protaa

While everyone wants to witness nature up close, it's important to give wild animals a wide birth for their safety and your own safety. Luckily, there are talented professionals who are helping people see the wonders of our natural world from their own homes. TikTok user @grandtetonphoto is a photographer for Grand Teton National Park, and he recently shared an incredible video he captured of a grizzly bear with her cub. Any animal lover will want to see this amazing footage!Wow, this is amazing! It's unlikely we would ever have the opportunity to see a scene like this in person, so having an experienced nature photographer sharing these moments with the internet means the world. We are so glad that this momma bear and her cub were given plenty of space and respect!In the caption, this photographer raises several examples of what make humans good neighbors to mother nature. He said that we should all be doing our part to help these incredible animals thrive by "securing food and trash at all times, driving cautiously, giving them a minimum of 100 yards of space, following the direction of park staff, and practicing the lost art of common sense."When visiting national parks, it is essential to exercise common sense and demonstrate respect towards wild animals by giving them adequate space and not interfering with their environment. While the allure of encountering these creatures up close may be tempting, it is crucial to remember that they are wild and unpredictable, and approaching or attempting to touch them can lead to dangerous situations, both for yourself and the animals. Keeping a safe distance allows animals to maintain their natural behaviors and avoids causing them unnecessary stress. Remember that these national parks are their homes, and it is our responsibility to ensure their well-being by observing them from a respectful distance and appreciating their beauty from afar! Photographers like this TikTok user are one of the ways we are able to admire wild animals safely. His advanced equipment and talent allowed him to capture this footage of the grizzly bear and cub, and now we are able to see the incredible moment from the other size of the country! https://paradepets.com/pet-news/grizzly-cub-grand-teton

The Ministry of Economy (MoE) in UAE has issued 27 recall notices for thousands of cars due to manufacturing issues during the first five months of this year.These recalls affect 34,386 cars from various models and manufacturers such as Ford, Mercedes, GMC, Jeep, Kia, Mazda, Bentley, Dodge, and Land Rover. In comparison to the same period last year, there has been a noticeable decrease of 41% in the number of recalls. Among the months, February saw the highest number of recalls, with 17,791 vehicles being affected.During the first five months of 2022, the ministry issued a total of 65 recall notices for approximately 59,000 cars. The recalls have been initiated to address a range of defects, including issues with windscreen wiper motors, doors, airbags, rear-view cameras, and the quality of welding between the steering column bracket and the cross-car beam.These defects have the potential to compromise the safety and performance of the affected vehicles, making it crucial to take immediate corrective action. To ensure the safety and functionality of the recalled cars, the dealerships responsible have reached out to all customers with affected models. They will conduct thorough inspections and carry out the necessary repairs for free. Here is the table showing company-wise manufacturing faults in the recalled vehicles. https://propakistani.pk/2023/06/03/uae-recalls-thousands-of-cars-with-manufacturing-defects/

Po[CENSORED]r actor Mohib Mirza is all set to make his television comeback with Express Entertainment’s upcoming drama serial “Razia.” Mirza will be joining Mahira Khan, who is also returning to the small screen after her last appearance in the 2021 drama serial “Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.”Excited about his new project, Mirza took to social media to share the news, describing the show as an “important story to tell.” On the other hand, Khan had previously revealed her involvement in the project through a BTS picture on Instagram, captioned “Razia. Coming soon on Express Entertainment.”While specific details about the cast, release dates, and the creative team are yet to be disclosed, fans have been intrigued by the glimpses shared by Khan. In one picture, she can be seen sitting in an amusement park or fair, showcasing a vibrant paranda in her hair. Another picture featuring multi-colored bangles unveiled the project’s name. The drama is expected to commence filming in June, and the anticipation among fans is growing as they speculate Khan’s portrayal of a feisty Punjabi woman in the series. Additionally, Khan will also reunite with Humayun Saeed in another upcoming project titled “Aaj Rung Hai.” Directed by Nadeem Baig and written by Zanjabeel Asim, the drama marks their on-screen collaboration after the success of Farhat Ishtiaq’s “Bin Roye.” Khan’s last appearance was in Bilal Lashari’s blockbuster film “The Legend of Maula Jatt,” which became the highest-grossing Pakistani film of all time. Mirza, on the other hand, was last seen in the feature film “Ishrat: Made in China” in 2021. With the return of both Mohib Mirza and Mahira Khan to television, viewers are eagerly awaiting their performances in “Razia” and “Aaj Rung Hai,” looking forward to their on-screen chemistry and remarkable acting skills. https://www.samaaenglish.tv/news/40037696/lifestyle-mohib-mirza-to-make-television-comeback-with-mahira-khan-in-razia

Hundreds of thousands of Russians are estimated to have left their country since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We look at who they are, where they are going, and why they are leaving. Svetlana is in her early 30s and originally from a small town. She moved to Moscow at 18 to study physics at university. After graduation she worked as a product manager for various companies. "I never thought I'd have to leave, I planned to retire in Moscow," she says, "I love Russia and I enjoyed my life." Russians had been leaving even before the Ukraine war, including those who disagreed with Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and with new laws that made it easier to punish dissent. Many settled in the Baltic states and other EU countries, as well as in Georgia. For Svetlana, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine of 2022 was a turning point. "When the war started, I realised that it would not be over soon and also that people would not come out to protest. I felt both emotionally and rationally it made sense to leave," she says. She is now in Belgrade, Serbia's capital. "I wanted to put as great a distance between myself and the authorities as possible." Many Russians shared her feelings and what had been a trickle turned into a stream. Clash of generations in Russia as young take on parents The first wave came in March and April last year - new emigres told the BBC they were against the war, and disappointed more Russians did not come out to protest. Feeling isolated and at risk, they felt it was safer to leave. President Putin began a military mobilisation in September 2022. Described as "partial" by the authorities, in reality it meant most men were at risk of the draft. Numerous reports followed of poor training and insufficient kit provided to the newly conscripted. Men and their families started leaving in droves, creating days'-long queues on the Russian borders with Georgia and Kazakhstan. The Russian president's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied Russians were leaving en masse to avoid being drafted.In April Russian authorities introduced an "online call-up", where new conscripts could be added to a digital register rather than be handed the papers by hand - he also denied the new system was designed to stop the flow of men leaving. How many left - and where to? There are no exact figures on how many people have left Russia - but estimates vary from hundreds of thousands to several million. In May the UK Ministry of Defence estimated 1.3 million people leaving Russia in 2022. Other estimates of figures from various sources confirm the trend. Forbes magazine cited sources inside the Russian authorities as saying that between 600,000 and 1,000,000 people left in 2022. The Bell and RTVi - both independent Russian media - published comparable figures.Leaving Russian is relatively easy, as long as you have money and have not been called up to the army. But finding a permanent place to stay is hard. In the months following the start of the war many countries, mostly the EU and the US, made it difficult for Russians to apply for visas unless they already had family there or were travelling for work. In many other countries - such as Georgia and Armenia - Russians faced no such restrictions and could come and go as they please. They still can. Other countries, including Kazakhstan, changed their laws earlier this year, reportedly to stem the flow of Russian immigrants by limiting how many days they can stay as tourists. Without a prospect of returning to Russia, more and more people need to apply for residency to be able to work in the countries they are settling in - though many are finding ways to keep working remotely for Russian employers. We know that in the past 15 months, around 155,000 Russians received temporary residence permits in, collectively, EU countries, in several countries of the Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia. Nearly 17,000 have applied for political asylum in EU countries but only around 2,000 have received it, according to the European Union Agency for Asylum. The Russian Interior Ministry says 40% more have applied for foreign passports in 2022 than in the year before. 'I was terrified of being sent to kill other people' Since the start of this war we have spoken to dozens of Russians who have left. They come from different walks of life. Some are journalists like us, but there are also IT experts, designers, artists, academics, lawyers, doctors, PR specialists, and linguists. Most are under 50. Many share western liberal values and hope Russia will be a democratic country one day. Some are LGBTQ+. Sociologists studying the current Russian emigration say there is evidence that those leaving are younger, better educated and wealthier than those staying. More often they are from bigger cities. Thomas is from St Petersburg. "I am a pacifist and was terrified of being sent to kill other people. I've been against Russia's policy towards Ukraine since 2014. Invasion and killing of civilians is unacceptable," he says.After the start of the full-scale invasion he posted anti-war messages on social media and joined street protests, he says. As a gay man, he was also concerned for his safety. "After Russia adopted laws on 'ban on gay propaganda' and on 'fake news' about the Russian army I knew that the threat to my life and freedom had increased," he says. Thomas applied for political asylum in Sweden and tried to explain to the authorities there why returning to Russia would be dangerous. His application was turned down but he appealed against the decision. "Since I only have the right to limited time with a state lawyer, I am working on gathering evidence for my case on my own." For Sergei, a native of the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, it is a different set of problems. He is now in Tbilisi, Georgia. The day Russia invaded Ukraine, he phoned several of his friends and they all agreed the war was bad news. "Whatever happened next, the economy was going to go down," he says. "A week later we all met up and decided we needed to prepare to [leave]." As days went on, Sergei says, the war got closer. "We saw a lot of military kit on its way to Ukraine. Hospitals were full of wounded. Rostov airport was closed for civilian flights but there were lots of planes and we knew where they were going." In September after Putin's mobilisation speech Sergei's mother, who had criticised him for not being sufficiently patriotic, phoned him and said: "Pack your things and go." Sergei drove all night to Georgia, where he now lives.My wife and child are still in Russia. I have to pay their expenses and accommodation out there and my own here. I work two jobs - one remotely for my company in Russia and one here, for a friend's small business." Sergei says he is saving money to get his family out of Russia to another country. His wife, who had been reluctant, now agrees they need to look for a new life elsewhere, he says. What does this mean for Russia? The Russian authorities tried to downplay the impact of hundreds of thousands of educated and well-off people leaving the country along with their money, but the economic impact is evident. Russia's largest private bank, Alfa Bank, estimates that 1.5% of Russia's entire workforce may have left the country. Most of those who left are highly skilled professionals. Companies complain of staff shortages and hiring difficulties. Russia's Central Bank reported in the early stages of the war that Russians withdrew a record 1.2 trillion roubles (around £12bn / $15bn) from their accounts. This is a scale unseen in Russia since the 2008 financial crisis. Economist Sergei Smirnov from the Russian National Academy of Sciences believes that, as a general trend, higher skilled individuals will continue to look for ways to leave.There will be increasingly more demand for people to be able to fix cars or make shoes. I don't like apocalyptic scenarios but I believe this will lead to productivity within the Russian economy continuing to fall over time." The economist points out that these trends will primarily affect large cities, such as Moscow, St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. "Most of the Russian territory will not be aware of these transformations because standards of living in smaller cities, towns and villages have always been low and will continue to be in the future." Meanwhile Svetlana, in Belgrade, has no plans to return to Russia. "I am working for a start-up based in Moldova but recently I applied for a job in the Netherlands." Sergei in Tbilisi is applying for jobs in Europe. For now his life is tough: "I don't have any days off, sometimes I don't have enough time for a night's sleep, I nap in the car." And Thomas in Sweden hopes he won't be forced to go back to Russia where he fears homophobic abuse. He is learning Swedish to be able to get any ob at all. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65790759

