New way to pull uranium from water can help China’s nuclear power push
New way to pull uranium from water can help China’s nuclear power push
The Tianwan nuclear power plant on the coast of the Yellow Sea in China
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******** researchers have developed an extremely energy efficient and low-cost technology for extracting uranium from seawater, a potential boon to the country’s nuclear power ambitions. China currently leads the world in building new nuclear power plants, and shoring up its supply of uranium will help these efforts.
The world’s oceans hold an estimated 4.5 billion tonnes of uranium – more than 1000 times that available to mining – but it is extremely dilute. Previous experimental efforts have harvested uranium from seawater by physically soaking it up with artificial sponges or a polymer material inspired by blood vessel patterns, or by the more efficient and more expensive electrochemical method of trapping uranium atoms with electric fields.
Shuangyin Wang at Hunan University in China and his colleagues have developed an upgraded electrochemical technique that is cheaper and requires less energy than any other for use with seawater. Unlike typical electrochemical systems, which only pull uranium atoms from water at the positive electrode, their device contains two copper electrodes, one positive and one negative, that can both gather uranium.
This approach was able to extract 100 per cent of the uranium atoms from a salty seawater-like solution within 40 minutes. By comparison, physical adsorption methods typically extract less than 10 per cent of the available uranium.
When tested with small amounts of natural seawater – about 1 litre running through the system at any time – the new method was able to extract 100 per cent of uranium from East China Sea water and 85 per cent from South China Sea water. In the latter case, the researchers also achieved 100 per cent extraction with larger electrodes.
The experiments also showed the energy required was more than 1000-fold less than other electrochemical methods. The whole process cost about $83 per kilogram of extracted uranium. That is twice as cheap as physical adsorption methods, which cost about $205 per kilogram, and four times as cheap as previous electrochemical methods, which cost $360 per kilogram.
Scaling up the size and volume of the new devices – along with potentially stacking or connecting them together – could lead to “industrialisation of uranium extraction from seawater in the future”, the researchers wrote. Given a 58-hour test in 100 litres of seawater, their largest experimental array extracted more than 90 per cent of the available uranium.
One of the most successful previous demonstrations of harvesting uranium from seawater came in the 1990s, when the Japan Atomic Energy Agency extracted a kilogram of the element from the ocean using a physical adsorption method. That set a milestone that has inspired ******** academic and industry researchers ever since.
In 2019, a ******** state-owned nuclear company teamed up with research institutes to form the Seawater Uranium Extraction Technology Innovation Alliance. This organisation aims to build a demonstration plant by 2035 and achieve ongoing industrial production by 2050, according to the South China Morning Post.
Half of the nuclear reactor projects currently under construction are in China. The country is on track to surpass the US and the European Union in total installed nuclear power capacity by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency.
But China’s nuclear industry also imports most of the uranium that it uses. So any it can economically extract from seawater will be more than welcome.
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Residents and rescuers reflect one year on from freak Bunbury tornado which destroyed homes
Residents and rescuers reflect one year on from freak Bunbury tornado which destroyed homes
One year on from a freak tornado which tore through Bunbury and destroyed homes, those most impacted by the howling winds which tore homes apart reflect on the evening of May 10, 2024.
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Everything You Need to Know About Fiber Internet (but Were Too Afraid to Ask)
Everything You Need to Know About Fiber Internet (but Were Too Afraid to Ask)
You’ve probably heard about fiber internet” target=”_self by now; it’s often touted as the “gold standard” of broadband by policymakers, experts and internet users alike. Plus, the Fiber Broadband Association estimates that a little over 76 million homes have made the switch to a fiber internet connection, representing a growth of 13% in the past year.
If you’ve ever struggled with slow speeds or outages while using cable” target=”_self, 5G” target=”_self, satellite” target=”_self or (God forbid) DSL” target=”_self internet, you’ve probably considered switching internet providers for a faster, more cost-efficient setup. So, should you jump on the bandwagon and make the switch to fiber?
The answer is complicated and depends primarily on what internet providers you can get at your address” target=”_self. Of all the ways to get online, a fiber internet connection is the fastest, by far, and has significantly raised the bar for other internet connection types in terms of speed and reliability. But speeds alone won’t automatically make fiber the best option for every household. While fiber may be the fastest internet connection type, it’s one of the least available nationwide, and it’s rarely deployed in rural” target=”_self or hard-to-reach areas.
Plus, according to the latest data from OpenVault, most households don’t exceed an average of 569 megabits per second” target=”_self in download speeds. So, while you could be due for a speed tier update, especially if you have remote workers or gamers” target=”_self in the house, you may not need the 1,000Mbps” target=”_self speeds heavily promoted by some fiber providers. Other considerations like prices, availability and fees will ultimately determine fiber’s efficiency for your home internet needs and budget.
Still, fiber internet is marvelous. A fiber-optic internet connection relies on the speed of light to transmit data, making it incredibly efficient and able to deliver symmetrical download and upload speeds” target=”_self — a luxury other internet connection types have yet to offer.
We’re still getting acquainted with all the possibilities of the technology, but it’s already had a tremendous impact on the way we communicate and use the internet.
Fiber internet is a connection that you’ll find CNET recommending again and again, provided it’s available to you at a competitive price. Let’s explore what makes this internet connection such a reliable method of getting online.
What is fiber internet exactly?
