Joe Burrow's home broken into during Monday Night Football in latest pro-athlete home invasionHowever, CD Projekt Red's decision to silence Cockle on the topic of The Witcher 4 has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the future of the series. While the developer has not officially announced any plans for a new Witcher game, the warning issued to Geralt's voice actor suggests that there may be discussions or developments happening behind closed doors.China and Pakistan: A common journey of building up climate resilience and justice Pakistan has witnessed extreme temperatures and excessive rainfall on multiple occasions Chinese Consul General in Lahore In recent years, the impact of climate change and environmental issues on Pakistan have been increasingly challenging. Pakistan has witnessed extreme temperatures and excessive rainfall on multiple occasions. In 2022, Pakistan suffered a once-in-a-century flood, which caused huge casualties and property losses. In 2023, Pakistan was listed as one of the four countries with the worst air quality in the world. In 2024, Lahore was rated as the most polluted city in the world for winter season. According to the UN report, despite contributing less than one percent of global emissions, the Pakistanis face a staggering risk of climate-related mortality 15 times higher than the world average. Frequent extreme weather, high temperatures and droughts, water shortages, air pollution and other issues have posed serious threats to Pakistan’s agriculture, food security, productivity, and people’s livelihood. The Pakistani government has been actively taking measures to address these challenges. For example, the Punjab government has vigorously formulated policies, action plans and introduced new technologies, calling for cross-border cooperation to tackle the smog in Lahore. During this process, China has provided all possible support to Punjab, such as dispatching an environmental experts team to Lahore to conduct on-site research and submitted policy recommendations. Chinese companies are brought in to build air quality monitoring stations in the province. During the maiden official visit of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz of the Punjab Province to China, a special meeting was arranged between Minister Huang Runqiu of Ecology and Environment of China and the Chief Minister, and both sides reached consensus on air pollution prevention and control, new energy industries and green low-carbon development. As one of the first contracting parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and one of the pioneering countries to sign the Paris Agreement, China always adheres to true multilateralism, and the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”. During COP29, China released Action Plan on Early Warning for Climate Change Adaptation (2025-2027), pledging to share technologies with developing countries and jointly build a climate risk monitoring and warning platform. As part of this action plan, a customized cloud-based early warning system in Pakistan will soon be launched and will effectively enhance its capabilities in disaster prevention, reduction and climate change response. As Pakistan’s good neighbor, close friend, iron brother and trusted partner, China is of the view that cooperation on climate change and environmental challenges is imperative to both countries. This cooperation will help promote socioeconomic and ecological sustainable development, drive green transformation of industries, improve people’s livelihood, and mitigate natural disasters. This cooperation is also conducive to the high quality development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, enhancing connectivity, strengthening climate resilience, and maintaining regional peace and stability. China-Pakistan cooperation can contribute to enhance global climate governance, and facilitate the achievement of the sustainable development goals for the global community and the developing countries in particular. The cooperation between China and Pakistan in addressing climate change and environmental issues has a solid foundation and broad prospects. China has established a sound “1+N” dual-carbon policy system, optimized the energy structure and contributed nearly a quarter of the global greening area over the past 20 years, with the forest stock reaching 19.493 billion cubic meters. China’s expertise, technology and commitment to address climate change and environmental hazards have been widely recognized by the international community. I believe that these experiences will provide beneficial references for Pakistan in its policy formulation, industrial structure adjustment, energy transformation, ecological and environmental education. I believe that China-Pakistan cooperation on climate change and environment can set an example for other developing countries to follow by making more concerted efforts to tackle the global challenges, and create a better future for our posterity. I believe that this cooperation can also serve as a lesson and a reminder to the developed countries for taking stock of their emission history, shouldering more responsibilities and fulfilling the climate financing promises made to the developing countries, breaking down the green-tech barriers and providing technical support and capacity-building empowerment to the developing countries in fighting this existential threat faced by the humanity.
