NATO members Sweden and Finland advise citizens on how to survive war
NATO members Sweden and Finland advise citizens on how to survive war
Sweden and Finland have updated guidance to their citizens on how to survive war, as NATO allies bolster defense measures against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict.
Both nations joined the transatlantic alliance in the past two years, after Russia invaded its neighbor. Many ********* countries have since ramped up military spending to bolster long-term security in the region.
Booklets distributed to millions of households in the Nordic nations include instructions on how to prepare for the effects of military conflicts, communications outages and power cuts, as well as extreme weather events.
From stockpiling bottled water and sanitary products, to growing edible foodstuffs at home, government authorities offered tips on how residents could sustain themselves in the event of war. The brochures also include advice for parents and caregivers, instructing people to preserve diapers, medication and baby food.
The Swedish government will distribute “Om krisen eller kriget kommer (If crisis or war comes),” to all five million households over a two-week ******* from November 18, according to the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), a governmental agency that compiled the pamphlet.
The fifth version of the Swedish brochure, which was first published in World War II, will place “greater emphasis on preparing for war,” a statement from the MSB said on Monday. The digital version of brochure, released in October, has been downloaded about 55,000 times, the agency added.
“The state of the world has worsened drastically in recent years. War is being waged in our vicinity. Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common. ******* threats, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns are being used to undermine and influence us,” a statement on the MSB website said.
“To resist these threats, we must stand ******* and take responsibility for our country. If we are attacked, everyone must help defend Sweden’s independence and our democracy. We build resilience every day – together.”
New advice in the 2024 edition includes tips on evacuation, how to stop bleeding, dealing with anxiety, preparedness for pets, how to speak to children about crisis and war, and how to support especially vulnerable members of the population, added MSB.
Finland’s Ministry of the Interior also issued new crisis guidance on Monday, giving readers advice on how to prepare for long power cuts, water outages, telecommunications disruptions, extreme weather events, and military conflict.
Earlier this year, Norway and Denmark – two other members of the 32-party bloc – distributed updated wartime guidance on how people should prepare for potential crises.
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The Binding Of Isaac Card Game Is 64% Off – Great Co-Op And Solo Strategy Game
The Binding Of Isaac Card Game Is 64% Off – Great Co-Op And Solo Strategy Game
Amazon has a lot of great board and card game deals ahead of ****** Friday 2024, including numerous fun tabletop experiences adapted from video games. Not everything that’s on ***** could be described as a true bargain, but The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls absolutely is at its current prices. The strategy card game’s core set is only $16.49, down from $45. But it gets even better, as The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls Ultimate Collector’s Box is on ***** for $45, which is $80 less than its $125 list price. The Ultimate Collector’s Box includes over 700 illustrated cards across the core set and two expansions bundled with it.
These deals were offered in the lead-up to Amazon’s Big Deal Days event in October, but it’s cool to see them return in the lead-up to the retailer’s ****** Friday 2024 *****, which begins November 21. And this time you don’t need to be a Prime member to get these deals. While that’s great news for those without a membership, it also means the ****** Friday offers will probably sell out faster than the last round.
While Four Souls isn’t eligible for the promotion, board and card game enthusiasts will want to check out Amazon’s Buy Two, Get One Free ***** this week, too.
The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls – Ultimate Collector’s Edition
Here’s everything you’ll find inside the Ultimate Collector’s Box:
340 Binding of Isaac 2nd Edition Cards (Base Set)
269 Requiem Expansion Cards
98 Four Souls+ Expansion Cards
Instruction Booklet
12 Card Dividers
15 Heart Tokens
15 Tear Tokens
100 Plastic Pennies
10 Plastic Nickels
Coin Bag
Dice: D6 with Isaac graphic on one side and D8
The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls adapts the beloved rogue-like video game into a replayable strategy card game for one to four players. Designed by the video game’s original creator, Edmund McMillen, The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls is a strategy card game with cooperative and competitive elements. You and up to three friends will join forces to collect souls–four of them, naturally–from the game’s monstrous bosses. During your journey, you’ll find loot, upgrade your abilities, and ****** a wide variety of creatures pulled from the video game. If you’re feeling diabolical, you can deliberately sabotage your own teammates–or you can have a nice and relaxed cooperative run. Each run lasts around 30 minutes.
The Ultimate Collector’s Box comes with the revised, 2nd Edition base set and both expansions, Requiem and Four Souls+. The 2nd Edition added a fun and rather chaotic Solitaire-style game variant as well as a really solid solo mode. I bought the Ultimate Collector’s Box earlier this year largely because I was interested in the single-player mode, and it hasn’t disappointed. Four Souls is certainly better as a multiplayer experience, but it’s a compelling card game for solo players, too, especially when it’s this cheap.
All told, you’re getting 707 cards across the three sets included in the Ultimate Collector’s Box. That’s a lot of cards to keep track of, but the 12 included dividers should help you keep the collector’s box organized. You also get two dice, one of which is Binding of Isaac-themed, two different types of tokens, and everything else needed for the complete Foul Souls experience.
The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls Base Set
The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls Base Set comes with 340 cards, plastic pennies, two dice (D6 and D8), and instructions. This is everything you need to play the base game. Amazon’s deal drops the price from $45 to $16.49, which is an incredible deal for Binding of Isaac fans.
The Ultimate Collector’s Edition offers the best value, but it’s worth noting the expansion sets are sold separately, too. If you already own the base game, the Requiem expansion is on ***** for only $15 (was $35). Amazon doesn’t have a deal on the $25 Four Souls+ expansion, which is the smaller of the two.
More ****** Friday Board and Card Game Deals at Amazon
If you like strategy card games, you should also check out the challenging card game adaptation of From Software’s Bloodborne, which is on ***** for $33 (was $45) at Amazon. As of November 18, 75% of Amazon’s stock is claimed, so this deal won’t be around for much longer.
We’ve included a few lists of our favorite Amazon board and card game deals below. Some of the games on this list are in Amazon’s B2G1 board game *****.
Bloodborne: The Official Board and Card Games
The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim – The Adventure Game
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game
Marvel: Crisis Protocol Miniatures Game
Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Star Wars: Legion Miniatures Game
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Why Trump and Xi Jinping’s ‘special relationship’ soured
Why Trump and Xi Jinping’s ‘special relationship’ soured
BBC
Donald Trump once declared that he and ******** President Xi Jinping “love each other”
In a sports park next to the red walls and glossy blue tiles which surround Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, a group of pensioners are working out.
“I’m 74 and I hope this helps me live a long time,” one man says after he finishes his pull-ups, just as a cold wind blows leaves from cypress trees across the park, disrupting another man who is mid-headstand. Women reach for gloves and sweaters as they take turns hanging from an overhead ******** course.
******** emperors once came to this Ming dynasty holy site to pray for a good harvest. Now the park is used by locals to enjoy their retirement after spending decades contributing to China’s spectacular growth.
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People working out near Beijing’s Temple of Heaven
They’ve watched their country open up to the world and their factories propel its economy, which nips at the heels of the ******* States as the world’s largest.
But some ***** what the promises of US president-elect Donald Trump – who has vowed steep tariffs on goods made in China – means for the country’s export-driven economy.
After all, then-President Trump declared in 2020 that he and ******** President Xi Jinping “love each other”, even in the midst of a bitter trade war with China.
The view of Trump on the ground
For many in China, Trump is a figure of fun and memes of him dancing to the YMCA are shared widely on social media. Others worry that he’s too unpredictable.
“I like Trump, but he’s unstable. Who knows what he might do?” says the 74-year-old pensioner, whose name has been withheld.
Some of Trump’s cabinet choices – announced since his election victory – will no doubt make people even more wary.