Fiber internet gets its name from the delicate fiber cables it relies on to get you online. The cables are made up of thin, long strands of glass or plastic, encased in layers of cladding and coating, that transmit data through light signals across hundreds of miles.
Technically, the speed of light used to transmit this data is reduced by around 30% because of the refraction that occurs within the cables, but the speeds are still very, very fast. All that may seem baffling — and it was to me, too, when I first learned about fiber internet — but fiber cables have long been used to get us online.
In fact, you’re reading this right now because of the lightning-fast fiber cables under the ocean, powering your home internet connection — whether it’s fiber or not.
What does all that mean for you? The speeds at which fiber-optic cables can relay data means you can get symmetrical download and upload speeds on any speed tier, even up to a 50-gigabit (or 50,000Mbps) plan. Compared with the upload speeds” target=”_self of most cable internet providers, which usually range between 20 to 50Mbps, that’s a vast improvement.
Additionally, fiber-optic cables are less susceptible to interference than coaxial cables or fixed wireless technology. That means your latency will likely be much lower with a fiber internet connection.
You should also know that fiber cables are very expensive, as is the installation process for a fiber network. Laying down fiber-optic cables requires extensive planning and funding. That means it may be difficult for some providers to extend a fiber network to your neighborhood, especially if you’re in a rural” target=”_self.
How does fiber internet get installed?
Because fiber internet requires an existing infrastructure or fiber network to work, the speeds you get depend on which fiber internet provider has already been active in your area. Occasionally, fiber providers will share each other’s networks to mitigate costs.
There are a few different ways an internet provider will connect a fiber network to your home, depending on the existing infrastructure. Note that the only true fiber internet connection is a direct one or a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connection.
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Fiber to the home: Fiber-optic cables run directly from the network to your house. This is the fastest option.
Fiber to the curb: If your household can’t be wired for fiber directly, the fiber cables connect with a coaxial cable from a utility pole or cabinet, which will inevitably slow the connection down but is still plenty fast.
Fiber to the neighborhood: This fiber internet connection, also known as fiber to the node, runs from a connection hub or node utility pole. Your house is then connected to the network through coaxial cables, meaning it travels the furthest of the three options and is the slowest connection type of the three.
Despite which fiber connection may be available to you, fiber internet is installed using a small utility box or an optical network terminal, or ONT, that a technician installs either inside or outside your home. The ONT is wired to the fiber network and converts light signals into electric signals, giving you the fastest internet connection on the block.
Most big fiber internet providers waive your installation fee, as is the case with AT&T Fiber, Quantum Fiber, Ziply Fiber, Kinetic and Verizon Fios if you opt for the 1Gbps plan.
Is fiber internet the best internet connection?
There’s plenty to consider before calling fiber “the best” internet connection type. Let’s discuss availability, pricing and customer satisfaction to see how fiber internet measures up.
How available is fiber internet?
Fiber is definitely the fastest, but it’s also the most limited internet connection type in terms of availability.
According to the most recent data from the US Federal Communications Commission, less than half the population is wired for a fiber internet connection. Compared with cable internet availability, which covers 82% of the population, fiber deployment has some catching up to do.
Do fiber internet providers offer competitive pricing?
The costs of fiber internet also determine whether it’s a good option for your home. There’s no doubt that fiber internet has higher starting prices than cable, with many starting prices averaging around $50 per month. There are a few cheap fiber internet providers, like Frontier Fiber and Ziply Fiber, with service starting at $30 for 200Mbps and $20 for 100Mbps a month, respectively.
If you look at the cost per Mbps” target=”_self, fiber is often the most cost-efficient internet connection type despite the higher average price tags. Also, prices don’t typically increase year after year as they do with some cable providers.
For example, Spectrum” target=”_self and AT&T Fiber” target=”_self offer 1,000Mbps for $70 and $80 a month, respectively. In this case, Spectrum offers a better deal, at least in terms of introductory pricing. After yearly price increases with Spectrum, however, that $70 will jump to around $100 monthly in a year or two, averaging 10 cents per Mbps. AT&T Fiber won’t do that. Your price will stay at $80 a month or a cost per Mbps of 8 cents. Also note that AT&T Fiber offers 1,000Mbps in upload speeds (compared with Spectrum’s 35Mbps upload speeds for that tier), lower latency and more overall reliability.
Google Fiber” target=”_self, a more expensive fiber provider, starts at $70 a month for 1,000Mbps and only goes up from there; but the cost per Mbps reveals you’re getting pretty good value for the offered speeds. Paying $125 a month for 5,000Mbps may seem like a lot, but that price comes down to around 3 cents per Mbps.
Again, consider first how much internet speed you actually need, so you can make the best use of your money. Not all of us require 5,000Mbps, but for those who work at home, are avid gamers and have multiple busy internet users in the house, a multigig internet connection may be the way to go.
How does customer satisfaction compare to other internet types?
Customer satisfaction is one of the metrics we use to rate and review internet providers. The bottom line is that even if an ISP hypothetically offers a great service, if customers are repeatedly dissatisfied with it, it’s probably not worth it to stick with that ISP if you have other options.
That said, fiber internet has the best customer service track record compared with other internet service types, though 5G internet providers have started getting much more positive reviews.
Data from J.D. Power” target=”_self, a customer satisfaction surveyor we often rely on, notes that customers were happier with wireless internet overall during 2023, although the survey did not separate the fixed wireless offerings from the fiber offerings from one provider. For instance, Verizon offers 5G home internet as well as fiber through Verizon Fios, but there are no separate categories in the data. Not separating internet connection types skews the data slightly, but either way, fiber internet providers like AT&T, Frontier Fiber, Verizon and Google Fiber scored at the top of all regional surveys.
