.” Some of the questions the team hopes to answer include: Can the 0.0000000000001% difference between the masses of the two species of neutral K meson be predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics? What are the contributions of the up, down, strange and charm quarks at low energy to the asymmetries between particles and anti-particles found in the decays of these K mesons? Does the new measurement of a very rare decay of a K+ meson into a p+ meson plus two neutrinos that occurs once in every ten billion decays, agree with the prediction of the Standard Model? Physicists hope the answers to questions such as these will provide clues to underlying laws of nature that governed the origins of our universe. The team is using early versions of the Intel Xe GPUs and anticipates a 50X processing speed-up in running calculations compared to those done on the ALCF Mira supercomputer. The team’s improved codes targeting Aurora make extensive use of the oneAPI multi-platform framework. Discovering the nature of sub-atomic particles Physics research seeks to discover information about the fundamental elements of matter and the laws, which govern their interactions. There are important phenomena observed on a cosmic scale such as the dominance of matter over anti-matter and the observations that suggest the existence of dark matter and dark energy that hint at new particles and interactions not present in the Standard Model. Central to the Standard Model are elementary particles called quarks and gluons that combine to form particles known as hadrons which include the protons and neutrons that make up the atomic nucleus. Quarks have properties such as mass, electrical charge, color charge and spin. There are six known types of quark named up, down, charm, strange, top, and bottom. For every type of quark, an antiquark exists with the same properties as the quark but with the opposite sign (negative versus positive) for the electric and color charges. The four heavier types of quark can change into up and down quarks through a process called weak decay. Extensive experiments performed over the past 70 years revealed how these quarks combine to form hundreds of different types of stable and unstable particles. In the 1970’s, scientists discovered that the large array of different hadron particles were actually different combinations of these six different types of quarks. The forces causing the quarks to combine could be described by quantum chromo-dynamics (QCD) equations that describe the strong nuclear force. However, solving these QCD equations was impossible before the development of supercomputers. The realistic solution of QCD equations is only possible on modern supercomputers. The approach using supercomputers is dramatically different from the usual approach to quantum problems at the atomic scale. Richard Feynman developed an approach that requires carefully generating samples or snapshots of the fluctuating fields that describe the forces between the quarks. These samples indicate points in a space of 5 billion dimensions and require powerful computers to run the simulations. Lattice QCD, developed in the 1970s, replaces the space-time continuum by a regular grid or lattice of locations, each corresponding to a specific point in space at a specific time. Research accomplishments using these methods evolved with each new generation of supercomputers enabling exciting new results which were previously out of reach. The large step in computer power represented by the class of exascale computers such as Aurora will again propel lattice QCD research to a new level. Lattice QCD case study The study of fundamental questions in particle physics using lattice QCD is a large international effort actively pursued on the fastest supercomputers around the world. Christ states, “In preparing to use an important new supercomputer such as Aurora, our research groups work together as a single Aurora Early Science project so that what is learned can benefit everyone. Our project is one part of the effort to be ready to use Aurora as soon as it begins to operate.” “The weak decays in which the heavier four quarks (top, bottom, charm, and strange) transform into the two lighter up and down quarks are caused by processes that happen at very high energies. This energy is approximately one hundred times higher than the energy stored in the mass of the proton or neutron—the constituents from which the atomic nucleus is built. These high energies can accurately be treated by a complementary method called QCD perturbation theory. Lattice QCD can be used to solve the low energy part of the problem while QCD perturbation theory can handle this high-energy part.” “The charm quark is too heavy to treat accurately with lattice QCD but too light to allow QCD perturbation theory to be used. Fortunately, this is a problem that Aurora can solve. The underlying difficulty created by the large mass of the charm quark is caused by its small quantum size. As a particle becomes more massive, its properties become more sensitive to what happens at shorter distances. If lattice QCD is to accurately describe the physics of charm quarks, the artificial distance between the lattice points must be made smaller than that needed to treat the less massive up, down, and strange quarks. If the lattice points are to be placed closer together, far more points will be needed to fill a volume of an appropriate physical size. These issues make the problem much more difficult. Typically, if the spacing between lattice points is reduced by a factor of two, the computational time