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The hills are alive with the sound of AI-generated music as Meta launches its new language learning model (LLM): the aptly named MusicGen. Developed by the company’s internal Audiocraft team, MusicGen is like a musical version of ChatGPT. You enter a brief text description of the type of music you want to hear, click Generate, and in a short amount of time, the AI creates a 12-second long track according to your instructions. For example, someone can tell MusicGen to generate a “lofi slow BPM electro chill [song] with organic samples” and sure enough, the audio sounds like something you’d hear on YouTube’s Lofi Girl radio. It is possible to “steer” MusicGen by uploading your own song so the AI has a better sense of structure. One of the developers for the LLM, Felix Kreuk, posted some samples of what this sounds like on his Twitter profile. As an example, MusicGen can take Sebastian Bach’s famous Toccata and Fugue in D Minor then add some drum beats and synths straight out of the 1980s to produce a more upbeat version of the piece.MusicGen is currently available to the public on Meta’s Hugging Face website for everybody to try out. Do be aware that, unlike Google's own AI music generator MusicLM, Meta's model can't do vocals, only instrumentals. This is probably for the best as MusicLM vocals sound a lot like Simlish. No one will be able to understand a single thing. To the musicians out there, you don’t have to worry about losing your careers. The AI is decent at making simple, short melodies, but not much else. In our opinion, the quality isn’t on the same level as something made with human ingenuity. Some of the songs can get pretty repetitive as MusicGen cycles through the same progressions multiple times. This tool can be useful for creating plain background audio for videos or presentations, but nothing truly engaging. The next pop hit won’t be AI-generated – at least not yet. Act fast If you are interested in trying out MusicGen, we recommend acting fast. First of all, the Hugging Face website is unstable. We had a ton of AI-generated songs ready to share. However, the web page crashed while working on this piece severing our connection to the tracks. We suspect the dead links were caused by sudden high user traffic. Hopefully, by the time you read this, Hugging Face is working properly. The second reason is a more litigious one. On the official GitHub page, Meta states its team used 10,000 “high-quality [licensed] music tracks” plus royalty-free songs from Shutterstock and Pond5. Ever since the generative AI craze took off earlier this year, artists have begun to sue developers and platforms alike over “illegal use of copyrighted works.” Meta might soon find itself in the crosshairs of some crossed musicians. Even if it doesn’t get sued over using licensed music to train the LLM, record companies aren’t afraid to flex their industry muscle to shut down this type of content. If you're looking for details on how to use AI to generate images, be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best AI art generators for 2023. https://www.techradar.com/news/metas-new-music-ai-could-change-how-you-craft-soundtracks-and-tunes

The U.S. government will let top chipmakers Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC keep and expand their existing memory and logic fabs in China, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal that cites an official from the U.S. Department of Commerce. If the information is correct, then the three companies will be able to purchase new fab tools from U.S.-based makers for their Chinese fabs, but there is a catch. Alan Estevez, undersecretary of the Department of Commerce for industry and security, revealed plans for the administration to continue current waivers for the South Korean and Taiwanese chipmakers relating to the latest U.S. export control rules designed to constrain capabilities of the Chinese semiconductor industry. These waivers, originally granted last October, were due to expire this October. The confirmation was given by Estevez during a discussion with the Semiconductor Industry Association stating the waivers are projected to persist for the 'foreseeable future,' according to those present at the discussion. However, the Commerce Department chose to withhold any additional remarks on this matter. Manufacturers of wafer fab equipment (WFE) from the U.S. must obtain an export license from the Department of Commerce before exporting tools capable of producing logic chips with non-planar transistors on nodes measuring 10nm/14nm/16nm or smaller, 3D NAND chips featuring 128 or more layers, and DRAM ICs with a half-pitch of 18nm or less to customers in China. Chipmakers like Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC have to upgrade their fabs often to keep their products competitive. All three received waivers from the U.S. government allowing them to export necessary production equipment to China from October 2022 to October 2023. with a possibility to extend their waivers for another year. Apparently, the U.S. government is now willing to allow Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC to get American wafer fab tools for their semiconductor production facilities in China beyond October, 2024. But let's get to that catch. The conditions for receiving state funding under the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act will prohibit beneficiary companies from investing in their fabs located in China. This policy could profoundly impact international firms like Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC, which operate significant facilities in China and are prospective applicants for the U.S. funding. Should any of those companies obtain CHIPS money, they will not be able to invest in expansion or upgrades of their fabs in China for 10 years, according to the current terms. At present, SK Hynix is the sole producer of DRAM in China. It is unclear which production technologies it uses there. Both Samsung and SK Hynix fabricate 3D NAND in China using their 128-layer process, according to TrendForce. Meanwhile, TSMC's Fab 16 in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, produces chips on the company's 16nm FinFET nodes. For now, 16nm FinFET and 128-layer 3D NAND fabrication processes are competitive. But at some point, they are going to become obsolete and if chipmakers there cannot invest in upgrades of their Chinese fabs in accordance with their agreements with the U.S. government, they will have to make strategic decisions about them if the terms of the grants under the CHIPS act do not change. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/us-to-let-samsung-sk-hynix-and-tsmc-to-expand-fabs-in-china

While humans were forced to stay indoors amid the global lockdown in 2020 and 2021, land animals came out and scientists have now documented behavioural changes in them. By India Today Science Desk: As humans continue to emerge from the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, more and more studies and scientific research is pouring into how it changed our world forever. A new study now reveals that the pandemic had a different effect on wildlife. While humans were forced to stay indoors amid the global lockdown in 2020 and 2021, land animals traveled farther, and scientists have now documented behavioural changes in them.A team of 174 researchers came together to study the massive impact seen on wild animals as human beings were limited to the confines of their homes. The study published in the journal Science states that the policies to reduce human movement during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic produced a kind of natural experiment to observe how human activities affect animal behavior. The team used GPS tracking data from 2300 individual mammals of 43 species to document the changes. “There were many media reports that nature was recovering during those first lockdowns. For example, cougars were roaming the streets of Santiago, Chile, but we wanted to know: is there any evidence of this? Or were people simply paying more attention to everything while being at home?” Marlee A. Tucker, who led the study, said in a statement. The team compared the mammals' movements during the first period of lockdowns, from January to mid-May 2020, with movements during the same months a year earlier. Also Read | 62 new plants that can live without water discovered in Western Ghats They observed that during strict lockdowns, animals traveled up to 73 percent longer distances in a period of 10 days than the year before when there were no lockdowns. The analysis also revealed that animals occurred on average 36 percent closer to roads than the year before as the roads were quieter during strict lockdowns. “In contrast, in areas with less strict lockdowns, we saw that animals travelled shorter distances. This may have to do with the fact that during those lockdowns, people were actually encouraged to go into nature. As a result, some nature areas were busier than before COVID-19,” says Thomas Mueller, who designed the study together with Tucker. Also Read | World warming at record 0.2 degrees Celcius per decade, scientists sound alarm bells The team concluded that lockdowns rapidly altered some spatial behaviors, highlighting variable but substantial impacts of human mobility on wildlife worldwide. Researchers believe that animals can respond directly to changes in human behaviour. https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/covid-lockdown-wildlife-animal-behaviour-human-beings-2391915-2023-06-12