The American Customer Satisfaction Index” target=”_self also points to positive trends for fiber internet providers in the past few years. AT&T Fiber scored at the top of the ACSI’s 2024 satisfaction benchmark with a score of 80, while the lowest score came from Optimum Fiber at 66. For context, the scores for nonfiber internet providers (DSL, fixed wireless and cable) ranged from a low of 56 to a high of 76, held by T-Mobile Home Internet” target=”_self.
What internet providers offer fiber?
There are upwards of 1,400 fiber internet providers in the country, according to the latest report from the FCC. Most of those providers are local. Only around seven providers serve more than 1% to 2% of the population, with Verizon Fios and AT&T Fiber covering the most ground with 9% and 12% coverage, respectively.
Bottom line: Is fiber internet worth it?
The answer to this question will depend on several factors, but perhaps most important is whether fiber is available in your area. In my opinion, if you can get fiber, it’s absolutely worth it and it’s a necessary step toward future-proofing your home.
You may not need multi-gigabit tiers for over $100 a month, but even the lower tiers of 300Mbps download/300Mbps upload outpace the speeds offered by cable, fixed wireless providers and especially DSL. Plus, fiber usually features unlimited data as well as no contracts, monthly equipment fees or installation costs, although this varies by provider.
Despite its reliability and appeal, fiber internet isn’t the only solution to our broadband needs. Working out the expansion of fiber networks and improving the affordability of multi-gig tiers are essential to making fiber internet more accessible. While we wait for those improvements, you’d be hard-pressed to find an internet connection that’s as lightning-fast as the speeds you get from fiber.
What is fiber internet FAQsHow fast is fiber internet?
The fastest known residential internet connection (at the moment) is Ziply Fiber’s 50,000Mbps tier, which raises the bar for all internet providers. Some fiber providers, like Google Fiber, start at 1,000Mbps and max out around 8,000Mbps or 10,000Mbps. Others have lower starting speeds, like Frontier Fiber or Verizon Fios, which start at 200Mbps and 300Mbps, respectively.
Is fiber internet expensive?
It definitely can be, depending on your internet provider and how fast you want your internet to be. Some of the cheapest fiber providers have plans starting at $20 a month for 100Mbps (Ziply Fiber) or $30 a month for 200Mbps (Frontier Fiber), but most starting prices average around $50.
What’s the difference between fiber internet and “fiber-rich” internet?
Cable providers often use the term “fiber-rich” to describe their services, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get true fiber internet. It usually means fiber-optic cables are somewhere along the network but not fiber to your home. You can usually tell if an internet provider offers true fiber service by the download and upload speeds. If they’re symmetrical, it should be fiber.
Where can I get fiber internet?
If you live in or near a big city, your chances of getting fiber internet are much higher. You can plug your address into the availability checkers on most provider websites or use data from the FCC to determine if your address is eligible for fiber.
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Who’s in Diddy’s sex trafficking trial: The witnesses, lawyers and more – The Washington Post
Who’s in Diddy’s sex trafficking trial: The witnesses, lawyers and more – The Washington Post
Who’s in Diddy’s sex trafficking trial: The witnesses, lawyers and more The Washington PostDiddy trial timeline: How rapper landed in hot seat facing life behind bars Fox NewsDiddy trial updates: Jury in Sean Combs’ sex crimes case to be finalized after delay USA TodayFeds’ Sean “Diddy” Combs Case In Danger As Key Witness Remains AWOL On Eve Of NYC Trial Start DeadlineThe trial of Sean Combs: What you need to know NPR
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Entire Gaza population at critical risk of famine, UN-backed assessment says
Entire Gaza population at critical risk of famine, UN-backed assessment says
A UN-backed assessment has said that Gaza’s population of around 2.1 million Palestinians is at “critical risk” of famine and faces “extreme levels of food insecurity” as an Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid continues.
The latest report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said there had been a “major deterioration” since October 2024, but concluded famine was not currently occurring.
The two-month ceasefire between Israel and ****** “led to a temporary reprieve” in Gaza, the report said, but renewed hostilities and an Israeli blockade on aid – ongoing since early March – had “reversed” any improvements.
Some 244,000 people were currently experiencing the most severe, or “catastrophic” levels of food insecurity, it said, and called for urgent action to prevent the “increasingly likely” risk of famine.
Israel renewed its military operations in Gaza in mid-March and has prevented food, medication and other aid from entering Gaza for 70 days, saying it is putting pressure on ****** to release its remaining hostages.
There has been international condemnation of the blockade, including from the UN which has said it has supplies at Gaza’s border crossings, ready to enter if Israel allows. Aid agencies have said the blockade could be a war crime and amounts to a policy of starvation.
The IPC assessment, released on Monday, found half a million people – or one in five – were facing starvation in Gaza. It said nearly 71,000 children under the age of five are expected to be acutely malnourished over the next 11 months to April 2026.
It added: “Many households are resorting to extreme measures to find food, including begging, and collecting garbage to sell to buy something to eat.”
The report said the current situation, compared to its October 2024 analysis, represented “a major deterioration in one of the world’s most severe food and nutrition crises driven by conflict and characterised by untold human suffering”.