required to solve this new problem will by one hundred times greater. Thus, this entire class of questions can for the first time be effectively tackled with Aurora.” Figure 1. – Sketch of the quantum process in which a K0 meson transforms into its anti-particle. The wavy lines represent gluons, the red lines light up and down quarks and the green line indicates a strange quark. The yellow squares show Standard Model weak interactions in which a strange quark transforms into three light quarks. The underlying grid structure indicates the process as computed using lattice QCD. Courtesy of Dr. Christ, Columbia University. Software used in the high energy research A large component of lattice QCD research is devoted to developing powerful algorithms and highly efficient computer code. The change from supercomputers constructed of arrays of interconnected CPUs (central processing units) to arrays of interconnected clusters of GPUs (graphics processing units) created huge challenges and huge opportunities for those developing lattice QCD codes and algorithms. The software used for the team’s ESP project is based on the open-source Grid system, software targeting lattice QCD developed by Peter Boyle of Brookhaven and the University of Edinburgh and his collaborators. Grid was developed to replace the low-level but high-performance assembly language code used in early lattice QCD calculations. Grid exploits the features of the C++11 language and the significant advances in compiler technology to achieve assembly-language performance even for highly parallel CPU architectures from a high-level language. In fact, the abstractions used in Grid can also provide platform portability. Grid code can now be compiled both for CPUs and GPUs giving high performance on both architectures. Preparing to run on the Aurora supercomputer Aurora is taking advantage of the oneAPI industry initiative that will free researchers from the proprietary CUDA software that is widely used on the Summit supercomputer. This provides for code development on a broad-based open standard allowing developers to program once and run on different hardware from different vendors. To do so, Aurora supports the SYCL C++ abstraction layer that is part of the oneAPI industry initiative. As described above, running on Aurora required generalizations of Grid since lattice QCD code must be able to compile on both CPU and GPU systems. Christ states, “Perhaps the greatest difficulty for lattice QCD is caused by the substantial increase in GPU computing power which is not matched by the performance of the communications network that interconnects the Aurora nodes, which are themselves clusters of well-connected GPUs. Since lattice QCD must exchange data between these nodes, such an imbalance between the processing power of the nodes and the bandwidth of the data communication between the nodes can result in a ‘network-bound’ application in which the slower communications network limits the overall performance.” The Intel solution slated for Aurora includes two Next Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors (codename Sapphire Rapids) paired with six Intel Xe GPUs offering significant computing power for the available network performance. Application algorithms can be modified like lattice QCD has done to adjust to this architectural change and achieve optimal performance. The Aurora supercomputer will also use Intel’s Next Gen Xeon Scalable Processor plus High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). It offers 64GB of high-bandwidth memory configurable in three modes: HBM-only, Flat, and Cache. End users running on Aurora can determine the mode in which to run the workload. It is anticipated that applications and problems that can fit within the available 64GB of HBM can run in HBM-only mode without changes. Similarly for those applications requiring more than 64GB, cache mode can be utilized without changes. Flat memory mode offers users greater control over tuning for optimal performance if developers are willing and able to make some algorithmic changes. “A major goal of the team’s Early Science preparations is to overcome these network challenges by exploiting the size and power of the individual nodes. To avert the QCD communication problem, the team is reorganizing the calculation. A larger fraction of the calculation is divided among the powerful nodes and carried out with no communication between the nodes, using only infrequent bursts of communication between the nodes. Fortunately, there are earlier domain-decomposed algorithms that have this character, and which are now being actively reconfigured for Aurora’s architecture,” states Christ. This work will also benefit QCD on future technologies expected to continue this trend. Future Lattice QCD Research “Having the power of the exascale Aurora supercomputer will open new vistas for lattice QCD research. For those processes in which the charm quark plays a central role, we expect to carry out calculations that were not previously possible, obtaining results with a level of precision and accuracy with the potential to reveal new particles and interactions not present in the Standard Model. The same physical laws determine the behavior of matter at the smallest and largest scales. We may dream that these discoveries will also help to explain unanswered questions raised by the large-scale structure of the Universe such as nature of dark matter, dark energy, and the preponderance of matter over anti-matter, a dominance necessary for our existence,” says Christ. The ALCF is a DOE Office of Science User Facility. Linda Barney is the founder and owner of Barney and Associates, a technical/marketing writing, training, and web design firm in Beaverton, OR. https://www.hpcwire.com/2022/04/13/using-supercomputers-to-solve-high-energy-physics-mysteries/