The Mazda 787B was the first Japanese car to win Le Mans, taking a hard-fought victory in 1991. After being immediately retired from racing as rotary engines were banned at Le Mans starting in 1992, the number 55 car usually enjoys its retirement parked at Mazda's HQ in Hiroshima, Japan. To help Le Mans celebrate its centenary, Mazda brought the iconic winning 787B back to the Circuit de la Sarthe for some ear-splitting demonstration laps. It'll be on display at the Le Mans museum for the month of June. For its 100th birthday, the 24 Hours of Le Mans invited the noisiest of guests. Thirty-two years ago, Mazda's orange and green 787B screamed its way to an underdog victory that has become a defining moment for the brand. It was the first Japanese manufacturer to win the world's most famous endurance race, and it was also the high point for the rotary engine.Ordinarily, the winning number 55 787B slumbers in Mazda's museum in its home town of Hiroshima. However, earlier this month any cobwebs were dusted off, and the prototype was shipped to France to lead demonstration laps before the main event. At the wheel was driver Yojiro Terada, 29-time Le Mans veteran and the driver of the older #56 787 at Le Mans in 1991.The 787B's victory should never have happened. Compared to the juggernaut entrants from Peugeot and Mercedes-Sauber, Mazda's plucky Le Mans team was basically bringing a Miata to a gun fight. It was also possibly the loudest race car ever built. No other team was running a rotary engine, and the two 787Bs qualified an unremarkable 12th and 17th. But the 787B punched above its weight. Mounted amidships was the RB26M, a 2.6L four-rotor engine with variable-length intake runners. Specifically built to win Le Mans (or at least try), the engine was capable of 900 horsepower at 10,000 rpm, but ran at a maximum of 700 hp at 9000 rpm for the race. This as compared to Jaguar's 7.4L V-8 or the turbocharged 5.0L V-8 of the Mercedes entrants. The chassis was lighter than rivals at just 1830 pounds, giving the 787B a fighting chance with its power-to-weight ratio. The engine also had some fuel efficiency advantages, and Mazda's engineers had built the four-rotor to be as reliable as they could make it. Overnight Success In the race, the three-man team of Johnny Herbert, Volker Wiedler, and Bertrand Gachot clawed their way up into the top ten. By 4 a.m., when only the hardiest of spectators are still on their feet, the 787B was screaming around the course and disrupting dreams in third place. The sun came up, number 55 was in second place, and the leading Mercedes broke down. A historic victory was just a few laps away. It was all the sweeter because this was Mazda's last grasp at the trophy, as rotary engines had already been banned for the 1992 season. Even better, at least as far as Mazda's marketing department was concerned, the ferocious twin-turbo third-generation RX-7 was just about to debut; winning Le Mans was perfect timing for debuting a rotary-engined sports car. Fast Forward to 2023 On June 9 and 10, the 787B conducted ear-splitting full circuit demonstration runs along with fellow Japanese Le Mans winning machines from Toyota's Gazoo Racing. The car will now be on display at the Le Mans Museum for the full month of June and will take part in the Le Mans Classic weekend at the end of the month.Because of its underdog story, its iconic green-and-orange Renown livery, and not least the brain-rattling shriek it produces at speed, the 787B is one of the most beloved Le Mans racing machines. That it returned as one of the great stories written over twenty-four hours of speed and endurance is only fitting. No other guest sang Le Mans a louder Happy Birthday. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44177876/mazda-787b-return-to-24-hours-lemans/

Italian politicians, world leaders and sports figures remember the flamboyant figure, who has died at 86. Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s former premier and business tycoon, has died in Milan at the age of 86. Politicians, sports icons and world leaders are paying tribute to the flamboyant figure who transformed Italian politics and was widely known for his financial and sex scandals. Russian President Vladimir Putin described Berlusconi as a close and wise friend. “For me, Silvio was a dear person, a true friend. I have always sincerely admired his wisdom, his ability to make balanced, far-sighted decisions even in the most difficult situations,” Putin said. In October, according to a leaked recording, Berlusconi said he had reconnected with Putin, exchanging gifts of wine, vodka and “sweet” letters on his birthday. On the Ukraine war, Berlusconi had suggested Kyiv was responsible for the invasion Russia launched in February 2022 and admonished Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni for meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. ‘A man who was not afraid’: Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni Italy’s premier bid adieu to Berlusconi in a video message, saying, “Berlusconi was above all a fighter.” “He was a man who was not afraid to defend his convictions, and it was precisely that courage and determination that made him one of the most influential men in Italy’s history,” Meloni said. Speaking during a news conference with Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani, US top diplomat Blinken said Berlusconi was “obviously tremendously significant figure in the life of Italy in the political life and the public life of the country”. He added: “I simply want to extend my condolences to his family…but also to the Italian people for their loss.” Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister, called Berlusconi “a great man and a great Italian”. “Today a GREAT ITALIAN bids farewell to us. One of the greatest ever, in all fields, from all points of view, without equals. But above all, today I lose a great friend. I am devastated and I rarely cry, today is one of those days,” he said in a statement. ‘Many loved him, many hated him’: Ex-Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi Matteo Renzi, former Italian premier and leader of the liberal political party Italia Viva, said in a tweet: “Silvio Berlusconi made history in this country. Many loved him, many hated him.” “Everyone today must recognise that his impact on political but also economic, sporting and television life was unprecedented,” he added.Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said Berlusconi’s death “leaves a huge void because he was great”. Carlo Ancelotti, manager of the Real Madrid football club, said: “Today’s sadness doesn’t erase the happy moments spent together. There remains infinite gratitude to the president, but above all to an ironic, loyal, intelligent, sincere man, fundamental in my adventure as a football player first, and then as a coach.” Ancelotti won the Champions League as AC Milan’s coach when the club was owned by Berlusconi. Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, referred to Berlusconi as “the fighter who led the centre-right and who was the protagonist of politics in Italy and Europe for generations”. “Father, entrepreneur, MEP, Prime Minister, Senator. He left his mark and will not be forgotten.Thanks Silvio,” she said in a tweet. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said: “Italy has lost a great personality.” “He was the first Italian prime minister I worked with, and I will remember him as a striking and passionate politician,” he said in a tweet.A former prime minister of Slovenia, Janez Janša, paid his condolences to the Italian leader, referring to him as a “good friend to Slovenia”. AC Milan, the football club Berlusconi owned from 1986 to 2017, said they were “deeply saddened” at losing the 86-year-old, describing him as “unforgettable”. “Tomorrow, we will dream of new ambitions, create new challenges, and seek new victories. Which will represent the good, the strong, and the true that lies inside us, in all of us who shared this adventure of binding our lives to a dream called Milan,” the club said on Twitter.Former NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that while they had their political differences, on a personal level, “he was always charming and engaging company.”The European Commission’s chief said in a tweet: “He led Italy in a time of political transition and since then continued to shape his beloved country.” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/12/world-reacts-to-italys-silvio-berlusconis-death

Cyclone Biparjoy has now intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. It is expected to cross Gujarat’s Saurashtra and Kutch regions as well as adjoining Pakistan coasts and is expected to make landfall between Mandavi and Karachi on June 15, 2023. As such, the review meeting of the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed senior officers to take every possible measure to ensure that people living in vulnerable locations are safely evacuated as well as ensure maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health, drinking water etc. “Chaired a meeting to review the preparedness in the wake of the approaching Cyclone Biparjoy. Our teams are ensuring safe evacuations from vulnerable areas and ensuring the maintenance of essential services. Praying for everyone’s safety and well-being,” PM Modi tweeted.The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) also sent out a tweet with guidelines on how one can stay safe indoors and outdoors during the cyclone. “As cyclone Biparjoy nears the landfall zone, we are all on high alert whether – children, youth and their families, government and non-government actors, and media. This is the right time to take certain precautions,” pointed out Dr Antaryami Dash, deputy director, health and nutrition, Bal Raksha Bharat (Save the Children), as he listed some measures. Prioritise hygiene and sanitation: Ensure proper hygiene practices and sanitation measures are followed, including regular handwashing with soap and clean water. Use alcohol-based hand sanitisers when water is unavailable. Secure and protect water sources: Take steps to secure and cover water sources to prevent contamination from floodwaters and debris. Store clean water in appropriate containers. Ensure adequate supply of medications: Have a sufficient stock of essential medications, including oral rehydration solution (ORS) for existing illnesses and to address anticipated water-borne diseases during and after the cyclone. Build a well-balanced emergency food supply: Prepare a balanced emergency food supply consisting of non-perishable items that provide essential macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. *Wash your hands with soap and boiled or disinfected water before preparing or eating food, after toilet use. Wash children’s hands frequently (always before meals), said Dr Shrey Srivastav, MD (Internal Medicine), Sharda Hospital. If your water supply has been compromised, follow the guidelines provided by local authorities for water purification to ensure a safe water supply, said Dash. “Disinfect water for washing by mixing 1/8 teaspoon of household bleach per 1 gallon of water. Let it stand for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy, use a solution of 1/4 teaspoon of household bleach per 1 gallon of water,” added Dr Srivastav. Dr Srivastav listed a few additional measures that can help *Use a mosquito net to prevent malaria. *Drink boiled water. *Do not eat contaminated food. *Avoid using electronic equipment. *Keep a first-aid kit ready along with certain essentials in a portable waterproof bag that can be carried in emergencies *Get medical care if you are injured, sick *Stay hydrated https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/cyclone-biparjoy-health-experts-measures-stay-safe-8659856/