Its analysis found that 1.95 million people, or 93% of Gaza’s population, were living through high levels of acute food insecurity, including 244,000 experiencing “catastrophic” levels.
The IPC – a global initiative by UN agencies, aid groups and governments – is the primary mechanism the international community uses to conclude whether a famine is happening.
Israeli officials have denied there is a hunger crisis in Gaza because of the quantity of aid that entered during the ceasefire.
It comes as ****** said it would release Israeli-American hostage ***** Alexander as part of efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement. The group said it was also intended to facilitate a deal for the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The Israeli PM’s office said it had not committed to any ceasefire but only to a “safe corridor” for Mr Alexander’s release.
US President Donald Trump arrives in the Middle East on Tuesday, and Israel has vowed to expand its military offensive against ****** if no deal is reached by the end of his visit.
Israeli officials have said the plans for their expanded offensive include seizing all of the territory indefinitely, forcibly displacing Palestinians to the south, and taking over aid distribution with private companies despite opposition from the UN and its humanitarian partners, who say they will not co-operate because it appears to “weaponise” aid.
In its report, the IPC said the aid distribution plans were estimated to be “highly insufficient” and it was expected that large parts of the population would “face significant issues in accessing the proposed distribution sites”.
The war was triggered by the ******-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which saw about 1,200 people killed and more than 250 taken hostage. Some 59 hostages remain in Gaza, up to 24 of whom are believed to be alive.
Israel’s military campaign has killed 52,862 people in Gaza, according to the ******-run health ministry.
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Geoff Parling: Leicester Tigers appoint former lock as new head coach
Geoff Parling: Leicester Tigers appoint former lock as new head coach
Leicester Tigers have appointed former England and British and Irish Lions lock Geoff Parling as their head coach from next season.
The 41-year-old has signed a long-term deal and replaces former Australia coach Michael Cheika, who leaves after just one season at Welford Road.
Parling, who won two Premiership titles as a Tigers player, is currently an assistant coach with Australia and will take over in August after working with the Wallabies for the series against the British and Irish Lions.
“I was lucky enough to have some incredible moments in the Leicester Tigers jersey, made through hard work by good people, and so I am extremely proud to be coming back to lead the club,” Parling told the club’s website., external
“There are not many opportunities that would make myself and my family think about leaving Australia, the place we’ve called home for the past seven years, but coming back to Leicester Tigers is one that we are really looking forward to.”
Parling played almost 100 times in six seasons with the Tigers after joining them from Newcastle in 2009 and won England 29 caps.
He toured Australia with the British and Irish Lions in 2013, starting the second and third Tests, and also played for Exeter, Munakata Sanix Blues in Japan and Melbourne Rebels before retiring in 2018 and moving into coaching with the now-defunct *********** franchise.
He has worked as an assistant coach with the Wallabies since 2020.
“He is a high calibre coach, strong leader, and understands this club,” said Tigers chairman Tom Scott. “He achieved success here as a player and we believe he will as a coach.”
“Geoff has made great strides in his coaching career over the past eight years and we are excited that we will be a part of his next chapter, one that will last long into the future, at Leicester Tigers.”
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Windows 11 gets more AI upgrades we didn’t ask for – as Copilot pops up on the desktop and Microsoft Store
Windows 11 gets more AI upgrades we didn’t ask for – as Copilot pops up on the desktop and Microsoft Store
Windows 11 is getting more Copilot functionality
An ‘Ask Copilot’ option is arriving for the right-click menu on the desktop
Copilot is also being deployed in the Microsoft Store to provide buying advice (in testing)
If you’re expecting to see more AI in Windows 11, well, you’d be bang on the money there, as it seems Copilot is creeping into another couple of places in Microsoft’s desktop OS.
Neowin noticed that the latest version of the Copilot app (1.25044.93.0) has planted a new choice to invoke Copilot when working with certain files on your Windows 11 desktop.
So, if you right-click on a compatible file, it’ll offer an ‘Ask Copilot’ option in the context menu (which contains common actions you might like to pursue with any given file).
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If you select that Copilot choice, it’ll fire up the app for the AI assistant with relevant options available (for example, if it’s a document, you’ll get the ability to summarize it there and then).
You may have seen that Microsoft recently revealed it’s set to introduce AI actions to File Explorer (the app which displays the contents of the folders on your PC). So, this move appears to be happening now.
Elsewhere, Microsoft is also planning to bring Copilot into the Microsoft Store to advise those browsing through its various wares.
The move – which is still in testing, according to Windows Latest – consists of adding a Copilot button to product pages in the store.
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Clicking on that button pops up a small dialog box allowing you to ‘Ask Copilot about this product’ with suggested questions you might want to use, and a ‘compare’ button that allows you to see how the app (or game) stacks up to a rival piece of software.
However, the catch is that this integration in the Microsoft Store is hardly seamless, as all the store does is just throw your query to the Copilot app.
Analysis: Clever or clutter?
(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)
With the latter change, the idea is to help spur sales in the Microsoft Store with Copilot, although the integration being so basic isn’t going to help there.
It doesn’t feel very advanced to ask for a comparison of two apps, and to then be simply presented with a query of the differences between them in the Copilot app. Yes, it’s still a convenience, but it feels clunkier than the way it works now – but perhaps Microsoft is thinking of improving it down the line. Remember, this is still in testing for now.
