9-15 November 2024: Photos of the week
9-15 November 2024: Photos of the week
A selection of striking news photographs taken around the world this week.
ALESSANDRO DI MARCO/EPA-EFE
Casper Ruud of Norway in action against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during their match at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.
BIEL ALINO/EPA-EFE
A man tries to find his damaged vehicle two weeks after flash floods caused devastation in eastern Spain. There were 222 confirmed deaths from the flooding in Spain last month and 23 people are still missing.
AFP
Gunmen affiliated with Sudan’s army travel in a lorry through the city of Gedaref.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
The *** marked Armistice Day with a two-minute silence. The silence is held every year at 11:00 GMT on 11 November to mark the end of World War One in 1918. Here a musician from the Band of the British Army walks past the names of the fallen after the Armistice Day commemoration at the National Memorial Arboretum.
Anthony Devlin/Getty Images for Viacom International
K-Pop band Le Sserafim made their *** debut at the MTV Awards which were held in Manchester for the first time in their 30-year history.
LOIC VENANCE / AFP
Skippers sail their Imoca 60 monohulls out from Les Sables-d’Olonne at the start of the 10th edition of the Vendee Globe around-the-world solo sailing race.
Agustin Marcarian/Reuters
A member of the Husares de Junin regiment adjusts another soldier’s hat outside the government palace ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru.
A HUSSAIN/EPA-EFE
Officials check for vehicles emitting smoke as part of a green lockdown to control smog in Lahore, Pakistan. The air quality index in Lahore has passed the 1,000 mark repeatedly this month. Anything above 300 is considered hazardous.
KIM LUDBROOK/EPA-EFE
Members of the Rhino Repro team check the vital statistics of five-year-old rhinoceros Mia after she was darted and tranquilised during an OPU (ovary pick-up procedure) at a rhino sanctuary near Pretoria, South *******. During the procedure eggs are collected from the female rhino for in vitro fertilisation.
Owen Humphreys/PA Media
Forestry workers fell a 40ft (12m) Sitka spruce tree in Northumberland’s Kielder Forest before it makes the 330 mile (531km) journey south to stand at the foot of Big Ben in Parliament Square, London.
Photography
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Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Ver.2.0.0 Released
Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Ver.2.0.0 Released
Duuro says: “I still like that this Master Collection exists, despite its flaws. It’s definitely a time-capsule and if you are hungry to experience the brilliant stealth-action saga on modern consoles, you will find much to love. But you still have to remember that this is just a re-release and what was good back then in terms of controls, might feel rather alien nowadays.”
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IGA spruiks staggered purchase plan for Christmas lunch
IGA spruiks staggered purchase plan for Christmas lunch
Cost-of-living threatens to wallop Aussies at Christmas this year, but a simple hack could save Christmas lunch from breaking the bank in December.
Retailer IGA recommends a staggered purchase plan, in which families spread out their expenses to prevent a concentrated hit to the hip pocket as the Christmas season crescendos.
With six weeks to go, the retailer recommends stocking up on dried herbs and fruit and buying up cling-wrap, foil and baking paper.
With five weeks to go, scope out chips, crackers and nuts, soft-drink and honey, and sauces and condiments.
At the four week mark, stock up on ham, puddings and Christmas cakes and candy canes, and store the ham in the freezer.
At three weeks, frozen fruits and vegetables, pastries and seafood.
Camera IconRetailer IGA recommends Aussies begin buying up their Christmas feast in the weeks leading up to the big day. IGA Credit: News Corp Australia
At two weeks, go for turkey, ice cream, salmon and ****** pies and shortbread.
Then with one week left, IGA recommends a shop for fresh produce, dairy products, dips, bacon, and fresh pastries.
IGA national retailer council chair Joseph Romeo said the staggered purchase plan was designed to beat the “chaos” of Christmas shopping.
“It’s all about beating the chaos at Christmas,” he said.
“We know this time of year can be overwhelming and the last thing Aussies want to do sometimes is visit a busy supermarket in a shopping centre.”
“Don’t underestimate the pre-shop prep. Build your shopping list by looking at the weekly catalogue.
“Every week IGA has great weekly specials, half price offers and great deals to help you plan your shop and get the best value, particularly in the lead up to Christmas.”
Camera IconA staggered purchase plan could help families avoid a concentrated hit to the hip pocket in December, the retailer says. IGA Credit: News Corp Australia
There are some 1400 IGA stores across Australia and the retailer competes with behemoths Woolworths, Coles and Aldi in the grocery market.
A survey of 502 *********** adults across November, commissioned by the company, found some 64 per cent of Australians said they were stressed by the cost of groceries at Christmas time.
Some 31 per cent leave their shopping until the last week, the survey found, or don’t plan for Christmas at all.
The survey also offers some insights into how Australians will likely celebrate December 25.
Those under 35 years are more likely to have barbecue meats, roast lamb, and roast beef on their table while those over 55 are more likely to opt for prawns.
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Father Speaks Out About 5-Year-Old Boy with Autism Who ***** After Leaving Home While Mom Napped
Father Speaks Out About 5-Year-Old Boy with Autism Who ***** After Leaving Home While Mom Napped
“I nurtured him and bathed him and fed him,” said Lawson Amos McCoy about his son Joshua, adding, “I can’t believe this has happened”
Coos County Sheriff’s Office Facebook
Joshua McCoy
The father of a missing 5-year-old Oregon boy who was found ***** less than two miles away from his home said he wants what led to the tragic circumstances surrounding his son.
“I want the truth, plain and simple,” Lawson Amos McCoy, the father of the late Joshua James McCoy, told OregonLive.com in an article published on Thursday, Nov. 14. “I don’t care about anything else. My baby’s gone.”
According to the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, Joshua, who had autism, was last seen at his home on Stage Road in Hauser on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Authorities said the boy’s mother woke up from a nap around 5:30 p.m. local time and discovered her son had disappeared.
A missing person report released by the sheriff’s office described Joshua as about 3 feet, 6 inches tall, weighing between 50 and 60 lbs. with brown, shoulder-length hair and brown eyes.
Related: Missing Girl, 17, Found ‘Safe’ as Police Say She Was Living with 44-Year-Old Man
In a Monday, Nov. 11 Facebook update, the sheriff’s office said the search for Joshua intensified the day before, employing authorities and drones in the surrounding areas. The department also said it requested the help of state and federal agencies.
Then on Nov. 12, the Coos County Sheriff’s Office announced that the boy’s ******** were located.
“Today [Nov. 12], around 12:30 PM, Joshua was discovered deceased and found approximately 1.6 miles straight line distance North-West from the child’s residence, and almost 2 miles by road,” authorities stated, adding, “The investigation is ongoing and no additional information will be released at this time.”
Furthermore, the sheriff’s office highlighted, “The areas that have been searched have been very thorough and methodical due to the circumstances behind the disappearance.”
In his interview with OregonLive, Joshua’s father, Lawson, said that he hadn’t seen his son in more than a year after moving back to Ohio. He met his girlfriend in Utah, and they became parents to Joshua. Then, the family moved to Coos Bay after the girlfriend received a job offer as a nurse. While she worked, Lawson, who had served in the Air Force and on disability, took care of Joshua at home.
Related: Body Found After 11-Year-Old Boy Was Swept Out to Sea in Front of His Dad
Lawson’s brother, Joshua (who shares the same first name as his young nephew) told the outlet that Lawson believes that what happened was his fault because he left Oregon and now feels guilty.
A GoFundMe was established to help pay for the younger Joshua’s ******** expenses which would include having the boy ******* in Ohio with his great-grandparents. Money from the fundraiser will also be used for counseling and therapy and to hire a private investigator to look into Joshua’s ******.
Related: Abducted Girl, 4, Found ***** in Woods Alongside Injured Sister, 6, After Man Is Arrested over ****** of Their Mom
“I nurtured him and bathed him and fed him. I mean, I knew his favorite foods. I knew his favorite colors,” Lawson said, reported OregonLive. “I can’t believe this has happened.”
PEOPLE reached out to the Coos County Sheriff’s Office and the GoFundMe organizer for comment on Friday, Nov. 15, but they did not immediately respond.
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Trump cabinet picks battle misconduct claims and controversy
Trump cabinet picks battle misconduct claims and controversy
A look at Trump’s cabinet and key roles… in 74 seconds
US President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign is circling the wagons round several of his cabinet nominees as they come under heavy scrutiny, including claims of misconduct.
His defence secretary pick Pete Hegseth denies a ******* ******** allegation and potential attorney general Matt Gaetz is at the centre of an ethics investigation.