The Starfield presentation covered a lot of familiar ground, but we got a deeper look at Bethesda's space RPG. Starfield Direct did not disappoint, at least in terms of the sheer amount information thrown at us. The show was a surprising 45 minutes long, covered just about every aspect of Bethesda's upcoming space RPG, and answered a lot of questions. (Except for these nine questions we still have about Starfield.) A lot of the presentation went over familiar ground, but we still learned quite a bit about Starfield. We got to feast our eyes on a new city, absorbed more information about ship building, and got a deeper look at combat. And we even got a glimpse at what looks like one of the gameplay elements of Skyrim—only now it's in space. We'd already seen a bit of ship building and customization in last year's Starfield presentation, but Starfield Direct took it from swapping out cabins and cockpits to complete customization. I mean, complete. You can pretty much cobble your ship together however you want, even making it look like the goofy mech you see above. And we all know what that means: there are gonna be a lot of penis-shaped ships built in Starfield. But once players get tired of building and flying around in metal space-dongs, there are bound to be tons of creative and amazing ships to gawk at. I can't wait to see them. Not every city in Starfield is filled with gleaming, futuristic high-rises. There are some settlements further out that operate like pioneer towns. These independent systems, like Akila City, basically look like the Old West, with cowboy hats, dusty taverns, and outlaws reaching for their guns at the first sign of trouble. Look, as much as we wish for it, we're probably never going to get Fallout: New Vegas 2. At least we can cosplay as cowboys in some parts of Starfield. We'd only seen a few quick firefights before today's Starfield Direct, but we got a much longer look, and while Bethesda's combat in The Elder Scrolls and Fallout games has never been particularly great, Starfield's is... looking pretty darn good? Ted was wowed by how useful Starfield's jetpack appears to be in combat, and the shooting overall looks much tighter than it did in Fallout 4. Between the ranged weapons, melee, stealth, and special abilities, blasting away at spacer punks and alien bugs looks like a great time. During Starfield Direct a number of developers talked about how they play Starfield, but Bethesda producer Jamie Mallory stole the show—first by saying she built her spaceships to resemble animals, and then by admitting she likes to travel the galaxy stealing sandwiches and hoarding them. Bethesda RPGs are great because you can play them however you want, and hoarding sandwiches is as sensible a goal and anything else you might do. And that's quite an impressive haul! We'll see if any players can beat it. We've know you can visit our solar system in Starfield, and even talk a walk around Mars. But it looks like you can also visit our moon (a player walking on "Luna" is shown) and maybe, possibly, even walk around on what looks like a destroyed version of Earth. The star map shows Earth with three dots over it, which indicates you can click on it for options, and one of those options might be to land on it. And another moment in Starfield Direct (above) shows what looks for all the world like the St. Louis Arch... though why that would still be standing when every other building has fallen, I don't know. Maybe it's not St. Louis at all but some other planet with a similar landmark? We'll have to wait to find out. https://www.pcgamer.com/starfield-direct-recap-sandwich-heists-cowboy-towns-space-magic-and-other-things-we-learned/

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the High Court order by which it had essentially allowed bike-taxi aggregators Rapido and Uber to operate in the national capital by asking the Delhi government not to take any coercive action against them till a new policy was formulated. A vacation bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal granted liberty to the two aggregators to request urgent hearing of their plea by the Delhi HC. The bench, which stayed the May 26 order of the High Court, also recorded the Delhi government counsel's submission the final policy will be notified before July-end. The top court was hearing two separate petitions by the AAP government challenging the May 26 order of the High Court asking it not to take any coercive action against the bike-taxi aggregators until the final policy was notified. The top court had in the last week sought a response from the Central government on both the pleas of Delhi government. Back in May, the Delhi government approved Motor Vehicle Aggregator Scheme 2023 to regulate cab aggregators and delivery service providers in the national capital. Some of the key highlights of the policy are mandatory panic buttons in taxis, integration with emergency number '112', and phase-wise transition to EVs. The Motor Vehicle Aggregator Scheme 2023 will be applicable to any individual or entity that operates, on-boards or manages a fleet of motor vehicles through digital or electronic means or any other means to ferry passengers or connect a driver offering to deliver or pick up a product, courier, package or parcel with a seller, e-commerce entity or consignor. https://www.gadgets360.com/auto/news/uber-ola-rapido-supreme-court-revives-ban-bike-taxi-delhi-4114515

Windows 8 and 8.1 died earlier this year, but that hasn’t stopped people from continuing to use those operating systems. But if the lack of support and security updates haven’t compelled you to upgrade, Google’s now increasing the pressure to get on to a modern OS: Come this summer, it’s discontinuing support for its Windows 8 and 8.1 Google Drive apps. As reported by Android Police, a Google Drive support page warns users to upgrade to Windows 10 for uninterrupted service—and specifically the 64-bit version, as the company is also dropping support for 32-bit Windows 10 systems. While web access to Drive will still be available, sync will stop working in August. Dropping support for dead versions of Windows isn’t new for Google, which started this push with Chrome back in February. Other companies are making similar moves, with Mozilla also ending Firefox support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1. Upgrading to Windows 10 should be straightforward—and if you already have a licensed copy, won’t cost you anything. (If for some reason you don’t, try one of our tips for getting a cheap license key.) Just be sure to back up your PC before beginning the conversion. Even if you can do an in-place upgrade via the upgrade assistant, which installs the new version of Windows without wiping your apps and files, it’s a safeguard against something going awry. Meanwhile, if you’re moving from 32-bit to 64-bit Windows, having backups is absolutely necessary. You unfortunately can’t make the jump without a complete wipe and fresh operating system install. https://www.pcworld.com/article/1946991/1946991.html

Intel's upcoming site near Magdeburg, Germany, promises to become Europe's largest and most advanced semiconductor manufacturing facility, but its costs are increasing, and Intel recently expressed its intention to get more subsidies from the country's government. But the authorities are unwilling to provide the company more money as they do not have it in the budget, reports Financial Times. "There is no more money available in the budget," Germany's finance minister Christian Lindner told Financial Times. "We are trying to consolidate the budget right now, not expand it." Intel's proposed fab near Magdeburg, Germany, was expected to initially cost $18.7 billion (€30 billion), and the federal government agreed to provide the chip giant some $7.2 billion in state aid. But the fab construction was delayed, and due to rising energy prices, material costs, and inflation, now the cost of the production facility is expected to be about $31.675 billion (€30 billion), possibly because Intel also decided to install more advanced tools in a bid to produce chips on more sophisticated production nodes in Germany. To bridge this funding gap, the company is seeking additional subsidies of $4.223 billion - $5.279 billion (€4 billion - €5 billion) from the German government. The dispute over subsidies for Intel has caused a split among the authorities. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Economy Minister Robert Habeck are believed to be open to increasing financial support to Intel as they are encouraged by the prospect of Intel increasing its total investment from €17 billion to €30 billion. However, Christian Lindner is against such subsidies and insists that the chancellery and economy ministry need to identify where additional funding would come from. Some economists in Germany argue that subsidies are a waste of taxpayers' money, while others fear that reducing dependence on Asian suppliers in the chip industry is challenging given the complexity of semiconductor supply chains. Intel declined to comment on the minister's comments but said, "There is a cost gap and we are working with the government on how to close it." Lindner's opposition to subsidies is not limited to Intel. In addition, Lindner opposed Habeck's plan to subsidize the cost of electricity for energy-intensive industries, arguing against the legality of such state aid under EU rules. Meanwhile, lower electricity costs could also support Intel's upcoming fab near Magdeburg. Habeck reportedly suggested that the funding for these subsidies could come from the Economic Stabilization Fund, a suggestion Lindner dismissed as a violation of coalition agreements. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/germany-refuses-to-increase-subsidies-for-intel-fab

