Pelican Press

2025 Cupra Tavascan: Everything we know about the sporty electric SUV 2025 Cupra Tavascan: Everything we know about the sporty electric SUV Cupra – the sporty Spanish subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group – has drip-fed the latest set of details for its upcoming Tavascan electric SUV for Australia. Due to arrive in *********** showrooms around February-March ahead of deliveries commencing in April (a few month after its initial October-December 2024 projection), the Cupra’s local outpost has confirmed further details for the two-variant *********** lineup. Full pricing and specifications are still to be confirmed, though the entry-level Tavascan Endurance RWD is expected to start somewhere in the $60,000 bracket while the top-spec Tavascan VZ AWD will have a price tag starting with a ‘7’. The two-variant lineup formula is also being applied to the Tavascan’s twin-under-the-skin, the Volkswagen ID.5. 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Camera IconOverseas models shown Credit: CarExpert Tavascan Endurance standard features: 19-inch Vulcano alloy wheelsHands-free power tailgateSteering wheel with satellite buttonsPaddle shift regen controlHeated steering wheelTri-zone climate controlSoul ****** cloth/leather upholstery5.3-inch digital instrument cluster15-inch infotainment touchscreenWireless Apple CarPlay, Android AutoWireless smartphone chargerKeyless entry with Sit to StartSelectable drive modes Standard safety equipment includes: 7 airbagsAutonomous emergency braking (AEB)Auto high-beamAdaptive cruise controlLane-centring assistBlind-spot monitoringRear cross-traffic alertLane keep assistFront and rear parking sensorsReversing cameraCamera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpertCamera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert An Interior Package ($TBC) will add: 20-inch Heckla alloy wheelsDark Night microfibre interior12-way power-adjustable front seatsHeated front seatsSurround-view camera12-speaker Sennheiser premium audioAmbient interior lightingIlluminated scuff plates The Tavascan VZ adds over Endurance: 21-inch Katla alloy wheelsMatrix LED headlightsFixed panoramic sunroofAdaptive adaptive dampersInterior Package equipment An Extreme Package ($TBC) will add: 21-inch Etna forged alloy wheelsPerformance tyres (463km WLTP range)Enceladus Grey leather interiorCup Bucket heated and ventilated front seatsCamera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert Four colours will be available at launch: White SilverAtacama DesertTavascan Blue*Basalt Grey* *indicates premium paint available at extra cost Head of product and marketing for Cupra Australia, Jeff Shafer, indicated further colour options could become available down the line following the initial launch, namely matte finishes. Cupra offers a number of matte paint finishes already, with the Leon and Formentor offered with the option of the special paint currently on specific variants. Including the various features and options mentioned earlier, the local Tavascan range will offer a total of four exterior colours, three interior upholsteries, and four alloy wheel designs. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert As previously announced, two drivetrain variants will be available in Australia, each drawing upon a 77kWh (net) lithium-ion battery pack. As noted earlier, the VZ’s quoted WLTP driving range drops to 463km if buyers opt for the optional Extreme Package, as the included forged alloy wheels are wrapped in performance tyres. Cupra has also confirmed the Tavascan features a drag coefficient of 0.26Cd, and offers 540 litres of boot space. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert CarExpert recently drove a pre-production prototype of the Tavascan on local roads, so stay tuned for the *********** first drive review at 17:00 AEDT, 21 November. You can also read our international first drive review here. In the meantime, stay tuned to CarExpert for all the latest Cupra news. MORE: Everything Cupra Tavascan Source link #Cupra #Tavascan #sporty #electric #SUV Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

John Bolton Sums Up What Trump Really Wants In 1 Damning Word John Bolton Sums Up What Trump Really Wants In 1 Damning Word John Bolton warned that Donald Trump is looking for one specific trait as he assembles his Cabinet and hires other top advisers ― and it’s not the one that usually comes to mind. “The word ‘loyalty’ is often used,” Bolton told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “I think that’s the wrong word, actually. I think what Trump wants from his advisers is fealty, really a feudal sense of subservience.” But Bolton ― who served as national security adviser under Trump and has since become a critic ― warned the president-elect that fealty would come with a cost. “He may get that, but I will tell you: That will not serve him well over the course of his next term,” Bolton said. “And it certainly won’t serve the country well.” Bolton also urged Trump’s picks to “hold onto their principles and their integrity” in the White House. “I saw during my time, people that I thought had a lot of intellectual integrity and personal integrity just wrap themselves around the axle in order to stay in the Trump administration,” he said. Trump has already made a number of eyebrow-raising picks as he assembles his team, including Fox News host Pete Hegseth as defense secretary. Trump is pushing Senate Republicans to enable recess appointments so that his most controversial nominations could take office without hearings. Bolton also spoke out against a Trump plan to set up a review board to purge top military leaders, griped about a supposedly “woke” military, and more in the full interview: Related… Source link #John #Bolton #Sums #Trump #Damning #Word Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Arsenal's Russo writes poem for best pal Toone Arsenal's Russo writes poem for best pal Toone Arsenal forward Alessia Russo unlocks her phone to reveal her go-to songs, poetry skills and the football idol she chats to on social media. Source link #Arsenal039s #Russo #writes #poem #pal #Toone Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How Jamie Oliver’s First Nations story line came un-stuck How Jamie Oliver’s First Nations story line came un-stuck When Dr Lily Brown first read famed global chef Jamie Oliver’s children’s novel, Billy and the Epic Escape, she gasped. Source link #Jamie #Olivers #Nations #story #line #unstuck Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google Is Reportedly Upgrading Gemini Live to Support Files Uploaded by Users Google Is Reportedly Upgrading Gemini Live to Support Files Uploaded by Users Google is reportedly working on adding another new functionality to its Gemini chatbot. The new artificial intelligence (AI) feature is said to be coming to Gemini Live, the two-way verbal conversation feature that offers a hands-free experience of the chatbot. As per the report, the Mountain View-based tech giant is working on adding Gemini Live support to files being uploaded to Gemini. Currently, users can only interact with such content via text, but it might soon be available over voice chats. Gemini Live to Reportedly Support Uploaded Files Android Authority reported about the new Gemini feature. The publication found evidence of the feature during the application package kit (APK) teardown of the Google app beta version 15.45.33.ve.arm64. Several strings of code reportedly point towards the development of this new capability for Gemini Live. As per the publication, the strings highlight phrases such as “Open Live”, “Talk about attachment”, and “Open Live with attachment”. Here, ‘Live’ likely refers to Gemini Live, and ‘attachments’ refer to the files that users upload. With this capability, users might be able to use Gemini Live to talk about their uploaded documents and spreadsheets, which is currently not possible. This will make it easier for users to seek insights from text-heavy documents while not being tied down to the Gemini interface. However, the feature is not expected to be available for all users. Currently, only Gemini Advanced subscribers can upload files to Gemini and ask questions about them. So, the Gemini Live support is believed to be for the paid subscribers using Android devices since it is not available on the web. Notably, people can subscribe to Gemini Advanced via the Google One AI Premium plan, which costs Rs. 1,950 a month. Gemini Live was first unveiled by the company at the Google I/O event earlier this year. The tech giant first rolled it out for the paid subscribers in August. Later, it was released for all Android users the next month. The voice-based two-way communication feature also supports Hindi and eight regional Indian languages. Source link #Google #Reportedly #Upgrading #Gemini #Live #Support #Files #Uploaded #Users Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Vietnam Airlines to request bids for 50 narrowbody jets next year Vietnam Airlines to request bids for 50 narrowbody jets next year ******* SERI BEGAWAN (Reuters) -Vietnam Airlines will issue requests for proposals to aircraft manufacturers next year to purchase 50 narrowbody jets, its CEO said on Wednesday. The carrier last year signed a provisional deal with Boeing for 50 737 MAX planes that has yet to be finalised. “In Vietnam we have to go through the bidding process, we have to open to others… The door is still open for everyone,” Vietnam Airlines CEO Le Hong Ha told Reuters on the sidelines of an Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines event in Brunei. “Boeing is one option, they have a very good offer for us.” Airbus and Boeing are the main global manufacturers of single-aisle aircraft, with Airbus’ A320neo family competing against the 737 MAX, though ******** planemaker COMAC is trying to make inroads with its C919. Vietnam Airlines’ current narrowbody fleet consists of only Airbus planes, its website showed. The airline needs 170 new aircraft by 2035, its CEO said. The requests for proposals leave open a possibility for COMAC to offer the C919. China has increasingly been marketing its planes to Vietnam. Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met a senior COMAC official last week in China who said the Vietnamese market had strong potential, Vietnam’s state news agency reported. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington; Writing by Jamie Freed; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Christopher Cushing) Source link #Vietnam #Airlines #request #bids #narrowbody #jets #year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

England v South *******: Ellis Genge ‘still carries World Cup defeat’ England v South *******: Ellis Genge ‘still carries World Cup defeat’ He added: “It is a huge part of their DNA from a young schoolboy which is what they cherish, and it also helps that they have 150kg human beings. “Everyone needs to roll their sleeves up and be absolutely invested, then we will have it out. “Credit where credit is due, they have a great set piece, but I am not just going to roll over and let them have it.” Despite that challenge for the England pack, Genge says preparation ******** the same. “You can wear boys out by doing too many scrums, you could do 100 scrums this week and it isn’t going to change the outcome on Saturday,” Genge said. “You have got to stick to our process, I think our scrum has been good over the last two weeks.” England have narrowly lost their last two games against Australia and New Zealand, with both coming down to the final play. “It is tough when you are up against it and you need to shake that negative energy I guess and move on,” the Bristol Bears prop added. “A week like South ******* at Twickenham is probably the best week to do so. “Everyone thinks they are amazing, myself included, I think they are a great team. I’d love to get after the best.” Source link #England #South #******* #Ellis #Genge #carries #World #Cup #defeat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

REVIEW: WA Symphony Orchestra violinist Akiko Miyazawa and Cygnus Arioso at Holmes a Court Gallery REVIEW: WA Symphony Orchestra violinist Akiko Miyazawa and Cygnus Arioso at Holmes a Court Gallery Salute to WA Symphony Orchestra violinist Akiko Miyazawa celebrates five years of her string ensemble project, Cygnus Arioso, at Holmes a Court Gallery. Source link #REVIEW #Symphony #Orchestra #violinist #Akiko #Miyazawa #Cygnus #Arioso #Holmes #Court #Gallery Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

EA’s CEO Could Be The Next Top Boss at Disney EA’s CEO Could Be The Next Top Boss at Disney In a recent report, it was claimed that Electronic Arts’ CEO, Andrew Wilson, is being considered for the role of CEO at Disney and could replace Bob Iger, who has been in the role (on and off) since 2005. In 2026, the figurehead’s contract will expire and Disney is looking for a suitable replacement – and Andrew Wilson is leading the pack. From EA To Disney Per a report from the Wall Street Journal, the head honcho at Electronic Arts is being sized up for the CEO position at Disney. It was claimed that several people are being considered for the role: Andrew Wilson, CEO at EA Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN Chairman Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, Disney Entertainment co-chairs Josh D’Amaro, Disney Experiences Chairman Andrew Wilson has been climbing the ranks at Electronic Arts for almost a quarter of a century, having joined way back in 2000. He has been the CEO of the firm since 2013, through many of the company’s highest highs and lowest lows. In recent years, Disney has been making bold pushes into the world of gaming. In February, the company bought a massive $1.5 billion stake in Epic Games, and a couple of years ago, the firm stressed that it wanted a new Star Wars game on the market every six months. In 2023, Bob Iger was advised to invest heavily in gaming and acquire a leading publisher or development office, and Electronic Arts was at the front of that discussion. For a while, there was a goal for Disney to become ‘a gaming giant’, but Iger wasn’t agreeable to the mission. With Andrew Wilson at the helm, could we see Disney become an indomitable gaming powerhouse? For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Shawn Fonteno almost quit GTA 5 Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #EAs #CEO #Top #Boss #Disney Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US says ******* hasn’t breached its law against blocking aid in Gaza US says ******* hasn’t breached its law against blocking aid in Gaza The US says ******* has not breached ********* laws on blocking aid supplies, after a 30-day deadline it gave ******* to boost humanitarian aid access in Gaza or risk having some military assistance cut off lapsed. Officials said on Tuesday that ******* has taken a number of steps to address its demands to surge supplies into Gaza, but added that more progress must be made. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel cited the opening of a new land crossing, and deliveries resuming in the north – although he did not say any had entered the besieged Jabalia ******** camp. Despite the US claims, the UN has warned that the amount of aid getting into Gaza is at its lowest level in a year. A UN-backed report recently warned that there was an imminent likelihood of famine in northern Gaza, where hardly any aid has entered in the past month. Joyce Msuya, the ******* Nations acting under secretary general for humanitarian affairs, said international ******* were being committed in Gaza. Ms Msuya briefed council members at the ******* Nations on Tuesday, reporting that ******** authorities were blocking humanitarian assistance from entering North Gaza, where fighting continues. She said 75,000 people remain there with dwindling supplies. Last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave ******* 30 days to ensure more aid trucks reached Gaza daily. That deadline expired on Tuesday. A letter sent to the ******** government demanded the country end the isolation of the besieged north, where aid groups warn that civilians are being starved amid *******’s military offensive. A group of eight humanitarian aid agencies said conditions had actually deteriorated since the letter was sent. But the US reaction on Tuesday indicates that Washington will continue to supply weapons to its ally, despite growing warnings from aid groups about civilians being ******* and displaced by *******’s ******** on the north. The ******** military, however, said it has been routing a ****** resurgence in the region. ******* says it has substantially increased the amount of aid getting into Gaza, and accuses aid agencies of failing adequately to distribute it. In Beit Hanoun, which was besieged for more than a month, Ms Msuya said food and water reached shelters Monday only for ******** soldiers to forcibly displace people from those areas Tuesday. Ilze Kehris, assistant secretary general for human rights at the UN, said the pattern and frequency of *******’s attacks suggest systematic targeting of civilians. Much of the ****** and destruction was caused by US weapons, given to ******* in order the help the ****** ******. ******* launched a campaign to ******** ****** after the group’s ******* in southern ******* on 7 October 2023, which left about 1,200 people *****; 251 others were taken ********. Since then, more than 43,000 people have been ******* in Gaza, according to the territory’s ******-run health ministry. Source link #******* #hasnt #breached #law #blocking #aid #Gaza Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China’s GAC Aion reveals EV hatch to battle MG 4 in Australia China’s GAC Aion reveals EV hatch to battle MG 4 in Australia Yet another ******** brand is coming to Australia, and it’s set to bring a small electric hatchback. GAC Aion has previewed the UT ahead of its official reveal at this week’s Guangzhou motor show. The brand, part of the GAC Group, is calling the UT its “third global strategic model” following the second-generation V SUV and the RT sedan. 