A little over a year after the launch of the very first Ryzen, AMD is launching today (after a very sad opening of pre-orders last week!) a new wave of chips to begin the renewal of its range under the name of Ryzen 2000. After APUs that used this nomenclature while being manufactured in 14nm, this time, the higher end Ryzen 2000s are "manufactured in 12nm". What is 12nm? Before seeing what these new Ryzen are, a little reminder is needed on the manufacturing processes. Today, AMD uses GlobalFoundries to manufacture its desktop processors. As we had the opportunity to mention some time ago, for the 14nm, GlobalFoundries, which was coming out of multiple setbacks on its previous processes, had signed a historic agreement with one of its competitors on the market for the manufacture of chips, Samsung. GlobalFoundries has recovered via this agreement a manufacturing process called 14LPP, all turnkey. Or almost since in practice the relations between Samsung and GlobalFoundries have been - from what we have been told - execrable and strongly limiting the ability of GlobalFoundries to develop it correctly. Technically, 12nm is considered a "variant" of 14nm, like what we see from all manufacturers. In practice, the process remains quite similar but modifications are made at several levels to increase the density (which makes it possible to change the name even if nowadays these nomenclatures are decorrelated from the physical size of all or part of the transistors) and the performance. In the case of 12nm from GlobalFoundries, Gary Patton gave some hints about these changes last month in an interview. First, GlobalFoundries now offers new standard 7.5T cell libraries in addition to 9T libraries. The other modification concerns the BEOL with changes to certain metal layers of the chips. Combined, these changes can allow gains in density, provided of course that they are used... Pinnacle Ridge, a die shrink from Summit Ridge? This is perhaps the biggest surprise we had around this launch, if AMD does indeed use the 12nm process from GlobalFoundries with these Ryzen 2000s, it does not exploit all the possibilities. AMD does not use the new standard 7.5T cell libraries, nor does it use the changes made on the BEOL. AMD even says it explicitly, from an optical point of view, the Ryzen 2000 are identical to the Ryzen 1000. The size of the Zeppelin die used on the Summit Ridge (the code name of the Ryzen 1000) was 192mm2 (for 4.8 billion transistors) and that doesn't change for Pinnacle Ridge (the code name for those Ryzen 2000s). Somehow this seems to be quite fitting with the rather surprising communication from GlobalFoundries which indicated that its 12nm process had not yet started "volume production" last month (it takes roughly 90 days to make a chip). It is likely that it started earlier on the validated parts of the process specifically for AMD which does not use the modifications indicated above. Technically, the main interest of a gain in density is to reduce manufacturing costs. AMD will therefore not benefit from these gains. But for once, one can legitimately wonder, beyond the name, what these chips really bring and what they draw from the "12nm"? To answer this question, AMD first told us that "12nm" provides gains in transistor performance (between 10 and 15%), which the Pinnacle Ridges benefit from. The other point is more nebulous, AMD remaining very cautious in its discourse: changes in transistor characteristics allow "better use of silicon". The description is excessively vague, we will try to see in this article what the manufacturer means by this, and what to expect on the performance side. Note that given the lack of changes to the architecture (and the die), we refer you to this article for more details on the Zen architecture used in these new Ryzen. https://www.hardware.fr/articles/974-1/amd-ryzen-2700x-2600x-memes-plus-petit.html

Are you the stuff of those who will dare to face evil? Become a true hero and fight the monsters, dragons and dark lords that po[CENSORED]te the evil lands! The most fascinating medieval-fantasy role-playing game ever comes to your smartphone. Choose your character, complete quests, and join other players on the path to destroying the most sinister creatures. Explore supernatural environments, raid labyrinthine forests, master your skills and become the bravest warrior of all! You can test your worth in one of two modes: COOP or PvP. Play with your friends and with other brave people from all over the world! - Real-time multiplayer online RPG - Stunning 3D graphics - Character classes, upgrades, skills, loot galore and magic items - Lots of exciting maps and quests - Cooperative and player versus player modes REAL-TIME MULTIPLAYER ONLINE RPG Invite your friends and go on an unforgettable trip together! You will also be able to meet other players from all over the world and play alongside them or, on the contrary, face them. An adventure full of combat and magic awaits, so grab your sword, axe, bow or mage staff, and don't let any monsters stand in your way! STUNNING GRAPHICS This role-playing game offers breathtaking graphics, worthy of a home console. You'll have a hard time not stopping in the middle of the fight to take some screenshots! Maybe you can even take a picture of a dragon? No smartphone MMORPG will transport you as far into the unknown as this