At one point in 2020, 4.4 billion people – more than half of the world's po[CENSORED]tion – were under lockdown restrictions to stem the spread of COVID-19. This was such a sudden and substantial event that it has become known as the anthropause. Many bustling cities fell silent, often with restaurants, shops and schools closing, and only essential services allowed to operate. It was around this time when people started to report animals appearing in unusual places. For example, cougars were seen prowling through the suburbs of Santiago, Chile, golden jackals became more active during the day in Tel Aviv, Israel, and dolphins appeared in the normally busy harbor of Trieste, Italy. Meanwhile, scientists began to wonder whether this tragic event could provide an opportunity to learn how humans impact the behaviour of wildlife. A group of animal movement researchers came together in 2020 and formed the COVID-19 Bio-Logging Initiative, which I joined in 2021. The initiative includes researchers who were already studying animals before the pandemic, and who were using bio-logging devices, such as GPS tags, to record animal movements. These devices – which use technology that you might find in a smartphone or watch – were still recording information while research teams were under lockdown. What animals did in lockdown We were interested in finding out how animal movements might have changed when human activities were restricted – were the animals really altering their behavior because human mobility had changed, or was it that people had more time to notice animals in these apparently unusual places? The initiative includes several projects tackling this question from different angles, with our first findings now published. My colleague Marlee Tucker, an ecologist from Radboud University in the Netherlands, led an international team of 174 scientists who focused on studying whether the behaviour of large land mammals changed during the pandemic. Our results are in the journal Science. By pooling data from over 2,300 individual tracked mammals, from 43 species including elephants, giraffes, bears, deer, and cougars, we were able to look at how their behavior and movement patterns changed during the lockdowns in 2020 compared to the same period one year earlier. Animal movements can be influenced both by human mobility – people and vehicles moving in the landscape – and the built environment. It is normally impossible to distinguish these two effects because they are closely matched with each other, but the lockdown provided a chance for us to do this. Exploring new areas We found that mammals were 36 percent closer to roads during lockdown, and that their movement distances over 10 days were 73 percent longer during strict lockdowns compared to the same period one year earlier. It may be that mammals ventured closer to roads with reduced levels of traffic, while the absence of humans in the environment may have allowed them to explore new areas. For example, a team led by ecologist Chris Wilmers found that cougars, which are typically secretive animals that avoid areas of human habitation, ventured far closer to the built-up areas of Santa Cruz, California, in 2020 than in previous years. Our results were quite variable across species, which may be a result of lockdown policies varying between countries, but it could also be related to other factors, such as differences between species in their ability to change behavior. Perhaps some species are more flexible in how they respond to changes in human activities. These findings are important as they tell us that humans moving in the environment directly influence animal movements and behavior, in addition to the effects of the built environment. With this knowledge we can start to think of new ways to change our behavior that will positively impact wildlife. For example, we could adjust traffic flows in areas important for animal movement – in some national parks you can only drive during the day to avoid disturbing animals at night. The COVID-19 Bio-Logging Initiative continues to investigate how changes in human mobility impact animal movements, with ongoing work that includes a study focusing on birds of prey, another on the marine environment, and a project comparing responses of birds and mammals in North America. Some members of the team recently had the chance to meet in-person for the first time at a workshop to discuss our projects and it was so exciting to meet these people that I had only ever worked with online. Of course, humans moving around the landscape is only one of many impacts we have on wildlife. But the information gained from this research gives us the opportunity to think of new approaches to improve human-wildlife coexistence, and there is no time to lose. https://www.sciencealert.com/half-the-planet-was-in-lockdown-and-wild-animals-seized-the-moment

Every city has its secrets. Washington, D.C., may have more than most, but I wasn't there to dig up bodies, corporeal or political. My interest in visiting our nation's capital was to find out more about a covert society, an organization of carpoolers who use codes and word of mouth to work around D.C.'s notorious traffic jams and exorbitant tolls. Under cherry blossoms light as dreams and in the long shadow of the Washington Monument, I set out in search of slugs. The origins of slugging are murky, buried somewhere in the smoggy '70s, when the Shirley Highway (I-395) from Virginia to D.C. became the first U.S. freeway to implement a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane. Those early carpool lanes were strict, initially requiring four occupants (now three), so commuting drivers would fill their seats by swinging by the bus stop and sniping riders. Eventually, the bus lines had more hopeful carpoolers than mass-transit riders, and the bus drivers began referring to the faux passengers as false coins, also known as slugs. Undeterred by the slander, the slugs claimed the nickname and the practice grew in po[CENSORED]rity, developing set locations and traditions. When the Virginia Department of Transportation partnered with the private toll-road operator Transurban in the early 2000s, multiperson vehicles were exempted from the expensive fees to encourage carpooling, thus keeping the fast lanes flowing free. Slugging is symbiotic—no money changes hands, but all parties benefit.Had I set out to learn the secrets of the slugs a few years ago, it wouldn't have been much of a challenge. According to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' 2019 State of the Commute report, 20 percent of all carpools were slugs. There were numerous pickup and drop-off spots and an active website detailing any route changes due to construction or traffic closures. Then the pandemic hit, and the slug lines were salted. In the 2022 report, only 4 percent of carpools were slugs, and my initial online research came up against abandoned forums, bounced-back emails, and 404 web links. The slugging community seemed to disappear overnight, the Roanoke Colony of the 21st century.Nothing is as irresistible as a mystery, especially one with car culture at its center, and at Car and Driver, we couldn't stop thinking about slugging. You just get in a stranger's car? There's no money? How? Why? I hopped a flight to D.C., picked up a pearl-white Toyota Crown with a back seat big enough for clandestine carpoolers, and set off in search of answers. First stop, the Pentagon. With roughly 27,000 employees, large parking lots, and a Metrobus lane, the Pentagon was one of the early slugging destinations and one of the few active slug-line Facebook groups I was permitted to join. There are many slug-line Facebook groups, but many are, ahem, sluggish in posting or fiercely protective of their community. Most of my join requests and all my messages to admins went unanswered. The Pentagon seemed to still be slugging, with regular posts cryptically requesting riders for "234" or offering directions to "the Pork Chop." I decided to check it out in hopes of decoding these secret messages. For Drivers, D.C. Is No Los Angeles What stood out to me as an Angeleno driving in D.C. was, first, the speed limits are low, and people mostly abide by them. Second, it's a good thing they do because the roads are as tangled as a filibuster, with street names divided into quadrants, roundabouts that exit onto bridges, and constant construction. Even Google gave up, the map on the Crown's center screen flickering in endless recalculation. It didn't help that none of my slug-line pickup locations were hard addresses, just intersections pulled from screen-shots on the defunct Slug-Lines.com website. At this point, as I was parked next to a sign warning that my vehicle and person were subject to search, a police car pulled up next to me. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44039917/in-washington-dcs-secret-carpool-cabal-its-a-daily-slug-fest/

Curds hold a special place in the hearts and meals of many people, especially in India. Whether enjoyed as a refreshing snack or eaten alongside regular meals, curds are a versatile and wholesome accompaniment that holds a cherished spot in Indian culinary traditions. This creamy and tangy dairy delight is not only loved for its taste but also consumed for its numerous health benefits. Rich in probiotics, curds support digestive health and boost immunity. They are packed with essential nutrients like calcium, protein, and vitamins, making them a nourishing addition to any diet. While many prepare their curd at home using jaman or starter, others rely on packaged curds which are easily available in the market. But, which one is healthier? Addressing the same, Bhakti Kapoor, a nutritionist, took to Instagram to share that when deciding between packaged curd and homemade curd, it’s crucial to consider the probiotic content. “Packed curd, found in grocery stores, undergoes pasteurisation to enhance its shelf life and eliminate harmful bacteria. While pasteurisation makes the curd safer, it also affects the probiotic content,” the expert said, adding that the process can diminish the number of beneficial bacteria, including probiotics, in the final product.As a result, the probiotic content in packaged curd may be lower compared to homemade curd. “Therefore, if your aim is to consume active probiotics, homemade curd is the better choice,” she said. As for homemade curds, she noted that they grant you more control over the fermentation process, allowing you to utilise fresh, live cultures or starters. “This enables you to ensure a higher concentration of active probiotic bacteria in the curd. As a result, homemade curd is more likely to deliver the benefits associated with probiotics, such as promoting gut health and digestion,” she said. However, this doesn’t mean that you should completely let go of packaged curd as it can still be a valuable component of a balanced diet. “It serves as a good source of protein and calcium. While the probiotic content may be lower due to pasteurization, it still provides some nutritional benefits. If convenience or availability is a priority for you, packed curd can be a convenient option,” Kapoor said. Concluding, the nutritionist said that the choice between packaged curd and homemade curd depends on your priorities and desired probiotic intake. “If active probiotics are specifically sought after, homemade curd is the ideal option. However, if convenience takes precedence, packed curd can still offer nutritional value, even though the probiotic content may be lower. Be sure to check the ingredient list when selecting packed curd and opt for brands that prioritise minimal processing and natural ingredients,” she said. Talking about the same, Vani Krishna, Chief Clinical Nutritionist, Manipal Hospital, Varthur Road, Bangalore said that curd is a natural probiotic and it contains the daily requirement of calcium and phosphorus and also other trace minerals. “Home-based curd is healthier than packed curd as it does not contain any preservatives and flavour,” she said.Krishna added that homemade curd contains lactic acid which is known as lactobacillus which promotes good bacteria in the gut and helps to improve digestion and heals any kind of stomach issues. “The live bacteria found in curd improve immunity. More the fermentation in homemade curd, the more probiotics can be achieved,” she said. https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/packaged-curd-homemade-curd-difference-health-benefits-8655795/