Trump’s health secretary nominee, Robert F Kennedy Jr, is facing severe criticism for his vaccine scepticism.
Trump will need the US Senate to confirm these nominees when he takes office in January, and though the chamber will be controlled by his fellow Republicans, his cabinet picks will face an intense grilling during bipartisan hearings.
On Friday, police said that Hegseth, the Pentagon nominee, had been investigated for an alleged ******* ******** in California in 2017.
Hegseth, a Fox News host and veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, was never arrested and denies wrongdoing.
Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said: “Mr Hegseth has vigorously denied any and all accusations, and no charges were filed.”
Meanwhile, the BBC’s US partner CBS reported that Hegseth had once been flagged as a potential “insider threat” by fellow military personnel who thought he had a white-supremacist tattoo.
Hegseth has denied any connection to extremist groups.
A former member of the Minnesota National Guard has a tattoo on his bicep reading “Deus Vult”, a ****** phrase meaning “**** wills it”, a rallying cry for ********** crusaders in the Middle Ages.
Retired Master Sgt DeRicko Gaither told CBS: “I looked it up and that tattoo had ties to extremist groups.” He said he had flagged the body ink to leadership.
US Vice-President-elect JD Vance rushed to Hegseth’s defence, saying the ****** phrase is a nothing more than a ********** motto and accusing the Associated Press, which first reported the story on the tattoo, of “disgusting anti-********** bigotry”.
Hegseth was stopped from serving as an officer in Washington DC during President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021.
In a book published earlier this year he said he was turned down for the duty because of his tattoos.
Meanwhile, Trump’s pick for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, is battling allegations of misconduct while he was a congressman.
He resigned from his Florida seat in the US House of Representatives on Thursday within hours of Trump nominating him to lead the US Department of Justice.
His exit halted the release of a congressional report into allegations of ******* misconduct, illicit ***** use and misuse of campaign funds.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a ***********, asked on Friday that the report remain under wraps as Gaetz is no longer a member of the body – even amid bipartisan requests that it be shared as part of his vetting for the role of top prosecutor in the US.
Hours later, new allegations emerged from an attorney representing two witnesses of the alleged ******* misconduct.
The lawyer, Joe Leppard, told CBS that one of his clients had witnessed Gaetz having **** with an underage girl in Florida in 2017. Mr Leppard urged lawmakers to release the House Ethics Committee report.
The justice department last year investigated the allegations and declined to press charges against Gaetz.
He has previously denied claims he had **** with a 17-year-old while he was an ****** at a party in Orlando.
The 42-year-old Florida lawmaker wrote on Friday on X that “***** were weaponised to try to ******** me”.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, Trump’s nominee to serve as the head of the US Department of Health and Human Services, is meanwhile facing pushback over his history of vaccine scepticism.
Shares in vaccine makers and healthcare firms around the world slid sharply on Friday, as investors reacted to the nomination of a campaigner who has vowed to ****** down on “Big Pharma”.
The head of the ********* Public Health Association, which has a 25,000-health professional membership, told the BBC that Kennedy’s criticism of immunisations had “already caused great damage in health in the country”.
George C Benjamin added that Kennedy was “just absolutely the wrong guy for it”.
Trump himself has so far not directly addressed the criticism of his picks.
The president-elect is still hiring for his incoming administration, with posts such as FBI director and treasury secretary yet to be named.
Trump names vaccine sceptic RFK Jr for health secretary
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APEC: ‘Lame-duck’ Joe Biden tries to reassure allies as Donald Trump presidency looms
APEC: ‘Lame-duck’ Joe Biden tries to reassure allies as Donald Trump presidency looms
Joe Biden cut a diminished figure on one of his last outings on the world stage Friday, as he admitted that the times are changing with Donald Trump’s impending return to power.
The 81-year-old lame-duck US president attempted to use a summit in Lima to shore up ties with key Asia-Pacific allies before the potential wrecking ball of a second Trump term.
But Biden couldn’t help but strike a valedictory tone after his final meetings with many counterparts who are looking over his shoulder at the ***********’s looming comeback.
“We’ve now reached a moment of significant political change,” a wistful-sounding Biden said as he met the leaders of Japan and South Korea in the Peruvian capital.
“This is likely to be my last trilateral meeting with this important group, but I am proud to have helped be one of the parts of building this partnership.”
Biden insisted, however, that his internationalist approach would survive Trump, saying of the Japan-South Korea alliance: “I think it’s built to last. That’s my hope and expectation.”
Camera IconAnthony Albanese spoke to Joe Biden at the APEC informal leaders dialogue. Credit: APEC Peru
A senior US official insisted afterwards that “as a matter of fact, the president-elect’s name did not come up” with ********* Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
But that may have been a matter of politeness rather than politics.
Biden prided himself as the man who was able to say “America’s back” after Trump upturned old alliances in his first term and reached out to foreign autocrats like Russia’s Vladimir ****** and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
Now, it is Trump who is back.
And on what is likely to be his final major foreign swing, including a trip to the G20 in Brazil next week, Biden has been overshadowed by the man who will take office on January 20.
‘Send you to space’
The outgoing president has even seen himself outshone by ******** President Xi Jinping.
Summit host Peru rolled out the red carpet for Xi for a state visit that included the inauguration of the first ********-funded first megaport in South America, a sign of Beijing’s increasingly successful battle with Washington for influence.
Peru’s President Dina Boluarte greeted Xi at the Government Palace in Lima, where a brass band welcomed him and soldiers stood at attention in full ceremonial blue and red dress with plumed helmets and flags.
The welcome for Biden was far more muted, with two short lines of soldiers at the airport.
Biden was then kept waiting on Thursday for the start of the summit by other leaders, US officials said.
After he walked in, he extended a hand to the leaders of Thailand and Vietnam, between whom he was sitting, and sat down, his spotlight diminished.
Old friends Justin Trudeau of Canada and Anthony Albanese of Australia later joined him for a selfie, but there was no throng to meet the leader of the world’s top superpower and most powerful military.
Biden is now due to have his last ever one-on-one meeting as president with Xi on Saturday, in what officials say is a bid to build on a historic tension-easing encounter a year ago.
Yet that too will take place in the shadow of Trump and the prospect of fresh tensions and a trade war.
As his political star fades, Biden joked that even First Lady Jill Biden was ready to get rid of him.
Pointing to the head of US space agency NASA during a meeting with Peru’s president, Biden quipped: “Every time my wife thinks I’m getting out of hand, she says ‘I’m going to call him and have him send you to space.’”
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Friends’ wrestling match ends with man’s head crushed by box truck in Brooklyn
Friends’ wrestling match ends with man’s head crushed by box truck in Brooklyn
A box truck crushed a man’s head after he fell onto the street while roughhousing in Brooklyn on Friday, police and witnesses told the Daily News.
The 30-year-old victim was drinking with a friend on 60th St. near Fourth Ave. in Sunset Park when the pair started wrestling shortly before 2:30 p.m., according to a witness.
The victim’s friend shoved him off the sidewalk and into the path of an oncoming truck heading west on 60th St. and then desperately tried to pull him out of harm’s way, the witness said.
“He pushed his friend just as the truck was coming,” said Xochitl Mejia, 36. “As he fell, his friend tried to grab him and pull him back.”
But it was too late for the man to save his friend, and the victim’s head went under the truck’s wheels, Mejia said.
“The truck went right over him,” she said. “He was ***** within seconds.”
Mejia described the man’s gruesome injuries visible as he lay ***** on 60th St.
“The wheels went right over his head,” she said. “It was smashed. There was blood coming from his mouth and nose. It was horrible. It was just horrible.”
Medics pronounced the victim ***** at the scene.
The 53-year-old truck driver was taken to NYU Langone Hospital in stable condition, cops said.
The victim leaves behind one child, according to a relative.
“He was a good man,” the family member told a Daily News reporter at the scene.
The NYPD’s Highway Collision Investigation Squad will investigate the ******. There were no arrests.
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Karoline Leavitt to become youngest White House press secretary
Karoline Leavitt to become youngest White House press secretary
Donald Trump has announced that he will tap Karoline Leavitt, his campaign spokeswoman, to serve as White House press secretary in his next administration.
At 27, Leavitt will be the youngest White House press secretary in US history.
The president-elect said in a statement that he was confident the onetime candidate for Congress – who also served in the White House press office during the first Trump administration – would “excel at the podium and help deliver our message to the ********* People as we Make America Great Again”.
“Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator,” Trump said.