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert AGA Group, appointed GAC’s *********** distributor in 2022, told CarExpert earlier this year it planned to introduce the Aion brand here during the second half of 2025. A mid-sized electric SUV and an electric hatch – now understood to be the UT – were said to be the brand’s first planned vehicles for Australia. GAC Aion has published a series of exterior images on ******** social media revealing the UT, which will rival the MG 4, BYD Dolphin and GWM Ora. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert It has also released comic book-style interior illustrations, revealing free-standing digital instrument and infotainment screens, plus a floating centre console with a covered bin and a pair of cupholders. A large shelf sits on the floor at the base of the centre stack. While the company hasn’t released any specifications, many of these details were revealed earlier this month in a ******** Ministry of Industry and Information Technology filing shared by CarNewsChina. The UT measures 4270mm long, 1850mm wide and 1575mm tall on a 2750mm wheelbase, with a kerb weight of between 1510kg and 1540kg. That makes it 17mm shorter and 14mm wider than an MG 4 on a 45mm longer wheelbase. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert It’s powered by a 100kW electric motor and uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, giving it a range of around 600km. The UT will reportedly be priced under 100,000 yuan (A$21,200) in China, though it’s unlikely to be that cheap in Australia. The BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora and MG 4 all start at under $40,000 in Australia, so therefore we’d expect a base UT to be priced in the same ballpark. MORE: Inside ******** brand GAC’s bold plan to storm *********** sales top 10 Source link #Chinas #GAC #Aion #reveals #hatch #battle #Australia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Mystery mollusk’ found in the ocean’s midnight zone is unlike anything researchers have seen before ‘Mystery mollusk’ found in the ocean’s midnight zone is unlike anything researchers have seen before Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Researchers have discovered an unlikely new species within the ocean’s midnight zone: a glowing “mystery mollusk.” Although the apple-size species, named Bathydevius caudactylus, is classified as a sea slug, the marine animal is unlike any sea slug Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute scientists have seen before. Bathydevius is a swimming sea slug that glows with bioluminescence and has a body with a paddle-like tail and a large gelatinous hood, and it’s the first sea slug found to live in the deep ocean. Typically, sea slugs live on the seafloor or in coastal environments like tide pools, while only a few are known to live in open water near the surface. Every adaptation that Bathydevius has developed to live in the midnight zone, classified as the deep waters that exist between 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) and 13,100 feet (4,000 meters) below the ocean’s surface, is unique from other nudibranchs. Nudibranchs, or sea slugs, are soft-bodied marine gastropod mollusks. Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute senior scientists Bruce Robison and Steven Haddock first encountered the odd animal in February 2000 during a deep-water ***** expedition offshore of Monterey Bay using the remotely operated vehicle Tiburon, a subsea research ******. Since then, MBARI scientists have had more than 150 sightings of what they dubbed the “mystery mollusk.” The extreme depth of the midnight zone has posed a challenge for scientists seeking to understand the unique animals that live there. Investigating Bathydevius and its adaptations could reveal more about the midnight zone, which is the largest habitat on Earth and accounts for 70% of all seawater on the planet. A study describing the new species published Tuesday in the journal Deep Sea Research Part I. “We’ve invested more than 20 years in understanding the natural history of this fascinating species of nudibranch,” said co-lead study author Robison. “Our discovery is a new piece of the puzzle that can help better understand the largest habitat on Earth.” A ‘devious’ species At first glance, Bathydevius “looks more like a megaphone with a feathered tail” than a sea slug, said co-lead study author Haddock. The marine animal sports a massive bowl-shaped hooded structure at one end, and a flat tail that appears to be fringed with fingerlike projections on the other end. In between, its colorful internal organs are on display. And it has a foot like a snail, which initially led researchers to question exactly what type of mollusk it was. The underwater research ****** has spotted it in waters off the Pacific Coast of North America, ranging from Oregon to Southern California. Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have also observed a similar creature in the Mariana Trench, located in the Western Pacific, which suggests that Bathydevius has a wider range than previously believed. The team was able to collect a specimen to study it closer in a lab, and its anatomy and genetics revealed the creature to be a nudibranch, but an unusual one that has adapted to capture prey and thrive in the midnight zone. “The deep water column is maybe the last place you’d expect to find a nudibranch,” Robison said. “It’s sort of like finding hummingbirds near the peak of Mt. Everest. The midnight zone is cold and dark and very forbidding to us terrestrial creatures, yet it is filled with life, albeit life forms adapted to a very different set of challenges than we face. Almost every aspect of Bathydevius reflects an adaptation to this habitat: anatomy, physiology, reproduction, feeding, behavior; it’s unique.” Bathydevius caudactylus has a transparent body with bright organs. – Courtesy MBARI The researchers named Bathydevius because its “devious” nature fooled them at first, while caudactylus refers to the dactyls, or fingerlike projections, on its tail. While sea slugs usually rely on a raspy ******* to grab prey from the seafloor, Bathydevius uses its hood to trap crustaceans like mysid shrimp. When animals go from living on the seafloor to drifting in the water column, they can become larger, more transparent and more fragile, Haddock said. To catch fast, hard-bodied prey like shrimp, they need an advantage, like jellyfish with their stinging abilities, he said. “For this nudibranch and some other deep-sea animals, they engulf their prey,” Haddock said. “Instead of being stronger than their dinner, their flexibility absorbs the struggling movements and smothers them as if with a wet blanket.” Clever survival tactics Bathydevius moves up and down the water column by flexing its body or drifting in the currents. The mystery mollusks are hermaphrodites, which include both male and female reproductive organs. When it is time to release eggs, they descend and use their foot to temporarily attach to the seafloor. When it needs to evade predators, the sea slug relies on its transparent body to hide in plain sight, although rapidly closing its large hood can also help Bathydevius propel itself backward and make a quick escape . And if Bathydevius is threatened, it glows with bioluminescence to cause a distraction. Luminous granules, which help create a “starry” appearance across its back, can be found in the animal’s tissues. During one observation, the researchers saw the animal detach a glowing finger-like projection from its tail as a decoy to distract a predator. Similar to how lizards can detach their tails and grow new ones, Bathydevius can regenerate its dactyls. “When we first filmed it glowing with the ROV, everyone in the control room let out a loud ‘Oooooh!’ at the same time. We were all enchanted by the sight,” Haddock said. “Only recently have cameras become capable of filming bioluminescence in high-resolution and in full ******. MBARI is one of the only places in the world where we have taken this new technology into the deep ocean, allowing us to study the luminous behavior of deep-sea animals in their natural habitat.” Bioluminescence isn’t commonly found in other sea slugs, but it exists in about three-quarters of the animals in the water column, Haddock said. “This species is the third time that this special ability has arisen in a nudibranch, and that raises many basic questions,” he said. “We don’t yet know the chemicals it uses to make light, what genes are involved, and how this trait could have arisen, seemingly out of nowhere, in this animal. It doesn’t have close relatives among other snails, so it really is a distinct evolutionary event.” Deep-sea mining, which involves scooping material from the seafloor, and the clouds of obscuring sediment it raises could pose a threat to Bathydevius, Robison said. During the process, miners pump material to the surface, separate minerals out, and then release water and sediment back into the water column. Bathydevius’ ability to spawn on the seafloor and live and feed in the water column could be at risk if such practices continue, which is why it’s critical to be able to learn more about the animals living in the midnight zone, the study authors said. “Deep-sea animals capture the imagination. These are our neighbors that share our blue planet,” Robison said. “Each new discovery is an opportunity to raise awareness about the deep sea and inspire the public to protect the amazing animals and environments found deep beneath the surface.” For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Source link #Mystery #mollusk #oceans #midnight #zone #researchers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Australia plans to ban social media for under 16s. Experts call it a ‘momentous step’ Australia plans to ban social media for under 16s. Experts call it a ‘momentous step’ Australia’s government has proposed a social media ban for children under the age of 16 which experts have described as a “momentous step,” as parents globally call for greater regulation of tech companies. *********** Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week said the legislation will be introduced into parliament this year, with the law coming into effect 12 months after it is approved by lawmakers. The ban is expected to trial age-verification systems to block children from accessing social media sites including Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, Bytedance’s TikTok, and Elon Musk’s X. Dany Elachi is the co-founder of the Heads Up Alliance, an *********** organization connecting parents who are delaying smartphone and social media use for their children. He told CNBC Make It that it’s “very rewarding” to finally see their efforts being recognized. “For years, we were derided by online safety educators as being insular and extreme but they had a vested interest in holding such a position. Many of them are in bed with Big Tech,” Elachi said. “It is parents at the coal face who know the damage that social media is causing our children … We refused to give up on our children, and here we are, on the verge of reclaiming childhood after it had been stolen for 15 years,” he added. CNBC has contacted Meta, TikTok, and X for comment. Certain platforms have sought to address the harm social media can do to young peoples’ mental health, with Meta’s Instagram launching “Teen Accounts” in September. Zach Rausch, an NYU Stern School of Business research scientist and lead researcher on No.1 New York Times bestselling book “The Anxious Generation,” said Australia’s legislation was a “momentous step” and will make Australia a “global leader in protecting kids online.” He said age restrictions are “common sense” and highlighted that we have them for driving cars and buying alcohol or cigarettes. The *********** law would see social media platforms held entirely responsible for preventing access to children. Children who breach the law and their parents will not face any penalties. Parents ‘cannot do it on their own’ Daisy Greenwell, co-founder of U.K.-based Smartphone Free Childhood, said it’s very difficult for parents to manage their children’s social media use on their own. “Currently all the responsibility to protect kids ***** on the shoulders of parents, many of whom are too busy worrying about how to get the next meal on the table to have the bandwidth to figure out the complicated world of parental controls,” Greenwell said. Greenwell’s Smartphone Free Childhood is one of a number of organizations around the world connecting like-minded parents who are trying to keep their kids off smartphones and social media. Others include Austin-based Wait Until 8th, Unplugged in Canada, and No Es Momento in Mexico. However, without any laws or regulations, parents say it’s an uphill battle, with their children still facing peer pressure in schools. “The primary burden of responsibility needs to be on those who develop and sell addictive products, not on the parents and kids who live in a world where these devices are ubiquitous and the pull to use them is hard to resist,” Rausch added. “Parents are trying, all over the world, and many are failing. They cannot do it on their own unless they lock their children in a room with no web browser.” ‘A 20th-century response to 21st-century challenges’ Not everyone is convinced that an outright social media ban is the best outcome for children, however. The Digital Industry Group, an *********** not-for-profit organization advocating for the advancement of the digital industry, said in a press release last week that a ban puts young people’s digital literacy skills at risk. “Keeping young people safe online is a top priority for parents and platforms alike,” Sunita Bose, managing director of DIGI, said in the release. “But the proposed ban for teenagers to access digital platforms is a 20th-century response to 21st-century challenges. Rather than blocking access through bans, we need to take a balanced approach to create age-appropriate spaces, build digital literacy, and protect young people from online harm.” Bose pointed out that young people will likely try to access social media anyway, through unregulated means which could result in privacy and security trade-offs. “Swimming has risks — but we don’t ban young people from the beach, we teach them to swim between the flags. Banning teenagers from social media risks pushing them to dangerous, unregulated parts of the internet and fails to equip them with the valuable digital literacy skills they’ll need for the future,” Bose added. However, NYU’s Rausch argued that children will still be able to access to the internet and connect with others via Zoom, FaceTime, texting, and calling which will teach them key digital literacy skills without exposing them to addictive “algorithm-driven” social media platforms. Greenwell agreed, saying youngsters will catch up quickly as social media is designed to be easy to use. “If you’ve seen the video of a monkey using Instagram, you’ll see that it is designed to be intuitive enough for anyone to learn in a matter of minutes. Young people will do the same once they hit 16 – when their brains are far better equipped to deal with it,” Greenwell said. “We don’t get kids to practice having **** or drinking alcohol before they’re of age and there’s absolutely no need to for them to practice using social media which is absolutely not designed with their developmentally sensitive brains in mind,” she added. Source link #Australia #plans #ban #social #media #16s #Experts #call #momentous #step Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bali flights cancelled due to dangerous volcanic ash Bali flights cancelled due to dangerous volcanic ash Several airlines have cancelled flights between Australia and Bali due to dangerous ash clouds from a volcano near the Indonesian holiday island. Qantas, Jetstar and ******* Australia advised passengers of the disruptions on Wednesday, saying the ash from Mount Lewotaobi Laki-laki made it unsafe to fly. The volcano spewed a 9km (6.2 miles) ash column into the sky over the weekend, one week after a major eruption ******* 10 people. Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has also warned that the volcanic ash might drift to parts of the country’s north on Wednesday. Jetstar said all flights to and from Bali until 12:00 *********** Eastern Daylight Time Thursday (04:00 GMT) have been cancelled. ******* Australia cancelled all its flights to and from Bali on Wednesday. Jetstar also said it would soon mount additional flights between Bali and Australia using its larger Boeing 787 aircraft to move more passengers. Activities in Indonesia have also been affected by the volcanic ash. A jazz festival in Labuan Bajo town, some 600km from Mount Lewotaobi Laki-laki, was postponed to next year due to safety concerns. Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of *****”, an area of high seismic activity atop multiple tectonic plates, and has about 130 active volcanoes. Past volcanic eruptions have disrupted aviation. In 2020, ash clouds from Mount Merapi shut an airport in the city of Solo. Source link #Bali #flights #cancelled #due #dangerous #volcanic #ash Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Money laundering crackdown looms in federal overhaul Money laundering crackdown looms in federal overhaul Money launderers will soon have a ******* time funnelling ****** cash through Australia as part of a federal government ****** down. A Senate inquiry has recommended parliament pass laws that would impose further regulations on professions such as lawyers and accountants to prevent the businesses being used as a front for money laundering or financing terrorism. A report into the laws, which was handed down on Wednesday, said the changes would help bring Australia more into line with international standards. The measures would be a significant reform and protect industries from serious *******, Labor Senator Nita Green said. “It will reduce complexity and close regulatory gaps in the current regime to ensure that Australia has an effective system to deter, detect and disrupt ******** flows of money internationally and protect *********** businesses from exploitation by **********,” she said. The global financial watchdog in 2015 found Australia had ******* to comply with a number of standards. The watchdog had singled out that Australia had ******* to extend anti-money laundering laws to at-risk industries. The coalition said it had significant concerns with the money laundering law overhaul because to the cost. The laws would mean a regulatory cost burden of almost $14 billion over the coming decade, Senator Paul Scarr said. “The coalition does not believe that this bill can be passed in its current form due to the $13.9 billion cost for small and family businesses, which will ultimately be passed onto consumers,” he said in the Senate report. “During the Albanese government’s cost-of-living crisis, this is something Australians can ill-afford.” The opposition had urged the government lower the financial burden for businesses to comply with the updated regulations. Greens senator David Shoebridge also called for exemptions for barristers who are briefed through solicitors. “This would avoid unnecessary and costly duplication, provide clarity and reduce confusion,” he said. The Senate report made eight recommendations for the money laundering laws, which included bringing forward the date for when enforcement of some of the offences can begin. Source link #Money #laundering #crackdown #looms #federal #overhaul Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

James Webb Space Telescope finds galaxies pointing toward a dark matter alternative James Webb Space Telescope finds galaxies pointing toward a dark matter alternative When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: NASA A group of astronomers analyzing data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) say some of the oldest galaxies in our universe appear much larger and brighter than expected, suggesting they formed early and grew rapidly — potentially without the influence of dark matter. According to the researchers, the findings provide new clues that point toward an alternative to dark matter known as modified Newtonian dynamics, or MOND. “The expectation was that every big galaxy we see in the nearby universe would have started from these itty-bitty pieces,” Stacy McGaugh, who is an astrophysicist at the Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, said in a statement. “What the theory of dark matter predicted is not what we see.” The gradual hierarchical evolution of galaxies, which is thought to be driven by cold dark matter and is a crucial component of the standard cosmological model of our universe, is widely accepted because it explains the diverse shapes and sizes of galaxies sprinkled across the cosmos. Related: ****** holes that form in ‘reverse Big Bang replays’ could account for dark energy Yet, the JWST has not yet spotted the dim signals expected to emanate from those small, primitive fragments of galaxies in the early universe, McGaugh and his colleagues say. Instead, the telescope’s data shows early galaxies were larger and brighter than anticipated, even as the team looked further back in time. The researchers argue that these galaxies grew too big, too quickly — well ahead of expectations set by conventional cold dark matter models. This rapid growth, however, precisely aligns with the 26-year-old predictions of MOND. “The bottom line is, ‘I told you so,'” McGaugh said in the statement. “I was raised to think that saying that was rude, but that’s the whole point of the scientific method: Make predictions and then check which come true.” Some of the excessively bright sources the JWST recorded could be active supermassive ****** holes instead of galaxies, the researchers note, but that “does not really help anyway, as it simply turns the problem of too many early stars into one of too many early supermassive ****** holes.” MOND, which posits that, when it becomes extremely weak, gravity behaves differently from the way Isaac Newton predicted it would. An example of such weakness is at the edges of galaxies. The concept was proposed by ******** physicist Mordehai Milgrom in 1982 as a way to explain faster-than-expected rotation of galaxies without invoking dark matter or dark energy. Although MOND has had some success, however, it has quite a few critics. Astronomers find it challenging to integrate the idea into a unifying framework that can explain a wide range of cosmological observations. In contrast, the dark matter paradigm fits many observations but doesn’t fully explain phenomena predicted by MOND. Related Stories: — We still don’t know what dark matter is, but here’s what it’s not — Hypothetical ‘dark photons’ could shed light on mysterious dark matter — Rubin Observatory and Google will store astronomy data in the cloud “We find ourselves caught between two very different theories that seem irreconcilable despite applying to closely related yet incommensurate lines of evidence,” McGaugh and his colleagues wrote in their paper, which was published Tuesday (Nov. 12) in The Astrophysical Journal. While MOND is not a widely-accepted theory in cosmology, the researchers are convinced it has made enough successful predictions that it cannot be a mere coincidence. “It must be telling us something,” they note in the paper. “What that is ******** as mysterious as the composition of dark matter.” Source link #James #Webb #Space #Telescope #finds #galaxies #pointing #dark #matter #alternative Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Japan is ramping up efforts to revive its once dominant chip industry Japan is ramping up efforts to revive its once dominant chip industry Japan is looking to revitalize its semiconductor industry. The ********* government has unlocked billions of dollars in subsidies for its domestic chip sector. Thicha Studio | Istock | Getty Images Japan has announced a new plan to revitalize the country’s semiconductor and artificial intelligence industries as it works to regain its chip leadership. The proposal will provide support worth 10 trillion yen ($65 billion) or more by fiscal 2030, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said earlier this week. “We will formulate a new assistance framework to attract more than 50 trillion yen in public and private investment over the next 10 years,” Ishiba said, adding it would be part of broader “revitalization” efforts in Japan. The plan will be part of a comprehensive economic package to be finalized in November and will be financed through subsidies, government institution investments and debt guarantees, according to local media. The move comes amid broader efforts by Japan to bolster and diversify its semiconductor supply chain, with the government aiming to triple sales of domestically produced chips to more than 15 trillion yen by 2030. Domestic chip hero? One likely beneficiary of the funding announced Monday will be Japan-based Rapidus, a state-backed chip venture at the heart of the country’s chip revitalization efforts. Founded in 2022 by the ********* government, Rapidus has backing from a host of ********* firms— including Toyota Motor and the Sony Group — and is collaborating with U.S. tech giant IBM. The company has already received over $2 billion in government support as it aims to mass-produce cutting-edge 2-nanometer logic chips by 2027. Logic chips are used to process information and complete tasks within electronic devices. The most advanced logic chips are used in technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and machine learning. Rapidus chairman Tetsuro Higashi has reportedly called the company Japan’s “last opportunity” to regain a leading semiconductor position on the global stage as it looks to catch up with leaders like Taiwan and South Korea. In the 1980s, Japan was the world’s dominant chip player and occupied more than half of the global semiconductor market. However, the country began losing its leading edge with the emergence of foreign competitors like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., now the world’s dominant contract chip manufacturer, and South Korea’s Samsung. Both Samsung and TSMC have ***** out plans to begin commercial production of 2-nanometer chips by 2025. Meanwhile, the U.S. has become a key player in chip design, with companies like Intel and Micron, while the Netherlands makes the world’s most advanced chip-making equipment through its company ASML. Feasibility Though it has lost its leadership in semiconductor production and manufacturing, Japan ******** a leader in certain semiconductor materials and equipment, Michael Yang, senior director of semiconductors at analyst and consulting firm Omdia, told CNBC. Through its chip subsidies, which have mostly been geared toward increasing manufacturing capacity, the country should be able to expand into other aspects of the supply and enhance its position, Yang added. Still, regaining the chip market will be an uphill battle for Japan and will require Rapidus