An 11-year-old girl from a British family who was shot dead while playing on a swing in her garden in France has been named as Solaine Thornton. The family were having a barbecue on Saturday evening when the shooting happened in the village of Saint-Herbot, north of Quimper in Brittany. Her parents, Adrian and Rachel Thornton, were also hurt and are in hospital. Her father suffered serious injuries, local media reported. The family were named by the mayor of the commune where the family lived, Marguerite Bleuzen. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was providing assistance to a British family. The girl and her eight-year-old sister were playing on a swing as their parents tended the barbecue, when a neighbour began firing at them with a shotgun through a hedge. The younger girl ran to another neighbour's house to raise the alarm and is now said to be in shock. A local resident told French media that the younger child ran to neighbours shouting: "My sister is dead, my sister is dead". The suspect, described as a 71-year-old Dutch national, reportedly shut himself in his house following the incident but eventually surrendered to police and was arrested along with his wife. Locals said the man was something of a recluse who was in dispute with the British family over a plot of land adjoining the two properties. Local media reported that the family had lived in the village for several years. Prosecutor Carine Halley said the circumstances around the incident were not yet known. Ms Bleuzen, the mayor of Plonévez-du-Faou commune, said: "We knew the family well. There is a village fête every year and they always came. "It is incomprehensible to have shot a child. No one can understand how that could have happened." Regine Guillot, the secretary of the Plonevez-du-Faou town hall, said the village "is in shock". "There were neighbourhood issues, yes, a hedge, a field, but nothing more than that, not that we were aware of," Guillot told Reuters. A spokeswoman for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "We are providing consular assistance to a British family following a shooting in France and are in contact with the local authorities." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65874063

Star trekking is fine, but have you ever given thought to star trucking? If so, I have good news (and if not, you might want to pay attention anyway): A new game called Star Trucker was revealed at today's Future Games Show, and it's giving me serious Euro Truck Simulator in Space vibes. The trailer doesn't say too much about the game, except that you'll be behind the wheel of a sci-fi Mack truck, hauling goods of indeterminate sorts through asteroid fields, jumpgates, and orbital stop signs, while dealing with the sorts of headaches you might expect from fusion-powered big-riggin': There are no flat tires in space, but hull breaches? That's a big ten-four, good buddy.Plan your routes along the hyper highways of a vibrant galaxy filled with opportunity. Invest your hard-earned cash in new components and essential supplies to keep your trusted truck firing on all cylinders and ready for the next challenge. "Immerse yourself in the retro-futuristic Americana vibe with an original soundtrack packed with constellation cruisin’ rock, galactic country and starburst blues while taking in the sights of fog-enshrouded asteroid fields, stunning nebulae and bustling space ports."Space trucking as a sub-genre is more common than you might think. Oldsters will remember games like Elite and the old Trade Wars series of BBS door games as early examples of going into space and getting a job, while Elite Dangerous and Egosoft's X series are both great ways to indulge that very specific fantasy in the modern era. But none of them really embrace the open road lifestyle like Star Trucker promises to. There's no mention of combat or aliens or anything like that: Instead, you'll "unlock a wide range of haulage jobs, trailer types, suppliers and cargo" while star-trucking through "a dynamic galaxy po[CENSORED]ted with fellow truckers, stellar events and hazards." There will be some danger—you'll need to make occasional spacewalks to take care of repairs or collect interesting-looking stuff left at the side of the road—that is, floating in space—but it really sounds like you're going to have a lot more in common with BJ McKay than Han Solo. This is the line from the Steam page that really seals the deal for me: "Use your CB radio mic to interact with a fully-voiced cast of characters for an authentic trucking experience." CB radios in space? Yeah, I want to give that one a 10-32. Star Trucker is set to come out sometime in 2024. In the meantime, here's some Star Trucker you can enjoy right now. https://www.pcgamer.com/if-youve-ever-wanted-to-play-euro-truck-simulator-in-deep-space-this-new-sci-fi-trucking-simulator-might-be-just-the-thing/

Meta announced to extend verified services to India on June 7. It will allow users to get verified badges in the country for their Facebook and Instagram accounts. Users will be able to purchase Meta Verified which will provide them a blue tick and certain additional features. Meta Verified is a subscription-based service that allows users to buy verification badges at monthly rates of Rs. 699 on iOS and Android apps for Facebook and Instagram. Meta is also planning to introduce a web-based subscription plan for Rs. 599 per month in the coming months. Meta Verified will help users get verification done using a government ID. It will provide verified users proactive account protection, and access to direct account support, among other features. How to get verified on Instagram and Facebook in India 1. Open Instagram or Facebook app on Android or iOS device. 2. Click on the profile that you wish to get verified. 3. Go to Settings > Accounts Center. 4. Select the Meta Verified option. If it is not visible, you may need to upgrade your apps. 5. Choose the preferred payment method. 6. Follow the instructions to authenticate yourself using a government ID. 7. Once the authentication is done, users will get a verified badge on their account. Requirements to get verified on Instagram and Facebook in India In order to get Meta Verified in India, one must be at or above 18 years of age. The company may also verify the prior posting history of the user. In addition to these, one needs to have an official government ID, where the name and photo matches that on the Instagram or Facebook account. Meanwhile, public figures, celebrities, content creators or brands can apply for the verified badge by meeting the account and eligibility requirements. Currently, the Meta Verified is only available in select countries including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and India. Apple unveiled its first mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, at its annual developer conference, along with new Mac models and upcoming software updates. We discuss all the most important announcements made by the company at WWDC 2023 on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.gadgets360.com/apps/news/instagram-facebook-meta-verified-blue-tick-how-to-get-4111191

Just weeks after Thierry Breton, the EU commissioner for industry, urged Europe to make its own chips, the bloc has announced up to $8.7 billion (€8.1 billion) in public funding for building microelectronics and communication technologies. The funding plan, put together by 14 EU member nations, was created as an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI), a project category that takes advantage of rules that allow member states to pool resources and cooperate across borders. While the member states involved in the IPCEI will provide up to $8.7 billion in public funds, another $14.7 billion is expected in private investments, bringing total funding for projects under the plan to over $22 billion, EU Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. [ Lessons on diversity in IT: How to hire and retain Black tech professionals — for real • 10 professional organizations focused on diversity in tech • Gender gapped: The state of gender diversity in IT • Māori participation in IT: diversity insights for CIOs everywhere ] This IPCEI, which is the EU’s largest to date, will see 56 companies across Europe — including startups, large enterprises, and small and medium-size enterprises — undertake a total of 68 projects, Vestager added. Some of the companies involved in the IPCEI include Bosch, STMicroelectronics, GlobalFoundries, Orange, and Continental Automotive. The direct result of the IPCEI, according to Vestager, will see the creation of 8,700 highly skilled jobs. The first direct products of the projects are expected to hit the market by 2025, she added. Vestager said that the IPCEI will ensure that taxpayers' money is wisely spent and the aid will be “limited to the amount necessary for the project actually to go ahead.” [ REGISTER NOW for June 22, in-person event, FutureIT Chicago: Building the Digital Business with Cloud, AI and Security ] “In addition, large beneficiaries will return part of the aid received if their projects turn out to be more profitable than foreseen. We call this a claw-back mechanism,” Vestager said. Further, the innovations arising out of the IPCEI will benefit all member states, Vestager said. The EU’s decision to aid chip-making and communication technologies such as 5G and 6G comes at a time when the US and China are locked in a battle for supremacy over chip manufacturing. Both nations have tried several strategies including partnering with other nations and banning the use of chips manufactured by companies that are headquartered in the other nation. Last month, the UK, which is no longer a part of the EU, announced a £1 billion chip manufacturing investment, which was heavily criticized for being insufficient to make any substantial difference. https://www.computerworld.com/article/3699349/eu-to-offer-87-billion-in-aid-to-make-chips-communication-tech.html