An exciting horror game, a new theme park sim, and other June releases worth a look in between the big showcases. Street Fighter 6 and Diablo 4 make for an interesting pairing to start June: One's all color, the other's all gloom. Maybe the decision to play one or the other is a good personality test? Are you more Ryu or Nephalem? Also coming this month: An exciting new horror game set in a World War I bunker and a romantic murder mystery set in an alternative Victorian London. (I'm not sure what playing either or both of those games says about you.) For a full picture of the year in PC gaming, check out our complete guide to 2023's new games. And expect a bunch of additions to be made to that list as announcements pour in from the various summer showcases this month, including our own PC Gaming Show on June 11—more on all that below.E3 might be dead, but the month of June still exists, and that's enough to keep the summer showcases going. Sony fired first with its event in May, but the rest of the shows are happening this month, including livestreams from Xbox and Ubisoft, a big Starfield show, and the return of PC Gamer's own PC Gaming Show. Here's the full schedule of summer gaming showcases. https://www.pcgamer.com/june-2023-release-calendar/

Hackers have stolen data from the systems of a number of users of the po[CENSORED]r file transfer tool MOVEit Transfer, US security researchers said on Thursday, one day after the maker of the software disclosed that a security flaw had been discovered. Software maker Progress Software Corp, after disclosing the vulnerability on Wednesday, said it could lead to potential unauthorized access into users' systems. The managed file transfer software made by the Burlington, Massachusetts-based company allows organizations to transfer files and data between business partners and customers.It was not immediately clear which or how many organizations use the software or were impacted by potential breaches. Chief Information Officer Ian Pitt declined to share those details but said Progress Software had made fixes available since it discovered the vulnerability late on May 28. The software's eponymous cloud-based service had also been impacted by this, he told Reuters. "As of now we see no exploit of the cloud platform," he said. Cybersecurity firm Rapid7 and Mandiant Consulting - owned by Alphabet's Google - said they had found a number of cases in which the flaw had been exploited to steal data. "Mass exploitation and broad data theft have occurred over the past few days," Charles Carmakal, chief technology officer of Mandiant Consulting, said in a statement. Such "zero-day," or previously unknown, vulnerabilities in managed file transfer solutions have led to data theft, leaks, extortion, and victim-shaming in the past, Mandiant said. "Although Mandiant does not yet know the motivation of the threat actor, organizations should prepare for potential extortion and publication of the stolen data," Carmakal said. Rapid7 said it had noticed an uptick in cases of compromise linked to the flaw since it was disclosed. Progress Software has outlined steps users at risk can take to mitigate the impact of the security vulnerability. Pitt did not have a comment on who might have been trying to steal data by exploiting the flaw. "We have no evidence of it being used to spread malware," he said. MOVEit Transfer was used by a relatively "small" number of customers compared to those of the company's other software products that number more than 20, he said. "We have forensics partners on board and we are working with them to make sure that we have an ever-evolving grasp of the situation." https://www.gadgets360.com/internet/news/moveit-file-transfer-security-flaw-exploit-hackers-steal-users-data-4090655

There’s a new Gmail scam making the rounds online as bad actors are taking advantage of the service’s recently launched verification system. Back at the beginning of May, Google introduced blue checkmark verification in order to combat internet scams like phishing attacks. Companies and organizations can apply to the program to verify their identity, and upon approval, Gmail will display the aforementioned blue checkmark next to the brand logo. What was supposed to be a way to protect people is instead, in some instances, being used to go after them. Cybersecurity engineer Chris Plummer posted on Twitter an image of a spoofed email claiming to officially be from UPS. The scammer apparently somehow got past Google’s own safeguards. Bug exploit Identifying the fake email was easy enough to do. Plummer shows the header sporting an email address consisting of mostly random letters and numbers ending in a UPS URL. However, hovering over the checkmark displays a window stating the message is coming from a legitimate sourceIt’s unknown how the bad actor got around the security checks. Plummer claims there’s a bug in Gmail that scammers are exploiting to trick the platform’s “authoritative stamp of approval”. From there, the bad actors hop through multiple domains before zeroing in on their target. . Initially, when he reported the problem to Google, the company reportedly hand-waved it away saying the system was working as intended. But in the days since Plummer’s discovery, the tech giant made an about-face and announced it is currently working on a fix. How to not get scammed Since we don’t know when the patch will roll out, it makes sense to protect yourself until then. TechRadar has a couple of guides on how to avoid online phishing scams and how to protect your inbox. We strongly recommend reading both to get a full understanding, but here are some pieces of advice to get you started. First, double-check the header. If you see a bunch of random letters, numbers, and symbols in the email address, that’s your first clue that something is fishy. Secondly, double-check the spelling in the header. Some scammers will replace certain characters with a lookalike to trick people. For example, the letter “O” will be replaced with the number “0” or the capital “I” with a lowercase “l” (that's an "L"). Gmail’s default font can make this tough to discern. Be wary of any emails urging you to share your financial information, whether updating your account details or a refund offer you didn’t ask for. Of course, don’t click on any links or attachments you don’t recognize. https://www.techradar.com/news/theres-a-new-gmail-verification-scam-heres-how-to-avoid-getting-caught-up-in-it