to find a “shortcut” in chip design and production to reach the level of advancement of leading semiconductor companies, said Brady Wang, semiconductor analyst at Counterpoint Research. Rapidus representatives have said that the architecture of the 2-nanometer chip is different from that of 3-nanometer ones, making mass production of the former a “blank-slate challenge for all players,” and presenting a prime opportunity to break into the market. However, in this endeavor, “subsidies are a must-have, but cannot guarantee their success,” Wang said, adding that it took TSMC over a decade to catch up to global chip firms and build relationships with customers. “Subsidies are only a basic requirement for entering the semiconductor industry, but success requires more supportive measures, such as talent, technology, and strategic planning,” said Ken Kuo, senior research vice president at tech market intelligence firm TrendForce. Learning from the best In addition to trying to establish a dominant chip producer in Japan, subsidies have also been aimed at attracting the global leaders that once took its chip business. With aid from the ********* government, chipmakers such as TSMC, Samsung Electronics, and Intel Corp have agreed to invest billions of dollars into Japan. Such companies are leaders in producing memory chips used to store data, which are essential in data centers used for AI and cloud computing. TSMC has already announced plans to build a second fabrication plant in Japan ahead of the completion of its first. According to Counterpoint’s Wang, attracting such companies entering Japan can help the country quickly boost vertical integration across the supply chain and more quickly build up its semiconductor ecosystem. Japan has also signed collaboration agreements — with allies such as the U.S., the U.K., Taiwan and a number of EU countries — that are aimed at advancing research and development involving next-generation semiconductors. — CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal contributed to this report Source link #Japan #ramping #efforts #revive #dominant #chip #industry Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Call of Duty Patch Notes Cause Trust Issues Among Players After Removed Challenge Keeps Appearing in ****** Ops 6 Zombies & Multiplayer Matches Call of Duty Patch Notes Cause Trust Issues Among Players After Removed Challenge Keeps Appearing in ****** Ops 6 Zombies & Multiplayer Matches The latest update for Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 has left players questioning the reliability of the game’s patch notes. Recently, developers Treyarch released an update for the game that removed a challenge that required players to get 50 eliminations with no ******* attachments. Players can’t overlook bugs that are this obvious. | Image Credit: Treyarch Despite this, players are still seeing the challenge appear in both Zombies and multiplayer modes. Understandably, players are confused as to why this was a straight-up lie. With Season 1 of ****** Ops 6 and Warzone set to launch soon, players are questioning the developer’s transparency and reliability. Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 Has Some Weird Glitches This inconsistency has led players to accuse Treyarch of neglecting quality control. Reddit user Skywave_KR voiced this frustration, sharing that although the patch notes claimed the challenge was gone, they still encountered it in multiplayer sessions Across multiple online platforms, players are expressing their dissatisfaction with these misleading patch notes. Some players claim that even after meeting the no-attachment challenge criteria, they don’t see progress or rewards. Bugs and glitches like this can have a negative impact on player satisfaction for a game as competitive and fast-paced as Call of Duty. Hardest Dark Ops Multiplayer Challenge Very Nuclear calling card glitch – all you have to do is get 30 ****** with 25 different weapons its glitched and not counting the 30 nukes required #BlackOps6 pic.twitter.com/NbeOfLmV0j — B23 (@B23COD) October 29, 2024 Another problem that fans have seen is the game’s tracking of challenge progress, which players report as being inconsistent. Reddit user KrazyBomber95 noted instances where they completed matches with the specified setup but didn’t see their ****** count toward the challenge. Finished the ****** ops 6 Campaign today. I liked it. Certain parts messed with me pretty bad but it was still good. Probably worth a play if you have gamepass but not worth buying the game. Swapped to Zombies after and had to do the same Dark Ops challenge twice. Bugs are great. — Cheese (@ilovecheese_2) October 30, 2024 To further complicate matters, the timing couldn’t be worse. ****** Ops 6’s Season 1 update launches on November 14. The season will bring new maps, weapons, and modes to both ****** Ops 6 and Warzone. Activision Needs to Get On Top Of These Problems Before Season 1 Season 1 is coming, and it brings a lot of new content. | Image Credit: Treyarch With highly anticipated features like the new Omnimovement system, the Season 1 release promises to be one of the most significant Call of Duty updates in recent years. However, with lingering issues like unreliable patch notes, players worry that similar problems will arise in Season 1. There’s currently a glitch in ****** Ops 6 that lets you see through a flash bangs if you pull up the score board. Vid: u/FizzyLamanade pic.twitter.com/cfigirWlf8 — CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) October 26, 2024 Players agree that daily challenges should ideally add a fun, rewarding layer to the game. Challenges like no-attachment eliminations were designed to shake up the routine and encourage experimentation, but inconsistent updates make them frustrating. With Season 1 releasing on November 14, new things are just around the corner. Fans are hoping for a response that goes beyond a simple hotfix, instead wanting assurances that Treyarch is committed to accurate and reliable updates. This ongoing issue with patch notes is occurring at a critical time for Call of Duty, as it now enjoys an expanded player base thanks to its availability on Xbox Game Pass. For many, Game Pass has made revisiting Call of Duty a more accessible option. But as more players pick up the game, clear and honest communication from Treyarch and Activision is more crucial than ever. Source link #Call #Duty #Patch #Notes #Trust #Issues #Among #Players #Removed #Challenge #Appearing #****** #Ops #Zombies #Multiplayer #Matches Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Japan is ramping up efforts to revive its once dominant chip industry Japan is ramping up efforts to revive its once dominant chip industry Japan is looking to revitalize its semiconductor industry. The ********* government has unlocked billions of dollars in subsidies for its domestic chip sector. Thicha Studio | Istock | Getty Images Japan has announced a new plan to revitalize the country’s semiconductor and artificial intelligence industries as it works to regain its chip leadership. The proposal will provide support worth 10 trillion yen ($65 billion) or more by fiscal 2030, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said earlier this week. “We will formulate a new assistance framework to attract more than 50 trillion yen in public and private investment over the next 10 years,” Ishiba said, adding it would be part of broader “revitalization” efforts in Japan. The plan will be part of a comprehensive economic package to be finalized in November and will be financed through subsidies, government institution investments and debt guarantees, according to local media. The move comes amid broader efforts by Japan to bolster and diversify its semiconductor supply chain, with the government aiming to triple sales of domestically produced chips to more than 15 trillion yen by 2030. Domestic chip hero? One likely beneficiary of the funding announced Monday will be Japan-based Rapidus, a state-backed chip venture at the heart of the country’s chip revitalization efforts. Founded in 2022 by the ********* government, Rapidus has backing from a host of ********* firms— including Toyota Motor and the Sony Group — and is collaborating with U.S. tech giant IBM. The company has already received over $2 billion in government support as it aims to mass-produce cutting-edge 2-nanometer logic chips by 2027. Logic chips are used to process information and complete tasks within electronic devices. The most advanced logic chips are used in technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and machine learning. Rapidus chairman Tetsuro Higashi has reportedly called the company Japan’s “last opportunity” to regain a leading semiconductor position on the global stage as it looks to catch up with leaders like Taiwan and South Korea. In the 1980s, Japan was the world’s dominant chip player and occupied more than half of the global semiconductor market. However, the country began losing its leading edge with the emergence of foreign competitors