medieval fantasy action game! AVATAR CUSTOMIZATION Who are you ? A warrior, a witch or an assassin? The loot system will allow you to discover great treasures during raids carried out inside the terrible dungeons. Improve your attributes, learn new skills, hoard gear, and become the greatest hero to ever wage war on discord. Grab your ax and fight until all the bosses have fallen to you! MANY MAPS AND QUESTS From the Fields of Skylark to the Isle of Shadow, cross the terrifying kingdom of the Evil Lands to better fight the darkness. Its gripping quests make this game even more fascinating than the usual killing games! TWO GAME MODES Co-op mode lets you immerse yourself in an incredible battle against evil, joining forces with other players. These will be of great help to you when fighting against bosses and dragons that a lone hero cannot hope to defeat. If you prefer to take more risks, try the Player versus Player mode: assemble your team and challenge the other participants to find out who will be the next ruler of the Evil Lands! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ragequitgames.evillands

I played Neon White’s demo in the Steam Next Fest and it has instantly shot up the ranks in my wish list. Published by Annapurna Interactive and developed by Angel Matrix, this indie game is a genre-bending, speed-running shoot ‘em up of a good time. On top of that, there’s notes of smooth parkour and a stylish visual novel with characters that seem vibrant and appeal to my anime sensibilities. The game’s creator Ben Esposito has taken a stark departure from his previous game Donut County, but you can feel some of the influences in Neon White. The simple yet refined controls and unique puzzle solving mechanics embedded into a parkour time trial style game are incredibly fun to play around with. Neon White has players take control of White, an assassin picked to compete with other demon slayers for a chance to avoid Hell and gain a ticket straight to Heaven. He suffers from amnesia, which keeps him from remembering the colorful cast of characters that seem to gravitate towards you and are involved somehow in your past. The demon slayers, called “Neons”, compete against each other in various levels where you need to cross the finish line after taking out all the demons along the way. Once you end the run, you get a medal based on how quickly you completed the track and then unlock certain aspects of the level. At the bronze medal, you simply clear the level and can proceed forward. Silver medal grants you a special gift in the level to pick up while the Gold medal unlocks additional speed-running hints. Acing the level gives you a Platinum medal and unlocks the global leaderboards to see how you stack up against other players around the world. Speaking of the game mechanics, Neon White involves a lot of movement and combat. Your character moves fast and in an incredibly smooth way, giving you tight control. You collect soul cards along the way which give you access to weapons with a specific amount of ammo. These cards can be swapped around and when you discard them, it activates a special movement ability like double jump. You need to utilize these to help you get to the finish line faster as you figure out the best way to traverse each level. There’s no awkward crouching or holding down a button to run, giving you crisp and clean movement. Run across water to move faster, jump off of an exploding grenade, strafe sideways and land at the perfect spots to get the lowest completion time on that leaderboard. Neon White also brings an interesting aspect to the visual novel style story by incorporating a gift and relationship system similar to games like Hades. Once you finish the tutorial, you can accept missions and drink with your friends, getting to know them and the overall story by progressing your relationships. I really hope the game leans harder into these mechanics by going full blown dating sim on the side of this incredible action game. So far, Neon White has me hooked and I’m seriously looking forward to getting my hands on the full game as soon as it’s out. I highly recommend checking out the demo while Steam Next Fest is running until February 28. The game will be launching early 2022 on Nintendo Switch and PC. https://me.pcmag.com/en/gaming/13569/neon-whites-demo-has-a-little-of-everything-i-need-in-my-life

The war is first of all about the fate of 44m Ukrainians. But in the shattered ruins of Mariupol and Kharkiv a worldview is also at stake. Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine to force it to renounce the West and to submit to the Kremlin. He believes that big countries should be free to dominate smaller ones. Ukraine counters that it will choose its own allies. With Western backing, it is affirming the universal principle that all countries are sovereign. Whoever prevails on the battlefield will win a fundamental argument about how the world should work. It matters, therefore, that off the battlefield this is an argument the West is losing. Most of the emerging world either backs Russia over its invasion or is neutral. Some countries depend on Russian arms, others feel a misplaced nostalgia for Soviet largesse, but many see the West as decadent, self-serving and hypocritical. And many more, even if they do not welcome the invasion, see it as somebody else’s problem. As America and the rest of nato rally support for action against Russia, that is a stunning rebuke. It is also taking the world down a dangerous path. https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/04/16/what-is-at-stake-in-ukraine