AMD's latest processor revision guide for the EPYC 7002 'Rome' server chips reveals an interesting new bug (errata) that can cause a core on the chip to hang after 1,044 days of uptime (~2.93 years), meaning you'll have to reset the server for the chip to run correctly. AMD says it will not fix the issue. AMD's description of the issue, which impacts its second-gen EPYC processors (AMD's fourth-gen Genoa chips are the newest), is succinct, but there's a lot to unpack.The issue stems from the core failing to exit the CC6 sleep state, but AMD says the timing of the failure could vary based on the spread spectrum and REFCLK frequency, the latter of which is the reference clock that helps the chip keep track of time. Reddit user acid_migrain has a plausible theory about the exact timing of the core hangs, saying, "Despite what they say, the problem actually manifests at 1042 days and roughly 12 hours. The TSC ticks at 2800 MHz, and 2800 * 10**6 * 1042.5 days almost equals 0x380000000000000, which has too many zeros not to be a coincidence." The fix is simple -- either reboot before 1,044 days of uptime, which resets the CPU to restart your 1,044-day "timer," or disable the CC6 sleep state. Now, while this 2.93-year core crashing bug is interesting, the question is if it really matters. Sure, it matters, despite the fact that security updates and maintenance should be done in much, much shorter intervals. The most realistic scenario would simply be those that use the Linux live patching feature to update without rebooting — that could certainly lead to the type of extended uptime that would trigger the bug. Also, servers for mission-critical applications often see extended uptime. While this bug is interesting, it isn't a showstopper for the majority of users, and errata in chips are definitely not unusual. Modern CPUs are the most complex devices constructed by humankind, and they almost always come to market with numerous errata/bugs discovered either during or after the chips reach their final shipping revision (stepping). Chip Errata is Common, But Not Great With billions of transistors in play, it's inevitable there will be issues: It isn't uncommon for a chip to have a thousand or more errata/bugs that are corrected in newer steppings of the chip or with firmware tweaks before launch. These errata can encompass all types of bugs, from security holes to malfunctioning flags and cache tags that don't operate correctly, and the chipmakers do their best to stomp them out before launch. However, some errata always remain, even in shipping chips. For instance, Intel's 8th-gen has more than 150 listed errata that still remain, and the chips were launched in 2017. We don't know how many errata the Rome chips have had because AMD has removed the listings for errata that have been solved. However, we do know that 39 errata remain, which actually doesn't seem too bad against the Intel backdrop. Some errata are left unrepaired simply because they pose no harm, but aside from critical errata that could leave an attack vector open, some functionality-related errata are simply never patched. The chipmaker weighs factors such as the severity of the errata, ease of fixing the issue, and if there is even a significant enough number of errata to merit spinning up another stepping -- that's not a trivial endeavor. Why didn't AMD find it earlier? Well, 2.93 years is longer than any qual cycle. The AMD EPYC Rome chips were released in late 2018, so perhaps some of AMD's customers have already encountered the issue. And then there are the folks that just want to join the uptime club and set a record. To do that, you have to beat the computer onboard the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Yeah, the one that was the second to enter interstellar space. That computer has been running for 16,735 days (48+ years), and counting. For terrestrial records, 6,014 days (16 years) seems to be the record for a server, but I've seen plenty of debate over other contenders for the crown. (The small /r/uptimeporn/Reddit community has plenty of examples of extended uptimes.) In either case, you won't get to break that type of record with any of the EPYC Rome chips -- this errata will not be fixed, so not all your cores will exceed the 1,044-day threshold by much under any circumstances. AMD's note says it won't fix the issue — perhaps the company decided the issue is too costly to fix in silicon, or a microcode/firmware fix has too much performance overhead, or maybe there simply aren't enough impacted customers to make the fix worthwhile. In either case, disabling the server's CC6 sleep state will help you sleep at night, or you could just make sure to reboot every 1,000 days or so. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amds-epyc-rome-chips-could-hang-after-1044-days-of-uptime

Colombia’s invasive hippo po[CENSORED]tion is even larger than researchers had thought, according to the most thorough census of the animals conducted yet. Scientists were already concerned about the hippos — considered the largest invasive animal in the world — threatening native plants and animals in the country, and had been calling for drastic measures to reduce the po[CENSORED]tion. The census results have only heightened that fear. A few years ago, researchers estimated how fast the animals were reproducing, to project that about 98 hippos were living along the country’s Magdalena River and its tributaries in 20201. But the new study, for which a research team counted the animals in person, by drone and using other tracking methods, estimates that there are 181–215 of them residing in Colombia. “Before, one argument against dealing with the hippos was that our information was limited and our arguments theoretical,” says ecologist Rafael Moreno, who participated in the study while at the Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute in Bogotá. “But we have put that argument to bed now. This study shows that this is a real issue, and that the state must act urgently.” By drone and on foot Colombia’s ‘cocaine hippos’ are all descendants of three females and one male illegally imported by drug-cartel leader Pablo Escobar. After he died in the 1993, the hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) escaped from his estate and established themselves in the Magdalena River. Without the natural predators or droughts of their native Africa to keep them in check, the giant herbivores have bred rapidly to form the largest po[CENSORED]tion of the animals outside that continent. Colombian officials have struggled to manage the hippos. After they ordered an aggressive male to be killed in 2009, a photo of soldiers posing with the corpse sparked outrage and halted efforts to rein them in. Some communities now depend on the tourism the hippos bring, whereas others — particularly fishing communities — live in fear of the highly territorial animals, Colombia’s environment ministry commissioned the census to get a better picture of the problem and how to manage it. Completing it was challenging: despite the hippos’ large size, it is difficult to find and count them accurately. They are nocturnal, immerse themselves in water for 16 hours a day and roam large distances. Comprising researchers at the National University of Colombia in Bogotá, the Humboldt Institute and Cornare, an environmental body managing an area where the hippos live, the team made various trips in 2021 and 2022 by car, boat and on foot to count the hippos. In locations where the animals could not be reached safely, they used drones to count them or footprints to estimate the po[CENSORED]tion. The researchers found that 37% are juveniles, indicating that the animals are breeding rapidly. One hypothesis for this is that the hippos are reaching sexual maturity earlier than they do in Africa owing to the lush conditions in Colombia. Another is that the animals are having greater reproductive success because there are fewer fights among them for territory and resources, Moreno says. But evidence is needed to confirm the actual cause. While counting the hippos, the team documented the myriad ways in which the animals are damaging Colombia’s ecosystems. As they waddle their huge bodies to and from rivers, the hippos are eroding riverbanks and carving out muddy paths that divide forests. Moreover, they are outcompeting other animals for habitat and resources, with the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis) and capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) most under threat. Exploring solutions With serious attacks on humans in 2020 and 2021, and a car crash leaving a hippo dead on the highway in April, solutions are needed, scientists say. One strategy currently being tried is to administer contraceptives to the animals by dart. That might eventually get rid of the hippos by preventing their reproduction, but it is slow, costly and hasn’t been tested on hippos on such a scale before. A modelling study published in April2 estimated that this method could eradicate the hippos in 45 years at a cost of at least US$850,000. Another strategy — capturing, anaesthetizing and transporting the hippos by helicopter to a facility to be castrated — would cost at least $530,000 and take up to 52 years for eradication, the study found. Both calculations are underestimates, given that the models were fed earlier, lower estimates of the hippo po[CENSORED]tion, before the census results had been released. Meanwhile, the regional agency responsible for dealing with the hippos is strapped for funding and relying on donations of contraceptives from the United States. Agency officials are negotiating with countries, including India and Mexico, to export some of the animals to sanctuaries abroad. But this would cost $3.5 million, according to those working on the strategy. There is no single best solution, says Olga Montenegro, a biologist at the National University who worked on the census. The hippos live in various groups, some of which might be easily relocated, but others are well established and are breeding quickly. Many researchers advocate culling the animals. They say it is the swiftest, most humane thing to do and that it would solve the problem before it becomes impossible to fix. The cost of killing the hippos must be weighed against that of losing native flora and fauna in Colombia — the second-most biodiverse country in the world — they add. Nature asked the environment ministry how it would manage the growing hippo po[CENSORED]tion, given the new findings, but it did not comment. “There is a moral weight to the decision to cull a hippo. But the weight of the other decision — inaction — is far greater,” Moreno says. “I hope this is something the politicians will understand.” which can weigh 3 tonnes and can tear off a person’s limbs or trample them. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-01818-z

