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The first open-source digital twin of the Mcity Test Facility—the University of Michigan's test center for connected and autonomous vehicles and technologies—is now available to the public, giving researchers around the world a new free tool. A is a virtual representation of a physical environment that also exchanges data with that environment, enabling simulation and testing. The new Mcity digital twin is the first open-source digital twin for mobility systems testing, including autonomous driving. It provides a faster, safer, less expensive way to test autonomous and connected vehicle software. Researchers anywhere can use the facility's features—with a variety of road materials, markings, signals and intersections—to test their autonomous algorithms without having to make the trip to Ann Arbor. "This takes our almost 10-year-old track and puts the digital replica directly over it," said Greg Stevens, Mcity's director of research. "That's a living, breathing manifestation of that physical track where people can do mixed reality testing and development." The digital twin works with , an open-source traffic simulator developed by Mcity researchers. It introduces other , such as pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers, and generates safety-critical events like potential collisions. Using traffic behavioral models calibrated with real-world data, it simulates both normal and high-risk driving scenarios. Mobility officials have touted AVs, along with connected vehicles and infrastructure, as a path to safer, more efficient and equitable transportation. Still, a great deal of research remains ahead before the technologies will produce everyday benefits for a large portion of the population. Testing in the real world takes time and money and creates a host of safety issues, but virtual testing can enable control software to demonstrate a high level of safety ahead of that stage. "You can drive millions of miles in your AV in a digital twin built off of a real-world environment before your AV actually touches the real world," said Darian Hogue, an Mcity software engineer who helped develop the digital twin. "With this, we can control all kinds of factors. That includes controlling and manipulating simulated —a factor that is random in the real world. This focuses and accelerates simulated testing." Opened in 2015, the Mcity Test Facility is the world's first purpose-built proving ground for connected and automated vehicles. Its physical features include: Mcity is continuously adding new features, and officials have worked to make the facility and its technologies available to a larger group of researchers. In 2022, development of Mcity's digital infrastructure enabled remote use of the Mcity Test Facility—dubbed Mcity 2.0. This led to the creation of the Mcity digital twin. Mcity officially launched its remote use capabilities in October. Researchers operating from their home bases can test their autonomous algorithms in virtual and mixed reality environments by connecting to Mcity's cloud-based digital infrastructure. Using 5G , they can control physical vehicles and traffic signals on Mcity's test streets and receive real-time data in return—all while protecting proprietary information. "What differentiates the Mcity digital twin is that it supports virtual testing, while remote use involves testing a physical vehicle at our physical test track from a remote location," said Mcity Director Henry Liu, professor of civil and environmental engineering and the Bruce D. Greenshields Collegiate Professor. "As an open-source tool, the Mcity digital twin lowers barriers to use of the by technology developers and researchers. The digital twin could also help developers better prepare for on-site testing at Mcity."
Stocks closed higher on Wall Street as the market posted its fifth straight gain and the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched another record high. The S&P 500 rose 0.3%. The benchmark index’s 1.7% gain for the week erased most of its loss from last week. The Dow rose 1% as it nudged past its most recent high set last week, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2%. Markets have been volatile over the last few weeks, losing ground in the runup to elections in November, then surging following Donald Trump's victory, before falling again. The S&P 500 has been steadily rising throughout this week to within close range of its record. It's now within about 0.5% of its all-time high set last week. “Overall, market behavior has normalized following an intense few weeks,” said Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, in a statement. Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates. Gap soared 12.8% after handily beating analysts' third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 2.2% after raising its earnings forecast for the year. EchoStar fell 2.8% after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company's Dish Network unit. Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.8%. A majority of stocks in the S&P 500 gained ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies. Nvidia fell 3.2%. Its pricey valuation makes it among the heaviest influences on whether the broader market gains or loses ground. The company has grown into a nearly $3.6 trillion behemoth because of demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Intuit, which makes TurboTax and other accounting software, fell 5.7%. It gave investors a quarterly earnings forecast that fell short of analysts’ expectations. Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 0.7% following a decision by the Supreme Court to allow a multibillion-dollar class action investors’ lawsuit to proceed against the company. It stems from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm. All told, the S&P 500 rose 20.63 points to 5,969.34. The Dow climbed 426.16 points to 44,296.51, and the Nasdaq picked up 42.65 points to close at 2,406.67. European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Crude oil prices rose. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41% from 4.42% late Thursday. In the crypto market, bitcoin hovered around $99,000, according to CoinDesk. It has more than doubled this year and first surpassed the $99,000 level on Thursday. Retailers remained a big focus for investors this week amid close scrutiny on consumer spending habits headed into the holiday shopping season. Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, reported a quarter of strong sales and gave investors an encouraging financial forecast. Target, though, reported weaker earnings than analysts' expected and its forecast disappointed Wall Street. Consumer spending has fueled economic growth, despite a persistent squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. Inflation has been easing and the Federal Reserve has started trimming its benchmark interest rates. That is likely to help relieve pressure on consumers, but any major shift in spending could prompt the Fed to reassess its path ahead on interest rates. Also, any big reversals on the rate of inflation could curtail spending. Consumer sentiment remains strong, according to the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index. It revised its latest figure for November to 71.8 from an initial reading of 73 earlier this month, though economists expected a slight increase. It's still up from 70.5 in October. The survey also showed that consumers' inflation expectations for the year ahead fell slightly to 2.6%, which is the lowest reading since December of 2020. Wall Street will get another update on how consumers feel when the business group The Conference Board releases its monthly consumer confidence survey on Tuesday. A key inflation update will come on Wednesday when the U.S. releases its October personal consumption expenditures index. The PCE is the Fed's preferred measure of inflation and this will be the last PCE reading prior to the central bank's meeting in December.Avior Wealth Management LLC Has $401,000 Stock Holdings in The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI)
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota: In Hong Kong, the topic of subdivided flats - or “ shoebox homes ” - always raises heated discussion. In his latest policy address , Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced new regulations aimed at phasing out subdivided flats from the city. Subdivided flats are a major source of housing for low-income households. The flats are usually rented out to unrelated individuals , who may be crammed into spaces that barely fit one bed . Many subdivided flats are in core residential areas in Hong Kong, featuring convenient access to wet markets, train stations, schools and business areas. According to a survey by Hong Kong’s Census Department in 2021, there are around 108,000 subdivided units accommodating over 200,000 persons. The median floor area of each unit is 11 sq m , while the median per capita floor area is 6 sq m . For the first time, the government will impose minimum living standards on subdivided units, including the provision of windows, an individual toilet, and a floor area of no less than 8 sq m - the size of two king-sized beds. Landlords will be given a grace period to comply with new rules, and subdivided units will henceforth be redesignated as Basic Housing Units. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun said that 70 per cent of existing subdivided units already meet the requirements, while the rest would require minor fixes. In Mr Wong’s estimation, subdivided units will gradually phase out with the provision of public rental housing. LONG WAITING LIST FOR PUBLIC RENTAL HOUSING In his policy address, Mr Lee said that 30,000 new public housing units will be completed by 2028. Hong Kong’s public rental housing system has an income ceiling for applicants, depending on their household size and type. The waiting list for public rental housing is still long. There are a total of 123,100 applications from families and the elderly, and 91,500 applications from non-elderly singles. For family applications, the current waiting time is 5.5 years. Mr Lee said that this would be shortened to 4.5 years by 2027 when more public housing units are available. Not all those who live in subdivided units are eligible for public rental housing. Michael Wong estimates that 60 per cent of tenants are eligible, but he did not comment on the remaining 40 per cent. Without the affordable option of renting public housing or subdivided flats, these tenants must seek more expensive accommodation in the private home rental market. Moreover, the Census Department’s 2021 survey indicates that 21.2 per cent of households have at least one member residing in Hong Kong for less than seven years, which disqualifies them from most of Hong Kong’s social benefits. Such households who fall in the low-income category may find themselves in a precarious situation when tighter regulations for subdivided units kick in. AFFORDABLE HOUSING REMAINS AN ISSUE Tenants living in non-compliant subdivided units may have to pay more to continue living in a Basic Housing Unit. Landlords would have to reduce the number of subdivided units within a property, which will drive rental prices up . It is unclear whether the government can provide transitional and affordable housing for those who are forced to leave. Those who are neither eligible for public housing nor able to find an affordable home might have to resort to the illegal rental market. Advocacy groups expressed concern over finding new accommodation for tenants. ComHome Social Realty is a social real estate agency aimed at matching low-income households with affordable housing. Since the group’s founding in 2023, among some 300 participants, only 17 managed to find their match. This low success rate is a result of the sheer discrepancy between participants’ financial ability and home rental prices. In July, the median rent for subdivided units in Hong Kong Island was HK$7,000 (US$900) per month, while that in Kowloon reached HK$5,300 per month. Statistics in 2021 indicate that the median monthly household income of tenants of subdivided units is HK$15,310. Assuming their incomes rose alongside average wage growth from 2021 to 2024, this figure is currently HK$16,160. That means that a sizeable one-third to half of their income goes into the rent for a subdivided unit. The 2024 policy address shows the government’s resolution to solve Hong Kong’s housing issues. The introduction of the Basic Housing Units is a fresh start, and Hong Kong is on its way to build more houses. But