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Bangladeshis spend around $4 billion abroad every year for healthcare, according to Malik Talha Ismail Bari, senior vice president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI). This is due to a lack of specialised treatment, trust in doctors and advanced technology within the country alongside costs being comparatively lower abroad, he said. Bari, also a director of United Hospital, was delivering a keynote paper through a presentation at a seminar, styled "Reversing the Outbound Healthcare Tourism", at the DCCI yesterday. There are 5,461 private hospitals and clinics in Bangladesh, of which 1,810 are within Dhaka division, he said. People in rural areas are deprived of quality and adequate healthcare services while pressure is created for an influx of patients at healthcare facilities in Dhaka. Limited infrastructure, a lack of skilled workforce, quality and safety concerns, low doctor-patient ratio and long waiting periods are some of the bottlenecks to access advanced healthcare in Bangladesh, he added. Bari informed that Bangladesh allocated Tk 30,125 crore, or 3.78 percent of its national budget, for public healthcare in fiscal year 2024-25. Pre-capita health expenditure, or annual government spending for healthcare per person, is $110 in Bangladesh whereas $401 in South Asia, he said. Patients sometimes go abroad for healthcare services due to a lack of facilities, trust and comfort and reversing this trend requires formulation of a proper plan and identifying the bottlenecks, said National Professor AK Azad Khan. "Since medical science is an ever-changing process, we need to have a proper curriculum to adopt the best technological advancements," said Khan, also president of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh. He also stressed on the standardisation of laboratories, adequate budgetary allocation, facilitating more research and strengthening the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BM&DC), which is the regulatory authority for medical and dental education in Bangladesh. Trust is a crucial factor when considering this sector's development, said Rezaul Karim Kazal, professor of the obstetrics and gynaecology department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Quality hospitals should be established in rural areas for wider coverage alongside customised services for all types of patients, he added. Only doctors should be appointed through Bangladesh Civil Service for the public health administration to be run efficiently, said Syed Abdul Hamid, professor at the Institute of Health Economics of the University of Dhaka. Moreover, a "health service commission" should be formed similar to the Bangladesh Judicial Service Commission, which assess the suitability of persons for entry-level appointments as assistant judges or judicial magistrates, he added. Liaquat Hossain, registrar of the BM&DC, suggested that the national policy for registering foreign doctors to practice in Bangladesh could be simplified. Of the 1,34,000 doctors in Bangladesh, only 33,000 are in public service, said Abul Bashar Md Jamal, a former professor of surgery at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. However, over 10,000 foreign students are studying in different public and private medical colleges here, he added. Members of middle-income households are increasingly seeking healthcare services abroad, mainly for a lack of confidence and satisfaction, said DCCI President Ashraf Ahmed. Only a few types of advanced treatments, such as robotic surgery, are available locally, he said. The trend can be reversed by outperforming regional competition, ensuring customer satisfaction and enhancing quality of medical services, reliability and branding initiatives, he added. "We need to be more open to foreign doctors, nurses, medical technologists and other specialists," opined Ahmed.Scottish artist Jasleen Kaur who put doily on a car wins Turner Prize 2024
MADRID (AP) — Barcelona got back to winning in the Spanish league in style, routing Mallorca 5-1 on Tuesday with a pair of goals by Raphinha. Ferran Torres, Frenkie de Jong and Pau Víctor also scored for Barcelona, which hadn't won in three consecutive league games to allow Real Madrid to inch closer at the top of the standings. Madrid is now four points back although it has two games in hand. Torres, who got to start in place of league-leading scorer Robert Lewandowski, opened the scoring in the 12th minute after Mallorca defenders failed to clear an easy ball from inside the area. One defender tried to kick it away but it ended ricocheting off a teammate to give Ferran an easy shot on goal. The hosts equalized with Vedat Muriqi in a breakaway just before halftime in what was Mallorca's only shot on target, but Raphinha put Barcelona back in front by converting a 56th-minute penalty kick. He added to the lead in the 74th after a nice assist by Lamine Yamal. Raphinha now has 11 goals in 16 league games this season. “This is probably my best moment, but I want to do more,” Raphinha said. “We knew it was important to win again after three matches in which something was lacking. It wasn't our best match, but it was important to win.” Yamal also helped set up De Jong's goal five minutes later, not long after the midfielder had come off the bench. It was De Jong who then assisted Víctor's goal in the 84th. Barcelona has scored five or more goals in a match for the sixth time this season across all competitions. It has outscored opponents 48-17 in the league alone. Barcelona had lost twice in its last three league matches — 2-1 to Las Palmas at home on Saturday and 1-0 at Real Sociedad three rounds ago. Its other setback was a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo when it was winning 2-0 until late in the match. The game against Mallorca was moved forward in the schedule because both clubs will be playing in the Spanish Super Cup in January. Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, the other two clubs in the Super Cup, will meet on Wednesday in Bilbao. Barcelona, which beat Brest in the Champions League last week, will visit Real Betis in its next league match on Saturday. Mallorca, sitting in sixth place in the Spanish league, faces Celta on Friday. Mallorca was coming off two straight league victories — against Valencia and at Las Palmas. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerStock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened weekThe storm is coming. Manchester United will be found out. They were Ruben Amorim ’s words, yet he was neither scaremongering nor indulging in needless negativity. The 39-year-old has cut a smiling but demanding figure so far; by his own admission, he was a little surprised by the sheer size of United and yet, while he faces a huge task to restore them to past glories, he is aware patience will not be infinite. He faces the toughest test of his brief reign to date with Wednesday’s visit to Arsenal. He admires Mikel Arteta , seeing a manager further on his journey of reviving a fallen giant as something of a role model and yet stresses that United are a different case. They always are. Back-to-back wins, the first against Bodo/Glimt and then, in United’s biggest Premier League victory since 2021, 4-0 against Everton , have suggested swift progress is being made under the newcomer. Triumph at Arsenal and there is a danger of inflating expectations too quickly . But Amorim counselled: “I would like to say different things, but I have to say it again: the storm will come. I don't know if you use that expression, but we are going to have difficult moments and we will be found out in some games. And I know that because I'm knowing my players and I know football and I follow football.” Part of his challenge is to encourage United to believe again while retaining a sense of realism. It is the duality of club that can describe itself as the biggest in the world when Amorim inherited a team in 13th place. “I know it's really hard to be a Manchester United coach and say these things in press conferences,” he reflected. “We want to win all the time, no matter what, we are going to try to win, but we know that we are in a different point, if you compared to Arsenal.” The fifth anniversary of Arteta’s appointment comes later this month. The Spaniard has a lone trophy, fewer than Erik ten Hag won for United, but has mounted two genuine title challenges: United, in contrast, have none since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. “I think he’s done an amazing job,” Amorim said. “Sometimes coaches are just judged about the titles, but what he has been doing in Arsenal, I think is amazing. It transformed the team. He bought some youngsters that now are the big talents in this country. I hope to have the same mindset that he had in the difficult moments. I think it's a very good characteristic in in Mikel, so I think he did a great job.” As Amorim indicated, there is much to emulate: Arteta has forged a team with a combination of coaching pedigree, faith in emerging players and his own vision. If Ten Hag may have had the same intention, the Arsenal manager has sustained his impact for longer, had a better record in recruitment and fashioned a side who were genuine rivals to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. And yet it has not always been easy. Arteta was a mid-season appointment, as Amorim is now, and won the FA Cup in his first few months in charge. At Christmas of the following season, his side were marooned in 15th after going seven games without a win. Arsenal supported him in a slump. “That is also always important for a coach to have that confidence, but we have to acknowledge that Manchester United is a little bit different,” noted Amorim. “All the attention that you guys put in here, all the time. I know that sometimes is not possible to have all that time. So we will try to do things a little bit more fast knowing that here is a massive attention and massive judgement every day.” Everything is magnified at United in a way it might not even be at Arsenal. One of Arteta’s setbacks came courtesy of Amorim, his Sporting side knocking Arsenal out of the Europa League in 2023. Arsenal’s evolution means he cannot simply deploy the same blueprint. “Arsenal this year, they play a little bit different,” he explained. “Two years ago when we faced them with Sporting, you knew how to press because you can understand better the structure. Now it's more fluid with [Riccardo] Calafiori and [Jurrien] Timber in different sides. One coming inside, the other going outside, also [Martin] Odegaard changed the team.” If Amorim was employed to bring change, with his trademark 3-4-3 formation the start, United has provided a culture shock to him. “I can say I was a little bit surprised,” he said. “Because you don't know how life is at this kind of club. So it's always a surprise. I think I can manage that, but you have to do so much more than coach the team. So you improve in yourself as a coach, you have to manage the time in a different way. You have less time to prepare the games.” And, as a manager with a two-and-a-half year contract, less time to make an Arteta-esque impact.