One measure could be continuing the purchase tax break for EVs and plug-in hybrids that cost less than $42,400 for an additional four years. China is poised to extend incentives for EV purchases as part of broader efforts to shake off a sluggish post-pandemic period. The foundation for China’s economic recovery is not yet solid, the nation’s state radio reported late Friday, citing a State Council meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang. China will therefore extend and optimize new-energy vehicle purchase tax exemptions, the report said, without giving more detail. People familiar with the matter said earlier on Friday an extension was being considered for some low- or zero-emission cars for another four years. One of those measures may be extending the purchase tax break for EVs and plug-in hybrids that cost less than 300,000 yuan ($42,400), one of the people said, asking not to be identified because the details are private. Vehicle that cost more than that amount are broadly classed as luxury vehicles in China, so a move that makes it easier for people to buy more affordable EVs would boost the nation’s EV adoption rate and further its goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2060. China has been promoting its EV industry for more than a decade with generous incentives to consumers and subsidies to automakers. Buyers received discounts of as much as 60,000 yuan at one point for purchasing EVs, but those ended in 2022. While new cars generally are subject to a 10 percent purchase levy, this hasn’t applied to new-energy vehicles since 2014 and was recently extended through the end of 2023. https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/china-could-extend-ev-tax-break-4-more-years

Rabya Kulsoom shines as Neelo in the po[CENSORED]r drama series “Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha,” captivating audiences with her portrayal of a strong and outspoken sister, earning widespread acclaim. Despite the storyline losing its appeal in later episodes, Rabya Kulsoom’s performance has remained a standout, particularly in a powerful scene displaying her character’s anguish and resentment towards Hania, played by Maheer. The chemistry between Rabya’s character, Neelo, and her on-screen brother, Saad, has also garnered appreciation from viewers, further enhancing the drama’s impact. Recently, Rabya Kulsoom appeared as a guest on the show “Pyar, Zindagi Aur Karachi” on Fuchsia, where she provided insights into the making of the remarkable scene that captured the audience’s attention. During the interview, Rabya revealed that Wahaj Ali played a significant role in elevating the impact of the scene. She shared that they had initially filmed the scene once, but Wahaj, recognizing the potential for even greater intensity, asked if she had more energy to offer. Providing her with valuable guidance, Rabya hesitantly agreed to reshoot the scene, respecting Wahaj’s input. The end result of their collaborative efforts was nothing short of fabulous, leaving a lasting impression on audiences. Rabya Kulsoom’s commendable acting skills and dedication to her craft have further solidified her status as a talented performer in the industry. Her ability to bring depth and authenticity to the character of Neelo has struck a chord with viewers, who have been captivated by her compelling portrayal. As “Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha” continues to unfold, Rabya Kulsoom’s contribution to the drama remains a highlight, leaving fans eagerly anticipating her future performances. The collaborative efforts between Rabya and Wahaj Ali in crafting a memorable scene serve as a testament to the importance of actors supporting and inspiring one another to deliver exceptional on-screen moments. https://www.samaaenglish.tv/news/40037539

Austrian officials have voiced their relief after two of the country's citizens were released by Iran after years of imprisonment in the country. Dual Austrian-Iranian nationals Kamran Ghaderi and Massud Mossaheb were freed as part of a prisoner swap involving Europeans and an Iranian diplomat. The pair's detention in Iran, on spying and security charges respectively, attracted criticism internationally. Belgium said a third person - a Danish citizen - had also been released. The trio were flying into Belgium via Oman following medical examinations, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said. Local media reported that they will be met at the Melsbroek military airport just outside Brussels by Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib. Her Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg, tweeted his relief that both men could come home after years of "arduous imprisonment". In a statement from the foreign ministry, he said Austria would leave "no stone unturned" to secure the release of a third citizen who is still imprisoned in Iran and whose sentence is currently subject to appeal. Chancellor Karl Nehammer, meanwhile, said the released men's long path of suffering was now at an end. Mr Ghaderi was arrested in Iran in 2016, and sentenced to ten years in jail on spying charges - after what his family says was a forced confession. Mr Mossaheb - who is understood to be in his 70s - was arrested in in Teheran in 2019, and sentenced for what Amnesty International has called "vague national security offences". The pair spent 2,709 and 1,586 days in confinement respectively. The earlier prisoner swap between Belgium and Iran involved Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele and Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi. Mr Vandecasteele was freed after 455 days in prison, the Belgian prime minister said. He had been sentenced to 40 years in prison and 74 lashes in January, after being convicted of espionage and several other charges. He denied any wrongdoing. Mr Assadi was convicted on terrorism charges in Belgium in 2021 in relation to a failed bomb plot in France, and had been jailed for 20 years. Iran's foreign minister said Mr Assadi had been "illegally detained". Friday's announcement of the release of the Austrian-Iranian citizens came after mediation talks involving Oman. The Gulf nation also brokered the earlier prisoner exchange. In his social media post, Mr Schallenberg called the day "very emotional" after years of discreet diplomatic efforts. He paid tribute to the Austrian embassy in Tehran as well as his Belgian and Omani counterparts. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-65791257

Even if you do the sensible thing and start your Dungeons & Dragons campaign at level 3—the point where everyone gets a subclass and starts to feel like a bespoke individual rather than a persona you bought off the rack—having a campaign actually reach D&D's higher levels is like becoming fluent in another language. Easy for kids, almost impossible for adults. We just don't have that kind of time. Which is why the Palace of Ice expansion for Solasta is appealing. Solasta is a French RPG made with a mildly homebrewed version of D&D's 5th edition rules, and its original version took characters on a traditional zero-to-hero journey from level 1 to level 10ish. Maybe 12, if you really took your time and did everything. The Palace of Ice DLC lets you either import a party who finished the base game's Crown of the Magister campaign, or make new characters at level 10. Either way, they'll start with a full suite of cool abilities and a collection of magic items, and reach level 16 by the end. That may not sound like much in videogame turns, but since 5E tops out at 20 it's actually way up there. I praised Solasta's previous DLC for finally letting me make the weird D&D party of my dreams because it rounded out the original game's roster with player-character options like dragonborn and half-orcs, as well as warlocks, monks, bards, barbarians, and druids. Palace of Ice adds gnomes and tieflings, meaning if you own all the add-ons you now have access to every species and class in the 5E Player's Handbook.Palace of Ice welcomes you to high-level D&D by making you fight demons—including one of the buzzard-headed skeksis rejects called a vrock—on day one. Pretty soon, enemies start using legendary actions to get extra turns and no-selling anything that makes them take a saving throw with legendary resistances as a matter of course. Then Palace of Ice takes you on a trip to Dragon Town, po[CENSORED]tion your face, which is on fire because you fight dragons all the time now. Five of them will show up as a random encounter while you're trying to cross the overland map and you just have to cope. Which is actually pretty easy. By the time dragons, ogre zombies, and the remorhaz show up—a remorhaz is a kind of giant arctic centipede that radiates enough heat to cause fire damage when you hit it, which why you never see one wearing a cardigan—you'll have access to top-tier spells. Things like earthquake and finger of death as well as a new one called gravity slam that does 12d6 bludgeoning damage (save for half). Have you ever chosen a character class for a tabletop campaign by looking at cool shit like how sorcerers from a draconic bloodline can grow wings whenever they feel like it once they hit level 14, but then had the game stall out before you reach, like, level 7? If you have, this kind of stuff is a dream come true. Unfortunately, having characters who fly all the time—which is not unlikely given ready access to magic items that grant it and being able to toss around level 3 spells like fly as if you're rich people pouring champagne on the dirt just to feel something—does expose some problems. Solasta's turn-based battles make the most of their 3D environments, with giant spiders climbing walls and chasms that have to be jumped across. Which is neat, except that it simulates bottomless pits by removing areas from the grid completely, meaning that you can't fly over those chasms no matter how high up you go. Meanwhile the entangle spell, though its area of effect is described as a square just like it is in the tabletop game, actually covers a sphere and will restrain characters who try to fly over it. The huge number of area-of-effect spells that high-level characters fling around, like Johnny Appleseed but with cloudkill, also highlights how finicky it can be to place things on specific spots in Solasta's 3D spaces. I haven't spent this much time trying to get AoE spheres to snap into the position I want since I went all-in on grenades in XCOM. The other gripes I have in my notes, unrelated to characters being high level, are mostly about Palace of Ice's quests being confusing or easy to sequence-break. Sometimes it's minor stuff like the quest log getting NPC names wrong (someone called Etheyn Cook becomes "Tea" for a while), a sidequest refusing to complete, or the time I talked to a merchant who asked me to rescue someone I'd not only already rescued, but actually had with me when that conversation triggered. Sometimes it's more annoying, like when a companion suggested allying with a storm giant who was hostile from the get-go and I had no option but to kill. Subsequent dialogue made it sound like not only was that storm giant still alive, but I'd successfully brokered an alliance with his people. A quest later on said I had the option to return a magic item to him, even though he remained as dead as THAC0. The story isn't the reason to play Solasta, so things like that aren't the fatal flaws they might be in another RPG. Its localization has always been odd in ways that make it difficult to take seriously, like how party members will congratulate each other on a kill by shouting "That's battle!" as if we spent the previous rounds of combat playing badminton or something. The whole reason to bother with Solasta is because you want more D&D than your every-second-Tuesday group is up for, you've already rinsed Baldur's Gate 3, and you've got a high tolerance for goofiness as long as it's part of a game that lets you upcast magic missile at a vrock or remember that remorhaz exist. Which is exactly what Palace of Ice does. https://www.pcgamer.com/if-you-long-to-play-high-level-dandd-but-dont-have-time-then-solastas-palace-of-ice-dlc-is-for-you/