Marco Rubio, his pick for Secretary of State, has called Beijing “the threat that will define this century”. He is also sanctioned by Beijing. Trump’s choice for National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, wrote earlier this month that the US should “urgently” bring the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East to an end so it can “finally focus strategy attention where it should be: countering the greater threat from the ******** ********** Party”.
Getty Images
For some in China, Trump (pictured in the Forbidden City) is a figure of fun
But China has been in training for a second Trump presidency, says Jie Yue, a Senior Research Fellow on China at Chatham House, a London-based think tank.
Despite concern on the street, she says his return comes as “no surprise” to Beijing, although she warns that the world should still “expect a roller-coaster type of relationship to unfold” when Trump takes office in January.
Beijing’s “cold war” warning to Washington
The competition between the two nations has been ramping up for some time, long before Trump won the election. It turned especially tense during the Biden administration because of tariffs and geopolitical disagreements ranging from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the future of Taiwan.
Yet there was dialogue, with several senior US officials making trips to Beijing.
President Xi has vowed to work with the incoming Trump administration, but he also used his last meeting with President Joe Biden to warn Washington that a “new cold war should not be fought and cannot be won”.
He added that “containing China is unwise, unacceptable and bound to fail”.
Getty Images
President Xi warned that a “new cold war should not be fought and cannot be won”
Beijing has long accused the US and its allies of trying to contain China – they see tariffs targeting ********-made imports, laws restricting the country’s access to advanced AI chips and military alliances in the South China Sea and beyond as part of this approach.
And Trump’s decision to pick Rubio and Waltz suggests his administration will “take a much harsher, muscular approach with China,” says Lyle Morris from the Asia Society’s Centre for China Analysis.
“While Trump views his personal relationship with ******** President Xi Jinping as an avenue for negotiation, he will likely lean on Waltz and Rubio in fashioning a more aggressive, uncompromising policy towards China.”
They are far from the only voices in Washington that see China as a threat to US security and its economy – a view that surprises the average person in Beijing.
“You’re much better off here than in the US right now,” says the 74-year-old in the park before heading off to stretch.
From Covid blame to nuclear competition
Just north of the Temple of Heaven is the Forbidden City, where ******** emperors lived for almost 500 years. It was here, in 2017, that Xi hosted Trump, bestowing on his guest an honour not granted to any US president since the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Xi shut down the area and took Trump on a tour of the imperial quarters, every moment broadcast live on state TV. He was served kung pao chicken for dinner, and in turn brought a video of his granddaughter, Arabella Kushner, singing a ******** song which went viral on social media.
It was billed by both as a high point in US-China relations, but that quickly soured after the Covid pandemic broke out in Wuhan in 2019 and spread globally in 2020. Trump repeatedly called it the “******** virus” and blamed the outbreak on Beijing. He also kicked off a ****-for-tat trade war, with tariffs still in place on more than $300bn (£238bn) of goods.
Trump’s “America-first” doctrine has historically weakened some US alliances
When Trump starts his second term, he will be encountering a stronger Xi, who has cemented his position at China’s helm with a historic third term – and the possibility of remaining in power for life.
Given it has the world’s largest army and navy, Washington is now concerned that the country is building a ******* nuclear arsenal.
Even as Trump was unveiling his new cabinet, ******** state media published videos from the country’s biggest airshow of a new stealth fighter jet – the J35-A – flying vertically and upside-down. China is only the second country to boast two stealth fighters in its inventory. The other is the US. The world’s first two-seat stealth fighter, the J20-S, was also on display.
Last week, researchers at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California found satellite images that indicate China is working on nuclear propulsion for a new aircraft carrier.
The studies have “sparked serious concerns over Beijing’s potential adoption of a first-use strategy and increased nuclear threats, fuelling strong support to significantly boost US nuclear capabilities in response,” says Tong Zhao from think tank Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
“Unless Trump personally intervenes, which seems unlikely, it appears the two nations are on the brink of a much more intense nuclear competition with far-reaching implications for international stability.”
The Taiwan question
Under Xi’s leadership in recent years, China has also become more assertive in its territorial claims over Taiwan and the South China Sea.
One worry is that Beijing is ramping up militarily to invade Taiwan, which it sees as a breakaway province that will eventually be under its control. Under Trump and his cabinet, would the US be willing to defend Taiwan?
It’s a question asked of every US president. Trump has dodged it, saying he wouldn’t have to use military force because Xi knew he was “crazy”, and he would impose paralysing tariffs on ******** imports if that happened.
Despite Trump’s unwillingness to participate in foreign wars, most experts expect Washington to continue providing military assistance to Taipei. For one, it is bound by law to sell defensive weapons to the island. Two, the Trump administration sold more arms to Taiwan than any other.
“There is strong bipartisan support for continuing military aid to Taiwan. I don’t expect Trump to significantly change course on arms sales to Taiwan,” Mr Morris says.
What Trump really thinks of Xi
These glaring differences aside, Trump does seem to admire Xi’s strongman image. “I had a very strong relationship with him,” he said in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal.
It’s hard to know what Xi thinks – he has said very little about their relationship and barely mentions Trump by name.
In 2018, ******** state media CGTN took direct aim at the ********* leader, and released an unflattering video with the sarcastic title: “Thanks Mr Trump, you are great!” It was later taken down by censors.
Getty Images
When Trump starts his second term he will be encountering a stronger Xi
But what we do know is both leaders project a type of muscular nationalism. Xi’s dream is the “great rejuvenation of the ******** nation” and Trump believes only he can “make America great again”. Both promise that they are working towards a new golden age for their countries.
Trump’s “golden age” for America incudes 60% tariffs on ********-made goods.
But Beijing is in no mood for a second trade war. It has troubles of its own.
A sluggish economy vs the Musk factor
President Xi’s dream of prosperity is in jeopardy. China’s economy is sluggish, its property sector is sinking, nearly 20% of its young people are struggling to find jobs and it has one of the world’s fastest growing ageing populations.
Some of this economic pain is clear at the Temple of Heaven. We join the throngs of ******** tour groups walking through white marble gates. It has become fashionable for young people to dress up in Qing dynasty costumes although their long silk robes often fail to hide the other big trend – chunky white trainers.
Dozens of school groups are listening attentively to guides about their city’s colourful history while a ****** forms around the altar to make a wish. I watch as a middle-aged woman dressed in ****** takes her turn. She turns three times, clasps her hands, closes her eyes and looks toward the sky. Later we ask what she hoped for. She says many people come here and ask for their children to get jobs or to get into a good school.
“We wish for better lives and prospects,” she says. While China claims to have eradicated extreme ********, millions of labourers and factory workers across the country, those who contributed to China’s rise, will worry what about what’s to come.
Her future and the future of China’s economy may partly depend on just how serious Trump is about his tariffs. This time, Beijing is prepared, according to Yu Jie.
“China has already begun to diversify its sources of agricultural imports (notably from Brazil, Argentina and Russia) and increased the volumes of its exports in non-US allied countries. At a domestic level, the recent local government debt recapitalisation is also paving the way to offset the negative impacts on the likely trade war with the Trump Administration.”
Getty Images
******** leaders may ask if Elon Musk can temper Trump’s trade impulses
Beijing may also have another hope. Billionaire Elon Musk now appears to have Trump’s ear. His company, Tesla, depends on China for production – about half of all its EVs are made in the country. ******** leaders may ask if Musk can temper Trump’s trade impulses.
But the great power struggle of the 21st century is not just over trade. Xi’s dream also involves making China the world’s dominant power.
Some experts believe this is where another Trump presidency may offer Beijing an opportunity.
China’s place on the world stage
“******** leaders will reinforce the narrative that the US is the single and most disruptive source of global instability, while portraying China as a responsible and confident world power,” says Yu Jie.