Following the meeting between Chhagan Bhujbal, the senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader sulking over not being included in the new Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday, party president Ajit Pawar made it clear that “it is an internal matter of the party”, hinting his disapproval of his party colleague seeking intervention of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership. Speaking in Pune, Ajit, the deputy chief minister in the new government, responded to Bhujbal’s complaints with a pointed remark. “It is an internal matter of the party, and we will resolve it our way.” Earlier in the day, Bhujbal had an elaborate discussion with the CM in Mumbai on the prevailing political and social atmosphere in the state. After the meeting, Fadnavis told reporters in Pune that there are plans to send Bhujbal to the “national stage” since Ajit wants the NCP to become a “national party”. “Bhujbal met me in Mumbai. He has already told you the reasons for which the visit was scheduled. He is our leader. Ajit Pawar cares about Bhujbal saheb. Ajit dada wants his party to become a national party. Thus, it was discussed to send Bhujbal saheb to the national stage,” said Fadnavis who was in the city for a programme on PM Awas Yojana. Bhujbal was accompanied by his nephew Sameer Bhujbal during the nearly 30-minute meeting with Fadnavis at the latter’s “Sagar” bungalow in Mumbai. “Fadnavis told me that the Other Backward Classes have played an important role in the landslide victory of the Mahayuti in the assembly elections (held on November 20) and he will take care that the community’s interest is not harmed,” Bhujbal said. He said Fadnavis has sought some time to think over the issues related to OBCs. “He (Fadnavis) said he would arrive at some decision in 10 to 12 days,” the NCP leader said. OBC leaders are opposed to activist Manoj Jarange Patil’s demand for reservation for the Maratha community in the Other Backward Class (Kunbi) category. Bhujbal has also been vocal about his opposition to the demand. Asked if he was planning to switch over to the BJP, Bhujbal refused to elaborate and said he has already spoken his mind on the issue of him being ignored in the ministry expansion. On Sunday, representatives of OBC organisations from different parts of Maharashtra met Bhujbal in the city. The NCP leader, who represents Yeola constituency in Nashik district, did not attend the winter session of the state legislature that concluded in Nagpur on Saturday. He left for Nashik on December 16, a day after 39 Mahayuti MLAs took oath as ministers. The Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, won 230 of the 288 seats in the state assembly polls held last month.In conclusion, the transition to a moderately loose monetary policy in China represents a positive step towards fostering a more resilient and dynamic economy. With a focus on flexibility, efficiency, and inclusivity, the new policy stance is expected to provide a solid foundation for sustainable growth and stability in the years to come.The European Commission is particularly interested in uncovering the extent of the collaboration between Google and Meta in the realm of digital advertising. The investigation aims to determine whether the two tech giants have engaged in anti-competitive practices, such as sharing sensitive information, colluding on pricing strategies, or unfairly disadvantaging their competitors.
RICHMOND, British Columbia, Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- General Fusion has published peer-reviewed scientific results confirming world-first achievements in plasma compression using its uniquely practical Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) technology. The results, published in Nuclear Fusion , verify that during the company's Plasma Compression Science (PCS) experiment series, it successfully produced significant fusion neutron yield by compressing plasmas in the spherical tokamak configuration required for its MTF approach. The results demonstrated a method that ensures plasma stability and symmetry during compression and verified the company's predictions for the rate of plasma heating and increased neutron yield. The tests proved the effectiveness of the company's technology for plasma formation and compression using a metal liner, providing the foundation for its Lawson Machine 26 (LM26) - the company's large-scale fusion demonstration. LM26 will begin integrated operations in early 2025 and is on target to achieve key milestones of 1 keV, then 10 keV (fusion conditions of over 100 million degrees Celsius), and, ultimately, scientific breakeven equivalent (100 per cent Lawson criterion) in the next two years. In the PCS experiment, General Fusion's high-performing plasmas remained stable and maintained magnetic flux while the fusion neutron yield increased significantly. The experiment results demonstrated that significant volumetric compression of a spherical tokamak plasma is practical, de-risking the company's LM26, which will compress plasmas at large scale to reach higher fusion yields. Key Experiment Results: Neutron yield increased significantly, exceeding 600 million neutrons per second in one compression shot. During compression, the plasma became approximately 190 times denser than it