with the extreme imbalance between the demand for housing in central areas and the chronic shortage of affordable options , housing for Hong Kong’s most vulnerable individuals will continue to be an issue in the foreseeable future. John Hanzhang Ye is a PhD candidate in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine programme at the University of Minnesota.Hugh Grant ‘s career has entered what the actor himself coined the “freak show stage” of his career. From the oh-so-tiny Oompa Loompa in Wonka to the short-lived Edward Keplinger in The Regime , the seasoned British actor has departed from his romantic lead typecast. For his most recent leading role as Mr. Reed in Heretic , Grant traps two young Mormon missionaries in his basement game of faith and horror. Green-haired, dancing orange man aside, Mr. Reed is his most extreme role to date. Playing a man who traps women in cages is as large a departure as he can take, especially when his origins are largely rooted as charming leads in romantic comedies. And not just any romantic leads. Grant has starred in some of the most iconic romantic comedies: Edward Farris in Ang Lee’s Sense and Sensibility , William Thacker in Richard Curtis ‘ Notting Hill , Charles in Four Weddings and a Funeral (the first of his three films with the famed romance director), David the Prime Minister in Curtis’ Love Actually . Essential to each of these roles, Grant’s charming smile and self-effacing mumble made him a heartthrob of the ’90s and ’00s. But a heartthrob is not exempt from their red flags. Like a wolf in a beloved Englishman’s clothing, Grant’s characters have always been more villainous than they appear. The actor’s breakthrough role as Charles in Four Weddings and a Funeral marked him as good-looking and disarmingly likable. Charles flipped a leading man’s role on his head, appearing as non-threatening and passive, his true motives often taking a backseat to politeness. However, for the friend who forgets rings, arrives late, pursues a woman in a relationship, and abandons his fiancée at the altar, suave and shy are not necessarily the first words that come to mind. Perhaps his most cardinal sin of all was committed in Notting Hill . How did he allow Julia Roberts walk out the door to be ambushed by the paparazzi?! Without her pants?! On multiple occasions, when given the opportunity to profess his feelings to his own heartthrob Anna (played by the real-life movie star Roberts), William chose silence and inaction. He even rejected Anna’s own proposal to pursue the relationship legitimately after he had spent an entire year forlorn about what could have been. Never establishing a backbone to communicate properly with the women he truly loves has perhaps been a throughline of Grant’s romantic career. Even his casting as Edward Farris in the 1995 Sense and Sensibility fits the bill, the price of his inactions and omissions being paid by the woman who loved him most. His most meaningful encounter in the film, in my opinion, came far too late. In the final act, Elinor Dashwood ( Emma Thompson ) realized that Farris had been engaged to and then married a woman of higher society. This was the engagement that Farris had failed to mention during the entirety of their courtship. The man was shelling out his monogrammed kerchiefs left and right. Unforgivable! Lastly, Curtis’ 2003 holiday rom-com Love Actually follows the love stories of 10 different individuals and those in their lives. “Love” is used liberally as Grant is one of the many male characters engaging in inappropriate romantic relationships with his own employees. Grant plays David, the Prime Minister, who initially resists the urge to act on his attraction to a junior member of staff, Natalie ( Martine McCutcheon ). While he presents himself as a moral politician, looking down on the U.S. President ( Billy Bob Thornton ) for making his own advances on Natalie, David acts on his attraction in the end nonetheless. While the pair ends up in a public, seemingly unproblematic relationship (for now) by the end of the film, we can’t overlook their checkered origins. Looking back, Grant has actually always played the villain. We just weren’t looking hard enough. More Headlines:
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Wall Street stocks surged to fresh records Wednesday on hopes about easing US monetary policy, shrugging off political upheaval in South Korea and France. All three major US indices scored records, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average finishing above 45,000 for the first time. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
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Four Verts: Lions-Packers headlines a division that's lived up to the hype, while Brock Bowers should be OROYA study by the international firm Bloom Consulting indicates a remarkable growth in searches in both sectors. SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica , Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new analysis of Costa Rica's identity and digital footprint reveals that the country has consolidated its position by showing significant growth in tourism and exports, according to the 2022-2023 study conducted by Bloom Consulting for esencial COSTA RICA . Based on more than 12.4 million searches, this report highlights how Costa Rica has managed to capture global interest in key areas such as tourism, investment, and exports. In addition, it underlines the country's alignment with the principles of sustainability, a central issue for Costa Rica at the global level. In particular, the aspects of renewable energy, carbon neutral and sustainable products occupy a prominent place in international searches, reflecting the growing perception of the country as a leader in the fight against climate change and in the use of clean technologies, aligning with the 2035 Strategy of esencial COSTA RICA that seeks to consolidate the country as a world leader in sustainability. "This fingerprint study is an invaluable tool to understand how Costa Rica is perceived globally and which aspects generate the most interest in key sectors. It allows us to fine-tune our strategies, projecting the value of Costa Rica in a way that connects with those seeking authentic and reliable experiences in a destination of quality and sustainability, " commented