Inno3D has thought of a way to hide the power connectors on the brand’s upcoming GeForce RTX 4070 and GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, two of the best graphics cards on the market. Unlike Asus’ concept of ditching the power connectors, Inno3D ingeniously placed them at the back of the graphics card. Inno3D is preparing to launch the GeForce RTX 4070 AX eSports and the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti iChill X2 White in the Chinese market. Consumers will surely like the idea of having the power cables routed to the back of the graphics card since it would facilitate cable management and improve the overall aesthetics of the build. The power connectors reside on the back of the PCB, located in an área between the heatsink and backplate. Inno3D rotated the power connector in a 180-degree orientation so it faces the motherboard instead of the side panel of your case. The good news is that the graphics card only requires a single power cable, so consumers don’t have to worry about routing multiple cables.In Inno3D’s case, the two upcoming graphics cards leverage a standard 8-pin PCIe power connector. However, we can see the utility of the design for models that use the 16-pin power connector. With all the cases of the 16-pin power connector meltdowns, consumers are paying extra attention when connecting and vending the cable. Inno3D’s design offers ample clearance space for bending the cable, and consumers can discard the power adapter, assuming they have an ATX 3.0-compliant power supply. Although both graphics cards have hidden power connectors, they differ slightly in implementation. The GeForce RTX 4070 AX eSports comes with a partially-removable backplate. Users can lift one-half of the backplate to reveal the 8-pin PCIe power connector. On the other hand, the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti iChill X2 White isn’t as long as the GeForce RTX 4070 AX eSports, so there was no way for Inno3D to use the same design. Nonetheless, consumers won’t have to remove the entire backplate to access the power connector. Instead, the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti iChill X2 White features a sizeable cutout where you can plug in the same 8-pin PCIe power cable. According to MyDrivers, the GeForce RTX 4070 AX eSports and the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti iChill X2 White will have bundled white power cables to match the graphics cards’ white theme. Inno3D didn’t share the availability or pricing for the graphics cards yet. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/inno3d-hides-power-port-on-new-rtx-4070-rtx-4060-ti-gpus

The City of Cape Town’s animal control unit has impounded nearly four times more dogs, cats and livestock than it did the previous year, rounding up 1 926 animals between July 2022 to March 2023. For the same period in 2021, only 554 were impounded. According to the City, it has seen a sharp increase in impoundment as ongoing complaints about stray and dangerous animals and barking were made. Chairperson of the City’s portfolio committee on safety and security, Mzwakhe Nqavashe, said the statistics are "absolutely staggering" and place an immense burden on the animal control unit and the animal welfare organisations where the animals are taken for safekeeping. "If they are not claimed by their owners or re-homed, euthanasia is the unfortunate last resort. This is not fair to our animal po[CENSORED]tion, who deserve far better from us," Nqavashe said. Animals are impounded under various circumstances, including where they’ve been involved in an attack on another animal or person. They are taken in if they are deemed to be stray animals or are roaming in areas where they present a danger to themselves and others, like roadways.The by-law also requires that pets be registered with the City and mandatory sterilisation by the age of six months unless an exemption is granted in terms of the by-law. "The registration of pets is completely free and can be done via our online portal. Registering your pets helps us set a benchmark for Cape Town's pet po[CENSORED]tion, which, in turn, helps determine the scale of interventions and budget required for animal matters. "We are also looking to expand the scope of the registration portal to include sterilisation exemption applications and applications to keep additional animals," added Nqavashe. The City said, to date, 134 679 pets had been registered. Of that, 100 522 are dogs and 34 157 are cats. https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/more-than-1-900-cats-dogs-livestock-impounded-by-city-of-cape-towns-animal-control-unit-20230610

As of April 18, the entire structure of federal tax credits for purchase of an electric vehicle changed conclusively. The number of EVs that qualified for a credit from $2500 to $7500 fell from dozens of models to just 18 separate vehicles (as of this week).But there's a large loophole: If you lease an EV, the new provisions that slashed the list of eligible vehicles don't apply. Most Americans have never leased a car, but the prospect of $3750 or $7500 off the price of a desired EV may convince lease-resistant shoppers to run the numbers and see how much the difference amounts to. From Dozens to Just 18 The incentive structure changed after the Inflation Reduction Act was signed by President Joe Biden last August. Sen. Joe Manchin, who provided the critical vote to get the act passed, pushed hard to limit federal tax incentives only to EVs that would support the U.S. economy, and kick-start a domestic battery minerals and cell fabrication industry. The goal was to ensure U.S. EV makers weren't dependent on, and vulnerable to, China—by far the most prolific global source of minerals for all types of battery cells. In practice, the IRA provisions Manchin crafted meant the EV had to be built in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico to qualify. Even tougher, its battery cells also had to use minerals sourced from a specific list of “friendly” countries that notably did not include China. Finally, those cells and battery packs had to be made in the U.S. The result is that only a minority of EVs on the market qualify for any federal purchase credit at all. Many EVs that received federal credits last year don't this year—though separate state, local, and corporate incentives may continue to apply. The EPA's Fueleconomy.gov website lists eligible vehicles (click the button for vehicles placed into service on or after April 18 to see the list). As of June 5, variants of 18 different EVs were eligible—a minority of the several dozen different battery-electric and plug-in-hybrid models for sale this year. Note eligible vehicles must carry a MSRP under $55,000 for passenger cars or $80,000 for light-duty trucks, which includes most crossovers and SUVs as well as pickup trucks. Is a Leased Kia EV a "Commercial Vehicle"? In December, the U.S. Treasury Department issued its guidance on interpreting the new rules specified in the Inflation Reduction Act. Under law, Congress exempted “commercial” vehicles, a definition most often applied to medium- and heavy-duty trucks, from the domestic-content rules. But, Treasury said, since a dealer who buys a vehicle and leases it to a driver, it is a commercial transaction, since the driver or end user does not take title to the vehicle. Instead, either the dealer or a finance company holding the lease retains ownership, and receives the tax credit. The department accordingly defined leased EVs—but not purchased EVs—as "commercial" vehicles. Because the North American battery-content and manufacturing rules specifically do not apply to commercial vehicles, any leased EV can qualify for the credit—most notably including those built overseas. Despite considerable unhappiness from Sen. Manchin, a Treasury spokeswoman told the Associated Press in a statement, "There was no room for Treasury interpretation."Eligibility for the commercial vehicle credit is a straightforward reading of the Inflation Reduction Act as written by Congress and application of longstanding tax law regarding leased assets," she said. Dealers are still working to understand which qualifying EVs they can sell outright while assuring the buyer that car qualifies for a tax credit—and how best to explain and close leases on other EV models with buyers who historically haven't wanted to lease, or even considered it. Are You Curious about Leasing? Still, automakers and dealers alike expect EV leasing to soar, possibly reaching half or more of all EV sales. Data from Edmunds shows leases reached 34 percent of total EV sales in March, up from just 18 percent in March 2023. The CEO of Ford Motor Credit told Bloomberg the carmaker's lending arm expects six out of 10 U.S. EV drivers to lease in the short term. That’s three times the rate for vehicles with gasoline or diesel engines. Three pieces of advice to lease-curious EV shoppers: First, note that carmakers, dealerships, and financial institutions that hold leases aren't required to pass along the tax credit, or its full value, to the final lessee—and some don't. Leaseholders are perfectly entitled to hold back part or all of that value, so check the numbers to ensure you're getting the full value of that $7500 or $3750 credit.Many lessors will use the credit to cut the lease payment, making EVs more affordable. One example: Subaru and its Japanese-built Solterra electric SUV. A mailer from the company this week said, “New 2023 Subaru Solterra models leased through Subaru Motors Finance are eligible for a $7,500 incentive that will be used to lower the lease payment.” Second, note that if the credit is applied to a lease, it reduces monthly payments immediately—whereas if you buy the same EV, you may have to wait a year or more to apply that credit to your taxes. However, starting next year, buyers will have the option of transferring the purchase credit to the dealer to cut the amount paid—though this provision is awaiting its own Treasury guidance. As always, there are numerous qualifications, exclusions, and provisions within the EV tax credit that are too complex to cover here. If you take away one thing, it should be this: You can take advantage of a tax credit on pretty much any mass-priced electric vehicle if you lease. Third and finally, the list of EVs eligible for the full purchase credit will grow steadily. Numerous carmakers have shuffled their global production mix to build new EVs, and the cells that power them, in North America. As more cars are "onshored," as minerals mining and processing grows outside China, and as more cell plants enter production, more and more vehicles will join the list. Meanwhile, if the specific EV you want isn't on that EPA list, your dealer should be happy to talk to you about a lease. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44131850/leasing-an-ev-tax-credit/