Biden spent four years building up friendships across Asia with the likes of South Korea, Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam – all in an effort to contain China.
In the past, Trump’s “America-first” doctrine isolated and weakened these US alliances. He opted for deals over delicate diplomacy and often put a price tag on America’s friendships. In 2018, for instance, he demanded more money from South Korea to continue keeping US troops in the country.
Beijing has already built up alliances with emerging economies. It is also trying to repair its relationship with the *** and Europe, while mending historical grievances with ****** neighbours, South Korea and Japan.
If Washington’s influence does wane around the world, it could be a win for President Xi.
Back at the park, as we discuss the results of the US election, one man holds up four fingers. “He’s only got four years,” he says. “The US is always changing leaders. In China, we have more time.”
Time is indeed on Beijing’s side. Xi could be president for life – and so can afford to make slow but steady progress towards his goals.
Even if Trump does get in the way, it will not be for long.
Top picture credit: Getty Images
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1 Controversial Game Competing Against Arcane for Best Adaptation at The Game Awards Makes Zero Sense
1 Controversial Game Competing Against Arcane for Best Adaptation at The Game Awards Makes Zero Sense
Every fan would agree that the Arcane‘s second season was worth every moment of the three-year wait. As a modern masterpiece of storytelling, and animation, the show continues to redefine what’s possible for passionate video game adaptations and animated TV shows.
Arcane is one of the best video gaming adaptations to date. (Image via Netflix)
Many in the community felt like it would be a top contender at this year’s The Game Awards, and that looks to be the case. The show has been announced as one of the nominees for the Best Adaptation awards, but for some odd reason, it’s competing against the biggest disappointment of the year, Legend of Lara Croft.
Legend of Lara Croft Can’t Stand Against Arcane at The Game Awards 2024
Riot League crafted an incredible series centered around the universe of League of Legends. (Image via Netflix)
Many tune into The Games Award for the world premiers, but others watch to see which video game adaptations take the trophy home. The award for the Best Adaptation has always been hotly debated, but it shouldn’t even be debated in 2024.
The six nominees for this year are Fallout, Knuckles, Arcane Season 2, Like a Dragon: Yakuza, and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.
Considering Arcane‘s impact on the industry, it’s a sure-shot winner of this award. What’s really mind-boggling is that The Game Awards is trying to place this incredible show in the same category as the biggest disappointment of the year, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft premiered on Netflix back in October and continued Lara Croft’s journey after the events of the 2018 game Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
The show’s story simply ******* to grab the attention of the community and got worse as each episode went on. The animation is quite boring and minimalist, and most of the show’s attempts at any kind of humor were obnoxious. The writers don’t give the cast enough room to work with anything. This show shouldn’t have been anywhere near the nominees for The Games’ Award.
I mean none of these are even close to arcane.
— Andrew (@Boogidaball) November 18, 2024
It’s truly shocking how Arcane is ahead of the curve, as it hasn’t even finished airing yet.
Arcane isnt even finished airing, and its likely already won.
— Animanji (@GistDerek) November 18, 2024
As one player states, the way Arcane brought the League of Legends to life was quite phenomenal, and something which the Tomb Raider show ******* to do.
Awesome lineup! I’m rooting for Arcane Season 2 – the way it brought the League of Legends universe to life was pure magic.
— A. (@Anaaa821) November 18, 2024
It’s obvious which show adaptation will win the award this time, but you can tune in to The Game Awards on December 12 to find out for yourself.
Riot Games Will Bring More Shows Like Arcane
Jinx from Arcane. (Image via Netflix)
Fans of Netflix’s Arcane were sad to learn that the show centered around League of Legends will come to an end after the season. With the series’ staggered-three episode format, the final set of episodes will be available to watch on November 23.
With the series’ end right around the corner, many had been hoping to see more of the world it brought to the screens. It seems like their prayers have worked as Riot Games’ co-founder Marc Merrill says there’s more to come from this universe.
Cuz there are lots of other stories to tell
— Tryndamere (@MarcMerrill) November 16, 2024
It’s worth considering that Arcane stands as the most expensive animated show ever made, with a staggering budget of $250 million. With that kind of investment, it’s unlikely that Riot will give up on the potential of the series.
Even Netflix will probably be looking for another collaboration with Riot. Nothing has been announced yet, but we’ll likely hear once act three of Arcane finally debuts.
With that said, what do you think about Netflix’s Arcane? Let us know in the comments below.
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Vivo V50 Series, Vivo Y29 4G Spotted on EEC Database Ahead of Launch: Report
Vivo V50 Series, Vivo Y29 4G Spotted on EEC Database Ahead of Launch: Report
Vivo is gearing up to launch multiple smartphones in the global markets soon. Three handsets, including two models from the Vivo V50 series, have now been spotted on a certification platform, hinting at their imminent debut as the successor to the Vivo V40 lineup, whose latest model was launched on September 25, according to a report. Further, Vivo Y29 4G is also reported to have been listed on the same platform.
Vivo V50 Series Launch
According to a MySmartPrice report, the Vivo V50 and Vivo V50e were spotted on the EEC database with the model numbers V2427 and V2428, respectively. Meanwhile, the Vivo Y29 4G reportedly carried the model number V2434.
Notably, this development comes days after tipster Yogesh Brar highlighted the listing of the Vivo V50 and Vivo V50e on the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) database. The listings, however, did not reveal the specifications of any of the handsets mentioned above. The smartphones are speculated to build upon the features introduced by their preceding models; the Vivo V40 and Vivo V40e.
Vivo V40 and Vivo V40e Specifications
Vivo V40 sports a 6.78-inch full-HD+ (1,260×2,800 pixels) AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and 4,500nits peak brightness. It is powered by a 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC, paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of onboard storage. For optics, the handset is equipped with a dual rear camera setup co-engineered with Zeiss, comprising a 50-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and auto-focus (AF), and a 50-megapixel wide-angle camera. The handset is backed by a 5,500mAh battery.
On the other hand, the Vivo V40e comes with a 6.77-inch full-HD+ (1,080 x 2,392 pixels) 3D curved AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and SGS low blue light certification. It is powered by a 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset under the hood, paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 2.2 onboard storage. For optics, the handset features a dual rear camera setup, including a 50-megapixel Sony IMX882 primary sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS) support and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide shooter alongside an Aura Light unit. The Vivo V40e packs a 5,500mAh battery with support for 80W wired fast charging.
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Dozens of Hong Kong activists jailed in landmark trial
Dozens of Hong Kong activists jailed in landmark trial
Hong Kong’s High Court has sentenced 45 pro-democracy activists to jail terms of up to 10 years in a landmark national security trial that has damaged the city’s once feisty democracy movement and drawn international condemnation.
A total of 47 pro-democracy activists were arrested and charged in 2021 with *********** to commit subversion under a Beijing-imposed national security law and had faced sentences of up to life in prison.
Benny ****, a former legal scholar who was labelled as an “organiser” of the 47 pro-democracy activists, was on Tuesday sentenced to 10 years in jail. Sentences ranged from just over four years to 10 years.
The charges related to the organising of an unofficial “primary election” in 2020 to select the best candidates for an upcoming legislative election. The activists were accused by prosecutors of plotting to paralyse the government by engaging in potentially disruptive acts had they been elected.
The US has criticised the trial as “politically motivated” and said the democrats should be released as they had been “peacefully participating in political activities” that were legal.
US president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee as secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has been a staunch critic of the trial and in an earlier open letter criticised the convictions of the 47 democrats as evidence of the national security law’s “comprehensive ******** on Hong Kong’s autonomy, rule of law, and fundamental freedoms”.