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OK, I admit it. I have not been kind to Google over the past year, and I’ve said numerous negative things about Pixel phones since Pixel 4. And even though I have no love for Google, at the present moment, I have to reluctantly admit that the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold just might be my favorite foldable of 2024. Heck, I even think that the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has done what, I thought, was impossible for a 2nd generation device. I think this device has dethroned the almighty Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 as the king of foldables. Estimated reading time: 22 minutes This Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold was sent over by T-Mobile, and we will talk briefly about T-Mobile and its service later in the review. So, thanks to T-Mobile for sending this unit to me and be sure to check out T-Mobile and all of its great services and offerings over on the company’s website, link below. The Quick Take Let me make this short and sweet. I have reviewed and used every single Galaxy Z Fold model and those devices are fantastic. They have grown and proven that foldables are viable. So I was shocked to even have the thought that a 2nd generation foldable from Google, of all companies, could even have a shot at dethroning the mighty Fold. But here I am, declaring the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold the new king of foldables. Yes, I know there are other companies making foldables. But most of those are being sold outside the United States, and the Galaxy and Pixel are really the only two true competitors here in the United States. Here’s what I loved about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and what I didn’t love. What I loved: The design is spectacular, it is so thin it blew my mind, you need to hold it to appreciate it. The build quality is off the chart and for the first time, truly premium. The front display is wider than the Galaxy, and using it is much nicer. The inner display is 8′′ and it provides a nicer experiencing than the Galaxy. Performance is spot on, with zero issues with gaming or normal daily tasks. The speakers are loud and really as good or better than the Galaxy. The cameras are decent, I think the Google software/algorithms help it out a lot. Fingerprint scanner works perfect Battery life is acceptable, maybe it could be better. What I didn’t love: It’s expensive, not everyone can plunk this amount of money down. The cameras are good, but it seems they re-used older hardware and didn’t upgrade, seems like a rip to do that. The inner display is a huge fingerprint attractor. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn’t for everyone, it is costly. But if you are one of the few who is looking into buying a foldable. This one is really an excellent device which is guaranteed to get updates and support. The outer display alone and the form factor are what really beat the Z Fold6. Specifications The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has the following features and specifications: Display (External Cover): 6.3-inch (160 mm) Actual display 20:9 aspect ratio 1080 x 2424 OLED at 422 PPI Smooth Display (60-120Hz) Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 cover glass Up to 1800 nits (HDR) and up to 2700 nits (peak brightness) 3 >2,000,000:1 contrast ratio HDR support Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors Display (Internal Folding): 8-inch (204 mm) Super Actual Flex display (LTPO) 2076 x 2152 OLED at 373 PPI Smooth Display (1-120 Hz) Ultra Thin Glass Up to 1600 nits (HDR) and up to 2700 nits (peak brightness) >2,000,000:1 contrast ratio HDR support Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors Hinge: Multi-alloy steel with an aerospace-grade high-strength aluminum alloy cover Dimensions and Weight: 24+ hour battery life Up to 72-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver Typical, 4650 mAh (Minimum 4,560 mAh) Fast charging (hours of power in minutes of charge) with Google 45W USB-C® Charger, sold separately Wireless charging (Qi-certified) Memory and Storage: 16 GB RAM 256 GB / 512 GB Processor: Google Tensor G4 Titan M2 security coprocessor Ships with Android 14 and upgradeable to Android 15 Rear Camera: Rear Camera Summary Advanced triple rear camera system: 48 MP wide | 10.5 MP ultrawide with Macro Focus | 10.8 MP 5x telephoto lens | Super Res Zoom up to 20x and optical quality at 0.5x, 1x, 5x Wide Camera 48 MP Quad PD wide camera ƒ/1.7 aperture 82° field of view 1/2′′ image sensor size Ultrawide Camera 10.5 MP Dual PD ultrawide camera with autofocus ƒ/2.2 aperture 127° field of view 1/3.4′′ image sensor size Telephoto Camera 10.8 MP Dual PD telephoto camera ƒ/3.1 aperture 23° field of view 1/3.2′′ image sensor size 5x optical zoom Super Res Zoom up to 20x Multi-zone LDAF (laser detect autofocus) sensor Spectral and flicker sensor Optical + electronic image stabilization on wide and telephoto Front Camera: 10 MP Dual PD ƒ/2.2 aperture 87° field of view Inner Camera: 10 MP Dual PD ƒ/2.2 aperture 87° field of view Camera Features: Pro controls Super Res Zoom up to 20x Add Me Macro Focus Night Sight Hands-free astrophotography Portrait Mode Face Unblur Long Exposure Real Tone Panorama Top Shot Frequent Faces Dual Screen Preview Rear Camera Selfie Tabletop mode hands-free shots Made You Look Manual white balancing Editing Features Magic Editor Magic Eraser Best Take Photo Unblur Zoom Enhance Portrait Light Video Features: Rear camera 4K video recording at 24/30/60 FPS 1080p video recording at 24/30/60 FPS Digital zoom up to 20x Front cameras (outer and inner) 4K video recording at 30/60 FPS 1080p video recording at 30/60 FPS Video Features Video Boost Night Sight Video Audio Magic Eraser Macro Focus Video 10-bit HDR video (rear camera only) Cinematic Pan Slo-mo video support up to 240 FPS 4K time-lapse with stabilization Astrophotography time-lapse Optical image stabilization for video Fused video stabilization Cinematic Pan video stabilization (4K, 1080p) Locked video stabilization (4K, 1080p) Active video stabilization (1080p) Video formats: HEVC (H.265) and AVC (H.264) Rear Camera Selfie video Audio Stereo recording Speech enhancement Wind noise reduction Audio zoom FULL SPECS LIST HERE What’s In The Box Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold USB-C cable SIM card ejection tool Manuals and Documentation Design I’ve made it no secret that I was a fan of the Nexus line of phones and the last Pixel phone, I thought was decent, was the Pixel 3. All