A native of New Hampshire, Leavitt studied communications and political science at Saint Anselm College, a ********* college in her home state.
While still in school, she interned at Fox News and in Trump’s White House press office. She told Politico in 2020 that she gained her “first glimpse into the world of press” through these experiences. They led to her decision to pursue a career in press relations, she said.
Leavitt began working for the first Trump White House shortly after graduating in 2019, first as presidential writer and later as assistant press secretary, according to the website for her 2022 run for Congress.
“I helped prepare Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany for high-pressure briefings [and] fought against the biased mainstream media,” her website stated.
After leaving the White House, Leavitt served as the communications director for Rep Elise Stefanik, a senior *********** congresswoman whom President-elect Trump has nominated to serve as ******* Nations ambassador.
She departed that role to run for Congress, winning the *********** nomination for New Hampshire’s first congressional district in 2022 – but later lost in the general election to Democrat Chris Pappas.
The policy positions she listed on her campaign website largely align with many of Trump’s priorities. On the economy, she pledged to “CUT taxes” and “champion pro-growth, free market policies”.
She presented herself as a strong backer of law enforcement and strong borders, including “ZERO tolerance for ******** immigration” and said she would work to ensure the completion of the border wall.
In January 2024, she joined Trump’s third bid for the US presidency as his campaign press secretary.
Now, she’s been chosen to serve as the youngest White House press secretary in US history. Ron Ziegler was the previous record holder. In 1969, he was appointed to the position by Richard Nixon when he was 29.
The public will soon see Leavitt in the iconic spot behind the podium in the White House briefing room – a space that led to countless tense exchanges between members of the press and officials in Trump’s first administration.
Trump ran through multiple press secretaries during his first four-year term, including Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham and Kayleigh McEnany.
After departing the White House, Sanders went on to win the race for Arkansas governor.
Grisham resigned after the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot and has become a Trump critic. McEnany has continued to advocate for the president-elect as a Fox News personality.
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NASA’s Hubble Reveals Impact of Milky Way’s Gravitational Force on Large Magellanic Cloud
NASA’s Hubble Reveals Impact of Milky Way’s Gravitational Force on Large Magellanic Cloud
In a recent observation, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has documented a close interaction between the Milky Way and one of its nearest galactic neighbours, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This recent analysis of the LMC, led by Andrew Fox of the ********* Space Agency’s Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, reveals the effects of its near-collision with the Milky Way’s massive halo, including a significant reduction of the LMC’s own halo of gas.
The LMC’s Halo: A Surprising Measurement
For the first time, Hubble data allowed researchers to measure the extent of the LMC’s halo, which is now estimated at 50,000 light-years across, considerably smaller than other galaxies of similar mass. This contraction of the halo, explained Fox, points to the effects of the LMC’s encounter with the Milky Way, which stripped away a considerable portion of its outer gas layer. Despite these losses, the LMC still contains sufficient gas to form new stars, adding resilience to the otherwise diminished dwarf galaxy.
Ram-Pressure Stripping: The Force at Play
A process known as ram-pressure stripping is responsible for much of the LMC’s halo loss. As the LMC approached the Milky Way, the larger galaxy’s gravitational influence exerted a “wind” effect, pushing back the LMC’s gas into a tail-like stream that now trails the galaxy. Sapna Mishra, lead author on the research paper, likened this force to a powerful “hairdryer,” stripping away the LMC’s gas. This gas, however, is not expected to be completely lost, as the galaxy begins to move away from the Milky Way after its closest pass.
Future Research and Cosmic Implications
As the team moves forward, plans are in place to study the leading edge of the LMC’s halo, which ******** largely unexplored. Scott Lucchini of the Centre for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian remarked that this research will focus on the collision points between the two halos, providing insight into the nature of galactic interactions in the universe’s early days.
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People can’t tell when a poem is written by AI
People can’t tell when a poem is written by AI
People often praise poets for their soulful turns of phrase and how they can evoke deep emotions in ways that feel uniquely human. It turns out AI might be even better at tugging at our heartstrings, according to a newly published study in Scientific Reports. Not only do people struggle to tell the difference between AI-generated and human-written poetry, but many prefer AI-crafted poems to those produced by human effort, at least until they discover the silicon soul behind the words.
The University of Pittsburgh researchers tested how well readers could identify when a poem was written by OpenAI’s ChatGPT-3.5 AI model or by Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, T.S. Eliot, and others in the pantheon of English-language poetry. Over 1,600 participants read a random mix of ten poems, half by humans and half by the AI model. Not only did many think humans wrote the AI poems, but the poems written by people were least likely to be marked as such.
Apparently, the complexity of human poetry was mistaken for confusing AI rambling. By avoiding the complexity often found in the work of classic poets, AI poetry can feel more relatable and less intimidating – qualities that readers unconsciously attribute to human creativity.
“We found that AI-generated poems were rated more favorably in qualities such as rhythm and beauty, and that this contributed to their mistaken identification as human-authored,” the researchers wrote. “Our findings suggest that participants employed shared yet flawed heuristics to differentiate AI from human poetry: the simplicity of AI-generated poems may be easier for non-experts to understand, leading them to prefer AI-generated poetry and misinterpret the complexity of human poems as incoherence generated by AI.”
Poetic AI
The inability of many people to tell when a peom is written by AI is surprising, as is the preference for poetry written by AI until the author is revealed. But it’s more a sign that poetry isn’t always easy to parse, especially when it’s not contemporary. And it means AI is slanted toward appealing to the most people possible today, just like it’s other output.
We often assume that human creativity is inherently superior or that we can intuitively recognize the work of a fellow human being. Yet, as AI tools improve, those assumptions are increasingly put to the test. This isn’t just an academic exercise, either. It has real implications for art, education, and how we value creative work in a world where machines are now serious contenders.
The findings also suggest that as AI becomes an increasingly sophisticated creative tool, we may need to rethink traditional definitions of artistry. It’s not necessarily about whether an AI can “feel” or “imagine” but about how its output resonates with the audience.
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But, perhaps it’s best to leave the last word about being human and poetry to a poet who wrote a lot about both. Here’s “I Am a Parcel of Vain Strivings Tied” by Henry David Thoreau:
I am a parcel of vain strivings tied
By a chance bond together,
Dangling this way and that, their links
Were made so loose and wide,
Methinks,
For milder weather.
A bunch of violets without their roots,
And sorrel intermixed,
Encircled by a wisp of straw
Once coiled about their shoots,
The law
By which I’m fixed.
A nosegay which Time clutched from out
Those fair Elysian fields,
With weeds and broken stems, in haste,
Doth make the rabble rout
That waste
The day he yields.
And here I bloom for a short hour unseen,
Drinking my juices up,
With no root in the land
To keep my branches green,
But stand
In a bare cup.
Some tender buds were left upon my stem
In mimicry of life,
But ah! the children will not know,
Till time has withered them,
The woe
With which they’re rife.
But now I see I was not plucked for naught,
And after in life’s vase
Of glass set while I might survive,
But by a kind hand brought
Alive
To a strange place.
That stock thus thinned will soon redeem its hours,
And by another year,
Such as **** knows, with freer air,
More fruits and fairer flowers
Will bear,
While I droop here.
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****** or big *********? The Ford F-150 is both
****** or big *********? The Ford F-150 is both
Sometimes you just want to keep on driving . . .
I’ve got the Ford F-150 Lariat double-cab pick-up here and I’m halfway to Toodyay, but need to turn back to make good on a promise at work.
It’s a 2.5-tonne ****** built for the open road but a big ********* on suburban streets.
Why has it taken so long for me to get behind the wheel?
The F-150 launched in Australia in 2023, imported from Detroit to Melbourne in left-hand drive and re-engineered to right-hand drive locally by Ford Australia and RMA Automotive, which is part of the Thailand-based RMA Group, in Mickleham.
In the process, it’s been “********-tested” at sub-freezing and searing temperatures and travelled some 135,000km in total in Australia — the equivalent of driving around the country nine times — through mud, slippery sand and water, with some of the world’s most punishing roads replicated in the laboratory at Ford Australia’s You Yangs Proving Ground, where the F-150’s driveline, steering, wheels and suspension were thrashed on a kinematics and compliance rig.
Yes, this is our Day Drives vehicle that I’ve just picked up from John Hughes Ford in Shepperton Road, Victoria Park.
It’s no secret I love Ram trucks — and now I’m not sure whether I would choose an F-150 if it came to the crunch.