Mahesh Kumar Jain, the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has predicted that technologies like blockchain and Artificial Intelligence (AI) would be part of the future of finance. The RBI recently met with the directors of Indian banks. The aim of this meeting was to address concerns and risk mitigation measures that India must be ready for in the future. The up-and-coming blockchain technology is the underlying system that supports cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and the overall Web3 sector. Linking AI and blockchain to existing financial systems, the RBI official said, is essential to ensure the growth and stability of India's digital finance sector. “Indian banks will need to focus on digital transformation, enhance customer experience, adopt innovative technologies such as AI and blockchain, invest in cybersecurity measures, look for opportunities to derive synergistic benefits through collaboration with other players as well as upskilling their workforce to meet the demands of the digital era,” Jain said in the meeting.The development comes just days after a Coindesk report claimed that Indian crypto exchanges were in “survival mode” right now. Citing sources from CoinDCX, CoinSwitch, WazirX, BuyUCoin, ZebPay, and Giottus, the report claimed Indian exchanges see their runways ranging from 21 months to four years before they land into a bull market. Speaking to Gadgets 360, Unocoin CEO Sathvik Vishwakarma agreed that the next four years are indeed crucial for India's crypto ecosystem and highlighted that progressing with tech is crucial for the nation to be ready for the hyper-competitive future. “Regulatory environment, institutional adoption, tech advancement, market volatility, and investor sentiment are among several major factors that will shape the future of national as well as international fintech sector,” Vishwakarma said. The Unocoin chief listed patchy policies, hack attacks on Web3 platforms, and resistance from traditional finance as factors that may delay the projected four-year trajectory, which may vary depending on the perspectives of industry insiders. India's CoinDCX exchange also emphasised that it is prioritising tech development in order to keep its services up to date and relevant for the users. “CoinDCX is using the bear market as an opportunity to build and enhance its technology. We are investing heavily in strengthening our capabilities and infrastructure to pave the way for the mass adoption of Web3,” the company told Gadgets 360. For now, the RBI governor has asked banks to prioritise risk management, regulatory compliance, and sustainability solutions to ensure long-term resilience in the banking ecosys https://www.gadgets360.com/cryptocurrency/news/rbi-deputy-governor-mahesh-kumar-jain-blockchain-future-india-awaits-crypto-rules-4087353

Microsoft has just powered up the Xbox App for Windows in a new update that brings in a lot of useful changes, on the accessibility front for starters, and also with game cards, better filtering for your games library to find what you want, and more. Windows Central reports that the May update for the Xbox App on PC is now out, reworking accessibility settings to make them more, well, accessible, bringing all these options together in a new menu.Essentially, this acts as a one-stop-shop hub where you can access accessibility settings for the Xbox app – for example, disabling animations or background images (those are actually two new features designed to remove what might be unnecessary distractions for some folks). Also, the menu offers convenient shortcuts to other accessibility options (for Windows in general, for instance, or the Xbox Game Bar).Another significant change has been introduced for game cards, which offer up more info. So you can now see at a glance how long a game takes to finish (typically), details on pricing, and relevant info on when the title is coming to Game Pass (or indeed being dropped). There are also new options to filter your game library, so for example, it’s possible to look for games you can beat in a few hours (under five) if you just want a quick fix for your next venture into PC gaming. It’s also possible to sort games via accessibility features, too. Microsoft has implemented tweaks on the social side for the Xbox App, too, allowing you to pop out your friends list (or a chat) into a separate window. If you have two desktops going, you can have a game running full-screen in one, and your social stuff popped onto the other. There’s some very useful stuff added here, with the extra details on game cards, and additional filter options likely to prove very handy (especially the idea of looking for quick fix games, or indeed the opposite end of the spectrum – games that will consume your life for the next month or three, perhaps). Note that the estimations of game lengths are drawn from a website (HowLongToBeat.com). Furthermore, Microsoft continues to put its best foot forward with further efforts on the accessibility front. We’ve seen a lot of such work in Windows 11 at a broader level – with lots of progress with Voice Access in particular of late (courtesy of the Moment 3 update) – and it’s great to see this happening on the gaming side of the equation in the OS, too. As a final note, one thing PC gamers might have missed is that Windows 11’s live captions work in games, too – and the feature does a pretty good job for those titles which don’t have native captions. https://www.techradar.com/news/xbox-app-for-windows-is-making-pc-gaming-more-accessible

FSP has revealed the Cannon Pro 2500W power supply at Computex 2023, bumping up the capacity by 25% over the brand's previous flagship unit. Although power supplies are FSP's forte, the company was also keen to show off a new CPU air cooler. The Cannon Pro 2500W is a server-grade power supply, but given its ATX form factor, enthusiasts can use the unit for desktop systems without hiccups. Measuring 5.9 x 7.9 x 3.4 inches (150 x 200 x 86mm), the Cannon Pro 2500W is an ATX 3.0-certified unit with support for the latest PCIe 5.0 (12VHPWR) power connector to power Nvidia's latest GeForce RTX 40-series graphics cards. Regarding capacity, FSP isn't the first to the market with a 2,500W unit as rivals, such as Super Flower, demoed a similar power supply in 2019. However, FSP offers the first 2,500W power supply with the latest ATX 3.0 certification. The Cannon Pro 2500W pridefully carries the 80 Plus Platinum rating, meaning the power supply has an efficiency of at least 89% at 100% load. In addition, it features a modular design so consumers can connect the cables they need. With a capacity of 2,500W, the power supply can comfortably power up to four GeForce RTX 4090 graphics cards. The GeForce RTX 4090 isn't a pushover, either, being rated up t The Cannon Pro 2500W only comes with two 12VHPWR power connectors. However, the power supply provides six PCIe power connectors, allowing consumers to use the 16-pin power adapter for the other two GeForce RTX 4090 graphics cards. The Cannon Pro 2500W wasn't the only mind-blowing power supply on display. We also saw the Anemoi series, an ATX 3.0 power supply that delivers 1,000W capacity with an 80 Plus Platinum certification. The dimensions of the Anemoi are 5.9 x 5.9 x 3.4 inches (150 x 150 x 86mm), so it's not much bigger than the Cannon Pro 2500W. What makes the Anemoi unique is the incorporation of aluminum heatsinks to help with cooling. It's a shame that the power supply's body doesn't allow any peeks into the interior. FSP's Hydro PTM Pro product portfolio gets a new addition. The manufacturer has expanded the series with a new capacity of 1,650W. The dimensions (5.9 x 7.1 x 3.4 inches) didn't change, and the specifications, such as 80 Plus Platinum, remain untarnished. The Hydro PTM Pro 1650W offers two 12VHPWR power connectors. For the small form factor (SFF) aficionados, FSP has prepared the Dagger Pro L, an SFX-L power supply with 1,200W of power. The ATX 3.0 power supply measures 4.9 x 4.9 x 2.5 inches (125 x 125 x 63.5mm) and will fit into the tiniest of SFF cases. On the other hand, the Dagger Pro 12VO is an SFX unit with an 80 Plus Gold rating and complies with Intel's ATX12VO standard. The MX09 was the oddball of all the products and the only CPU air cooler FSP brought to Computex 2023. It has a 5.8 x 5.9 x 6.3-inch (147 x 149 x 160mm) footprint and rocks a dual-tower design. It appears to have a good bit of clearance space for very tall memory modules, a thermal configuration with seven heat pipes, and a heatsink with a closely-stacked fin layout. The MX09 supports various platforms and sockets, although FSP didn't specify which. FSP has big plans for the consumer market this year. The vendor exhibited some new product lines, including the Vita, Advan, and Mega series, that will hit retail later in the year. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/fsps-2500w-power-supply-has-enough-juice-to-feed-four-rtx-4090 o 450W. Nonetheless, the Cannon Pro 2500W has more than sufficient capacity to handle four.