other Pixels after the 3rd version, I really disliked, and I felt that Google started heading in the wrong direction. In other words, I’ve not been very kind to the Pixel line of phones, and I was prepared to dislike the Pixel 9 Pro Fold as well. Before I go over the design, look, and feel. I will call out one thing I don’t care for, and that is the camera module. I realize there are only so many ways to make a design for something like this, but I don’t particularly like this look. It has grown on me because the rest of the phone is great. Now, let’s get to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold design. Let’s start with the back of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Unquestionably, the thing that stands out here is that camera module. You either love it or hate it. I really hate it, but I have gotten over that because of the rest of the device. There is also subtle Google branding on the back. Flipping the Pixel 9 Pro Fold over (while it is still closed), reveals the front display, a hole punch camera and an interesting design choice. That choice is in having a somewhat larger bezel along the spine of the phone. At first, I thought this would annoy me, but it is actually not noticeable after you use the phone the first few times. I don’t mind this at all. Along the top edge of the Pixel 9 Pro are a speaker and a microphone. Along the bottom edge you will find another speaker and more microphones alongside the USB-C charging port. Along the right edge of the device is the power button and volume rocker. Google chose to put the power button above the volume rocker, and it doesn’t look bad, but I found that it took time to get used to that. The Z Fold6 has it the opposite way, and I actually like the power button a bit lower. It’s not a dealbreaker, just know that you have to reach up higher on the device to access that power button and fingerprint scanner. Opening the Pixel 9 Pro Fold up, you are greeted with the massive 8′′ display with a hole punch camera at the top right. The crease on this phone is noticeable, and you can see it off axis when the phone is on. But it never bothered me, just like the Samsung, I don’t even notice it’s there. The only time I think about it, is when I swipe the screen and feel the crease with my finger. The build quality is fantastic! This is why I can forget about the camera module being so large and ugly. I haven’t held a Google phone this well-built since the Nexus 6P. The first thing I noticed when unfolding this device was how thin it is. I mean, this is a very thin phone and even when it is folded, it doesn’t feel that much larger than a normal Pixel or iPhone. The materials used are top-notch, finally! I feel that many versions of the Pixel, before this, were cheap looking and feeling. This feels like a proper flagship device and the materials look outstanding. Again, another reason the camera module doesn’t bother me as much. Overall, I have to hand it to Google. It has been years since I’ve been impressed with their hardware. It really felt like they weren’t even trying, for years. But the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a solid flagship in terms of design and build quality. Displays Alright, on to the displays on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The outer display is where, I think, the biggest advantage of this phone lies. Samsung chose to make a slimmer and more narrow outer display. Their first few folds were even more narrow than the Z Fold6, so they did improve this with the Z Fold6. But the 9 Fold really crushes the Z Fold in the outer display. This is a 6.3′′ display that has the same aspect ratio and feel of the normal Pixel 9 Pro. Even with the slightly wider outer display that Samsung put in the Z Fold6, it still felt cramped when typing and consuming content. I found myself using the inner display and rarely using the outer display. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold fixes this. I love using the outer display, and sometimes that is all I need. The inner 8′′ display is also bigger than Samsung’s, and it’s spectacular. Side by side multitasking is perfect, and it’s like having two smartphones side by side. The one thing the Pixel 9 Pro Fold lacks that the Samsung has, is three window multitasking. For now, you can only do two windows, but that’s not a big deal for me. I never use more than two windows and most of the time, I only use one app at a time. Both displays seem just as durable as any other foldable, though the Pixel 9 Pro Fold inner display is a fingerprint magnet. Not much you can do about that but clean it often, it’s just one of the things you learn to deal with on foldables. I’m not sure if you can put any sort of screen protector on these devices, they already have one applied. Both displays have outstanding brightness and are easily used outdoors, though under direct sunlight, you can struggle with some content. The outer display is easier to use in direct sunlight, but the same holds true for the Samsung devices. Both displays are high refresh rate, AMOLED, and touch responsiveness is perfect. I had no issues with the performance and the colors are what you expect from an AMOLED display. Everything is vibrant and punchy, and the blacks are deep and inky. The whites are clean and not yellow, and the text is crisp and clear. I don’t know who is making the displays for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but I would have to guess it is Samsung. I mean, Apple’s displays are made by Samsung. Samsung just makes some excellent displays, even for their competition. Overall, the displays on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold are outstanding. Not only in terms of colors and performance, but also in their sizes. The different size makes this a better experience to me, and I found it nicer to use than the Samsung Z Fold6. Software OK, so I haven’t always given Google credit for its hardware because frankly, it sucked for a while. But their software is different. They have always made the best version of Android because it’s not bloated with launchers and skins. This is pure vanilla Android, nothing added and nothing taken away. There is a lot to say about the way Google tracks you, but that conversation isn’t for this review. I think we all know what Google does with data and most people buying this device, won’t care all that much. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold came with Android 14 installed, but during my time with it, I did get to upgrade and play with Android 15. Android 15 is mostly the same as 14 with some tweaks to the look and other elements. The biggest addition is Google Gemini AI. I am still not sold on the usefulness of AI. Gemini can be thought of as Google Assistant on steroids. Basically, now you have access to AI results and some other AI software magic tricks. Gemini is fine, it works, but I am not convinced it’s much of a time saver or major help to my day-to-day comings and goings. AI is fun to use as a novelty, and I think many people will find some cool things to do with it. I will say that I think Google’s Gemini does a bit better job than Samsung’s AI. Overall, the software is great. You can’t really say anything bad about pure vanilla Android. You could take exception to how Google collects data, but that’s another story. Performance The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold houses Google’s own Tensor G4 with 16GB of RAM and two storage options, 256GB or 512GB. OK, so while I haven’t given Google much credit in their design and hardware. I do admit that since they’ve started making their own chipsets, they’ve done very well for themselves in this space. Before I jump into performance, I want to mention one thing that I encountered during my use of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. This behavior only happened once, and it cleared up after a reboot of the phone. I’m not certain why, but, after a few days with the Fold, the inner display wouldn’t turn on when opening the device. It remained black. I would have to close the device again and reopen it for the display to come on. But the initial unfolding of the phone did not turn the inner display on. This happened several times and the issue did not resolve until I rebooted the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Once I performed a reboot, everything was working again. I never encountered the issue again after that. I thought this was very strange, so please let me know if you have had those issues. As for the rest of the performance on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. I can’t complain one bit. These are flagship specs and they deliver flagship performance. Animations, scrolling, gestures, all of these worked as expected and with excellent smooth responsiveness. I never had lag or stutter or hangups at all while using this phone. Multitasking, having two apps open at once, and doing daily basic tasks is a breeze on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The Tensor G4 handles all of it without a problem. Gaming is also great, especially on that 8′′ inner display. This phone can handle Triple-A games and more with ease. The phone gets slightly warm when gaming hard, but it’s not an issue. Overall, I think Google has done really well with the performance of their phones. The Tensor chip is excellent, and I never felt I was lacking power on this phone at all. It will please just about everyone, except maybe a picky few. Speakers/Sound I’m going to start this section by saying, the king of the speakers and sound on all smartphones, and the one to beat, is the iPhone. That being said, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is very close, but just doesn’t get to the iPhone level. That doesn’t mean the speakers are bad. These are actually really great sounding speakers. The problem with most smartphone speakers and sound, is that the bottom end and the mids seem to be nonexistent. But Google does a far better job than most and probably sits right next to Samsung’s Z Fold in this category. Both companies have done miles better at delivering a better bottom end and pushing some mid-levels in there to help boost the soundstage. So I am grateful that I don’t have to listen to tinny and thin speakers anymore from Android devices. While these speakers aren’t beating the iPhone — yet. They are among the best speakers of any Android phone I’ve used, and that is an accomplishment. Overall, I really enjoyed these speakers. They work really well, and you can almost tolerate watching movies and gaming with them. They are more than just voice speakers, and they are some of the best out there. Camera Here we are with the camera section of this review. First, let me say that I have not used a Pixel phone since the Pixel 3. I have seen other reviews calling out Google for using old camera hardware on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but I do not have experience with Pixel cameras since the Pixel 3. So my opinion of the cameras will be a fresh one, and I can’t really comment much about Google using old hardware. I can say that if they did use old hardware on a phone this expensive, then that’s a big fail for those expecting better hardware. That being said, Pixel cameras themselves haven’t really been that great, in terms of the sensors and hardware. Where Google really has excelled is with the software and processing on the Pixels. The company does some great things with these tools and these photos come out really nice. I will say, that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 cameras are slightly better in some situations, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold cameras are better in others. I think the Pixel cameras do a better job in low light. But both foldables are pretty close to each other. The colors are nice and vibrant, and photos