The ******** and Hong Kong governments say the national security laws were necessary to restore order after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019, and the democrats have been treated in accordance with local laws.
Hundreds of people had queued from the early hours outside the court, many holding umbrellas in light rain as they tried to secure a seat within the main courtroom and several spillover courts.
Authorities deployed a tight police presence outside the West Kowloon Magistrates Court and for several blocks in the vicinity.
“I feel such an injustice needs witnessing,” said Margaret, 59, dressed in a white raincoat and ****** facemask, who was in the ****** since Sunday afternoon.
“I’ve long followed their case. They (the democrats) need to know they still have public support.”
After a 118-day trial, 14 of the democrats were found guilty in May, including *********** citizen Gordon Ng and activist Owen Chow, while two were acquitted.
The other 31 pleaded guilty, including student activist Joshua Wong and ****.
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What Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range US weapons means, AP Explains
What Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range US weapons means, AP Explains
What Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range US weapons means, AP Explains
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Will Ukraine now strike Russia with *** weapons?
Will Ukraine now strike Russia with *** weapons?
Now that the US has given Ukraine the green light to use *********-supplied long range missiles in Russia, what will the *** decide?
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pushing for permission from Washington to use the powerful US-made Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS, to hit targets inside Russia.
*** defence officials for their part have been seeking US approval for Kyiv to use Storm Shadow missiles provided by Britain to hit military targets inside Russia.
But London has not been willing to go it alone and had been waiting for the White House to change its mind, which it did on Sunday.
The change of US policy paves the way for Ukraine to use Storm Shadow with fewer restrictions – something Ukraine has been requesting for months.
Storm Shadow missiles, and their French equivalent called SCALP, have been sent in limited quantities – low hundreds not thousands – to Ukraine and so far have only been used against targets inside its borders.
Ukraine has already used them against Russian-occupied Crimea – for example hitting Russia’s ****** Sea naval headquarters at Sevastopol.
These missiles, which are launched from an aircraft, fly close to the speed of sound and carry highly explosive warheads making them an ideal ******* for penetrating Russian bunkers and ammunition stores.
Protracted discussions about ******* Storm Shadow missiles deep into Russia were raised during July’s Nato summit in Washington.
Starmer insisted the missiles were to be used for defensive purposes but said “it’s up to Ukraine to decide how to deploy it”.
In a message on X at the time Zelensky wrote he had “learned about the permission to use Storm Shadow missiles against military targets in Russian territory”, adding that he and Starmer had the “opportunity to discuss the practical implementation of this decision”.
But nothing actually happened after the summit.
Zelensky made it clear the use of long-range missiles are a key part of his “Victory Plan”.
He raised the issue again when he went to Downing Street to brief Starmer last month, in a meeting attended by the new Nato secretary general Mark Rutte.
There was no change in policy, but Rutte said there was no legal reason to prevent Ukraine from striking Russia if the countries who supplied the missiles consented.
*** Defence Secretary John Healey has worked hard to avoid to show any public disagreement with Washington. When recently asked about the matter in a ****** press conference with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Healey said such discussions in public would only help Russia.
And he is keeping tight-lipped about the ***’s position now. On Monday he said he “won’t be drawn on details about long-range missiles” when asked about the use of *** weapons inside Russia.
Responding to a question from the DUP MP Sammy Wilson in the House of Commons, Healey said “it risks operational security and the only person that benefits from public debate is President ******.”
He added he spoke to the US defence secretary on Sunday about Russian escalation over the weekend, and would be speaking to the Ukrainian defence minister later on Monday.
“I want this House to be in no doubt – the prime minister has been clear that we must double down and give Ukraine the support that it needs for as long as it needs. And we will continue to work in close co-ordination with the US in our support for Ukraine.”
The ***** is that although Russian President Vladimir ******’s threats have turned out to be largely bluffs, allowing Ukraine to hit targets deep inside Russia with Western-supplied missiles could provoke a major escalation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned ****** had expressed such a move would put Nato “at war” with Russia – as such strikes would ultimately be carried out not by Ukraine but by the countries that give permission for such use of missiles.
Professor Justin Bronk from defence think tank the Royal ******* Services Institute told BBC News it is “very likely” that US President Joe Biden’s belated decision to allow long-range strikes with ATACMS ballistic missiles will also enable Storm Shadow to be used in at least the same way.
“US objections will presumably have been dropped for them,” he said.
“Russian threats are unlikely to be considered a significant deterrent at this stage, since Russia has threatened dire consequences – including allusions to nuclear attacks – repeatedly throughout the war at each stage when Western equipment has been supplied.”
But he said there is little reason to think that expanding the usable area for *** Storm Shadow “will make any difference” to Ukraine’s ability to hit back at Russia.
He added “most of the more critical targets such as fighter ******** on Russian air bases are likely beyond the range of these missiles in practical terms – and there will be a limited number of the missiles available after lengthy combat use of the system in the war to date.”
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Queenslanders dreaming of a final-round *********** PGA showdown between Cam Smith and Jason Day
Queenslanders dreaming of a final-round *********** PGA showdown between Cam Smith and Jason Day
Cam Smith has welcomed suggestions of an *********** PGA “shootout” with Jason Day in what would be a dream Sunshine State scenario this week at Royal Queensland.
Smith, the 2022 British Open champion who is hoping to add a fourth Joe Kirkwood Cup to his collection this week, ******** the tournament drawcard in his hometown of Brisbane.
However, the long-awaited return home of former world No.1 Day, who grew up down the road at Beaudesert, has given locals someone else cheer for.
A Sunday final-round group including 31-year-old Smith and 2015 US PGA champion Day – who hasn’t played in Australia since the 2017 *********** Open in Sydney – is what tournament organisers, and golf fans, would be dreaming of.
However, there is plenty of work ahead of both players for them to go head-to-head at the top of the leaderboard in the fourth round.
“That’d be good, but the last few weeks, everyone’s been talking about a shootout, and that hasn’t really happened,” Smith said.
“It just goes to show the quality of players really everywhere around the world, particularly here in Australia, so it’s going to be a hard thing to do, given the quality, but we’ll see what happens.”
Camera IconCameron Smith is chasing a fourth *********** PGA crown this week. Lachie Millard Credit: News Corp Australia
Despite his switch to LIV Golf two years ago, Smith said he and 37-year-old Day remained “relatively close”.
“We talk a little bit, but it’s great that he’s back down at home. I know he hasn’t been down here for a while, and hopefully he can get down here a little bit more.” Smith said.
“As a competitor, you want to compete against, you know, some of the best in the world.
“Jason is obviously a Brissie boy as well. He’ll have a lot of people out there supporting him, and hopefully he goes well this week.”
Hoping to spoil Day’s homecoming is another friend of his, defending tournament champion Min Woo Lee.
Day and Perth product Lee have a special bond after representing Australia together at this year’s Paris Olympics.
“I’ve learnt a lot from him,” Lee said.
“Hopefully he plays well, and I play better, but we’re going to have fun.
“I really love and appreciate that he’s down in Australia playing.”
As does another of this week’s contenders, Sydney’s Cam Davis, a winner this year on the PGA Tour.
“It’s great to see any Aussie that’s had success overseas to come back and play in Australia,” Davis said.
“That’s what we miss. I’ve been in the US for a long time now, but I remember in the 20 years that I spent here before I moved over to the US what it was like to see someone that you watched on TV or play well to finally come back to Australia.
“To see it in person, it made a big difference to me. I really enjoyed that experience, and I’m sure there are thousands of people out here that are really looking forward to seeing him (Day) in person as well.
“He’s held the Aussie flag pretty strong for us over the last 10 or 15 years now, so it’s always good to see him back.”