Furthermore, not that many folks ever tread the virtual aisles of the Microsoft Store anyway, and the ******* move here is the wider deployment of Copilot as a right-click, context-sensitive option in Windows 11.
With that concept – which wasn’t unexpected, given Microsoft previously announced that this is the course it’s taking – the problem is it’s going to be a love or hate thing.
Those people who use Copilot will appreciate the convenience of added ways in which to easily access the AI direct from files on the desktop. However, those who don’t care about Copilot aren’t going to want an extra line of space taken up in their right-click menu, and will just regard this as additional clutter.
That said, those haters have choices. Neowin points out that you can perform a Registry edit to remove this new functionality from the right-click menu, but I really wouldn’t recommend that. Not unless you’re tech-savvy, and you want to keep the Copilot app, but not this extra option. (And even then, I should warn that messing with the Registry could cause trouble with your system if not immediately, then potentially down the line).
Rather, if you’re getting fed up with the various tendrils of Copilot extending too far into the interface of Windows 11, just uninstall the Copilot app completely. That’ll remove the AI from your context-sensitive menus (and taskbar, and everywhere else). Just find the app in the Start menu, right click it and choose the uninstall option to banish Copilot. Of course, you won’t be able to use the app at all then, so that’s not a good road to travel for those who might want to occasionally fire up the AI.
Not everything is bad about AI in Windows 11 by any means, and I should note that there’s a smart ability inbound, namely additional powers to be able to find and change settings in the OS (something that was promised from the outset by Microsoft, but never delivered until now). I say delivered now, but this hasn’t gone into testing just yet, and it’s only for Copilot+ PCs sadly (as is the case for another really useful AI-related tweak, better Windows search).
So, that’s another rather unfortunate theme for some folks, as well as AI spreading across more of Windows 11 – all of the best functionality is reserved for Copilot+ PCs. This is because some features require the NPU they have on-board for processing AI workloads on the actual device, rather than via the cloud.
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*** PM Starmer pledges big drop in immigration
*** PM Starmer pledges big drop in immigration
Under pressure from Britain’s right wing, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is vowing to cut immigration numbers and make it harder to settle in the ***.
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Nintendo Can Now Remotely Destroy Your Switch 2 if You Mod It, Read Their New Terms of Service
Nintendo Can Now Remotely Destroy Your Switch 2 if You Mod It, Read Their New Terms of Service
Nintendo hit us with a double whammy last week with two unexpected developments related to the company. PocketPair, developer of Palworld, announced that it had to make significant changes to the mechanics of the hit game because of the ongoing lawsuit against Nintendo.
Not only that, it seems the Japanese company has also made changes to its user agreement with a bold and controversial clause. The company now reserves the right to remotely disable your Switch or Switch 2 systems if you attempt to modify them, use unauthorized software, or tamper with system security.
Nintendo is really committed to making controversial decisions
According to the initial report by Game File, the updated Nintendo Account Agreement introduces over 100 changes. Of course, the most notable of these changes is the clause that allows the company to render your Switch or Switch 2 “permanently unusable” if you violate its terms.
Specifically, any attempts to bypass system protections, install unauthorized software, or tamper with hardware could result in your console being bricked remotely. Here are the new terms in full:
Without limitation, you agree that you may not (a) publish, copy, modify, reverse engineer, lease, rent, decompile, disassemble, distribute, offer for *****, or create derivative works of any portion of the Nintendo Account Services; (b) bypass, modify, decrypt, defeat, tamper with, or otherwise circumvent any of the functions or protections of the Nintendo Account Services, including through the use of any hardware or software that would cause the Nintendo Account Services to operate other than in accordance with its documentation and intended use;
These changes don’t just target pirates, but also any of us who engage in homebrew development, game preservation, or hardware customization. These are practices that are legal in many jurisdictions under consumer rights laws. And further:
(c) obtain, install or use any unauthorized copies of Nintendo Account Services; or (d) exploit the Nintendo Account Services in any manner other than to use them in accordance with the applicable documentation and intended use, in each case, without Nintendo’s written consent or express authorization, or unless otherwise expressly permitted by applicable law.
At the end, the new terms further state the clause that we’re all talking about.
You acknowledge that if you fail to comply with the foregoing restrictions Nintendo may render the Nintendo Account Services and/or the applicable Nintendo device permanently unusable in whole or in part.
This aggressive stance is clearly to battle piracy, and we know how long that battle has been fought. The timing isn’t subtle either. With the Switch 2 set to release on June 5, the updated agreement effectively sets the rules in stone just before the new system hits store shelves. So if you were planning to mod your new Switch 2, or anything of that regard, be careful.
Is it time to look elsewhere in the handheld market?
The door is wide open for other handhelds. | Image Credit: Valve
So what kind of situation does that leave us in? If Nintendo even suspects your console has been modified, it reserves the right to shut it down remotely, leaving you with a $450 brick. It doesn’t take a genius to tell that this is a big concern for consumer rights and ownership.
When you buy a gaming console, especially one that is physically in your home, there’s an understandable assumption that you own it. But this revised agreement makes it seem that we are merely licensed to operate their hardware and games in a manner approved by the company.
If this is the road we’re heading down, then it certainly opens up the door for competing handhelds like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally to take advantage. The Steam Deck, in particular, has proven to be a surprise hit, and Valve can exploit every mistake that the competition makes.