taken in good lighting are always really amazing. I really did not have any issues with these cameras, even if they are older sensors. Everything looked really remarkable and there is a gallery below for you to browse through. Of course, the main cameras on the back are the best cameras to use. The inner display camera and the outer display camera are both equally good. But the cameras on the back are the moneymakers, and those are the ones you want to be using. Overall, I think the Pixel 9 Pro Fold holds its own in the flagship camera department. I get that some people are upset by the older sensors used, but I have no issue with it. The photos are excellent coming out of this camera array. T-Mobile Coverage Generally, this is the section we call, reception and call quality. But I have decided to remove that section because if smartphones these days can’t get reception and call quality right, we’re doomed. So here, I am covering T-Mobile coverage. Since T-Mobile was kind enough to send the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold over to me for review and use on its network, I felt it fair to mention them here. I live in a rural area and T-Mobile coverage is here, but only in 4G. This is not really an issue for me. The other carriers also only have 4G out in my area. But, I was able to test T-Mobile 5G in the Branson area, and I am there frequently. T-Mobile’s 5G speeds are pretty nice, just a quick speed test in Branson was showing 190Mbps download. Of course, the speeds will vary depending on which 5G band you have access to. Branson is still not a big city, so there are limits. Head north to Springfield and you’ll get faster speeds. But for where we are, I was more than happy with these speeds. I used to be a T-Mobile customer back in Chicago and I loved their service there. When we moved out of Chicago, we went to a place in Iowa that had no T-Mobile service, so we had to switch. I may actually switch back, since pricing for T-Mobile is so much better. Find out more about T-Mobile on the company’s website . Overall, I would use T-Mobile again, it works well. Battery Life So, Google claims the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has 24+ hours of battery life and up to 72 hours of battery life with Extreme Battery Saver. You have to remember that battery life is subjective, as we all use our devices different from each other. The battery is smaller than that of the Galaxy Fold6, coming in at 4,650mAh. I was able to get a full-day use with plenty left in the tank. I usually plug my phones in overnight so I never worry about running out of battery. But I did leave the Pixel 9 Pro Fold unplugged one night and used it over two days with moderate use, and it lasted for those days. This is using the Fold for normal day-to-day things like email, browsing, YouTube, texting, phone calls, and social media. Not much gaming or heavy lifting in day to day use. So I would say that the claim of 24 hours is probably going to hold true for most users. Heavy users may see different results. For some context. I use my smartphones at full brightness at all times. I have all the radios on, and I generally do light tasks throughout the day. Not much gaming, but I do watch YouTube a lot. With the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, I found myself using both displays equally. Not like the Galaxy Fold6, where I felt I had to open it up to use the inner display more often. Overall, the battery life is excellent, and I think most users will get a full day and a half out of this device. Price/Value The Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn’t cheap. It’s expensive, but I think the value is there, and you can find them on sale now for Christmas from Google and T-Mobile . Wrap Up Like the Samsung Galaxy Fold6, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a niche product. Foldables are still very cool to me and I think once Apple comes into the market, they will be more widely accepted. For now, I think the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has dethroned the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold as king of the foldables. This is, of course, my opinion. But having used every single Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold just looks and feels and performs like the foldable I want. In some of our articles and especially in our reviews, you will find Amazon or other affiliate links. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. Any other purchases you make through these links often result in a small amount being earned for the site and/or our writers. Techaeris often covers brand press releases. Doing this does not constitute an endorsement of any product or service by Techaeris. We provide the press release information for our audience to be informed and make their own decision on a purchase or not. Only our reviews are an endorsement or lack thereof. For more information, you can read our full disclaimer .Wholesome Games has launched its Wholesome Snack 2024 Game Bundle via Humble, offering six fantastic cosy games for cheap, with proceeds going to support World Central Kitchen. There’s multiple iterations of the bundle, but the primary version offers (and its soundtrack) and for a minimum AUD $33.58 contribution. There’s also a three-item bundle ( ) available for AUD $15.26, and a two-item bundle ( ) for AUD $7.63. Each iteration of the bundle boasts wholesome vibes, with the games included all being lovely, bright, brain-tickling affairs. In , you’ll manage a town street with the express purpose of making folks happy. In , you’ll idly manage a farm at the bottom of your desktop. In , you’ll enter a world of faeries and magic, curating a wonderful life by farming, fishing, and mining. At AUD $33.58, the bundle is certainly a great deal – there’s so many fantastic games included – but most importantly, Wholesome Games has chosen a very worthy charity partner for this