The fat of dead pigs, cattle and chickens is being used to make greener jet fuel, but a new study warns it will end up being worse for the planet. Animal fats are considered waste, so aviation fuel made from the material has a much lower carbon footprint. Demand for fuel made from animal by-products is expected to triple by 2030, with airlines leading the charge. But experts fear scarcity will force other industries to use more palm oil - a huge generator of carbon emissions. Airlines are under pressure to rein in their huge carbon emissions, which mainly come from burning fossil-based kerosene in aircraft engines. Government defends oil boss to head climate talks Why is extreme weather killing fewer people? World likely to warm beyond key 1.5C limit by 2027 But the study by Brussels-based Transport & Environment, a clean transport campaign group, points out there are simply not enough animals slaughtered each year to meet airlines' growing demand for animal fats. "There's not a never ending supply of animals, or animal fat," said Matt Finch from Transport & Environment. "So if you put on a massive extra demand source from anywhere from aviation, in this case, the industries where fat is currently being used, will have to look for alternatives. And that alternative is palm oil. So aviation indirectly, will be responsible for increasing the amount of palm oil being pulled through the European systems." The increased use of palm oil is linked to rising emissions as older forests which store vast amounts of carbon are cleared for new plantations. The fact that animal fats are used as fuel will come as a surprise to many. For centuries tallow and lard have been used to make candles, soaps and cosmetics. However, over the last 20 years or so, biodiesel made from these animal wastes or from used cooking oils, has steadily grown in use in the UK and further afield. Across Europe, fuel made from dead animals has grown fortyfold since 2006, according to the new research. Much of this material is used in cars and trucks as biodiesel, which is classed as a sustainable fuel, and as such it has a much lower carbon footprint under the rules. But UK and EU governments are now very keen to increase the use of these types of waste to make aviation greener. To that end they are putting in place challenging mandates that will require airlines to use a bigger proportion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in their tanks. For the UK it's going to be 10% by 2030, for the EU 6% - but according to observers these plans could put pressure on the current market for animal waste. There are significant differences in approach between the UK and EU. The UK is likely to limit the use of better quality tallow in fuel - while in Europe the use of this type of material will be incentivised as the greenhouse gas reduction achieved with this fat is higher. With rising demand, prices will rise and this will likely encourage exports from the UK, which will have consequences. According to Transport & Environment, a flight from Paris to New York would need fat from 8,800 dead pigs if all the fuel came from animal sources. With the UK likely to restrict the use of animal products and used cooking oils, flights that refuel across Britain will be likely to have only small amounts of animal-derived material in their engines. In the EU, airlines will have a 6% sustainable aviation fuel target for 2030 of which 1.2% must come from e-kerosene. Assuming the remaining 4.8% is derived entirely by animal fat, that would require around 400 pigs per transatlantic flight. Presentational grey line Among those industries who might have to source different ingredients if aviation consumes a greater share of animal fat are pet food manufacturers. They currently utilise a significant amount of the better quality animal by-products to help feed the UK's 38 million pets. "These are really valuable ingredients for us and they are hard to replace, and they're put to good use already in a very sustainable way," said Nicole Paley, deputy chief executive of UK Pet Food, the manufacturers' trade association. "So actually diverting these ingredients to biofuels is actually creating another problem. It would put us in competition with the aviation industry. And when it comes to the purse strings of the aviation sector, the pet food industry would find it really difficult to compete." While the EU is further down this road, the UK is currently consulting on limiting the type of animal fats that go into jet fuel. The government is mulling a ban or a strict limit on both animal fats and used cooking oil in the aviation sector, worried about the unintended consequences. Many in the biofuel industry are concerned that the proposed changes might also see animal fats diverted from one form of transport to another. "If you make a big incentive for use of these lipids, animal fats, and used cooking oils, in aviation, it will inevitably take it away from other things," said Dickon Posnett from Argent Energy, a waste-based biodiesel producer in the UK and Europe. "So if you want to increase aviation sustainability, at the expense of truck sustainability, then crack on. But that's a decision for the government to make." https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65727664

Chinese automakers are becoming stronger than ever. At home they have steadily gained market share from their international competitors over the past three years. BYD and several Chinese electric vehicle startups have made significant progress in capturing market share by offering competitively priced electrified models. By contrast, non-Chinese legacy automakers have experienced a decline in their overall share, which fell to 43 percent in the first quarter of 2023 from as high as 67 percent in 2020. Sales of Japanese, German, American and Korean models are heading in the wrong direction. Chinese automakers are also making remarkable strides in the global market, particularly in developing area such as Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Additionally, almost every country in Europe has become a target market for different Chinese automakers. In 2022, Chery sold 1.23 million vehicles globally, with 37 percent being exported outside of China. SAIC's export quota reached 33 percent. Consequently, China is on its way to surpassing Germany and Japan to become the world’s largest vehicle exporter. Over the past two years, the total number of passenger vehicle exports from China to the global market has increased by 211 percent, reaching a total of 3.11 million exports in 2022. So, will battle-hardened Chinese automakers lead future markets and conquer the world? Chinese automakers have established the building blocks for future competitiveness in EV technology, software, digitalization, factor cost and supply chain areas. Most Chinese automakers are now launching so-called “dedicated hybrid powertrains’ (a dedicated hybrid engine with a dedicated hybrid transmission), which have tremendous potential in China and global markets. Among them, BYD is the leader with its DM-i dedicated plug-in hybrid technology that offer fuel economy as low as 4.4 liters/100km in for the Song Pro and 3.8l/100km in the Qin Plus, with a combined fuel and electric cruising range of 1,100 km. The DM-i’s system has well balanced power, fuel economy, and system cost by utilizing the high-power motor and improved thermal efficiency engines. In-car software and user experience have emerged as crucial focal points for Chinese brands, serving as key differentiators in the market. Geely, for instance, has acquired MEIZU, a renowned technology company specializing in mobile phones and software. This partnership aims to develop the Flyme Auto OS, which is now integrated into the latest Lynk & CO 08 models. The Flyme Auto OS is positioned to compete with Huawei Harmony OS in both UI design and its array of functions and features. Nio, on the other hand, places a strong emphasis on "customer focus," a philosophy that is clearly reflected in the digital experience offered through Nio's apps and community platforms. Recognizing that software performance and functionality have become crucial game changers, Nio strives to provide a seamless and innovative digital experience for its customers. Chinese automakers have also made significant efforts to establish a robust and self-sustaining battery supply chain. With the likes of CATL and BYD dominating the battery market, numerous automakers such as GAC, Great Wall, Changan, SAIC and Geely have ventured into creating their own battery subsidiaries. This strategic move goes beyond the production of battery packs and cells; these automakers are also forming partnerships with upstream material suppliers and investing in the development of next-generation battery technologies. But the road to success will not be straight for Chinese automakers. Their main challenge will be how to position and price their vehicle in international markets. For instance, Nio is attempting to position itself as upmarket, which raises some skepticism. Additionally, establishing credible and efficient marketing, sales, and aftersales networks in international markets is crucial for Chinese automakers. It remains to be seen if they understand local market characteristics and customer needs well enough to make this work. Undoubtedly, Chinese car manufacturers have ambitious goals that extend far beyond their domestic borders. The rise of Chinese brands marks just the beginning of a larger reshuffling within the global auto industry. https://europe.autonews.com/guest-columnist/chinese-automakers-poised-make-big-gains-europe