Camera IconBig tray: Ford F-150 Lariat at the Matilda Bay boat ramp. Credit: Stephen Scourfield/The West ***********
You know how it is: you confide in each of your kids that they’re your favourite child and swear them to secrecy not to tell.
Let’s just leave it at that.
VFACTS has the F-150 sitting on a 22.1 per cent market share nationally with 1881 sales to the end of October in the over-$100,000 pick-up category — in third spot behind segment leader the Ram 1500 on 31.5 per cent/2690 sales and the Chevrolet Silverado on 23.3 per cent/1989 sales.
Sure, the F-150 is no match for its stablemate, the Ford Ranger 4×4, but we’re talking about horses for courses here and the F-150 is in a different league.
If you want to tow a boat without flinching, this is built for the job (more on this later).
The look
It’s huge, with a “military-grade” aluminium-alloy body and high-strength steel frame.
There are two trims — the entry XLT and top-spec Lariat — each available either as a short wheelbase (3683mm) with 1676mm styleside box or a long wheelbase (3987mm) with 1981mm styleside box.
We’re talking about the truck bed, or tray, with no wheel humps at the sides, compared with a flareside, which does have wheel humps.
Camera IconThe Lariat has wireless smartphone charging. Credit: Ford Australia
Even the SWB is too long for a standard parking bay — my F-150 is nearly 5.9m from nose to tail and just over 2m wide, not including side mirrors (the LWB is nearly 6.2m long).
Either way, it’s a five-seater with three child-seat upper anchorage points.
Camera IconFord F-150 Lariat has five seats. Credit: Ford Australia
Think of the F-150 as bold and brashy with a powered tailgate which has a pull-out step and ruler (in centimetres and inches), plus a spray-in bedliner.
Both specs get satellite navigation, Apple Carplay and Android Auto, USB-A and USB-C points in the centre console, plus FordPass Connect which, once activated on your smartphone, lets you do cool things like locate your vehicle, lock and unlock the doors, perform a trailer-light check, receive trailer theft alerts and start the engine remotely.
It’s easy to spot the Lariat, which is decked out in chrome and includes, among other things, chrome angular running boards and 20-inch “chrome like” alloy wheels with 275/60 all-terrain tyres (mine were Pirelli Scorpion).
There’s also a powered twin-panel moonroof, LED headlamps, daytime running lights and fog lights, auto high beam, leather seats (heated and cooled at the front and heated at the back, except for the middle seat), 12-way power settings for the driver and passenger, wireless smartphone charging, rain-sensing wipers, an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system (more on this later), a 12-inch centre touchscreen, 12-inch digital instrument cluster and collapsible console-mounted e-shifter (the XLT has a column-mounted e-shifter).
Best of all, the F-150’s centre console flips out into a “desk”, which is big enough for a laptop or iPad if you need to stop and work in between jobs. There’s also under-seat storage at the rear to keep valuables out of sight.
F-150 drive-away pricing in WA
F-150 XLT SWB: $106,999
F-150 XLT LWB: $106,999
F-150 Lariat SWB: $139,999
F-150 Lariat LWB: $139,999
Pricing is from John Hughes Ford, Victoria Park, and valid till December 31, 2024.
The lowdown
Driveline specs differ, so choose carefully, because the XLT has only a part-time 4WD system, while the Lariat has a selectable transfer case with four drive modes — 2H, 4A (4WD Auto), 4H, 4L.
Camera IconFord F-150 Lariat SWB. Credit: Olga de Moeller
I use 2H on sealed roads and 4A on red dirt.
For serious off-roading, you get an electronic locking rear differential and two front recovery hooks, plus there are skid plates on the front differential, transfer case and fuel tank.
Camera IconFord F-150 Lariat has a collapsible centre-console-mounted gear lever. Credit: Ford AustraliaCamera IconFord F-150 Lariat has a collapsible centre-console-mounted gear lever. Credit: Ford Australia
Braked towing capacity is 4.5 tonnes (the same as the current Ram 1500) rated with a 70mm tow ball.
Both the XLT and Lariat have a 3.5-litre “EcoBoost” twin-turbo V6 engine with electronic 10-speed automatic transmission. Quoted outputs are 298kW of power at 6000rpm and 678Nm of torque at 3100rpm.
The SWB Lariat has a ****** vehicle mass of 3220kg, which is still a “light vehicle” in Australia. Kerb weight is 2535kg, payload is 685kg and ****** combination mass is 7270kg.
I won’t bore you with front and rear axle ****** weight rating but, suffice to say, the numbers are important, so do your maths, including tow-ball load, to work out what’s possible when packing the vehicle, occupants included, and hitching up a trailer, caravan or boat.
In reality, the vehicle cannot be at GVM and tow 4.5 tonnes at the same time.
The fuel tank is 136 litres with a combined fuel economy of 12.5 litres/100km (more on this later) and there is an 18-inch alloy spare wheel.
Safety and driver-assistance tech
The F-150 has not been safety tested by ANCAP or EuroNCAP, but 2023 US models have an overall five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a top safety pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
It comes with six airbags and lots of driver-assistance tech, the Lariat including:
+ Pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking
+ ******-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert and trailer tow coverage
+ Lane-keeping aid and driver alert system
+ Front and rear parking sensors
+ 360-degree camera
+ Intelligent adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go
+ Lane centring
+ Speed sign recognition
+ Evasive steering assist
+ Intersection assist.
The drive
Buttery and plush. It’s like a magic carpet ride. I swear it has air suspension — but it hasn’t.
I am hard pressed to notice any road or wind noise, even at 100km/h, and the engine purrs — when I turn down the audio. The only other time I had something that sounded this good was in the luxe Genesis GV80, which also uses B&O.
Yes, 18 speakers make a huge difference (the XLT gets seven speakers), so consider the specs and your spend — there’s a $33,000 difference between the XLT and the Lariat.
Camera IconThe centre console folds out into a ‘desk’. Credit: Ford Australia
Even at 160.5cm, it’s easy for me to get comfortable: foot pedals are power adjustable, as is the seat, so I’m sitting up high and feel like, well, queen of the road.
But I do have to hoist myself in, using the step and grab handle on the side pillar.
Easy.
This ****** tackles regional highways as easily as narrow suburban streets.
Take it from me, it drives like an SUV, though I think twice about manoeuvring it through Macca’s drive-through and go inside to grab my coffee — yet I’m assured when I drop it back that it’s no problem.
Camera IconFrom centre console to desk. Credit: Ford Australia
Maybe next time.
Honestly, I could drive to Exmouth in this.
The touchscreen is crystal clear and there are buttons and dials for key controls, like volume, temperature and seat heating/cooling.
The ADAS is well calibrated, so it’s not intrusive, and the intelligent adaptive cruise control is spot on, barely picking up 1km going downhill on Toodyay Road, which challenges just about every car I’ve had on test. Only two have managed the descent without me having to brake — and both were prestige brands costing more than the F-150.
I do 120km over several hours, with fuel consumption averaging 13.3 litres/100km, which is not far off the specs.
Service and warranty
The F-150 comes with a five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty and up to seven years of roadside assistance when serviced on schedule at an eligible dealership. Servicing is every 15,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first.
What is Ford’s EcoBoost engine?
Ford describes this engine, which comes in different power configurations, as its “most technologically advanced engine ever” because it delivers up to 20 per cent better fuel efficiency than its ******* conventional counterparts.
This is because in most conventional engines, some energy is lost in the exhaust, but in the EcoBoost, the turbocharger uses the force of the exhaust to push more air into the engine, generating more power.
The result? A more responsive drive with great low-speed torque and great overall performance.
Camera IconFord F-150 Lariat engine. Credit: Ford Australia
EcoBoost uses three key technologies designed to save fuel and boost power: direct fuel injection, variable camshaft timing and turbocharging.
Direct fuel injection. A high-pressure fuel system injects fuel directly into the combustion chamber, regulates how much fuel is needed at any given time, and cools the charge to enable higher compression ratios. This improves efficiency while generating more power compared with a port-injected engine.
Variable camshaft timing. Precise control of intake and exhaust valves matches engine speed and load changes for improved fuel economy, reduced exhaust emissions and increased low-end engine torque compared with larger conventional engines.
Turbocharging. A lightweight design improves fuel economy, while fewer cylinders mean less friction and more energy saved. The engine delivers more power as a result of turbocharging, which compresses the intake air charge, allowing more fuel to be injected from the direct-injection system.
The Ford F-150 Lariat was lent to Olga de Moeller for our Day Drives series by John Hughes Ford in Victoria Park. They have not seen or read the story prior to publication.