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A First-of-Its-Kind Signal Has Been Detected in Human Brains
A First-of-Its-Kind Signal Has Been Detected in Human Brains
Brain cells
Scientists have identified a unique form of cell messaging occurring in the human brain, revealing just how much we still have to learn about its mysterious inner workings.
Excitingly, the discovery hints that our brains might be even more powerful units of computation than we realized.
In 2020, researchers from institutes in Germany and Greece reported a mechanism in the brain’s outer cortical cells that produces a novel ‘graded’ signal all on its own, one that could provide individual neurons with another way to carry out their logical functions.
By measuring the electrical activity in sections of tissue removed during surgery on epileptic patients and analyzing their structure using fluorescent microscopy, the neurologists found individual cells in the cortex used not just the usual sodium ions to ‘*****’, but calcium as well.
This combination of positively charged ions kicked off waves of voltage that had never been seen before, referred to as a calcium-mediated dendritic action potentials, or dCaAPs.
Brains – especially those of the human variety – are often compared to computers. The analogy has its limits, but on some levels they perform tasks in similar ways.
Both use the power of an electrical voltage to carry out various operations. In computers it’s in the form of a rather simple flow of electrons through intersections called transistors.
In neurons, the signal is in the form of a wave of opening and closing channels that exchange charged particles such as sodium, chloride, and potassium. This pulse of flowing ions is called an action potential.
Instead of transistors, neurons manage these messages chemically at the end of branches called dendrites.
“The dendrites are central to understanding the brain because they are at the core of what determines the computational power of single neurons,” Humboldt University neuroscientist Matthew Larkum told Walter Beckwith at the ********* Association for the Advancement of Science in January 2020.
Dendrites are the traffic lights of our nervous system. If an action potential is significant enough, it can be passed on to other nerves, which can block or pass on the message.
This is the logical underpinnings of our brain – ripples of voltage that can be communicated collectively in two forms: either an AND message (if x and y are triggered, the message is passed on); or an OR message (if x or y is triggered, the message is passed on).
Arguably, nowhere is this more complex than in the dense, wrinkled outer section of the human central nervous system; the cerebral cortex. The deeper second and third layers are especially thick, packed with branches that carry out high order functions we associate with sensation, thought, and motor control.
It was tissues from these layers that the researchers took a close look at, hooking up cells to a device called a somatodendritic patch clamp to send active potentials up and down each neuron, recording their signals.
“There was a ‘eureka’ moment when we saw the dendritic action potentials for the first time,” said Larkum.
To ensure any discoveries weren’t unique to people with epilepsy, they double checked their results in a handful of samples taken from brain tumors.
While the team had carried out similar experiments on rats, the kinds of signals they observed buzzing through the human cells were very different.
More importantly, when they dosed the cells with a sodium channel blocker called tetrodotoxin, they still found a signal. Only by blocking calcium did all fall quiet.
Finding an action-potential mediated by calcium is interesting enough. But modelling the way this sensitive new kind of signal worked in the cortex revealed a surprise.
In addition to the logical AND and OR-type functions, these individual neurons could act as ‘exclusive’ OR (XOR) intersections, which only permit a signal when another signal is graded in a particular fashion.
“Traditionally, the XOR operation has been thought to require a network solution,” the researchers wrote.
More work needs to be done to see how dCaAPs behave across entire neurons, and in a living system. Not to mention whether it’s a human-thing, or if similar mechanisms have evolved elsewhere in the animal kingdom.
Technology is also looking to our own nervous system for inspiration on how to develop better hardware; knowing our own individual cells have a few more tricks up their sleeves could lead to new ways to network transistors.
Exactly how this new logic tool squeezed into a single nerve cell translates into higher functions is a question for future researchers to answer.
This research was published in Science.
An earlier version of this article was published in January 2020.
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Georgia breakaway region’s leader resigns
Georgia breakaway region’s leader resigns
The leader of Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia is resigning after days of mass protests over a controversial pro-Russia bill.
Aslan Bzhania’s press office said he was quitting “to maintain stability and constitutional order” and that the two sides had agreed protesters who had stormed the parliament in Sukhumi must disperse on Tuesday.
The bill, which would have legalised Russian investment and land ownership, has been withdrawn.
Abkhazia declared its independence in 1999, and Russia recognised it as an independent state after the Georgian-Russian war in 2008. Georgia says Abkhazia is “occupied” by Moscow.
Most countries regard the area on the ****** Sea coast as part of Georgia.
In a statement posted on Telegram late on Monday, Bzhania’s press office said Abkhazia’s parliament would consider his resignation on Tuesday.
It said Bzhania’s deputy would become Abkhazia’s acting leader, who would then dismiss the current prime minister.
The statement warned that Bzhania would withdraw his resignation offer if protesters refused to leave the government buildings.
Bzhania describes himself as Abkhazia’s president – Georgia and most of the world do not recognise his authority.
Abkhazia’s opposition has not commented on Bzhania’s resignation offer.
Located along the ****** Sea and Caucasus mountains, Abkhazia is known for its natural beauty and coastline, and was one of the favoured holiday destinations for the ******* elite until the collapse of the USSR in 1991.
Locals feared that the proposed bill would trigger an influx of Russian investment, pricing them out of the property market and further strengthening Moscow’s grip on the region.
Backed by Russia, Abkhazia fought a war of secession with Georgia in 1992-93, before unilaterally declaring independence.
Abkhazia’s economy depends overwhelmingly on tourism from Russia.
In 2009, Moscow signed a five-year agreement with Abkhazia to take formal control of its frontiers with the rest of Georgia, while in 2014 Moscow and Sukhumi signed a “strategic partnership” agreement.
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Harry Kane attends statue unveiling with players from childhood club
Harry Kane attends statue unveiling with players from childhood club
PA Media
Harry Kane says the statue has been “humbling”
England captain Harry Kane says he is “really impressed” with a life-size statue of himself that has been unveiled near his childhood football club in north London.
The statue was paid for by Waltham Forest Council at a cost of £7,200 but remained in storage for four years while a location for its installation was found.
It was unveiled by two young players from Ridgeway Rovers FC, where Kane played as a boy, at the Peter May Sports Centre in Walthamstow on Monday.
“It’s quite humbling to see it here now knowing there’s going to be loads of kids walking past and hopefully being inspired,” the Chingford-raised player said.
PA Media
Ridgeway Rovers players unveil Harry Kane’s statue at the Peter May Sports Centre
The funding for the statue was approved by the ************* councillors for Chingford’s Endlebury ward.
Councillors Emma Best and Roy Berg had originally planned to install the statue on a platform at Chingford Overground station, but the proposal was rejected by Transport for London following a risk assessment.
Pictures from Harry Kane
Harry Kane playing for Ridgeway Rovers FC where his career began at the age of five
One player told BBC Newsround: “Harry Kane is very special because obviously he played here when he was younger, which is incredible for all the people here.”
Another added: “I think Harry Kane should be celebrated. He’s a massive role model.”
Kane, who was born in Walthamstow, joined Ridgeway Rovers as a five-year-old. The now 31-year-old striker would go on to play for Tottenham Hotspur and his current team, Bayern Munich.
PA Media
The Bayern Munich striker returned to his Walthamstow where he was born for the unveiling
The statue sits in front of a new mural that depicts highlights from the England captain’s career, including his debut goal against Lithuania in 2015.
“I think it’s a really incredible story of my journey and my life and the hard work,” Kane said.
“It’s really cool the kids have somewhere to be inspired by.”
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Crows stung by string of close AFLW losses to Lions
Crows stung by string of close AFLW losses to Lions
Adelaide’s AFLW players can still feel the sting.
The Crows have lost their past three games against their preliminary final opponents by a total of seven points.