Adriana Acosta , Director of esencial COSTA RICA . Tourism-related searches reached 11 million, positioning Costa Rica as one of the most attractive destinations in the world. The United States leads with almost 50% of these searches, followed by Canada and Germany . Ecotourism, surfing, and luxury tourism niches remain strategic, and searches related to sustainable activities, such as bird watching, hiking, and tourism in national parks. In addition to its strong performance in tourism, Costa Rica has recorded a significant 8% increase in export-related searches. Products such as coffee, flowers and cocoa are the most sought after, with notable increases such as 20% in cocoa searches and 16% in coffee. This shows the competitiveness of Costa Rican exportable supply in international markets, particularly in Europe and North America . Investment searches grew 17%, highlighting topics such as "labor costs," "port infrastructure," and "clean energy." These data confirm the growing interest of international investors in Costa Rica , positioning it as an attractive destination for the development of its operations. One of the highlights of the study is the strength of Costa Rica's digital footprint. Content generated by official sources in the country appears in 83% of searches, which ensures that international perception is aligned with Costa Rica's real offer. The institutions that are part of the governance of the Country Brand play a key role in this positioning, managing reliable and up-to-date information in strategic sectors such as tourism, investment and exports. The analysis also shows how Costa Rica has recovered and surpassed pre-pandemic levels of global interest, particularly in tourism, with a 42% growth in searches. This increase is driven by the reactivation of tourism in key markets such as the United States and Europe , which indicates a strong return of this activity after the pandemic. "One of the objectives of the 2035 Strategy of esencial COSTA RICA is for our country to consolidate its global positioning as an example of sustainability and fight against climate change; and this new digital footprint study allows us to continue evaluating the perceptions of consumers who seek Costa Rica for different objectives, to continue working on those messages," Acosta concluded. With a robust digital identity and an effective content strategy, Costa Rica continues to consolidate its presence in key markets, attracting both tourists and investors and exporters from all over the world, which generates new opportunities for economic development and well-being for Costa Ricans. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2572530/shutterstock_1703256913.jpgThe request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by January 19 while the government emphasised its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Mr Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case. The filings come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for January 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute, leading TikTok to appeal to the Supreme Court. The brief from Mr Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office”.
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Each week Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: Airports ready for holiday crowds. Starting a small business is hard. Exiting can be even harder, but planning early is the key. McDonald's to expand US value menu as fast food chains battle for bargain seekers. Has a waltz written by composer Frederic Chopin been discovered in an NYC museum. The 'super year' of elections has been super bad for incumbents as voters punish them in droves. Trump has promised again to release the last JFK files. But experts say don’t expect big revelations. Donald Trump's latest branded venture is guitars that cost up to $10,000. Should women be allowed to fight on the front lines Trump’s defense pick reignites the debate. Texas offers Trump land on US-Mexico border for potential mass deportations. About 20% of Americans regularly get their news from influencers on social media, report says. Betty White Forever New stamp will honor the much-beloved Golden Girls actor. Forget driverless cars. One company wants autonomous helicopters to spray crops and fight fires. Volunteers came back to nonprofits in 2023, after the pandemic tanked participation. New Hampshire shelter faces enor-mouse problem after man surrenders nearly 1,000 rodents. NFL issues security alert to teams and the players' union following recent burglaries. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins. WNBA corporate sponsorship deals are growing. But not every athlete is getting their due. Today he is a high school football player. Soon he'll be a Buddhist lama in the Himalayas. Denmark will plant 1 billion trees and convert 10% of farmland into forest. $344 for a coffee Scottish farm is selling UK's most expensive cup. Texas weighs Bible-related curriculum for public schools, placement of the Ten Commandments in classrooms faces a legal roadblock, and Ohio religious schools may so. People are also reading... Margaret Atwood OSU event altered over threats The real reason Corvallis' Pastega Lights moved to Linn County Tree farm fiasco has Corvallis homelessness under microscope Bomb cyclone, flood risk in Benton County this week Albany's Joel Dahl pleads guilty to sex crime involving minor Strike over: Benton County, union reach tentative deal What's available from Benton County services as strike nears Week 2 Sweet Home man sentenced for crash that injured his daughter In trying to flee, suspect accused of driving over Albany police officer American flag thrown by driver fleeing Benton County deputies OSU football: It's time to look ahead to next year Philomath woman suspected in Eugene Airport bomb scare OSU football: Beavers' season hits a new low in loss at Air Force Tensions rise, as Albany strike enters second week Albany dog badly hurt, possibly shot, during brief escape —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate. Theme music The News Tonight, used under license from Soundstripe. YouTube clearance: ZR2MOTROGI4XAHRX Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Israel approves proposed ceasefire with Lebanon’s Hezbollah
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