started, consistent with plasma particle confinement time being significantly longer than the compression time. The magnetic field that provides robust confinement for the hot plasma became over 13 times higher than it started due to the action of compression. Measurements of plasma heating agreed well with the rate expected for the scale of the experiment, with a modest rise in ion temperature to approximately 0.63 keV during the compression. "During our PCS series, General Fusion was the first in the world to compress a spherical tokamak plasma with a collapsing metal liner, and we are thrilled to now share in a peer-reviewed publication the results we achieved in demonstrating fusion from MTF through this experimental campaign," said Dr. Michel Laberge, Founder and Chief Science Officer, General Fusion. "This research is another example of our trailblazing work over the past two decades. Now, we're approaching breakthrough milestones with LM26. Our practical approach translates to an economical power plant, putting us on the path to electricity on the grid by the early to mid-2030s." General Fusion is a world leader in plasma research. Twenty-four prototypes and over 200,000 plasma shots have helped the company build the world's largest and most powerful operational fusion plasma injector for LM26. The company's multi-year PCS series, conducted from 2013 to 2019, was the first of its kind to study the behavior of a magnetized plasma during rapid compression. Custom experimental systems and testbeds were built in-house to reliably compress a high-performance compact spherical tokamak plasma within an imploding metal wall. A robust suite of diagnostics provided data for each compression test. The peer-reviewed results from the experiment closely align with the company's advanced predictive simulation and modelling, providing confidence that LM26 will achieve its targets of 1 keV, 10 keV, and scientific breakeven equivalent (100 per cent Lawson criterion). "We've demonstrated the viability of a stable fusion process using our MTF approach, laying the foundation for our groundbreaking LM26," said Mike Donaldson, Senior Vice President, Technology Development, General Fusion. "These achievements in plasma compression are a testament to our team's deep expertise and capabilities, accumulated over two decades of fusion technology development. Through our PCS series, we also made major advances in plasma systems, materials, coatings, and diagnostics. Now we're ready for the next step – demonstrating fusion and significant heating at large scale with LM26! Our incredibly talented team has made it all possible, building a practical, clean energy technology with world-changing potential from the ground up." Quick Facts The open-access paper published in Nuclear Fusion provides a comprehensive analysis of the engineering and plasma physics involved in achieving this new foothold in MTF research. In General Fusion's MTF approach , the proprietary liquid metal liner in the fusion vessel is mechanically compressed by high-powered pistons. This allows General Fusion to create fusion conditions in short pulses, rather than creating a sustained reaction, while protecting the machine's vessel, extracting heat, and re-breeding fuel. The technology is designed to scale for cost-efficient power plants. It does not require large superconducting magnets or an expensive array of lasers. Today, General Fusion is accelerating its progress by building LM26. The fusion demonstration machine is on track to achieve transformative technical milestones in the next 24 months—1 keV in the first half of 2025, then 10 keV, and ultimately scientific breakeven equivalent (100 per cent Lawson criterion) by 2026. Its results will significantly de-risk the company's commercial-scale machine, fast-tracking its path to provide commercial fusion energy to the grid by the early to mid-2030s. About General Fusion General Fusion is pursuing a fast and practical approach to commercial fusion energy and is headquartered in Richmond, B.C., Canada. The company was established in 2002 and is funded by a global syndicate of leading energy venture capital firms, industry leaders, and technology pioneers. Learn more at www.generalfusion.com . General Fusion Media Relations media@generalfusion.com +1-866-904-0995 Follow General Fusion twitter.com/generalfusion instagram.com/generalfusion linkedin.com/company/general-fusion facebook.com/generalfusion © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.According to Matt Hughes' report, it is believed that the club's hierarchy is now exploring alternative structures for the management of player recruitment and transfers. While some argue that a more streamlined decision-making process could lead to quicker and more efficient transfer dealings, others are concerned that the absence of a dedicated sporting director could result in a lack of focused expertise in key areas of player evaluation and negotiation.No. 24 Illinois pushes guards; next up is winless Chicago State