Camera IconFord F-150 Lariat SWB. Credit: Ford AustraliaCamera IconFord F-150 Lariat SWB. Credit: Ford AustraliaCamera IconFord F-150 Lariat SWB. Credit: Ford AustraliaCamera IconFord F-150 Lariat SWB. Credit: Ford AustraliaCamera IconFord F-150 Lariat SWB. Credit: Ford AustraliaCamera IconFord F-150 Lariat SWB. Credit: Ford Australia
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‘Pretty intense;’ Video shows ***** engulf truck at Kroger gas station
‘Pretty intense;’ Video shows ***** engulf truck at Kroger gas station
A truck caught ***** while at a gas pump at a Kroger gas station on Friday morning.
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The ***** was reported around 8:12 a.m. at the Kroger on Dayton Xenia Road in Beavercreek, according to dispatchers.
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Jason Lambert was near the gas station when the truck burst into flames.
“(The driver) was running towards the attendant’s thing screaming, ‘*****, *****!’ and all that,” Lambert said.
Witnesses said it looked like the driver tried to find someone at the gas station kiosk to warn.
Video captured by Lambert and shown on News Center 7 at 6:00 showed the gas tank blowing. Another angle captured by another iWitness7, Amber Bratz, showed the gas pump on ***** as well.
“You could definitely feel the pressure wave from it,” Lambert explained. “It wasn’t anything big, but you could feel it. The heat from the ***** was pretty intense.”
Lambert told News Center 7 that he didn’t think the driver found anyone at the gas station’s kiosk and believes he ran into the store to get help.
Video also showed the ***** triggering the gas station’s ***** suppression system, creating a cloud of thick dust everywhere. It eventually suffocated the flames and drifted over everything in the area.
“I mean it pretty much blotted out the sky,” Lambert said. “I mean, there for a few minutes you couldn’t see anything around you.”
News Center 7 reached out to Kroger to ask them about the ***** and how long the gas station might be closed. We have not received a response at the time of this report.
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Lionesses become TfL station announcers for ‘historic’ weekend
Lionesses become TfL station announcers for ‘historic’ weekend
Football fans will hear some of their favourite Lionesses make special station announcements as they travel across London for a “historic weekend” in the women’s game.
The announcements will come from England Women’s footballers Alex Greenwood, Bethany England, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Lucy Bronze.
They will be played at Fulham Broadway, Seven Sisters and White Hart Lane stations to mark the first time all games in the Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship will be played in main stadiums.
Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said: “I hope fans enjoy this special weekend and reflect on how women’s football continues to thrive, inspire and unite communities.”
Dance added that he was “thrilled” Transport for London (TfL) had partnered with Barclays Women’s Super League “to celebrate this historic weekend for women’s football”.
On Saturday, Tottenham Hotspur will take on local rivals Arsenal at White Hart Lane while Chelsea host Manchester City at Stamford Bridge stadiums.
Whiteboard messages on the TfL network will also highlight the games and the upcoming launch of the London Overground Lioness line, which runs between Watford Junction and Euston.
The line runs through Wembley and pays homage to the most successful senior England football team since 1966.
The Lionesses were crowned Euro 2022 champions and reached the Women’s World Cup final in Australia last year.
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Major police operation underway at popular Sydney spot
Major police operation underway at popular Sydney spot
A major police operation and search is underway after a man jumped into the Nepean river south of Penrith and ******* to resurface.
Emergency services were called to Nortons Basin at Mulgoa on Saturday morning after a man, who had been fishing, told his partner that he was going for a swim, NSW Police said.
After diving in he ******* to resurface, prompting the woman to raise the alarm.
Camera IconA major police operation and search is underway after a man jumped into the Nepean river south of Penrith and ******* to resurface. 7News Credit: Supplied
The man is believed to be in his 60s.
“A search operation is now underway involving officers from Nepean Police Area Command, specialist members of State Emergency Services’ swift-water rescue team, ***** and Rescue NSW and NSW Ambulance,” NSW Police said in a statement.
A police helicopter is also en route to help with the search.
More to come.
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Celebrate The Grooviest Batman Era With This Full-Sized Replica Cowl
Celebrate The Grooviest Batman Era With This Full-Sized Replica Cowl
Batman is a pretty fashionable crimefighter, and if you’re looking to celebrate his grooviest era, you can now make space for a cowl straight out of the 1966 TV series that starred Adam West as the Caped Crusader. McFarlane Toys has announced a new Batman 1:1-scale collectible cowl as part of its DC Direct line, and this one is affordably priced at $100 ahead of its release next year on February 20, 2025.
$100
While the cowl looks strikingly similar to the one worn by Adam West in the 1966 Batman TV series, there are some key differences, the most notable one being the choice of material used. In the ’66 Batman TV series, West wore a cowl fashioned from satin materials on top of a fiberglass shell, whereas this replica is made of rubber. Nevertheless, it looks just like the original and maintains the unique details of that mask, like the painted eyebrows, broad ears, and a ****** face shell. There’s even a texture on the cowl to make it look more like the screen-used material, and it comes with a display stand so that you can proudly show it off in your secret lair.
At just $100, this is a pretty good price for a display piece, as the MattyCollector version released several years back goes for hundreds of dollars on the reseller market. Preorders are available at Amazon and Entertainment Earth.
$100
If you’d prefer a grittier cowl, McFarlane Toys also makes one based on the one worn by Michael Keaton in the 1989 Batman movie. Like that mask, this one is almost completely ******, has much longer ears, and the Batman emblem is part of its design.
If you’re looking to add a few classic Batmen to your collection, McFarlane Toys also makes several retro-themed action figures based on the classic 1966 TV series. You can pick up Batman, his trusty sidekick Robin, and faithful butler Alfred Pennyworth. You can round out the collection with a few of Batman’s nefarious villains like the Joker, Penguin, and more. Check out more classic Batman figures in the list below. McFarlane Toys also announced a bunch of other awesome Batman figures recently, and you can check out the full lineup in our roundup of all the new Batman McFarlane collectibles coming soon.
McFarlane Toys Batman 1966 Figures
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Iranian woman arrested after posting harassment video
Iranian woman arrested after posting harassment video
Iranian woman arrested after posting harassment video
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The Disney Epic Mickey Graphic Novels Are Returning With A New Hardcover Collection
The Disney Epic Mickey Graphic Novels Are Returning With A New Hardcover Collection
When Epic Mickey was first released back in 2010, prequel comics published by Marvel were released alongside it. These have long been out of print, but following the release of Epic Mickey: Rebrushed earlier this year, they’re getting a second chance at life in a new deluxe hardcover release. Disney’s Epic Mickey: The Comics Collection will be released next year on May 13, and you can preorder it right now for just $30.
$30 | Releases May 13, 2025
The collection includes both graphic novel adaptations of the game and its sequel, Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two. You’ll also find the prequel series Disney’s Epic Mickey: Tales of the Wasteland, which focuses on Mickey Mouse’s half-brother, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who lives in the Wasteland of Forgotten Cartoons. The books were written by comics legend Peter David and feature art by veteran Disney illustrators Claudio Sciarrone, Paolo Mottura, and Fabrizio Petrossi.
A few more comic book deals are also available right now, and if you’re looking for something more violent in comparison to Mickey Mouse’s adventures, you can pick up the BRZRKR Deluxe Limited Edition hardcover that collects the first 12 issues of the series. This series was co-created by John Wick actor Keanu Reeves along with Matt Kindt and Ron Garney, and it follows a weary immortal warrior who carries out ****** ops missions for the US government.
If you don’t mind reading ebooks, you can also check out this incredible collection of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics currently available through Humble Bundle. For just $30, you can claim hundreds of classic and modern TMNT comic books, ranging from the original Eastman and Laird comics produced at Mirage Studios to the excellent stories released by IDW Publishing.
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******* by loyalty but Trump’s new team have competing agendas
******* by loyalty but Trump’s new team have competing agendas
Reuters
Trump with Gabbard on the campaign trail
If personnel really does amount to policy, then we’ve learned a lot this week about how Donald Trump intends to govern in his second term.
Over a dozen major appointments, some of which will require Senate approval, offer a clearer picture of the team entrusted to drive his agenda as he returns to the White House.
On the outside they appear ******* by one thing – loyalty to the top man.
But beneath the surface, there are competing agendas.
Here are four factions that reveal both Trump’s ambition and the tricky tests ahead for his leadership.
Deep State disruptors
By Mike Wendling, BBC News, Chicago
Who: Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard, RFK Jr
Their agenda: They’ve been among the most vocal politicians actively opposing US policies, particularly under President Biden. Choosing Gaetz as his attorney general nominee is possibly Trump’s most controversial pick.