In this work, data from the UK Biobank were used to investigate the association of both individual and combined healthy lifestyle factors with the risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality among 104,142 people with osteoarthritis. The researchers gave each person a score for their lifestyle, based on their body mass index (BMI) and self-reported diet, sleep duration, physical activity, sedentary time, social connection, smoking, and alcohol drinking - all factors thought to be associated with health. Overall, there were 9,915 deaths recorded after the first 2 years' follow-up. Models showed a variety of associations between people's lifestyle and mortality. Sleep duration had a U-shaped relationship, whilst moderate physical activity was L-shaped, and BMI and vigorous activity were J-shaped - a trend that starts with a sharp drop and is followed by a dramatic rise. For sleep, the ideal seems to be 7 hours a night, whilst the turning point for moderate physical activity was 550 minutes per week, and 240 minutes per week for vigorous physical activity. The J-shaped turning point for BMI was 28 kg/m2. In multivariable models, each lifestyle factor was significantly associated with all-cause mortality, as well as mortality associated with cancer, cardiovascular, digestive, and respiratory diseases. This study could be important in helping to identify a healthy lifestyle pattern that could significantly reduce the risk of mortality in people with osteoarthritis. Indeed, EULAR has recently published recommendations on lifestyle behaviors and work participation to prevent progression of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, including osteoarthritis. The overarching principles define the importance of a healthy lifestyle, how lifestyle modifications should be implemented, and their role in relation to medical treatments. It seems now this could possibly benefit mortality as well as disease outcomes https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230601/Association-between-healthy-lifestyle-and-mortality-in-people-with-osteoarthritis.aspx.

US President Joe Biden has tripped and fallen while handing out diplomas at a graduation ceremony for the US Air Force Academy in Colorado. Mr Biden, who is the nation's oldest serving president at 80, was helped back up to his feet and appeared to be unhurt. The president had been standing for about an hour and a half to shake hands with each of the 921 graduating cadets. The White House communications director said earlier "he's fine". "There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands," Ben LaBolt wrote on Twitter after Thursday's fall. "I got sandbagged," the smiling president joked to reporters as he arrived back at the White House that evening. A White House press pool report earlier said Mr Biden had tripped on a black sandbag while moving on stage. Footage of the incident shows Mr Biden appearing to point at one of two sandbags used to prop up his teleprompter as he was helped up by an Air Force official and two members of his Secret Service detail. He was seen walking back to his seat unassisted and later jogging back to his motorcade when the ceremony ended shortly after the accident The pool reporter added that the president did not take questions when he returned to his plane. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Mr Biden was feeling "totally fine" and had boarded the plane flashing "a big smile". Critics have said Mr Biden is too old to run for a second term as president. Recent polls suggest a majority of US voters are concerned about his advanced age. He would be 82 at the start of a second term if he wins. This fall, in addition to previous stumbles from his bicycle and on the way up the Air Force One stairs, could add to those concerns. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner to face Mr Biden in the 2024 White House election, reacted to the incident from a campaign event in Iowa, saying "the whole thing is crazy". "I hope he wasn't hurt," said Mr Trump, 76, who has often poked fun at Mr Biden's age. "That's not inspiring." "You got to be careful about that because you don't - you don't want that. Even if you have to tip toe down the ramp," added Mr Trump, apparently referring to his own careful walk off a stage that made headlines in 2020. He said at the time that the ramp at the US Military Academy in West Point, New York, was slippery, and brushed aside the ensuing media questions about his own health as fake news. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another 2024 contender for the Republican nomination, also reacted to the fall during a campaign event in New Hampshire: "We hope and wish Joe Biden a swift recovery from any injuries he may have sustained. "But we also wish the United States of America a swift recovery from the injuries it has sustained because of Joe Biden and his policies." Mr Biden's last physical examination took place in February. White House physician Dr Kevin O'Connor wrote at the time: "The President remains fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations." Dr O'Connor added that Mr Biden walks with a "stiffened gait", largely caused by wear and tear on his spine and nerve damage in his feet, but that his condition was unchanged from a previous physical in November 2021. Mr Biden is hardly the first commander-in-chief to lose his footing in front of the cameras. President Barack Obama tripped walking up stairs at a 2012 event, while President Gerald Ford fell down the stairs of Air Force One in 1975. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65783589 .

Tommy Williams, Konami's head of communications for the Americas, has confirmed to The Verge that the Metal Gear Solid 3 remake will reuse the original game's voice lines without any changes whatsoever. Just what Konami's plans were for the game's voice acting have been a little hard to pin down since the game was announced—after months of rumours—at last week's PlayStation Showcase. At the time, Konami said that the game would "star the original voice characters" from MGS3, which you could interpret as either the company getting the cast for the game back together or simply reusing the already-recorded material. A later tweet in which Konami said "The story and character voices in Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater remain the same from the original game" certainly seemed to suggest that the company was just gonna yank the original's audio to use in the remake, but it still had some room for interpretation and/or hope. But alas, Konami has now confirmed that we should prepare for a lot of sonic deja vu.To be fair, several members of MGS3's Japanese voice cast have died between that game's release and now, which would have given Konami the undesirable job of locating suitable replacements, so it's understandable that the company chose the path of least resistance. I'd also imagine that for fans who don't really trust Konami to handle MGS without Kojima's involvement, its lack of creative input on the remake's voice cast will come as good news. To be honest, I share their mistrust—I'm probably more excited about the original game coming to PC than I am about the remake—but I always struggle to see the point of remakes that adhere religiously to the format of the original. If the first MGS3 is going to be on PC anyway, I always figure it's better to swing for the fences and try something new with a remake than it is to deliver fans an experience they've had before in glossy 4K. But unless Konami is pulling an MGS2-style fast one and Naked Snake suddenly gets replaced by Kiefer Sutherland (not as a voice, as a character, ideally still voiced by David Hayter) after the Virtuous Mission, I suppose it's not to be https://www.pcgamer.com/konami-is-officially-doing-the-most-boring-thing-possible-with-the-mgs3-remakes-voice-acting/

Nothing Phone 2 is confirmed to launch globally in July. It will launch as the successor to the Nothing Phone 1 that was released in July 2022. Nothing CEO and former OnePlus Co-Founder Car Pei had previously confirmed a few key specifications of the handset. The upcoming smartphone will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC and will be backed by a 4,700mAh battery. The design of the Phone 2 is speculated to be similar to that of the first one. Now, the company has also revealed the display size of the phone, and a few other details. In a Twitter thread, Nothing shared that the display of the Nothing Phone 2 will be 0.15-inch bigger than that of Nothing Phone 1. The first generation smartphone from the company sports a 6.55-inch full-HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) display. Therefore, the Phone 2 will feature a 6.7-inch screen. Previously, alongside confirming the phone's July launch, Pei said that the Nothing Phone 2 will come with a 4,700mAh battery, which is 200mAh bigger than that of the 4,500mAh battery of the Phone 1. Today, the company said that these changes will "boost overall performance" of the upcoming handset, all while maintaining a carbon footprint of 53.45 kilograms, over 5 kilograms lower than the Phone 1Earlier this month Pei confirmed that the Nothing Phone 2 will be powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, a considerable upgrade from Phone 1's Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+. Initial tests of the phone claimed that the Nothing Phone 2 is twice as fast compared to Phone 1. It is said to be about 80 percent more productive than its predecessor. The company also announced today that it will offer 3 years of Android updates and 4 years of security updates for the Nothing Phone 2.. Sold in a plastic-free packaging, the Nothing Phone 2 is claimed to have three times more recycled or bio-based parts as opposed to the Phone 1. The upcoming model uses 100 percent recycled tin on 9 circuit boards, 100 percent recycled copper foil on the main circuit board, over 90 percent recycled steel on all 28 steel stamping parts, and 80 percent of plastic parts are sustainably sourced, the company stated in a series of tweets. Alongside claiming that the Nothing Phone 2 uses 100 percent recycled aluminium made with 100 percent renewable energy for the handset's mid-frame, Nothing claims that the final assembly plants of the smartphone are also powered by 100 percent renewable energy. https://www.gadgets360.com/mobiles/news/nothing-phone-2-launch-july-display-size-confirm-specifications-expected-features-4082687