bundle. World Central Kitchen is a charity organisation working to address food scarcity, particularly in regions impacted by natural disaster, war, and other humanitarian crises. It also aims to improve the abundance of food worldwide, with a range of initiatives to improve “food ecosystems” worldwide. Those who choose to purchase the Wholesome Snack 2024 Game Bundle will be able to donate to this organisation directly, while getting the added benefit of receiving some of the best wholesome games of the last few years. comes particularly recommended, with this game’s cosy good vibes being infectious and buoyant. As announced, the Wholesome Snack 2024 Game Bundle has been launched in support of the upcoming Wholesome Snack: The Game Awards Edition showcase, which is set to air on (ET/PT). During the show, we expect even more wholesome games to be announced, so stay tuned if that’s your vibe. While you wait, you can check out the Wholesome Snack bundle .
Trevor Lawrence's 2024 season likely came to a premature end on Wednesday. The Jaguars ' standout suffered a brutal injury on Sunday , falling victim to an Azeez Al-Shaair forearm to the head in Jacksonville's 23-20 defeat to the Texans. Lawrence, who was carted off the field after displaying the fencing response typically associated with head injuries , was soon diagnosed with a concussion. On Wednesday, the nature of his injury was laid bare for all to see. Lawrence was officially placed on injured reserve, all but assuring that his fourth year in teal and gold was finished. Here's what you need to know about the particulars of Lawrence's injury and projected absence. NFL HQ: Live NFL scores | Updated NFL standings | Full NFL schedule How long is Trevor Lawrence out? The Jaguars placed Lawrence on injured reserve on Wednesday, effectively pulling the plug on the fourth-year signal-caller's season. Lawrence suffered a concussion after absorbing a crushing shot to the head from Texans LB Al-Shaair while sliding to the ground on Sunday. Al-Shaair was handed a three-game ban for his antics. By placing Lawrence on IR, Jacksonville ensures that its long-term gunslinger misses out its next four contests. RELATED: Azeez Al-Shaair suspended for hit on Trevor Lawrence Theoretically, Lawrence could return to the fold for the Jags' season finale against Indianapolis. With Jacksonville currently projected to receive the first-overall pick , it seems unlikely that the franchise would give the reins back to its star QB for a one-off — especially if that one-off could jeopardize its draft stock. Lawrence finished his 2024 campaign with a 2-8 record across 10 starts. He completed 60.6 percent of his passes, tallying 2,045 passing yards and 11 passing touchdowns to seven interceptions. The Jaguars' struggles weren't entirely of his own doing. Head coach Doug Peterson has come under the microscope in recent weeks, with his schematic shortcomings, questionable personnel moves, and inability to coax more out of his roster — which finished above .500 in each of the past two seasons — looking likely to condemn him to unemployment come the end of the year. Still, Lawrence took a step back during his fourth year in northeastern Florida. His completion percentage dropped to its lowest mark since his rookie season, and he posted a passer rating below league average. Trevor Lawrence stats 2024 CMP-ATT CMP% YDS PASS TDs INT SACK RTG RUSHES RUSH YDS RUSH TDs 172-284 60.3 2,045 11 7 18 85.2 26 119 3 Trevor Lawrence contract details Years: 5 Value: $275 million AAV: $55 million Lawrence inked a five-year, $275 million contract extension with the Jaguars during the offseason. His deal doesn't actually kick in until the 2025 season, though. Lawrence earned $37 million this year, but he will see his average annual value (AAV) leap to $55 million in 2025. Of the $275 million Lawrence is set to receive, $200 million of it is guaranteed. He pocketed $142 million of that total at the time of his signing. Once Lawrence's contract kicks in, he'll join Joe Burrow and Jordan Love as the second-highest-paid hurlers in the league, trailing only Cowboys star Dak Prescott, per Spotrac . Jaguars QB depth chart Rank Player 1 Mac Jones 2 John Rhys Plumlee With Lawrence out for the foreseeable future, Mac Jones will take on starting responsibilities. The former first-round pick has thrown for 512 yards and two touchdowns to three interceptions across five appearances this season. It's not the first time this season the Jaguars have called on their second-string slinger. Lawrence has dealt with an AC joint sprain since early November, the second time he's suffered the injury in his NFL career. This forced him to miss the team's past two contests.When Supreme Court justices debated Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care yesterday, they kept calling the science “evolving” and “uncertain. ” Last year, Tennessee made it illegal for doctors to provide gender-affirming care to trans teens. Their reason? The state claims it needs to make sure young people don’t become “disdainful of their sex” — that’s the actual language in the law. That’s not how medicine works, doctors say. “When we ban care or slow down care, we’re affecting an entire age cohort and putting them at risk for worse mental health,” says Dr. Carl Streed Jr., who leads the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s U.S. chapter and runs research at Boston Medical Center’s GenderCare Center, told USA Today . The state’s case leans heavily on claims about medical uncertainty. But Dr. Joshua Safer, who heads Mount Sinai’s transgender medicine center in New York, also told USA Today the approach for treating trans youth is already “conservative” and carefully individualized. “We try to be thoughtful and conservative when we support parents and kids,” he said. What Tennessee’s law actually does is block doctors from using the same medications for trans kids that they can freely prescribe to