As for the Switch 2, there are some big unanswered questions. How will Nintendo detect modded consoles or unauthorized software? Will users be notified before a console is disabled? What options, if any, will be available to someone whose device is wrongly flagged? Do we really want to support such an idea?
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Fraud charge against Austin restaurant manager dismissed; insufficient evidence cited
Fraud charge against Austin restaurant manager dismissed; insufficient evidence cited
A fraud indictment filed in 2022 against the manager of an Austin restaurant in connection to a workers compensation claim has been dismissed. The charge against Alison Clem, the manager of La Barbecue, was dropped April 16 because of insufficient evidence, according to a motion to dismiss.
Clem and her wife, LeAnn Mueller, who owns the restaurant at 2401 E. Cesar Chavez St., were accused of not disclosing an employee’s injuries before getting an insurance policy that was backdated to three weeks before the employee was hurt, according to the Texas Department of Insurance.
The charge against Mueller was dismissed Aug. 3, 2023, according to court records.
More: La Barbecue manager and owner indicted on fraud charges
The charges were connected to an incident in which an employee was severely injured while operating a piece of kitchen equipment in 2016, the Texas Department of Insurance has said. At the time, the business did not have workers compensation coverage, the agency said. It said four days after the worker was injured, Clem contacted Paychex Insurance to get the coverage.
The policy was approved by Travelers Casualty Insurance Co. of America, which ended up paying the injured employee more than $350,000 in medical and indemnity benefits, the insurance department said.
Roark has previously said it is legal to obtain a backdated insurance policy.
The dismissal of the charge against Clem validated “what Clem and her team have maintained all along; that they acted lawfully, transparently, and in good faith,” said a news release Friday from Clem’s lawyer, Brian Roark.
Clem said in the release that she was “incredibly thankful to District Attorney (José) Garza and his team for giving our case the attention and fairness it deserved.”
“We couldn’t have made it through this without the unwavering support of our community, our customers, and our team,” Clem said. “We’re grateful for the chance to return our full focus to what we love — sharing our barbecue with the community, made with care, the way La Barbecue always has.”
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Fraud charge against Austin barbecue restaurant manager dismissed
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Google Keep brings text formatting to the web – The Verge
Google Keep brings text formatting to the web – The Verge
Google Keep brings text formatting to the web The Verge
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#Google #brings #text #formatting #web #Verge
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Great Southern Seafoods and ATC Work Smart have glass window and door smashed in early morning burglary
Great Southern Seafoods and ATC Work Smart have glass window and door smashed in early morning burglary
The owner of an Albany family-run seafood business that was allegedly broken into twice early Friday morning said he is “shocked” and “sad” by the alleged crime.
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#Great #Southern #Seafoods #ATC #Work #Smart #glass #window #door #smashed #early #morning #burglary
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Soaking Rain, Flooding Potential Remains For Southeast
Soaking Rain, Flooding Potential Remains For Southeast
More soaking rain is expected for the Southeast as an atmospheric river continues to feed an abundance of moisture into the region, bringing the potential for flash flooding. Heavy rain, falling on already saturated soils, will lead to pockets of flash flooding from Florida to the mid-Atlantic. However, isolated flash flooding could occur anywhere in the mid-Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley and mid-Atlantic, including Atlanta, Charleston, Charlotte and Raleigh. Along with the heavy rainfall, we could see a few isolated severe thunderstorms.
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Treasury Secretary Bessent says he’s likely to meet with China again in ‘next few weeks’
Treasury Secretary Bessent says he’s likely to meet with China again in ‘next few weeks’
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discusses the temporary U.S.-China trade agreement in a news conference in Geneva on May 12, 2025.
Fabrice Coffrini | Afp | Getty Images
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that he expects to meet with ******** officials again in the coming weeks to continue trade negotiations.
“I would imagine in the next few weeks we will be meeting again to get rolling on a more fulsome agreement,” Bessent said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
The exact details of the meeting, such as location, have not been set, Bessent said. The comments come after the U.S. and China announced a 90-day pause on most of the tariffs the countries had imposed on one another.
That decision followed a meeting between Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and ******** officials in Switzerland over the weekend.
“What we have with the ******** is a mechanism to avoid upward tariff pressure,” Bessent said Monday.
This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.
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#Treasury #Secretary #Bessent #hes #meet #China #weeks
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Leo XIV Renews Call for Peace in Meeting With Journalists – The New York Times
Leo XIV Renews Call for Peace in Meeting With Journalists – The New York Times
Leo XIV Renews Call for Peace in Meeting With Journalists The New York TimesPope Leo XIV holds first press conference, affirms ‘gift of free speech’ USA TodayPope Leo tells media to shun divisions, urges release of jailed reporters ReutersPope Leo XIV calls for peace and press freedom in his first news briefing NBC NewsPope Leo calls for end to polarising ‘war of words’ in address to media Sky News
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OnePlus 15 Tipped to Use Flat 1.5K Display, Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 Chipset
OnePlus 15 Tipped to Use Flat 1.5K Display, Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 Chipset
OnePlus 13 was unveiled in the Indian market in January this year; however, details about its successor, the OnePlus 15, have already started to emerge online. A new leak coming out of China suggests that the OnePlus 15 will feature a flat display with 1.5K resolution. It is said to run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset and could pack a triple rear camera unit comprising a periscope sensor. The OnePlus 15 is likely to be available in the fourth quarter of this year in China.