New Delhi, Dec 24 : Scientists at the Bose Institute, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have studied archaea — a domain of ancient organisms — to find clues to survival strategies of microorganisms by adapting to harsh conditions with the help of their toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems. Archaea, which means “ancient things” in Greek, are one of the oldest forms of life on Earth and belong to a group called the third domain of life. Many archaea live in some of the harshest environments on Earth, which makes them ideal for studying how life can survive in tough conditions. The team, led by Dr Abhrajyoti Ghosh at the Department of Biological Sciences, explored how certain archaea toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems help these organisms cope with high temperatures. In the study, published in the journal mBio, Ghosh and his team studied a specific TA system in a heat-loving archaeon called Sulfolobus acidocaldarius to understand how it helps these organisms. They examined S. acidocaldarius, which lives in environments with hot volcanic pools like Barren Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India and some other volcanic areas in the world, that can get as hot as 90 degrees Celsius. The detailed analysis of the VapBC4 TA system that helps survival in the high-temperature environment, shows its important role during heat stress. They found that the VapC4 toxin carries out several functions, such as stopping protein production, helping the organism form resilient cells, and influencing biofilm creation. When the cell faces heat stress, a stress-activated protease (which hasn’t been identified in archaea yet) may break down the VapB4 protein (which otherwise checks the VapC4 toxin’s activity). Once VapB4 is gone, the VapC4 toxin is released and can stop protein production. This block in protein production is part of a survival strategy that helps cells form “persister cells” during stress. These persister cells go into a resting state, conserving energy and avoiding making damaged proteins. This dormancy helps them survive tough conditions until the environment improves, the scientists said.
After coaching a full practice and speaking to the media for nearly 17 minutes Friday, Mike Brown received a phone call from Kings general manager Monte McNair informing him that . The . Brown was getting ready to board the plane set for Los Angeles that several players and staff already were on. But the organization maintains there was no specific purpose or malice intended with the timing or execution of his release, The reported Saturday, citing team sources. Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé had the final say and ultimately gave the green light to pull the plug after practice Friday. But the decision to fire Brown was McNair's, Amick and Slater reported, citing team sources. “This was a difficult decision and I want to thank Mike for his many contributions to the organization,” McNair said Friday in a press release. Ranadivé has had a front-row seat to the madness that resulted in a pathetic 0-5 homestand that topped off the Kings' 12th loss in 17 games. Sitting courtside at Golden 1 Center, he has been notably upset and frustrated with the team's performance. Still, team sources insisted to Amick and Slater that the decision originally stemmed from McNair. Additionally, the organization is choosing to back the front office of McNair and assistant general manager Wes Wilcox, Amick and Slater added, who still are considered "safe" despite all of Sacramento's struggles. The Kings' depth -- or lack thereof -- led to a lot of difficult rotation issues for Brown. It's a weakness the front office acknowledged and still hopes to fix by the upcoming Feb. 6 trade deadline. So they felt comfortable parting ways with their head coach knowing they had personnel moves to make. And apparently, Thursday's loss to the Detroit Pistons was the final straw. A defensive blunder by De'Aaron Fox gave the Pistons a one-point lead that sealed their unimaginable victory. After the loss, Brown didn't hold back in his criticism of Fox and the rest of the guys. But that was no different than how Brown handled other pressers: Holding players accountable and never mincing his words. Still, Brown's press conference remarks were "beginning to wear on some players," Amick and Slater reported, citing team sources, and were part of the decision to part ways with Brown. While Brown's press conference critique was directly aimed at Fox on Thursday, Fox's wife Recee emphasized on social media that Fox had no say in the firing. False — Recee Fox (@Cee_Caldwell) This could not be more off base. — Recee Fox (@Cee_Caldwell) Now, Doug Christie will serve as the interim head coach, and the eighth under Ranadivé's ownership. The former Kings guard and current assistant coach met with the Kings brass and accepted their offer of a promotion to replace Brown on an interim basis, leaping lead assistant and former Toronto Raptors head coach Jay Triano. There's a lot to be determined moving forward, and it all begins Saturday night in Los Angeles against the Lakers.As the defending champions, Juventus will be looking to make a statement and show that they are capable of retaining their crown. On the other hand, Manchester City are hungry for European success and will be determined to make a deep run in the competition this season. This clash of titans promises to be a thrilling spectacle for football fans around the world, with both teams having the quality and pedigree to go all the way to the final.