At a rubbish dump in northwest Syria, Mohammed Behlal rummages for plastic to be sold to recyclers and transformed into floor rugs and other items in the impoverished rebel enclave. In rebel-held Syria, recycling is rarely an environmental impulse but rather a grim lifeline for needy residents looking for work or items they otherwise could not afford.He and two of his six children earn a living sifting through the refuse in Idlib province’s village of Hezreh, earning $7 to $10 a week each. “It’s tiring… but what can we do, we have to put up with this hard labour,” said Behlal, who was displaced from neighbouring Aleppo province during Syria’s civil war. “Thank God, at least we have work with the trash,” he added. Behlal was shot in the leg during fighting and has had trouble finding employment. Hunched over to collect pieces of plastic or metal, he throws everything into a bag to sell to a nearby scrap facility. Syria’s conflict has killed more than 500,000 people, and around half of the country’s pre-war po[CENSORED]tion has been forced from their homes since fighting broke out in 2011. More than four million people, most of them dependent on aid, live in areas controlled by jihadists and Turkish-backed groups in Syria’s north and northwest. In a large scrapyard next to agricultural fields, workers sort plastic junk loosely into piles according to colour. They then cut it up and crush it into small pieces that are washed and melted into plastic pellets. Plastic thread Farhan Sleiman, 29, is among those who handle the material brought in from the landfill. “We buy plastic from roaming trash-picker trucks and children,” said Sleiman, originally from Homs province. He expressed fear of the risk of contracting “cholera or chronic illnesses” from working with the rubbish. Elsewhere in northern Idlib province, workers at a factory making mats and rugs churn out brightly coloured plastic thread while large weaving machines click and clack. Factory owner Khaled Rashu, 34, says rug-making is a family tradition. “We have more than 30 employees” at the factory, he boasted as a significant feat in a region where many are jobless. Large mats featuring geometric designs, some made with striking red or purple plastic thread, emerge from the weaving machines and are stacked into piles.Shop owner Mohammed al-Qassem, 30, is among those selling the mats, which he says are a hit in an area where many people are displaced and live in basic tents or makeshift dwellings. The mats made from recycled plastic cost between $5 and $15, while traditional Persian-style rugs are around $100. “In summer, demand for plastic mats increases” because they retain less heat, Qassem said from his shop in Maaret Masrin, a town in Idlib province. But “they can also be used in winter and are less costly”, he added. https://www.samaaenglish.tv/news/40038600/lifestyle-syrians-turn-plastic-waste-into-rugs-to-make-a-living

documents at his Mar-a-Lago property. At two campaign speeches on Saturday, Mr Trump said the indictment amounted to "election interference" by the "corrupt" FBI and justice department. He has denied any wrongdoing. Mr Trump has been charged with mishandling hundreds of classified documents, including some about US nuclear secrets and military plans. The indictment accused him of keeping the files at his Florida estate Mar-a-Lago including in a ballroom and a shower. He lied to investigators and tried to obstruct their investigation into his handling of the documents, the indictment alleged. It is the first ever criminal prosecution against a former US president. See where Trump allegedly kept classified docs Could Trump go to prison over secret files? Speaking at the first Republican Party convention in Georgia, Mr Trump said: "They're cheating, they're crooked, they're corrupt - these criminals cannot be rewarded, they must be defeated." He joked that every time he flies over a "blue state" - one controlled by the Democrats - he gets subpoenaed. Mr Trump, who is running for the White House again in 2024, called the indictment a "hoax" by the "corrupt political establishment", also describing it as a "joke" and a "travesty of justice". Both speeches - in Georgia and later in North Carolina - went on for more than an hour. He thanked the "record crowd" as well as "patriots" who had supported his White House bid, and went on to criticise "sinister forces" that were running the country. "We're going to stand up to the current political establishment … and we're going to finish the job we started, the most successful presidency," he said, a line that led to chants of "USA, USA" breaking out in the crowd. "I will never yield, I will never be deterred," he said, before turning his attention to the groups he said were plotting against him. This included Marxists, communists, "environmental extremists", Rinos - Republicans in Name Only - as well as "open border fanatics" and "radical left democrats". Referencing the indictment, he claimed the highly-sensitive documents should have fallen under the Presidential Records Act, rather than the Espionage Act. Under the Presidential Records Act, White House records are supposed to go to the National Archives once an administration ends. Regulations require such files to be stored securely. He also said "gun-toting FBI agents" had raided Mar-a-Lago. Special counsel Jack Smith, who oversaw the investigation, has denied the charges are politically-motivated, saying: "We have one set of laws in this country, and they apply to everyone." Laws protecting national defence information were critical and must be enforced, he has said. How Biden, Trump and Pence secret files cases compare As momentum starts to build towards the 2024 election, Mr Trump was speaking at a Republican Party convention in Columbus, Georgia, before moving onto another Republican Party event in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is currently the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination. His former vice president Mike Pence - who this week was highly critical of his former boss when announcing his own run for the presidency - spoke earlier at the North Carolina event, although the pair are not expected to cross paths. Georgia is likely to be a key battleground in the race for the White House, and is where Mr Trump narrowly lost to current President Joe Biden in 2020 - it could also be the scene of further legal jeopardy for the former president. Officials in the state are currently looking into whether Mr Trump broke the law when he asked Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" the exact number of votes he needed to flip the vote in his favour. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65868294