OnePlus 15 Specifications (Rumoured)
In a Weibo post, tipster Digital Chat Station shared details about a new handset powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 (SM8850) chip. Although the post doesn’t directly mention the name of the smartphone, the comments suggest that the tipster is referring to the OnePlus 15. The OnePlus 15 is tipped to feature a 6.78-inch flat LTPO display with 1.5K resolution. The OnePlus 13, for reference, has a 6.82-inch curved display with 2K resolution.
The OnePlus 15 is said to get an iPhone-like design with a light and minimalist design. It is tipped to feature a 50-megapixel triple rear camera setup comprising a periscope telephoto sensor. The screen of the phone is likely to be based on the LIPO process to minimise bezels.
OnePlus usually unveil its Snapdragon-powered flagship in China in the fourth quarter of every year, and the Indian market in the following quarter. The OnePlus 13 was launched in India in January 2025 after making its debut in China in October last year. The OnePlus 15 is said to stick to the same timeline, and if that’s any indication, the handset is likely to be announced in October or November 2025 in China, with a global launch in January 2026.
OnePlus 13 Price, Specifications
The OnePlus 13 starts at Rs. 69,999 for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant in India. It runs on Android 15-based OxygenOS 15.0 and sports a 6.82-inch Quad-HD+ (1,440×3,168 pixels) LTPO 4.1 ProXDR display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. It is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset alongside up to 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 inbuilt storage. It has a Hasselblad-branded triple rear camera setup comprising a primary 50-megapixel Sony LYT-808 sensor, a 50-megapixel S5KJN5 ultra-wide camera, and a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 periscope telephoto camera.
On the front, the OnePlus 13 has a 32-megapixel Sony IMX615 camera. It includes an alert slider and meets IP68+ IP69 certifications for dust and water resistance. It carries a 6,000mAh battery with 100W wired SuperVOOC charging and 50W wireless charging support.
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Pop duo Milli Vanilli and their lip-syncing scandal
Pop duo Milli Vanilli and their lip-syncing scandal
The untold story surrounding the pop duo Milli Vanilli and their lip-syncing scandal.
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#Pop #duo #Milli #Vanilli #lipsyncing #scandal
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Waalitj Marawar (West Coast) coach Andrew McQualter labels abuse copped by Harley Reid a ‘joke’
Waalitj Marawar (West Coast) coach Andrew McQualter labels abuse copped by Harley Reid a ‘joke’
Impassioned Waalitj Marawar (West Coast) coach Andrew McQualter has labelled the abuse young star Harley Reid is forced to take from fans a ‘joke’, and called on the AFL to do more to protect young players.
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US-China Tariff Pause 'Definitely' Not What Markets Expected: Shah
US-China Tariff Pause 'Definitely' Not What Markets Expected: Shah
US-China Tariff Pause ‘Definitely’ Not What Markets Expected: Shah
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#USChina #Tariff #Pause #039Definitely039 #Markets #Expected #Shah
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PlayStation’s Apple Pay Feature Has Everyone Stunned
PlayStation’s Apple Pay Feature Has Everyone Stunned
PlayStation users have a new way to complete their purchases via Apple Pay. No need to input card information, just simply scan the payment code and voila. Moreover, purchasers get two percent Daily Cash with every purchase on PS5. Pretty neat, eh?
Didn’t expect Sony would comply with Apple, but it is a great move. Maybe Xbox should do the same. It just makes the purchasing experience swifter, as it removes complications regarding payments. Yes, people can buy gift cards, but it just leaves extra balance on your account.
The payment feature being added to PlayStation after all this time has surprised the fans. Many people use Apple Pay daily and are habituated to its features. Fans can’t stop talking about it, as the feature was shadow-launched.
Apple Pay has been officially added as a payment method on PlayStation Store
Fans are glad to have this payment option. | Image Credit: PlayStation
Apple Pay has been available in official physical stores, and users have used it there all the time. However, the wasn’t the case on the online store, which is widely used nowadays. On May 9, 2025, that has changed as Apple Pay support was brought to PlayStation.
This has left many fans in shock as they never thought they would be able to use Apple Pay on a non-Apple device. Both Sony and Apple have their restrictions on their platform, so it’s good to see those walls disappear.
Comment byu/willdearborn- from discussion inPS5
The process is simple: choose an add-on or game on PlayStation, then add it to your cart. During checkout, select Apple Pay as the payment method and confirm. Proceed to complete the transaction from your phone. However, there’s one small problem. This feature isn’t available on PS4 consoles, which seems a bit unfair.
Anyways, on the bright side, Apply Pay is a better option for buying games on PlayStation as it gives two percent cash back daily. The number isn’t huge, but getting even a little bit of discount instead of paying full price sounds like a bargain.
PlayStation fans are shocked after the addition of the Apple Pay feature
The most talked-about thing about the Apple Pay feature being available on the PlayStation store is the two percent cash back. Just for choosing a different form of payment method, adding a discount on games is a huge thing for PlayStation fans. Considering that they have an Apple Card. That’s the only catch.
Comment byu/willdearborn- from discussion inPS5
Comment byu/willdearborn- from discussion inPS5
Some fans countered by stating the Sony PlayStation Visa Credit Card gives a five percent discount. This is surely a better deal for buying games via the PlayStation Store online. However, it is limited to that only. People with Apple Cards can avail two to three percent cash back everywhere. Making it a better deal.