Gaetz has represented Florida’s first congressional district since 2017. A graduate of William and Mary Law School, he led the removal of California congressman Kevin McCarthy as the sitting Speaker of the House in October 2023.
He has come under investigation by a House ethics committee for allegedly paying for **** with an underage girl, using ******** drugs and misusing campaign funds. He denies wrongdoing and no ********* charges have been filed.
Tulsi Gabbard, picked to be Trump’s director of national intelligence, is a military veteran who served with a medical unit in Iraq. She is a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii who switched parties to support Trump.
Gabbard has routinely opposed ********* foreign policy, blaming Nato for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and meeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad – then casting doubt on US intelligence assessments blaming Assad for using chemical weapons.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, Trump’s nominee to oversee health, is a longtime lawyer and environmentalist. He also spread fringe theories – about vaccines and the effects of 5G phone signals.
What this tells us: Like Trump, Gaetz, Gabbard and Kennedy are aggressive challengers of the status quo, who frequently tip over into ***********.
They may be among the most determined supporters of Trump’s plan to dismantle the bureaucratic “deep state”. The president-elect has picked particular fights in each of the areas they would oversee – law enforcement, intelligence and health.
But *****-throwers can also make unruly subordinates. Kennedy wants stricter regulation across food and farming industries, which may collide with Trump’s government-slashing agenda.
Gaetz’s views on some issues – he favours legalisation of ********** – are outside the *********** mainstream.
And Gabbard, a fierce critic of ********* power, will be working for a president who is not afraid to use it – for instance, against Iran.
Border hardliners
By Bernd Debusmann, BBC News, Washington
Who: Tom Homan, Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem
Their agenda: The three hardliners tasked with carrying out Trump’s border and immigration policies have vowed to strengthen security and clamp down on undocumented immigrants crossing the US-Mexico border.
Domestically, they – and the wider incoming Trump administration – have called for a drastic uptick in deportations, beginning with those considered national security or public safety threats, and a return to workplace “enforcement operations” that were paused by the Biden administration.
What it tells us: Aside from the economy, polls repeatedly showed that immigration and the US-Mexico border were primary concerns for many voters.
The possibility of increased deportations and workplace raids, however, could put him on a collision course with Democratic-leaning states and jurisdictions that may decide to push back or not co-operate. Some *********** states – whose economies rely, in part, on immigrant labour – may also object.
Tech libertarians
By Natalie Sherman, BBC business reporter, New York
Who: Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy
Their agenda: Trump has named the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, to lead a cost-cutting effort dubbed the “Department of Government Efficiency”.
He will share the role with 39-year-old investor-turned-politician Vivek Ramaswamy, who became an ardent Trump backer after bowing out as a candidate in the *********** primary.
The two men are among the loudest and flashiest tech bros, a group that swung towards Trump this year, seeking a champion to disavow “woke” political correctness and embrace a libertarian vision of small government, low taxes and light regulation.
Musk has floated a possible $2tn in spending cuts, vowing to send “shockwaves” through the government.
Ramaswamy, who has backed eliminating the tax-collecting agency, the IRS, and the Department of Education, among others, wrote after the announcement: “Shut it down.”
What it tells us: The appointments are an acknowledgment of the help Trump got on the campaign trail from Ramaswamy and Musk, the latter of whom personally ploughed more than $100m into the campaign.
But time will tell what power this faction goes on to have.
Despite its name, the department is not an official agency. The commission will stand outside the government to advise on spending, which is partly controlled by Congress.
Trump, who ran up budget deficits during his first term, has shown little commitment to cutting spending.
He has promised to leave Social Security and Medicare – two of the biggest areas of government spending – untouched, which could make cost-cutting difficult.
China hawks
By Tom Bateman, BBC state department correspondent
Who: Marco Rubio, Mike Waltz, John Ratcliffe.
Their agenda: These men will run Trump’s “America First” foreign policy. They are all hawks on China.
Rubio, nominee for secretary of state, is among Beijing’s harshest critics, having argued for travel bans on some ******** officials and for the closure of Hong Kong’s US trade offices.
The three are likely to push through Trump’s pledge for much higher tariffs on ******** imports. They see Beijing as the top economic and security threat to the US. Waltz – picked for national security adviser – has said the US is in a “Cold War” with the ruling ********** party.
Ratcliffe, Trump’s nominee for CIA director who served as an intelligence chief in his first term, has likened countering China’s rise to the defeat of fascism or bringing down the Iron Curtain.
What it tells us: While Trump often signals his own hawkish economic views on China, he has also vacillated – which could spark tensions with his top foreign policy team.
In his first term, Trump triggered a trade war with Beijing (attempts to de-escalate this ******* amid the pandemic) and relations slumped further when he labelled Covid the “******** Virus”.
But he also heaped praise on President Xi Jinping as a “brilliant” leader ruling with an “iron fist”.
This unpredictability could make managing America’s most consequential strategic relationship even *******. Rubio might also clash with Gabbard, Trump’s pick for director of intelligence, who previously criticised Rubio on foreign policy.
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Xbox, PlayStation, And Nintendo Console Market “Isn’t Growing,” Phil Spencer Says
Xbox, PlayStation, And Nintendo Console Market “Isn’t Growing,” Phil Spencer Says
The video game console market “isn’t growing,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a new interview, and that’s part of the reason why you don’t need an Xbox to play Xbox these days.
“The console space all up isn’t growing, across all of them [Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo]. We love those customers, but in terms of continuing to expand and grow Xbox, it’s about PC, it’s about cloud, and it’s about making our games more available in more places,” Spencer told Rolling Stone.
Just because the console market isn’t growing, that doesn’t mean Microsoft is abandoning consoles. Spencer said Microsoft will “definitely do more consoles in the future,” as well as “other devices.”
None of this is a surprise, as Microsoft has already confirmed a next-gen Xbox that promises the “largest technical leap” in Xbox history. As for the “other devices,” Spencer may be referring to the Xbox handheld device that is a “few years out.”
Also in the interview, Spencer reiterated that Microsoft is probably not planning a mid-gen Xbox refresh, like Sony did with the PS5 Pro. He said, “We don’t need to do incremental hardware for our own benefit. Does a new device really give you a unique experience on screen in some way?”
Years ago, the leap between the original Xbox and Xbox 360 was significant in terms of graphics and performance, Spencer said, but these days “it’s ******* to show the benefits” of more powerful hardware alone.
A new “This Is An Xbox” ad campaign reminds people that Xbox is no longer limited to being a piece of plastic under your TV. Your phone is an Xbox, as is your TV, and any number of other devices, because Xbox games–and Game Pass–are available in those places. Spencer said he understands some part of the Xbox audience enjoys the “simplicity of a single box, single platform, single game.” But the reality is that, “Today’s largest games are ******* than any of the individual platforms.”
He said the Xbox platform should be about games, characters, and worlds, as opposed to any one dedicated device. “That’s how we think about Xbox today,” he said.
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A look at Trump’s cabinet picks… in 64 seconds
A look at Trump’s cabinet picks… in 64 seconds
Ahead of his White House return in 2025, Donald Trump has made several contentious hires in his new administration.
Among his picks for Cabinet positions are Congressman Matt Gaetz, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and former presidential rival and vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr, who will all require approval from the Senate.
Here’s a quick look at some of the president-elect’s most controversial new hires.
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SteamWorld Creators Announce Incoming Layoffs And Focus On Third-Party Games
SteamWorld Creators Announce Incoming Layoffs And Focus On Third-Party Games
Thunderful Games, the developer of the SteamWorld series, has announced 80-100 layoffs at the company and a reshifting focus for third-party games. In a press release, the company said the layoffs were part of a “restructuring.” Along with the layoffs, an unspecified number of game projects were officially canceled.
CEO of Thunderful Martin Walfisz said that the decision came with regret, but this isn’t the first time the company has seen layoffs this year. Back in January, Thunderful saw 20% of the company’s staff ***** off in a similar “restructuring,” something that Walfisz acknowledges and saw as unavoidable.
“It is regrettable to announce a second restructuring of Thunderful in less than a year, but we unfortunately see no other alternatives in order to ensure the Group’s long-term sustainability and resilience,” Walfisz said. “The strategic move towards publishing games from external partners allows us to reduce fixed costs, increase flexibility, and better control our cash flow. We have many talented and dedicated employees, and it is with great regret that we are forced to part ways.”