It brings me great pleasure to report that Uber-Lilith has fallen: The first recorded Hardcore mode kill of the Diablo 4 pinnacle boss, the game's toughest single fight, has been accomplished by Ben, a Twitch streamer and self-described "gamer just trying to game." The end of the Diablo 4 campaign is not the end of the game. Once Lilith has been properly dealt with, you can continue on the live-service grind to take your character all the way to the maximum level of 100, if that's what you're into. But there's more than just a three-digit character level waiting at the end: There is also the Echo of Lilith. Echo of Lilith—aka Uber-Lilith—is a very, very powerful version of the base boss, designed to give the game's most accomplished and overpowered players something to worry about. To even meet Echo of Lilith, you need to have defeated the campaign and reached World Tier 4, Diablo 4's highest difficulty level. In a pre-release interview with GamesRadar, associate game director Joe Piepiora said the fight is meant to be "extraordinarily, extraordinarily challenging.""Players that reach level 100 are going to have an extremely difficult time on this boss encounter," Piepiora said. "And the expectation is that you take your class, you understand your build, you've maximized everything that you possibly can about it, and you really have learned encounters very well. And that's going to be the way that you can maybe take it down." When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Home News Action Diablo 4 'Uber Lilith' has fallen: Diablo 4's toughest demon has finally been killed in Hardcore by a barbarian named Spinnywinny By Andy Chalk published about 15 hours ago Spinnywinny is the Diablo 4 avatar of Ben, a streamer who reached the Hardcore 100 achievement earlier this week. COMMENTS Diablo 4 screenshot (Image credit: Activision Blizzard) It brings me great pleasure to report that Uber-Lilith has fallen: The first recorded Hardcore mode kill of the Diablo 4 pinnacle boss, the game's toughest single fight, has been accomplished by Ben, a Twitch streamer and self-described "gamer just trying to game." The end of the Diablo 4 campaign is not the end of the game. Once Lilith has been properly dealt with, you can continue on the live-service grind to take your character all the way to the maximum level of 100, if that's what you're into. But there's more than just a three-digit character level waiting at the end: There is also the Echo of Lilith. Echo of Lilith—aka Uber-Lilith—is a very, very powerful version of the base boss, designed to give the game's most accomplished and overpowered players something to worry about. To even meet Echo of Lilith, you need to have defeated the campaign and reached World Tier 4, Diablo 4's highest difficulty level. In a pre-release interview with GamesRadar, associate game director Joe Piepiora said the fight is meant to be "extraordinarily, extraordinarily challenging." Sponsored Links If You Need To Relax On Your Computer, You Have To Play This Game. No Install Elvenar "Players that reach level 100 are going to have an extremely difficult time on this boss encounter," Piepiora said. "And the expectation is that you take your class, you understand your build, you've maximized everything that you possibly can about it, and you really have learned encounters very well. And that's going to be the way that you can maybe take it down." RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU... CLOSE Lest there be any doubt about Piepiora's seriousness, Uber-Lilith brought Wudijo's solo Hardcore 100 character to an end just yesterday. But that's not to say Uber-Lilith cannot be beaten, and now, beaten she has been: By Ben, who brought the mighty demon low with his vicious, powerful barbarian, Spinnywinny. As you can see in the clip, Ben puts up staggering amounts of damage in his attacks against Lilith, which Wowhead says he likely accomplished by taking advantage of an oddity in the barbarian's Whirlwind skill. "Based on a weird mechanic that was repeatedly reported during Beta, Whirlwind apparently snapshots a damage-increasing buff from Wrath of the Berserker's second upgrade, Supreme Wrath of the Berserker," the site explained. "By endlessly channeling Whirlwind right after activating Wrath of the Berserker, the buff never seems to fall off and increases damage endlessly based on Fury spent instead." Wowhead added that it's possible that something else could be happening to cause the damage boost, like a different bug or exploit, "but that's what it sure looks like." Whatever the explanation, the job was done, and Ben apparently had a really good time doing it. "The @diablo pinnacle boss is insanely fun," he tweeted. "So far the game has exceeded my expectations, hopefully the future bosses they create are similar. I feel like D4 actually has some big potential if they fix a few things like DC rips/NM dungeon density + tone down monster CC." (For the record, that's deaths caused by disconnections, the density of monsters in Nightmare Dungeons (generally, players want more), and reducing Crowd Control skills, which enable players to slow or halt enemy movement.) And for followers looking to duplicate the feat, he also offered a little insight into how he pulled it off: https://www.pcgamer.com/uber-lilith-has-fallen-diablo-4s-toughest-demon-has-finally-been-killed-in-hardcore-by-a-barbarian-named-spinnywinny/

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek announced that the app is officially testing an offline playlist dictated by the users' recently played favourites. The company first spoke about an offline mix playlist in 2020 but nothing tangible came of it immediately. But it is clear now that the development was in the works behind the screen and it is finally coming to fruition now. Several users claimed on social media to already have access to the feature. It is still unclear whether the Spotify offline mix feature will be free for users or will be a Premium access feature. Ek tweeted the announcement, where he wrote that Spotify was "testing out a new feature called "Your Offline Mix" — a playlist designed for those times when you might not be online." A screengrab shared alongside the tweet showed the test feature with a playlist worth multiple hours worth of music. The application currently allows users to manually download playlists for offline playback. But the "offline mix" feature will draw music from the users' recently played favourite music while still online, with no manual intervention required for the playlist creation.Spotify, with over 500 million worldwide users, is competing against Google-owned YouTube Music, which already flaunts an “Offline mixtape” feature. With the "Smart download” option turned on, the YouTube app allows users to automatically download up to 500 songs in different playlists.Recently, Spotify also removed several songs published by AI music company, Boomy, which was putting up computer-generated music, and impersonating artists without any license or consent. Universal Music contacted Spotify, noting that AI bots could have been used to increase the number of listeners to Boomy's songs, potentially bringing in a lot of money for the uploaders of the duplicated content. https://www.gadgets360.com/apps/news/spotify-offline-mix-official-testing-no-internet-playlist-4109829

This year’s WWDC 2023 has been a bit of a tough pill to swallow for general consumers. Despite the yearly conference being focused on developers, there’s still that expectation from everyday Apple users for the brand to roll out new products that would appeal to the masses – this year we had our hopes set on a new MacBook Air and the long-awaited successor to the 24-inch iMac. Instead, Apple launched devices aimed squarely at the pro market and only sprinkled in some consumer products that are lukewarm at best, perhaps in an attempt to appease the fanbase that it’s been continually disappointed for some time now. In the end, those of us who were hoping for the iMac follow-up, a more powerful and better-looking MacBook Air, or even a proper update to the macOS were given last year’s MacBook Air but with a bigger screen – an unnecessary entry to the lineup, if you ask me – and a new macOS with useful yet still pretty minor new features. And we watched helplessly as Apple rolled out new upgrades to machines that are very clearly aimed at creative professionals and therefore out of our reach for average customers.The bizarre thing is that Apple saw no need to update its beloved yet fast-aging all-in-one computer – one of the best AIO computers, I might add – and thought it more appropriate to update the Mac Studio, which only debuted last year. Don’t get me wrong; I’m sure this M2 Max and M2 Ultra-powered Mac Studio model will do wonders for today’s demanding creative workloads. But it’s not what most people care about or even need. Even if an argument can be made that the appeal of all-in-one computers has waned, there are many Apple users out there, me included, that still rely on their iMacs and could really use a snappier upgrade. And with this recent snub, it’s really starting to feel like Apple has stopped caring about regular people. The iMac is still incomparable Yes, technically, you could invest in the Mac mini M2 and get one of the best USB-C displays if you need to move on from your aging Apple AIO, whether you’ve got the 24-inch or the now-defunct 27-inch iMac. You’re probably getting more bang for your buck too since an M2-powered Mac mini with 8GB Unified Memory and 512GB SSD is almost half the price of the base iMac 24-inch configuration with an M1 chip and half the storage capacity. Even with the added cost of a new monitor, it would still be cheaper since there are a lot of excellent yet affordable display options available. But the three main selling points of an all-in-one are its simplicity of setup, the reduced number of cables that clutter up your desk, and the fact that you have one device playing the role of several devices (here’s one advantage of minimalism we should keep). Being an Apple product, the speakers on the iMac 24-inch deliver fantastic audio as well – a far cry from what you’d typically get from most monitors with built-in speakers. That’s not to mention the great quality webcam, the stunning 4.5K display, and the excellent peripherals that come with the iMac. Admittedly, AIO PCs have that one Achilles' heel: they’re usually not easily upgradable – though some models are designed to be modular. But most AIO and PC users don’t really care about or know how to pop open and upgrade their computers anyway. So, that point is moot. Apple is doing its consumers a disservice Not all of us can afford or even want to spend $1,999 / £2,099 / AU$3,299 on a mini PC like the Mac Studio, especially since, with its creative pro-level specs, it is overkill for most people. And by rolling an upgrade out so soon after its initial release – it hit the shelves in 2022 versus the iMac’s 2021 launch, Apple seems to be sending a message that it’s now putting all its attention on the top of its consumer base food chain. That combined with the lackluster attempt at another consumer-grade laptop – the MacBook Air 15-inch 2023 is really just like the 13-inch but with a bigger screen – makes it all feel like lip service. It's clear to me that Apple no longer cares about the people who made it what it is today. It’s almost heartbreaking to watch a brand I truly love become so elitist, gratuitously pushing high-end products on regular folks and trying to mani[CENSORED]te us into thinking we need a powerful Mac Studio, especially when all we wanted was another iMac. We all understand that there’s likely more money to be made from powerhouses like the Mac Studio, the Mac Pro, and all of Apple’s shamelessly expensive displays. But that’s no excuse to be condescending to us regular folks, especially those of us who’ve been loyal to Apple from the start. That's fine. With brands like Lenovo and Acer giving us all these beautiful and impressive yet very accessible alternatives, we’re more than happy to make the switch. To paraphrase Johnny Castle, nobody puts us in a corner. And if Apple continues with this behavior, we’ll happily take our money elsewhere. https://www.techradar.com/opinion/an-upgraded-apple-mac-studio-is-nice-but-what-i-really-want-is-a-new-imac