The Apple Music Classical app has come to Android devices – several months after the service landed on iPhone, but before either iPad or MacBook devices have received an official app (via 9to5Mac). Apple Music Classical is a distinct app from Apple Music, focusing exclusively on (you guessed it) classical music, instead of the broader offering found in the primary Apple Music app. The app first launched on iPhone back in March 2023, with Apple calling it “a brand-new standalone music streaming app designed to deliver the listening experience classical music lovers deserve”.That means you get access to a massive classical music catalogue, with over five million tracks, advanced search, Spatial Audio capability (provided you have the right AirPods), and 700+ curated playlists to better experience the greatest classical works. The interface itself is designed around the particular metadata that’s useful when engaging with classical music – such as orchestra and conductor – while enabling you to easily assemble playlists of particular composers, and sift through the innumerable recordings of classical works in an intuitive way. There are also thousands of exclusive tracks you won’t find on any other streaming service (given classical isn’t always prioritized on an app where Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran reign supreme). Apple giveth, and Apple taketh away Android users may well have been missing a dedicated classical music app, given that the Primephonic music streaming service was pulled from Android after Apple acquired it in 2021 – allowing the tech giant to repackage the app as an Apple service before releasing it back onto a competing operating system. However, what matters now is that Apple Music Classical is available on Android – meaning you can start creating those Beethoven and Debussy playlists today. You will, of course, need a subscription to Apple Music to gain access, and that can be either the Individual, Student, Family, or Apple One plan. We should also mention the Android version is not available in China, Japan, Korea, Russia, and Taiwan, just like on iOS. People there will have to make do with the standard Apple Music platform. Other online reports claim devices must be running Android 9 or later in order to support the app. If this is true, it means Apple Music Classical won't be exclusive to people running the latest patch, and it can be downloaded on phones running nearly five-year-old software, greatly increasing its availability. When will there be an official, optimized app for iPad and Mac users, though? We've asked Apple for comment, and will update if we receive a response. If we had to guess, though, they're likely to be announced at WWDC 2023, as part of the latest macOS and iPadOS operating systems. https://www.techradar.com/news/apple-music-classical-launches-on-android-before-getting-a-real-ipad-or-mac-version

One of the great things about trade shows like Computex 2023, is that you'll sometimes see a product on display that hasn't been fully and officially announced yet. Case in point: MSI's next version of its Prestige 16 Studio laptop, which was on display at the company's demo suite with Intel's upcoming 14th Gen, Meteor Lake processor inside. MSI had announced a Prestige 16 earlier this year at CES 2023, but that unit leverages a 13th Generation Core i7 Raptor Lake chip. The one at Computex 2023 seemingly taps into Intel's upcoming Meteor Lake parts but its specs card says it has the "Latest Intel Core i7 processor." The Prestige 16 arrives with a mysterious Intel Core i7 processor with 22 threads. Given the thread count, the processor is likely a Meteor Lake part with six P-cores, eight E-cores, and two E-cores inside the SoC tile. Only the P-cores feature Hyper-Threading, so the processor rocks a 16-core, 22-thread configuration. In addition, Device Manager confirms that the chip has a Movidius VPU onboard, a feature that's characteristic of Meteor Lake. The 16-core chip features a clock speed of 3.1 GHz, but it's uncertain if it's the final specification. The Prestige 16 is a lightweight laptop weighing 3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) and sports a magnesium-aluminum alloy body. The previous iteration was 4.6 pounds (2.1 kilograms) heavy, so the Meteor Lake-based variant has lost around 29% of its body weight. The 16-inch display outputs at a resolution of 2560x1600, providing an IPS-level viewing experience. The specifications of the panel are identical to the prior version. However, MSI didn't confirm whether the newer model still has a 165 Hz refresh rate. Nonetheless, the panel is certified for 100% DCI-P3 color space, an essential aspect for video and photography professionals. Consumers can choose from two versions of the Prestige 16. The Evo version is the standard model with Intel Evo certification, or in other words, Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics. Meanwhile, the Studio version binds Intel's Meteor Lake processor with Nvidia's GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU with Nvidia Studio-validated drivers. It's a significant upgrade over the Raptor Lake version, for sure, which was on a GeForce RTX 2050 Laptop GPU restricted to a 45W power target. MSI claims the Prestige 16 has an excellent battery life, targeting around 24 hours. However, the vendor didn't explain how it tested the battery life. The laptop supports USB PD Revision 3.1 for charging up to 140W. Connectivity on the Prestige 16 includes one HDMI port, two USB Type-C ports, and one USB Type-A port. The laptop also provides an integrated SD card reader and Ethernet port. In addition, unlike previous Prestige 16 models, the new addition has the fingerprint sensor merged into the power button instead of having it on the touchpad. According to MSI, the Prestige 16 Studio/Evo will land in the fourth quarter of this year. The time frame aligns with Intel's plans to launch Meteor Lake in the summer. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/msi-shows-meteor-lake-laptop

The Kingston Humane Society says it is overwhelmed with dogs and cats and the situation is so dire that it will stop accepting animal surrenders from the public for a week while they figure out what to do next. Right now, it has 248 animals in its care, far more than the 144 for which it has capacity. Nine dogs have been brought to the shelter in the last two weeks alone. Operations manager Sandra Scouten says the humane society is being forced to close its doors to the public for a few days to stem the tide. "Truly alarming to have this many animals in our care, more than we can house," she says. "If our foster families went away, it would be a problem." Scouten says the closure is about giving staff more time to find homes for the animals that are already in their care. But it also means they won't be able to take any more surrenders from the public during that time. "We want to make sure that they are able to follow up on applications, to process them, do reference checks," Scouten says. "It's really important that we do our due diligence to help find that right fit for that furry family member." Diamond, a happy and healthy boxer, is one of more than 50 dogs in the care of the Kingston Humane Society right now. Executive Director Gord Hunter says she's patiently waiting for her forever home. "She's kinda quiet," he explains. "I've never heard her bark, she's a sweetheart." Diamond came to the humane society from a veterinary clinic because her vet bills were so high after she lost a leg to cancer that her owners were forced to give her up. "We're seeing that more and more," he says. "We're getting calls from local clinics where people are bringing their animals in for care and when they recognize that it's going to be $1,000 or $2,000 for that particular animal to get properly treated, they can't afford that." Hunter says the surge in pets at the humane society is caused by an "imperfect storm" of factors. "We're not the only ones in this boat; every animal welfare organization in Ontario, and probably across Canada, are experiencing something similar," he says. "They've had more animals than they've ever had. They're trying to get animals into homes, and they have spiraling costs they have to deal with. They have owners that can't afford care or, if they got a pandemic animal, they didn't really consider what life would be like once they returned to – quote, unquote - normal life. So all those situations have combined." The closure is expected to last until Saturday at least. Hunter says during the closure they will be available for drop-offs of strays by the municipal pound services. Now happy, healthy, and cancer-free, dogs like Diamond are hoping to find that forever home in that time. "Hopefully by the end of the week we're able to move those animals out and make some more room," Hunter said. https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/kingston-ont-humane-society-so-overwhelmed-with-pets-it-can-t-accept-any-more-1.6419916