According to the press release, the projections for money saved from these reductions will gain 80-90 MSEK (approximately $7.3-8.2 million), but it doesn’t expect the majority of these savings to take effect until the first quarter of 2025. The restructuring program will be implemented immediately.
As for refocusing on external games, the company said that it hopes it will help reduce fixed costs and allow for a higher turnout rate, but still retain some internal development capacity, which includes games like the SteamWorld series and Lost in Random.
Thunderful’s recent release, SteamWorld Heist 2, was released back in August and earned rather good reviews, including at GameSpot where it received a 9/10.
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Celeb lookalike contests are more than good looks and big egos
Celeb lookalike contests are more than good looks and big egos
Getty Images
Oscar thinks he has the looks and charm of former One Direction band member, Harry Styles
There is something quite bold about telling people you look like someone famous – especially if your supposed doppelganger is one of the world’s biggest heartthrobs.
But that hasn’t put off the hundreds of men in the *** and US who have taken part in a recent craze for lookalike competitions.
It all started with the Timothée Chalamet competition in New York three weeks ago, which even attracted the real actor himself.
Since then, similar contests have attracted crowds of young people hoping to get a glimpse of someone who vaguely resembles Harry Styles, Dev Patel or Paul Mescal.
With eternal bragging rights, five minutes of fame and (paltry) cash prizes up for grabs, the winners and organisers explain why these events have taken off.
‘It was a free event, why wouldn’t I go?’Miles Mitchell/Getty Images
Miles Mitchell says winning the competition has boosted his girlfriend’s ego
Our fascination with celebrity lookalikes is nothing particularly new – Stars in Their Eyes, a show in which ******** lookalikes impersonate singers, ran on ITV for 16 years. The format was revived as Starstruck in 2022.
But the latest competitions all have one thing in common: the celebrities are all young, attractive and male.
Avani Johnson, who was at the Timothée Chalamet contest, says she believes the latest trend has taken off because “women are relishing the opportunity to objectify men in a complete switch in power dynamics”.
She adds that it also gives us a chance “to laugh at the absurdity of pageantry”.
Miles Mitchell, a 20-year-old student, picked up the prize for the best Timothée Chalamet lookalike last month at the competition that set this trend alight.
Miles was first told he looked like Chalamet when studying in South Korea.
“I was there at the time Dune was released, so people kept asking me in shops and restaurants if I was Timothée on a press tour.”
He says he was drawn to the competition because, as a university student in New York, “socialising can be really expensive so my friends and I loved the fact this was a free and fun event”.
“It was also just something a bit different and wacky that I wanted to be part of.”
Watch: Timothée Chalamet crashes own lookalike contest
The event took social media by storm, with one person commenting on X it was “a historic pop culture moment”, while another said the competition “shows that the people yearn for weird town events”.
Although the real Timothée turned up and took pictures with some of the lookalikes, Miles didn’t get a chance to meet the ********* actor.
“He arrived at the same time the police did to shut down the event so I had already moved to the secondary location for the event. I’m gutted I didn’t get to meet him.”
‘I entered the contest for publicity’Getty Images
Oscar hoped entering the Harry Styles competition would garner some publicity for his music
Oscar Journeaux, a 22-year-old musician, recently won a Harry Styles lookalike competition in central London and admits he entered “for publicity”.
“I thought I could get a bit of fame and promo for my music and the industry is so hard to break into, you really have to get yourself out there.”
Oscar, who says he once missed his train because an insistent fan made him sign an autograph, adds: “People want to think there’s a deeper meaning to these events, but really we’re all just bored millennials and Gen Z looking for something to do.”
Keenan Gregor, who entered as a blond Harry, says he went along because he “wanted to be part of something that could go viral”.
Getty Images
You will need to squint to see the resemblance between Harry Styles and the seven ambitious men who entered the competition on Saturday
Journalist Katrina Mirpuri says she organised the lookalike contest because “people need to have some fun after all the dreary news we’re having”.
Despite worrying that “no-one would turn up”, she says half of Soho Square was packed with lookalikes and fans.
Even though most of the contestants didn’t quite look like Harry, “the ****** were screaming for each man as they got up to twirl, so they were doing something right”.
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“Really it wasn’t about who looked most like Harry,” Katrina explains. “It was a way for people to just be positive and celebratory about each other, which is what we need when everyone is so ****** and negative on social media.”
She has now got her eye on hosting another competition but this time “for someone older, like Hugh Grant”.
‘I made new friends at the contest’Jaipreet Hundal / Getty
Jaipreet Hundal says people came to the event because they crave human interactions
Jaipreet Hundal had a pretty good weekend when he was crowned the most convincing Dev Patel lookalike in San Francisco.
“The best bit was that when I turned up, some people thought I was the real Dev Patel and they were so excited that he had come to the event,” he tells the BBC.
The 25-year-old says looking like the Slumdog Millionaire actor has “given him a glimpse of what it’s like to be a celebrity”.
He explains that the trend is popular now because “it’s a great way to get people together to have a wholesome time”.
Sudev Namboodiri, who drove hours to enter the competition and gets told he looks like Dev on an almost daily basis, says it “wasn’t about winning”.
“It’s nice to meet new people and it was cool that hundreds of young people decided to turn up and hang out.”
After the recent all-consuming election in the US, “people really need to disconnect from everything and have a bit of fun”, he adds.
‘I don’t get called my real name any more’Bex/Getty Images
Julyus Odreman once pretended to be Zayn Malik to not upset a friend’s child
Julyus Odreman has spent a decade being mistaken for Zayn Malik, but cannot see it himself because he says he is “nowhere near as handsome”.
Julyus, from Venezuela, says his friends think he looks so much like Zayn that “people don’t even call me by my real name any more”.
The resemblance to the former One Direction star means he often gets “stopped by groups of ****** on the subway or the street”.
He also once had to pretend to be the British singer when he met his friend’s four-year-old son, who was “so insistent that I was really him”.
“I didn’t want to burst his bubble because he was so excited to meet a celebrity, so I just went with it.”
He’ll be channelling Zayn on Saturday at a lookalike competition in New York, organised by Jaz Arnold, who was inspired by the Timothée Chalamet contest.
“Zayn is super hot and it’s hard to imagine we can find someone as beautiful as him,” she says.
She adds that it’s “hilarious and brave” that lots of people think they look as good as Zayn and she can’t wait to see who shows up.
For Jaz, the competition is also about bringing people together.
“In big cities, it’s hard to feel part of a community so I wanted to do something fun that is welcoming and accepting.”
She also says young people “are so tired of social media and the state of the world” that a silly event like this “is pure escapism, even if it is just for an hour or two”.
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#Celeb #lookalike #contests #good #big #egos
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Speaking Hypothetically, GTA Trilogy Dev Says “It’s A D**k Move” To Remove Crediting
Speaking Hypothetically, GTA Trilogy Dev Says “It’s A D**k Move” To Remove Crediting
Not everyone is happy about a recent update for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – Definitive Edition. The CEO and co-founder for the developer behind the remake compilation seems particularly frustrated by the removal of his team’s logo–Grove Street Games–from the game’s splash screen. In fact, speaking in hypotheticals, Thomas Williamson said, “It’s a ***** move… “
Spotted by VGC, Williamson also insinuated on X that Grove Street Games provided the fixes to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy’s long-overdue console patch a while ago. “Speaking entire[ly] hypothetically: It’s a ***** move to remove primary developers from credits in an update, especially when an update includes hundreds of fixes that were provided by those developers that stayed out of players’ hands for years,” wrote Williamson.
Speaking entire hypothetically: It’s a ***** move to remove primary developers from credits in an update, especially when an update includes hundreds of fixes that were provided by those developers that stayed out of players’ hands for years.
— Thomas Williamson (@TSWilliamson) November 14, 2024
For clarity, Grove Street Games and its employees can still be found in the ending credits for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy after the recent patch. Rockstar Games released pretty vague notes for the update, stating there are “numerous fixes and improvements” alongside the addition of classic lighting. When Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy launched in 2021, the game was criticized for its visual-upgrade choices and game-breaking bugs.
Interestingly enough, earlier this week, Williamson reposted on X a thread about all of the positive changes to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy. In addition to working on this game, Grove Street has assisted in developing Ark: Ultimate Survivor Edition on Switch and Ark: Survival Ascended on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
This isn’t the first big update for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy. In February 2022, a patch offered fixes for more than 100 bugs.
Looking ahead for the franchise, Grant Theft Auto VI is still on track for a Fall 2025 launch. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick isn’t “really worried” about the game running on Xbox Series S, while Digital Foundry previously reported that Grand Theft Auto VI might not benefit from PS5 Pro like people may think.