Adelaide were pipped by the Brisbane Lions by two points in round five this season; by two points in a qualifying final last season; and also by three points in round eight in 2023.
“It definitely leaves you with ***** in the belly,” Adelaide defender Sarah Goodwin said on Tuesday.
“Especially our game earlier in the year against them, we were up in the last quarter.
“There’s definitely that ***** in the belly and I think we know our best footy can definitely beat them and we will definitely bring that this weekend.”
In the dozen clashes overall between the powerhouses, just three matches have been won by more than three goals.
The clubs have beaten each other in a grand final – the Crows claiming the inaugural 2017 flag and Brisbane reversing that result in the 2021 premiership decider.
The Lions hold a distinct edge overall with nine wins and three losses and enter Saturday night’s preliminary final in Brisbane after a weekend off.
“It’s always good to keep the momentum going, Brisbane have had the week off and we’ll see how they go this week but it should be a close game,” Goodwin said.
“Another big game coming up against Brisbane, the last couple of games have all been decided by less than a goal, so it’s really exciting and I know everyone is really keen to get up there and hopefully get the win.”
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Nancy Mace Immediately Picks a ****** With New Transgender Colleague
Nancy Mace Immediately Picks a ****** With New Transgender Colleague
*********** Rep. Nancy Mace, weeks after the first openly transgender person was elected to Congress, introduced a bill banning transgender women from using women’s bathrooms in the Capitol and in House offices.
“Biological men do not belong in private women’s spaces. *******. Full stop. End of story,” the congresswoman wrote in a social media post announcing the resolution.
Within the hour, congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride, who made history earlier this month, condemned Mace for “manufacturing culture wars.”
“This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing,” the Delaware state senator said in a statement. “We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars.”
The top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, which handles how things operate in the lower legislature and in the Capitol, made a similar point.
“I think we have a lot of problems in America,” New York Rep. Joe Morelle told Axios. “I don’t think spending time worrying about the restrooms is an order of priority here. I think Nancy Mace should focus on other things.”
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Billie Jean King Cup: Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter working together to lead Great Britain’s pursuit of glory
Billie Jean King Cup: Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter working together to lead Great Britain’s pursuit of glory
The mood in the British camp has been far from tense during their time in Malaga.
When they could not leave their hotel on Wednesday because of heavy rain and flash flooding in the Andalusian city, spirits were kept high with games of spikeball and a yoga session.
The group also celebrated Raducanu’s 22nd birthday together. Balloons and banners were hung outside her bedroom door in the morning, followed by the presentation of a candlelit chocolate cake in the evening.
The camaraderie has also been strengthened with what Raducanu describes as a “few inside jokes” running through the camp.
“I don’t think there is any pressure. We’re just enjoying ourselves,” said Boulter.
“I know they’ve got my back, so no matter what happens, I’m just going to go out and do my best. I know they’ll support me.”
While Raducanu and Boulter have been leading from the front, Keothavong stresses her team is more than just a double act.
Harriet Dart, Heather Watson and Olivia Nicholls all put points on the board in Britain’s run to the 2022 semi-finals and, although they have not yet been called upon in Malaga, have already played key roles.
Watson is described as the “life and soul” of the group, with Nicholls also behind a lot of the “banter”.
“Sometimes it’s like when I leave my children at home, what are they up to today? It’s like picking up extra kids,” said Keothavong.
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AFL draft: Sam Lalor and Jagga Smith brace for early selections
AFL draft: Sam Lalor and Jagga Smith brace for early selections
Explosive midfielder Sam Lalor would be “extremely proud” to be taken with the first pick in Wednesday’s AFL draft, but says Richmond has remained tight-lipped over its plans.
The Tigers hold the No. 1 pick among their eight selections inside the top 24 leading into the first round, and are considered likely to pounce on Lalor, who has tried to emulate Dustin Martin through his junior career.
The Baccus Marsh 18-year-old said he had recently met again with Tigers officials, but would not know their intentions until his name was called out.
“(Richmond is) obviously a great club with a big fanbase and in a good location … if it did happen that way, I would be really happy,” Lalor told reporters on Tuesday.
“I want to go as high as I can. I’d be happy to go everywhere still … but if it fell that way (pick one), I’d be extremely proud.
Camera IconTalented midfielders Sam Lalor (left) and Jagga Smith (right) are both expected to be taken with top-five picks in the opening round of the AFL draft on Wednesday night. Michael Klein Credit: News Corp Australia
“I’ll just be trying to keep myself distracted, and hopefully I can get a good sleep (Tuesday night).”
Lalor said he was a “caring person” that got along easily with all kinds of people.
He remained in touch with 2022 No. 1 and fellow Bacchus Marsh export Aaron Cadman, who he played with for the GWV Rebels in the Coates Talent League.
“To follow his journey was pretty cool, and I’m following a pretty similar thing (to) throughout his draft year,” Lalor said.
“I’ve spoken to him throughout the year, and he’s helped me with a lot of things with pressure, and footy … he’s been awesome.”
Lalor had shared a coffee with another form Bacchus Marsh local, Port Adelaide star Zak Butters, on Tuesday as he prepared for the start of his footy career.
“I caught up with (Butters) for a coffee this morning, and he just told me to enjoy my next couple of days,” Lalor said.
“He’s said that for a while now – just enjoy it while I can, and take it in my stride.”
Butters’ influence has not been confined to Lalor – he was also in the ear of fellow top-five prospect Jagga Smith, who has styled himself on the Power vice-captain.
“He was someone that was a similar frame to me, pretty skinny coming into the AFL, and he was able to impact straight away,” Smith said.
“He said, ‘don’t let size hold you back, just play to your strengths and you’ll be fine’.
“I’d say (my size is) a little bit of a chip on my shoulder … but I think I was able to prove this year at VFL level that I can go in and make an impact against senior bodies.”
The Oakleigh Chargers midfielder, who has lived in Richmond his whole life, acknowledged he had strong interest from Adelaide if he was still on the board at pick four.
“I have had some chats with Adelaide. They sound pretty interested in me, and if that’s what the outcome is, I’d be rapt. I’d love to go to Adelaide, as much as I would any team in Melbourne,” he said.
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China, Russia ministers discuss Korea tensions at G20: state media
China, Russia ministers discuss Korea tensions at G20: state media
The ******** and Russian foreign ministers discussed tensions on the Korean peninsula during a meeting at the G20 summit in Brazil on Monday, according to Beijing’s state media.
China and Russia have drawn closer since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Western countries accusing Beijing of providing tacit support for its partner’s war of aggression.
Beijing has also given a mostly muted response to North Korea’s decision to send military assistance to Russia, though President Xi Jinping told US leader Joe Biden last week that China would protect its “core interests” on the peninsula.
******** state broadcaster CCTV reported that foreign minister Wang Yi met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, where the two sides “exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis and the situation on the Korean peninsula”.
The report did not give specific details of the discussions.
Wang said China was “willing to work with the Russian side to further strengthen cooperation and alignment”, according to CCTV.
He added that Beijing would make “due contributions to the development and revitalisation of our respective countries and the reform of global governance”, the broadcaster said.
Longtime socialist giants with a history of tempestuous ties, China and Russia have bolstered diplomatic, economic and defence ties in recent years while making much of the supposed personal amity between Xi and Russian President Vladimir ******.
But some analysts have said North Korea’s decision to send troops to Russia for potential deployment in Ukraine has made Beijing uneasy about the security implications in its East ****** backyard.
China is traditionally North Korea’s biggest diplomatic ally, and has been a critical source of economic support for Pyongyang’s moribund economy.
Last week, Xi told Biden at a summit in Peru that Beijing “does not allow conflict and turmoil to happen on the Korean Peninsula”, according to state news agency Xinhua.