Comment byu/willdearborn- from discussion inPS5
Some people have also faced problems when applying for a PS Visa Card, despite having a good credit score. Adding more hassle to claim the great offers. It is said Sony restructured their point system in 2025, making it tougher to acquire free PS bucks. This is where Apple Pay gets the upper hand in some ways.
Comment byu/willdearborn- from discussion inPS5
It has been reported that some of the PlayStation devices in the *** do not have the feature available. There might be some issues with the update rollout, but it is available in ***. Some even wished for the feature for PlayStation to be available to all the regions which have Apple Pay support.
Would you be using Apple Pay as a primary method for purchasing games on PlayStation? Do you have better options to help fellow gamers? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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Stock Market Today: Dow set to soar over 900 points, S&P 500 and Nasdaq to jump as U.S. and China to slash tariffs by 115 points for 90 days; Gold tumbles, Tesla shares rise. – MarketWatch
Stock Market Today: Dow set to soar over 900 points, S&P 500 and Nasdaq to jump as U.S. and China to slash tariffs by 115 points for 90 days; Gold tumbles, Tesla shares rise. – MarketWatch
Stock Market Today: Dow set to soar over 900 points, S&P 500 and Nasdaq to jump as U.S. and China to slash tariffs by 115 points for 90 days; Gold tumbles, Tesla shares rise. MarketWatchView Full Coverage on Google News
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#Stock #Market #Today #Dow #set #soar #points #SampP #Nasdaq #jump #U.S #China #slash #tariffs #points #days #Gold #tumbles #Tesla #shares #rise #MarketWatch
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Struggling care providers say overseas worker crackdown ‘short-sighted’
Struggling care providers say overseas worker crackdown ‘short-sighted’
Alison Holt
Social affairs editor
Getty Images
Care providers have said the government is taking away the “lifeline” of overseas recruitment without fixing the problems that make it difficult to recruit *** staff.
Sir Keir Starmer, the prime minister, announced sweeping reforms to immigration on Monday, including plans to end the recruitment of care workers from overseas.
Even with staff being brought in from other countries, official estimates show there were 131,000 vacancies in social care in England last year.
Care companies said some services will struggle to survive without international recruits.
“The sector has been propping itself up with dwindling resources, rising costs, and mounting vacancies,” said Prof Martin Green of Care England, which describes itself as the largest representative body for independent care providers.
“Taking (international recruitment) away now with no warning, no funding, and no alternative, is not just short-sighted – it’s cruel,” he said.
Sir Keir said the visa changes were part of a drive “to reduce immigration significantly” and that the government wanted to create “a migration system that is controlled, selective and fair”.
The government said care providers could extend visas for existing staff and recruit migrants already in the *** who have yet to find a job. It also promised a new fair pay agreement for care staff and wanted companies to recruit and train more people from ***.
However, Dr Jane Townson of the Homecare Association said the government was introducing the changes “in a vacuum” as a fair pay agreement is a long way off and there is “no plan to deliver the care workers our country needs.”
Social care has been in crisis for years, with council funding of services squeezed, significant staff-shortages and growing demand from an ageing population. Plans for reform have been delayed time and again.
While care workers were clapped along with health workers during the pandemic, that did not translate into an improvement in pay or status.
About 1.7 million people work in social care in England, according to Skills for Care, the official body that monitors the workforce. It is often a minimum or just above minimum wage job, with little recognition of the increasing responsibility and complexity of the support staff provide to older and disabled people.
Putting it bluntly, if someone can earn more working, for instance, in a supermarket for fewer, less strenuous hours, then that is the option many will chose.
Post-Covid, some staff left care work because they felt burnt out while others who still loved the job felt they could not afford the increases in the cost of living.
Between April 2021 and March 2022, social care vacancies reached a record high of 165,000, a 52% increase on the year before.
By December 2021, the warnings of imminent collapse prompted Boris Johnson’s Conservative government to make care work a shortage occupation, making it easier for companies to look overseas for staff.
Recruits had to earn a minimum of £20,480 a year to qualify for the visa, and they could bring family with them.
There was a rapid rise in overseas recruitment – in 2022/23 80,000 people arrived in the *** to work in care and in 23/24, there were another 105,000 visas.
Many care companies said bringing in those staff was the difference between providing services and collapsing. However, there was also abuse of this new route into the ***. For instance, some people were exploited, ending up paying middlemen thousands for travel and sponsorship certificates.
The Home Office says 470 care companies have had their licence to recruit international staff revoked since 2022. It estimates that has led to about 40,000 staff being displaced. Companies say many will have already found alternative care work.
In March 2024, Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government tightened the visa requirements. This included saying recruits could no longer bring family with them. It has led to a significant fall in the number of care workers arriving from abroad.
In the year up to December 2024, 9,500 visas were granted to people entering the *** to provide “caring personal services”, according to the government.
However, in the four years since staff shortages were most acute, relatively little has changed to encourage more *** people to work in care. There has been an ongoing government funded recruitment campaign and talk of the need to improve the pay and status of staff, but many workers fear solutions remain a long way off.
The independent Casey Commission started work last month to draw up plans for adult social care. It has been described by ministers as a “once in a generation opportunity to transcend party politics and build consensus on the future of the sector”. Its first update is due next year and its final report by 2028.
At a time when the NHS is struggling, social care is more important than ever as it can keep vulnerable people out of hospital and support patients when they return home.
Many care workers will say it is an incredibly rewarding job and with overseas recruitment being closed, the question is what needs to change to encourage more *** people to take on the role?
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