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The brutal journey of Afghan migrants escaping the Taliban to reach the ***
The brutal journey of Afghan migrants escaping the Taliban to reach the ***
Supplied
Afghans wait to attempt to cross into Turkey, in a still from a video sent to the BBC by a people smuggler
The first time Azaan made the jump across the wall, he broke his arm.
Braving the 20ft (6m) drop into a wide trench below is, for many Afghans, the only way to cross into Turkey from Iran – and yet hundreds risk it each day.
“I was in severe pain,” the former Afghan army officer told the BBC.
“Several others had broken limbs. The smuggler left us here and told us to run in the direction of the lights of Van city. Many of us were fading out of hunger. I fainted.”
The wall – which stretches for nearly 300km (185 miles) – was built to prevent ******** crossings, and is patrolled constantly by Turkish border forces.
Jumping off it is among the first of a series of extraordinary risks Afghan migrants take as they cross continents, countries and seas to reach the *** and other countries in Europe.
Over the past year, fleeing their country has become more perilous than ever before for Afghans, because Pakistan, Iran and Turkey have intensified their crackdown on ******** migration from Afghanistan along their borders, and have also carried out mass deportations.
Azaan couldn’t continue. He was in pain, and had barely eaten in days. The migrants were given just one boiled egg every morning and a cup of rice in the evening by smugglers who’d charged them nearly $4,000 (£3,150) for the journey to Europe.
“I had two friends – we had made a promise to not leave each other,” he says. His friends tied scarves around him, hoisted him up the wall, back into Iran. Iranian police deported him to Afghanistan.
It was Azaan’s second ******* attempt. The first time he returned from the Afghanistan-Iran border because he’d taken his wife and young children along, and he realised they wouldn’t be able to endure the journey.
Azaan didn’t give up. Roughly a year later, once his arm had healed, he made a third attempt.
“I had sold my house earlier. This time I sold my wife’s jewellery,” he says.
BBC/Imogen Anderson
Azaan has tried to leave Afghanistan three times since the Taliban seized power
In exchange for the money, migrants like Azaan are promised a route to Europe, handed over from one people smuggler to another along the way.
Back at the wall, the smuggler placed a ladder on the Iranian side, and cut the razor wire at the top to create a path for migrants.
“There were 60 to 70 of us,” Azaan recalls. “We climbed to the top and then the smuggler told us to jump.”
For the law and politics graduate, who served his country and led a dignified, comfortable life until August 2021 when the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, it is a humiliating situation to be in.
In its three years in power, the Taliban government has imposed increasing, brutal restrictions on women. According to the UN, a third of the country’s people don’t know where their next meal will come from. And those who worked for the former military ***** reprisal.
“The people I fought against for 20 years are now in power,” he explains. “Our lives are in danger. My daughter won’t be able to study once she turns 13. And I have no work. I’ll continue to try to leave even if it costs me my life.
“Here we are dying every moment. It’s better to **** once, for good.”
Handout
In this still from a video sent to the BBC by the people smuggler, wire at the top of the wall is cut through
Azaan is now back in Kabul with his family. The third attempt to flee ended with a beating and deportation.
“They beat me with the ***** of a ****. One boy was hit on his genitals. He was in a terrible state. An old man’s leg was broken. There was a corpse in the trenches in Turkey. This is what I saw. But Iran is also treating us badly. I know Afghans have been severely beaten in Iran too,” he says.
After weeks of digging through people smuggling networks, the BBC established contact with an Afghan smuggler in Iran, aiming to get an insight into the increased dangers Afghans are facing.
“Iranian police are ********* a lot at the border with Afghanistan. One of my friends was ******* recently,” the smuggler says, speaking to us over the phone from Iran.
In October, Iran was accused of ******* indiscriminately at Afghans crossing over into Iran’s Sistan province from Balochistan in Pakistan. The UN has raised concerns and called for an investigation. The BBC has seen and verified videos of the ***** and injured.
Sistan-Balochistan is one of the major routes taken by Afghan migrants to enter Iran, but given the increased risks as well as Pakistan’s mass deportation of Afghans, many are now opting for other routes, in particular, Islam Qala in Afghanistan’s Herat province.
Once in Iran, migrants move to Tehran before going towards the Macu or Khoy counties, to attempt the crossing into Turkey, handed over from one smuggler to another.
The Afghan smuggler says he hides migrants near the border wall, and then they wait until there’s less patrolling of a portion of the border wall to take a shot at the “game”. He carries a ladder, and a wire cutter to cut the razor wire at the top of the wall and make a path for migrants. He says crossings have become extremely challenging in recent months.
“The Turkish police catch 100 to 150 migrants every night. They have no mercy on them. They break their arms and legs,” he says.
The BBC has put the allegations to the governments of Turkey and Iran but has not yet received a response.
We asked the smuggler how he can justify his ******** business which endangers the lives of Afghans, while charging them thousands of dollars.
“We don’t force people to take these risks. We tell them that whether they get to their destination is 99% in ****’s hands, and they could get ******* or imprisoned. I don’t believe I’m guilty. What are we supposed to do when people tell us their family is going hungry in Afghanistan?” the smuggler says.
Those who make it past Turkish security forces move from Van towards Kayseri city and then to the Izmir, Canakkale or Bodrum coasts – the next point of peril on the migrant trail.
In Kabul, an elderly father took us to the grave of his son. In his twenties, Javid was a former soldier. Fearing for his life in Taliban controlled Afghanistan, he fled the country in an attempt to make it to the ***.
In March this year, he was among 22 people ******* after the rubber dinghy they were in sank in the Aegean sea near Canakkale in Turkey, as they attempted to get to Greece. His pregnant wife was also among the 46 people squeezed on to the boat. They both managed to swim to the shore, but he ***** of hypothermia.
“From Istanbul, smugglers took us to Esenyurt. From there we were packed into cars like animals. We were dropped off in a forested area. We walked through it for four hours and then we reached the coast from where we were put on the boat,” Javid’s wife says, speaking to us over the phone from Turkey where she’s still living.
BBC/Imogen Anderson
Javid’s father feels betrayed and abandoned by the countries which fought in Afghanistan
In Kabul, Javid’s father broke down inconsolably as he showed us photos of the young man with short ****** hair wearing track pants and a sweatshirt, posing on a park bench.
“Even now when I remember him the grief is such that it’s only with ****’s blessing that I survive the torment,” he says.
He believes that foreign countries which fought in Afghanistan bear responsibility for what is happening to Afghans like his son.
“We fought alongside them in the war against terrorism. If we had known we would be betrayed and abandoned, no one would have agreed to join hands with foreign forces.”
According to the UN, Afghans are among the top asylum seekers in the world, and in the *** they are the second largest group arriving in the country in small boats, another journey fraught with peril.
The *** has two resettlement schemes for Afghans. One is for Afghans who worked directly for the British military and British government, and under the second scheme – the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) – those who assisted the *** efforts in Afghanistan, stood up for values of democracy, women’s freedoms and people at risk can be eligible for relocation.
But after the first phase of evacuation in 2021-22, progress has been extremely slow.
BBC/Imogen Anderson
Shahida made it to the *** and has applied for asylum
This means women like Shahida, who worked in the former parliament of Afghanistan and participated in street protests against the Taliban after they seized power, could not find timely legal routes out of the country. Shahida feared the threat of detention and ******** by the Taliban government in Afghanistan every day.
She arrived in the *** in a small boat in May this year, having begun the journey out of Afghanistan more than two years ago. Now in Liverpool, she has applied for asylum.
“I come from a well-known and well-respected family. I’ve never done anything ******** in my life. When authorities would apprehend us during the journey, I would look down out of shame,” she says.
Shahida describes how she crossed the English Channel on an inflatable dinghy, packed in with 64 people. This year has been the deadliest year for migrant crossings across the Channel. More than 50 people have *****.
“There was water up to my waist. And because our guide lost the way we floated for hours. I thought this was going to be the end of my life. I’m diabetic so I had to ******** sitting there. And because I was thirsty I had to drink the water I had urinated in. Can you imagine? In Kabul I had everything. My whole life has been taken away from me because the Taliban took over,” she says.
Back in Kabul, Azaan, the former military officer, now wants to sell a small patch of land, the only asset he has left, to gather money to make another attempt.
“This is the only purpose of my life now, to get myself to a safer place.”
All names have been changed.
Additional reporting by Imogen Anderson and Sanjay Ganguly.
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