“China will not sit idly by when its strategic security and core interests are under threat,” Xinhua reported Xi as saying.
mjw/je/fox
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Jim Cramer says ‘nothing truly dulls the case’ for owning Tesla stock
Jim Cramer says ‘nothing truly dulls the case’ for owning Tesla stock
CNBC’s Jim Cramer made the case for owning Tesla stock, saying it’s worthwhile not because President-elect Donald Trump reportedly wants to relax U.S. self-driving rules, but because of CEO Elon Musk himself.
“While I don’t buy the national self-driving mandate, I think nothing truly dulls the case for owning Tesla,” he said. “The Musk premium will work its magic in other ways, perhaps favorable municipalities and Tesla rentals next to federal highways.”
The electric vehicle stock jumped on Monday, up 5.62% by close, following a Bloomberg report that the Trump transition team wants to make a federal framework for self-driving cars. Such a framework could allow for more widespread deployment of the vehicles — which would be a major victory for Tesla and Musk, who has long sought to release a fleet of autonomous robotaxis. Musk is a notable Trump ally and major campaign donor. He’s already been tapped to lead a new government efficiency group — which aims to “dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies,” according to a statement from Trump.
But Cramer suggested that the Trump team’s plans for autonomous vehicles might be easier said than done. He noted that numerous state and local governments would have to agree to new rules, saying the idea that the federal government “can somehow allow self-driving cars everywhere with the ******* of a pen” is “just plain fanciful.”
Still, he continued, he’s willing to bet on Tesla because of what Barclays analysts dubbed an “Elon premium” in a recent note. The CEO’s involvement in Trump’s successful campaign “sharply elevated Musk’s standing as a global power broker,” the analysts wrote, also pointing out that Tesla’s stock has traded in-line with his other ventures, such as a successful launch at SpaceX. Cramer also stressed that Tesla stands apart from its EV peers because of its tech focus.
“No matter what, though, always remember that Tesla’s a tech company,” he said. “The others are automakers, and a tech company can get an insanely high price-to-earnings multiple with no one blinking so much as an eye about it.”
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Jim Cramer’s Guide to Investing
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Your most dramatic human friend can’t hold a candle to the AI ‘Friends’ you can soon wear around your neck
Your most dramatic human friend can’t hold a candle to the AI ‘Friends’ you can soon wear around your neck
The brief flurry of AI-powered wearables like the Humane AI Pin and the Rabbit R1 doesn’t seem to have caught on the way their creators hoped, but one seems to be banking on the idea that what we really want from an AI companion is non-stop drama and traumatic backstories. Friend, whose pendant hardware isn’t even out yet, has debuted a web platform on Friend.com to allow people to talk to random examples of AI characters. The thing is, every person I and several others talked to is going through the worst day or week of their lives.
Firings, muggings, and dark family secrets coming out are just some of the opening gambits from the AI chatbots. These are events that would lead to difficult conversations with your best friend. A total stranger (that you’re pretending is human) should not kick off a possible friendship while undergoing intense trauma. That isn’t what CEO Avi Schiffmann highlights in the video announcing the website, of course.
Today we’re releasing everybody’s Friends into the world.Soon you’ll be able to bring them anywhere with you.Meet your Friend now at pic.twitter.com/ny6OpnykPANovember 14, 2024
Dramatic AI
(Image credit: Future)
You can see typical examples of the AI chatbots opening lines at at the top of the page and above. Friend has pitched its hardware as a device that can hear what you’re doing and saying and comment in friendly text messages. I don’t think Craig is in any position to be encouraging after getting *******-whipped. And Alice seem more preoccupied with her (again, fictional) issues than anything going on in the real world.
(Image credit: Future)
These conversations are textbook examples of trauma-dumping, unsolicited divulging of intense personal issues and events, Or, they would be if these were human beings and not AI characters. They don’t break the illusion easily, however. Craig curses at me for even suggesting it. Who wouldn’t want these people to text you out of the blue as Schiffmann highlights.
Turn your notifications on. Friends can text you first pic.twitter.com/Joa8MxueYDNovember 15, 2024
Future Friends?
When the hardware launches, you’ll be able to carry around your dramatic pal in a necklace. The AI will be listening and coming up with ways to respond to whatever happens in your day. I’m not sure you’d want that in some of these cases. If you do end up hitting it off with one of the AI characters on the website, you can link it to your account.
“You’ll effectively ‘move in together”‘ like a real companion,” as Schiffmann put it on X. “We’re basically building Webkinz + Sims + Tamagotchi.”
That said, I’ll be very surprised if anyone takes up his offer for those who really get along with their AI companion.
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We’ll cover the wedding for the first person who marries their Friend November 15, 2024
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Russia’s fury over US missiles
Russia’s fury over US missiles
And, when Prime Minister Starmer met China’s President Xi.
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‘I’m not going anywhere’: Ryan Papenhuyzen not driven by money as Storm star weighs up his future
‘I’m not going anywhere’: Ryan Papenhuyzen not driven by money as Storm star weighs up his future
Melbourne Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen has declared he will be at the club next season and money won’t influence his next contract conceding he’s yet to make a decision amid growing speculation he’s set to sign with the Bulldogs.
Papenhuyzen has one year left on his current deal but is free to negotiate with rival clubs for 2026 and beyond.
The 2020 Clive Churchill Medal winner endured a horror run of injuries after his premiership win, with serious leg injuries and concussion restricting him to just 30 appearances in the three years after he lifted the trophy.
Papenhuyzen scored 13 tries from 20 appearances last season for the minor premiers but ******* to sort out a deal before the November 1 deadline which has led to speculation that he’ll move on in 2026.
The emergence of Sua Fa’alogo has complicated the matter, with the speedy fullback signed for the next five years but free to look elsewhere if Papenhuyzen extends his stay.
Papenhuyzen loves the Storm and has developed strong bonds with his fellow spine members, with the team well placed to avenge their grand final defeat next year.
“I’ve still got a year left in Melbourne, so I’m not going anywhere,” Papenhuyzen told Triple M.
“But as of a year left on your contract, you can start negotiating with other clubs, so there’s a bit of speculation purely based on the fact that I haven’t signed anything with the Storm yet.
“It’s hard to avoid the stuff going around on social media. I haven’t made a decision yet. There’s a lot of narrative around it being money, which is quite easy to speculate about, but that’s something I’ve been really strong on the whole time that it’s not money.
Camera IconThe Storm have invested heavily in an all-star spine featuring Papenhuyzen, Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and Jahrome Hughes. Justin Lloyd. Credit: News Corp Australia
“I want to win premierships. I know my career has only got so long in it. I’ve got a growth mindset. Melbourne definitely do have that, for sure.
“We’ve just had a couple of people leave lately, and I’m waiting to see who we can get in those positions to fill in. Definitely more than a thinking decision than money.
“I’ve never been off-contract, so it’s quite a new feeling. I think a decision will come before the season; I know the effect it has on your teammates by dragging it out.”
Storm opted our of opening the 2025 season in Las Vegas and will instead tackle Parramatta, under new coach and former Melbourne assistant Jason Ryles in round 1 seeking a stunning 23nd straight opening round win under Craig Bellamy.
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Pelican News
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A 43-year-old dad called 911 about shots fired at his home. Then a Las Vegas police officer shot and ******* him
A 43-year-old dad called 911 about shots fired at his home. Then a Las Vegas police officer shot and ******* him
A 43-year-old father was shot and ******* in his home by a Las Vegas police officer last week, authorities said.
Early in the morning of November 12, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police received multiple calls about a ********* on Wine River Drive. Brandon Durham, who was home with his 15-year-old daughter, told 911 people were ********* at his house and they had broken in, Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said at a news conference.