like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., now the world’s dominant contract chip manufacturer, and South Korea’s Samsung. Both Samsung and TSMC have ***** out plans to begin commercial production of 2-nanometer chips by 2025. Meanwhile, the U.S. has become a key player in chip design, with companies like Intel and Micron, while the Netherlands makes the world’s most advanced chip-making equipment through its company ASML. Feasibility Though it has lost its leadership in semiconductor production and manufacturing, Japan ******** a leader in certain semiconductor materials and equipment, Michael Yang, senior director of semiconductors at analyst and consulting firm Omdia, told CNBC. Through its chip subsidies, which have mostly been geared toward increasing manufacturing capacity, the country should be able to expand into other aspects of the supply and enhance its position, Yang added. Still, regaining the chip market will be an uphill battle for Japan and will require Rapidus to find a “shortcut” in chip design and production to reach the level of advancement of leading semiconductor companies, said Brady Wang, semiconductor analyst at Counterpoint Research. Rapidus representatives have said that the architecture of the 2-nanometer chip is different from that of 3-nanometer ones, making mass production of the former a “blank-slate challenge for all players,” and presenting a prime opportunity to break into the market. However, in this endeavor, “subsidies are a must-have, but cannot guarantee their success,” Wang said, adding that it took TSMC over a decade to catch up to global chip firms and build relationships with customers. “Subsidies are only a basic requirement for entering the semiconductor industry, but success requires more supportive measures, such as talent, technology, and strategic planning,” said Ken Kuo, senior research vice president at tech market intelligence firm TrendForce. Learning from the best In addition to trying to establish a dominant chip producer in Japan, subsidies have also been aimed at attracting the global leaders that once took its chip business. With aid from the ********* government, chipmakers such as TSMC, Samsung Electronics, and Intel Corp have agreed to invest billions of dollars into Japan. Such companies are leaders in producing memory chips used to store data, which are essential in data centers used for AI and cloud computing. TSMC has already announced plans to build a second fabrication plant in Japan ahead of the completion of its first. According to Counterpoint’s Wang, attracting such companies entering Japan can help the country quickly boost vertical integration across the supply chain and more quickly build up its semiconductor ecosystem. Japan has also signed collaboration agreements — with allies such as the U.S., the U.K., Taiwan and a number of EU countries — that are aimed at advancing research and development involving next-generation semiconductors. — CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal contributed to this report Source link #Japan #ramping #efforts #revive #dominant #chip #industry Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Princess of Wales to host Christmas carol service again this year Princess of Wales to host Christmas carol service again this year The Princess of Wales’s annual Christmas carol service is to go ahead this year and will celebrate people from “all over the *** who have shown love, kindness and empathy” to those in need of support. Kensington Palace said the fourth Together At Christmas service will take place at Westminster Abbey on 6 December. The event will come at the end of a year during which the princess has had to largely withdraw from public duties following a ******* diagnosis, a ******* that the Prince of Wales recently described as the hardest of his life. Over the weekend, the princess took part in a number of Remembrance events, making her first major formal appearances since finishing chemotherapy. The carol service is supported by the Royal Foundation, the charity which supports the work of the prince and princess. It will be attended by other members of the royal family along with around 1,600 invited guests, among them people who have worked to support others in their personal lives, through their work, or by volunteering in their communities. Those being honoured have been nominated by charities associated with the royal family or by lord lieutenants, who represent the King in counties around the country. The event will also hear musical performances from stars including Paloma ******, Olivia Dean, and Gregory Porter. It will be filmed and broadcast on ITV1 as part of a special programme on Christmas Eve. In total, fifteen Together At Christmas services will take place around the country, including at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro and Blackpool Tower Circus. Kensington Palace said the service would provide “a moment to reflect upon the importance of love and empathy, and how much we need each other, especially in the most difficult times of our lives”. “The service will shine a light on individuals from all over the *** who have shown love, kindness and empathy towards others in their communities,” it said. It said the princess wanted to “celebrate the many people supporting those in need – individuals who have inspired, counselled, comforted, and above all else shown that love is the greatest gift we can receive”. “This theme takes inspiration from the Christmas story which encourages us to consider the experiences of others and the important human need of giving and receiving empathy,” it said. Source link #Princess #Wales #host #Christmas #carol #service #year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘We Didn’t Know We Were Working on GTA 5’: How Shawn Fonteno Almost QUIT the Role of Franklin Clinton ‘We Didn’t Know We Were Working on GTA 5’: How Shawn Fonteno Almost QUIT the Role of Franklin Clinton Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the best-selling games ever made, and over the last decade, it has built an indelible impression on the gaming world. More than ten years later, the game’s cast still represents the brand to no end, appearing on stream and in-person at events that celebrate the franchise and the success of GTA 5. Recently, Shawn Fonteno, the actor behind Franklin Clinton, one of GTA 5’s lead characters, appeared on-stream with Kai Cenat, and he divulged a few home truths about the development of Grand Theft Auto 5. In one segment, the actor revealed that he was inches away from quitting the role mid-production. ‘I Was Facing Two Cases’ On Kai Cenat’s recent stream, Shawn Fonteno revealed that his portrayal of Franklin Clinton in GTA 5 rang very close to home. Before he landed the role with Rockstar Games, he was gangbanging, had been shot several times, and was facing ‘serious time’ before Rockstar scooped him up and offered him the job as Franklin Clinton. It wasn’t all smooth sailing though. Fonteno revealed that early on in the game’s development, he tried to storm out of the production as nobody knew they were working on Grand Theft Auto. At one point, the game’s director had to pull him aside and instruct him to trust the process – but it almost went a different way entirely: They fought with me. I quit. I said, ‘I don’t want to do this *****, take this ***** off of me’. They sat me down and the director said, ‘Just trust me’. They didn’t tell us it was Grand Theft Auto 5, they told us it was another game when we went there called Paradise, because they’re secretive. We didn’t know we were working on GTA 5 until a whole year later. He revealed that his character’s name, to maintain the cover, was ‘DaShawn.’ As the stream with Kai Cenat unravelled, Shawn Fonteno called his cousin, Young Maylay, the voice of San Andreas’ Carl Johnson, and requested he do some of his most iconic lines. It was a peak point for GTA fans, as Maylay is notoriously averse to interviews and performing anything related to San Andreas as he feels that over the last 20 years, the game has been covered to ******. For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that The Last of Us season two has a release window Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Didnt #Working #GTA #Shawn #Fonteno #QUIT #Role #Franklin #Clinton Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xiaomi Shows Off HyperConnect Feature for Easy File Sharing With iPhone and Other Apple Devices Xiaomi Shows Off HyperConnect Feature for Easy File Sharing With iPhone and Other Apple Devices Xiaomi announced the the latest operating system (OS) for its devices dubbed HyperOS 2.0 last month. The update introduces a vast range of new features including expansive home and lock screen customisation options, visual changes, performance enhancements and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. A company official has now previewed another new feature which improves compatibility of Xiaomi smartphones with Apple devices such as the iPhone, enabling the user to share files easily across ecosystems. HyperConnect Feature on Xiaomi HyperOS 2.0 In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi showed off the interconnectivity services of HyperOS 2.0 with the HyperConnect feature. In a short video, the official carried out a file transfer from the Xiaomi 15 Pro to iPhone, iPad and Mac via a single-click solution. Once the file is select, Apple devices in the vicinity automatically appear in the share menu and file transfer takes mere seconds. The Xiaomi CEO revealed that users can not only share files, photos and other content with Apple devices, but also access proprietary file formats like Apple Keynote on the Xiaomi 15 series without needing to convert them beforehand. Furthermore, the screen of the Xiaomi 15 Pro was also mirrored on the MacBook to show off its capabilities. It requires both devices to be on the same Wi-Fi network. However, it is unclear if both of these features require initial setup. Notably, the availability of Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2.0 update is currently limited to China and there is no official information about its global debut. Lei Jun emphasised on the company’s goal of becoming the ecosystem best compatible with Apple devices and highlighted the “connected and collaborative” future of technology. The inspiration for this feature came from the Xiaomi SU7 electric vehicle (EV) — a project that the ******** smartphone maker undertook after Apple abandoned its smart car project earlier this year. It aimed to develop an EV that is best compatible with Apple products, the CEO added. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Oppo Reno 13 Series India Launch Timeline Leaked; Reno 13’s Alleged Render Shows iPhone-Style Design iPhone SE 4 Camera Production to Begin Soon Ahead of Anticipated Debut in March 2025: Report Source link #Xiaomi #Shows #HyperConnect #Feature #Easy #File #Sharing #iPhone #Apple #Devices Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Government caves to worker calls for 24-hour trains Government caves to worker calls for 24-hour trains A train strike that could have brought Sydney to a standstill has been avoided after the government agreed to run 24-hour services. Source link #Government #caves #worker #calls #24hour #trains Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Extremely rare ‘******* supernova’ may have erased a star from the night sky without a trace Extremely rare ‘******* supernova’ may have erased a star from the night sky without a trace When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: MARK GARLICK via Getty Images Astronomers have watched a massive star vanish in the night sky, only to be replaced by a ****** *****. The supergiant star M31-2014-DS1, which has a mass 20 times greater than the sun and is located 2.5 million light-years away in the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, brightened in 2014 before dimming from 2016 until 2023, when it finally became undetectable to telescopes. Typically, when stars of this type collapse, the event is accompanied by bursts of light brought on by stellar explosions known as supernovae. But in this case no such optical outburst was spotted, leading astronomers to think it is one of the first ever examples of a type of stellar collapse known as a “******* supernova.” They published their findings Oct. 18 on the preprint website arXiv, so the research has not yet been peer-reviewed. “The dramatic and sustained fading of M31-2014-DS1 is exceptional in the landscape of variability in massive, evolved stars,” the authors wrote in the study. “Lacking any evidence for a luminous outburst at such proximity, the observations of M31-2014-DS1 bespeak signatures of a ‘*******’ SN [supernova] that leads to the collapse of the stellar core.” Stars ***** via nuclear fusion, transforming hydrogen into helium and releasing energy from their fiery hearts. When their hydrogen fuel supply runs low, the blazing giants fuse heavier elements until their cores are jammed up with unreactive iron. This causes the fusion process to falter and the outward force it produces to decrease, causing the stars to rapidly collapse inwards. Related: James Webb telescope sees ‘birth’ of 3 of the universe’s earliest galaxies in world-1st observations For stars that are eight times or more the mass of our sun, the outer layers rebound off the iron core, leading to a gigantic ********** called a supernova and leaving behind a ****** ***** or a stellar husk known as a neutron star. But not all collapsing massive stars produce supernovae. In recent years, astronomers have spotted tantalizing clues that some massive stars turn into ****** holes before they can eject material outward — in an event they call a ******* supernova. Yet spotting a disappearing pinprick in a crowded field of light is far from easy, meaning direct observations of the phenomenon have been very rare. To search for ******* supernovae, the astronomers behind the new study scoured data taken by the Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE), a space telescope that scanned the distant universe for galaxies and ****** holes, as well as studying our own cosmic neighborhood for asteroids and comets, before it burned up in Earth’s atmosphere on Nov. 1, 2024. RELATED STORIES — ***** star smaller than Jupiter is one of the tiniest in the known universe —Scientists find one of the oldest stars in the universe in a galaxy right next to ours —NASA spots 16 ‘****** Star’ ****** holes blasting powerful beams at multiple targets After spotting M31-2014-DS1, the astronomers saw it dim from 2016 to 2019, with follow-up observations in 2023 showing that it had disappeared completely from sight. With no sign of a supernova throughout this *******, the researchers concluded that roughly 98% of the star’s mass collapsed, leaving behind a ****** ***** with about 6.5 solar masses. The astronomers compared M31-2014-DS1’s ****** with the only other strong candidate for a ******* supernova, N6946-BH1, found 22 million light-years away in the galaxy NGC 6946, or the “Fireworks Galaxy.” Follow-up observations will be needed to spot X-ray emissions from these ****** ***** candidates and confirm their birth by ******* supernovae, the researchers noted, which they plan to perform in the near future. Source link #Extremely #rare #******* #supernova #erased #star #night #sky #trace Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xiaomi Shows Off HyperConnect Feature for Easy File Sharing With iPhone and Other Apple Devices Xiaomi Shows Off HyperConnect Feature for Easy File Sharing With iPhone and Other Apple Devices Xiaomi announced the the latest operating system (OS) for its devices dubbed HyperOS 2.0 last month. The update introduces a vast range of new features including expansive home and lock screen customisation options, visual changes, performance enhancements and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. A company official has now previewed another new feature which improves compatibility of Xiaomi smartphones with Apple devices such as the iPhone, enabling the user to share files easily across ecosystems. HyperConnect Feature on Xiaomi HyperOS 2.0 In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi showed off the interconnectivity services of HyperOS 2.0 with the HyperConnect feature. In a short video, the official carried out a file transfer from the Xiaomi 15 Pro to iPhone, iPad and Mac via a single-click solution. Once the file is select, Apple devices in the vicinity automatically appear in the share menu and file transfer takes mere seconds. The Xiaomi CEO revealed that users can not only share files, photos and other content with Apple devices, but also access proprietary file formats like Apple Keynote on the Xiaomi 15 series without needing to convert them beforehand. Furthermore, the screen of the Xiaomi 15 Pro was also mirrored on the MacBook to show off its capabilities. It requires both devices to be on the same Wi-Fi network. However, it is unclear if both of these features require initial setup. Notably, the availability of Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2.0 update is currently limited to China and there is no official information about its global debut. Lei Jun emphasised on the company’s goal of becoming the ecosystem best compatible with Apple devices and highlighted the “connected and collaborative” future of technology. The inspiration for this feature came from the Xiaomi SU7 electric vehicle (EV) — a project that the ******** smartphone maker undertook after Apple abandoned its smart car project earlier this year. It aimed to develop an EV that is best compatible with Apple products, the CEO added. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Oppo Reno 13 Series India Launch Timeline Leaked; Reno 13’s Alleged Render Shows iPhone-Style Design iPhone SE 4 Camera Production to Begin Soon Ahead of Anticipated Debut in March 2025: Report Source link #Xiaomi #Shows #HyperConnect #Feature #Easy #File #Sharing #iPhone #Apple #Devices Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]