Mohamed Salah extended Liverpool’s perfect Champions League record as they won 1-0 at Girona to claim a sixth victory out of six. Salah nervelessly converted a 63rd-minute penalty, his 16th goal of the season, after French referee Benoit Bastien had been advised to take another look at Donny van de Beek’s clumsy challenge on Luis Diaz. In the process, he became just the 11th man to score 50 goals in the competition – Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe later also joined that exclusive club – on a night when victory at the Estadi Montilivi meant the six-time European champions will enter 2025 sitting proudly at the top of the table. ⭐️ A ???? STAR PERFORMANCE ⭐️ #FCBayern #MiaSanMia | #SHAFCB #UCL pic.twitter.com/WELoxugaGn — FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) December 10, 2024 England international Michael Olise produced a moment of magic to set the seal on Bayern Munich’s demolition of Shakhtar Donetsk and ease them towards the knockout stage. Olise’s brilliant stoppage-time run and finish capped a 5-1 victory for the Germans, in which he had early scored from the penalty spot, in Gelsenkirchen. Kevin’s fifth-minute strike had given the home side the perfect start, but Konrad Laimer levelled before Thomas Muller’s 55th goal in the competition sent the visitors in ahead at the break and set the stage for Olise’s double either side of Jamal Musiala’s strike. Jude Bellingham breathed life back into Real Madrid’s campaign as they held off Atalanta to earn a 3-2 victory in Bergamo. ? @BellinghamJude ? #UCL pic.twitter.com/jTynK04akR — Real Madrid C.F. ???? (@realmadriden) December 10, 2024 After Charles De Ketelaere had cancelled out Mbappe’s opener from the penalty spot, second-half goals from Vinicius Junior and Bellingham in quick succession put the visitors in charge, although Ademola Lookman’s 65th-minute strike meant the contest was alive until the final whistle. Ross Barkley took Aston Villa a step closer to automatic qualification with a late winner against RB Leipzig in Germany. Villa had led twice through John McGinn and Jhon Duran, but equalisers from Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner kept Leipzig in it until substitute Barkley struck five minutes from time to snatch a 3-2 victory. Goals from Goncalo Ramos, Nuno Mendes and substitute Desire Doue – his first in the competition – handed French champions Paris St Germain a much-needed three points after a comfortable 3-0 win at RB Salzburg. He’s making a list and checking it twiceB04 won and Nordi scored – nice! ? pic.twitter.com/8bs6FGUaHz — Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) December 10, 2024 Nordi Mukiele left it late to end Inter Milan’s unbeaten Champions League record as Bayer Leverkusen claimed a dramatic 1-0 victory at the BayArena. Mukiele struck in the 90th minute to inflict a first defeat across six games in this season’s competition on the Serie A champions – it was also the first goal they have conceded. Casper Nielsen came off the bench to fire Club Brugge to a 2-1 home victory over Sporting Lisbon after Eduardo Quaresma’s own goal had handed them a way back into the game following Geny Catamo’s early opener. Julien Le Cardinal’s first-half strike was enough to handed Brest a 1-0 victory over Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven, while Kasper Schmeichel’s save from Marko Pjaca’s close-range 80th-minute header ensured Celtic returned from Dinamo Zagreb with a 0-0 draw.
Juggling inspired Joaquin Buckley to land iconic knockout kick in 2020As the Bilibili streamer dives into the co-op mode of "Black Myth: Wukong," viewers are treated to a spectacle of intense battles and strategic gameplay. The monsters in the game have been enhanced with new abilities and moves, adding an extra layer of challenge and excitement to the gameplay experience.