As Officer Alexander Bookman and two others responded, they saw damaged cars and windows and heard screaming and ******** from inside Durham’s home. Bookman then kicked in Durham’s front door and, once inside, found Durham and Alejandra Boudreaux, 31, wrestling over a ****** in a bedroom doorway, according to Koren.
Bookman shouted, “Drop the ******! Drop the ******!” and fired one shot, hitting Durham and sending him and Boudreaux to the ground. Durham, on the floor, was then shot by Bookman five more times, body-worn camera footage released by police showed.
Durham was pronounced ***** at the scene. His ****** marks the eighth fatal officer-involved ********* in 2024, Koren said.
“We believe those acts were *********,” said Lee Merritt, an attorney representing Durham’s wife, Rachel Gore, and his daughter.
Police said they believed a domestic relationship existed between Durham and Boudreaux but Koren did not offer more details.
Merritt said that a week prior to the *********, Boudreaux had been at Durham’s home and refused to leave, prompting Durham to call police to remove him.
“That should have served as a forewarning to this incident,” Merritt said.
Two knives were found in Durham’s home but no **** had been recovered as of last Thursday, Koren added.
Boudreaux was arrested and faces multiple charges including ******** with a deadly *******, domestic *********, and child ******, police said.
Durham’s ********* ******** under investigation by the police department’s critical incident review team.
Incidents of people calling 911 for help and being shot by police have drawn scrutiny across the country, including New York, Mississippi, Minnesota, Colorado, California and more, CNN previously reported.
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Beijing is doubling down on ****** America outreach for influence and trade
Beijing is doubling down on ****** America outreach for influence and trade
China’s President Xi Jinping (L) and Peru’s President Dina Boluarte shake hands during a meeting at the government palace in Lima on November 14, 2024, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.
Ernesto Benavides | Afp | Getty Images
Beijing is strengthening economic ties in ****** America as it seeks to further bolster trade and gain influence in the resource-rich region, experts told CNBC.
China President Xi Jinping last week inaugurated a $3.5 billion megaport, majority-owned by China state shipping company Cosco, during a trip to Peru, creating a direct shipping lane between Shanghai and the Peruvian city of Chancay.
“China’s own economy is slowing, and the government’s standard response to that is to try to export their way out of it,” said William Reinsch, Scholl Chair in International Business at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, referring to China’s increasing focus on ****** America.
“Among other things, that means looking at parts of the world that they have not yet extensively penetrated,” Reinsch added, noting that the Western Hemisphere has an abundance of commodities, agricultural products, and minerals that China needs.
The Peru port under the Belt and Road initiative — China’s global infrastructure development strategy — will reduce shipping times from the ****** ********* country to China by 23 days, cutting logistics costs by at least 20%, ******** Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said.
“The completion of Chancay Port will effectively consolidate Peru’s role as a gateway linking shipping routes across land and sea, and between Asia and ****** America,” the spokesperson said Friday.
Experts say that the port cements China’s growing position as a top trade partner of Peru and the rest of ****** America, as it supplants the U.S. in its own backyard.
“The port of Chancay is seen as a game changer in the logistics of ****** America,” Juan Carlos Ladines Azalia, professor of international affairs and international trade management at Peru’s Universidad del Pacífico, told CNBC.
He added that it will open the door for more ******** investment into South America as Beijing continues to crowd out the region’s traditional partners — the U.S. and Europe.
Amongst countries expected to be served by the port is Brazil, a large buyer of ******** products and one of its top exporters of agricultural goods and iron ore.
“There is interest across the region in reaping the benefits of the new port,” Carlos Cardenas, Head of ****** ********* Insights and Analysis at S&P Global Market Intelligence, told CNBC.
He added that it has also revived long-standing discussions on the potential construction of a “bioceanic corridor,” a railway link between Peru’s Pacific coast and Brazil’s Atlantic coast that could be used to export to Asia via Chancay.
Trade and influence
Xi was in Peru — his second state visit to the country — to attend the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting before he traveled to Brazil for the 19th G20 Summit.
His South ********* tour comes as Peru and Brazil have seen their bilateral trade with China expand amid deepening economic ties, as per data from Beijing.
China is Peru’s largest trading partner, having signed onto its Belt and Road initiative along with at least 22 ****** ********* and Caribbean countries through different cooperation agreements.
While Brazil has not signed onto the BRI, China has long been Brazil’s largest trading partner and export destination for over a decade, while Brazil has been China’s top trading partner in ****** America.
“****** America is home to 33 countries that consider themselves part of the so-called Global South, and China is keen to expand its influence [there] through trade and investment,” said Ryan Berg, director of CSIS’s Americas Program.
“Often, a trading relationship develops into much more strategic ties, cultural exchanges, defense and security cooperation, etc,” he said, adding the long-term goal of China is to supplant the U.S. in the region.
U.S. concerns grow
The U.S. has reportedly expressed concern over China’s increasing role in Peru’s infrastructure and the Chancay Port, which some officials claim could be used by Beijing’s navy.
Meanwhile, an adviser to Donald Trump has reportedly proposed 60% tariffs on goods that pass through Peru’s new port or any ********-owned or controlled port, in line with tariff hikes the President-elect has proposed for all goods from China.
However, regarding ****** America accepting more ******** investment, experts say the U.S. should hold itself responsible for ceding ground.
“The ******* States has practiced strategic neglect of its own shared neighborhood. That vacuum has allowed China the ability to expand with little pushback or contestation,” said Berg.
This has been an economic and geopolitical mistake, though it’s not necessarily a national security issue as some have suggested, according to CSIS’s Reinsch.
“The US has a long history of ignoring ****** America, and this is only the latest chapter,” Reinsch said.
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Pelican News
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Trump vows to use US military for mass deportations
Trump vows to use US military for mass deportations
President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed on his social media network that he plans to use the US military to carry out a mass deportation of undocumented migrants.
On Monday, he posted “TRUE!!!” in response to a ************* commentator who wrote that Trump would declare a national emergency and use military assets to lead “a mass deportation program”.
At campaign events, Trump repeatedly pledged to mobilise the National Guard to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency tasked with carrying out deportations.
Trump’s latest comment comes as questions grow about how he would fulfil his pledge to ******** the largest mass deportation in US history.
He has repeatedly said he would begin deportations on his first day in office, which will be 20 January 2025.
But even if a US administration was able to legally move ahead with these plans, authorities would still have to contend with enormous logistical challenges.
For example, experts are doubtful that ICE’s 20,000 agents and support personnel would be enough to find and track down millions of undocumented migrants.
There would also be a major financial cost, but Trump recently told NBC News that this would not deter his administration’s efforts.
Trump’s post was made on his Truth Social network early on Monday as he continues to announce his nominations for key posts in his administration.
Trump has already chosen several loyal allies for top roles overseeing immigration and deportation policy, including Kristi Noem who has been nominated to lead the Department of Homeland Security, and former ICE chief Tom Homan who Trump has named his “border tsar”.
Trump’s team have so far released few details about how the plan will be *********.
He has previously said that he plans to declare a national emergency, which would authorise him to deploy troops on US soil.
Homan told Fox News on Monday that he will visit Trump’s Florida home this week “to put the final touches on the plan”, including deciding what role the US Department of Defense (DOD) will have.
“Can DOD assist? Because DOD can take a lot off our plate,” he said, saying that the pace of deportations will depend on the resources agencies are given.
On Monday, the ********* Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued ICE for more details on how the deportation plan will work. The group plans to continue to file legal challenges in an effort to block the mass deportation.
Under the four years of the previous Trump administration, around 1.5 million people were deported, both from the border and the US interior.
The Biden administration – which had deported about 1.1 million people up to February 2024 – is on track to match that, statistics show.
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Pelican News
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