other youth for different conditions. It’s this bizarre contradiction that’s now before the Supreme Court. Major medical organizations filed receipts with the Court in the form of amicus briefs. The American Academy of Pediatrics brought the data : Studies show that access to puberty blockers and hormone therapy, when prescribed according to established guidelines, significantly reduces mental health crises for trans youth who need them. But Tennessee’s case relies heavily on six doctors—and that’s where things get sketchy. A recent investigation by Accountable.US found that courts have repeatedly called out four of these experts for: These are the basic facts that got buried in court: While Justice Roberts called this an “evolving situation,” medical groups say the basic science is solid. What’s actually evolving is the political fight—25 states have passed similar bans despite major medical associations opposing them. RECOMMENDED • mlive .com Trans-Siberian Orchestra to bring ‘The Lost Christmas Eve Tour’ to Grand Rapids this Sunday Dec. 4, 2024, 12:53 p.m. The American Medical Association’s position is clear: “Trans and non-binary gender identities are normal variations of human identity and expression.” They warn that blocking care access can have “tragic health consequences.” The Court will rule by June. At stake isn’t just Tennessee’s law— similar bans in 25 other states could be affected. For trans teens and their doctors caught in the middle, the wait continues.
Miningnewsbreaks IBN, Miningnewswire To Expand Reach Of VRIC 2025PM looks to ‘brighter future’ at Christmas and ‘wishes for peace in Middle East’GENEVA (AP) — World Cup sponsor Bank of America teamed with FIFA for a second time Tuesday, signing for the Club World Cup that still has no broadcast deals just over six months before games start. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * GENEVA (AP) — World Cup sponsor Bank of America teamed with FIFA for a second time Tuesday, signing for the Club World Cup that still has no broadcast deals just over six months before games start. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? GENEVA (AP) — World Cup sponsor Bank of America teamed with FIFA for a second time Tuesday, signing for the Club World Cup that still has no broadcast deals just over six months before games start. Bank of America became FIFA’s first global banking partner in August and sealed a separate deal for a second event also being played in the United States, two days before the group-stage draw in Miami for the revamped 32-team club event. It features recent European champions Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea. “FIFA is going to take America by storm and we’re going to be right at their side,” the bank’s head of marketing, David Tyrie, said in a telephone interview Tuesday. Bank of America joins 2026 World Cup sponsors Hisense and Budweiser brewer AB InBev in separately also backing the club event, and more deals are expected after Saudi Arabia is confirmed next week as the 2034 World Cup host. While games at the next World Cup, co-hosted with Canada and Mexico, will be watched by hundreds of millions globally mostly on free-to-air public networks, the Club World Cup broadcast picture is unclear. FIFA has promised hundreds of millions of dollars in prize money for the 32 clubs to share but is yet to announce any broadcast deals for the month-long tournament. It is expected to land on a streaming service. “You have to think about how you are going to connect with these fans,” Tyrie told the Associated Press from Boston. “TV is one, sure, social media is a big avenue. “The smart marketing capabilities are able to say ‘Hey, we need to tilt this one a little bit more away from TV-type marketing into social-type marketing.’ We have got a pretty decent strategy that we’re putting in place to do activation.” Engaging Bank of America’s customers and 250,000 employees are key to that strategy, Tyrie said. “It’s going to be for our clients, and entertainment, it’s going to be for our employees in creating excitement. All of the above.” The Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums across 11 cities, including Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C, and Lumen Field where the hometown Seattle Sounders play three group-stage games. European powers Madrid, Man City and Bayern Munich lead a 12-strong European challenge. Teams qualified by winning continental titles or posting consistently good results across four years of those competitions. The exception is Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, who FIFA gave the entry reserved for a host nation team in October based on regular season record without waiting for the MLS Cup final. LA Galaxy hosts New York Red Bulls playing for that national title Saturday. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Messi’s team opens the FIFA tournament June 15 in the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium and will play its three group games in Florida. “The more brand players you bring in, the bigger the following you have got,” Tyrie acknowledged, though adding Messi being involved was “not a make or break for the event.” The Club World Cup final is July 13 at Met Life Stadium near New York, which also will host the World Cup final one year later. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Advertisement AdvertisementScottie Scheffler has new putting grip and trails Cameron Young by 3 in Bahamas
he have placed quarterback on injured reserve following a concussion he sustained during their Week 13 loss to the . The injury occurred in the first half of Sunday's game when Lawrence, while scrambling to his left and attempting to slide, . The hit, which involved Al-Shaair extending his forearm into Lawrence's head, was deemed illegal. Lawrence displayed immediate signs of a concussion, including entering the fencing position, and had to be taken off the field on a golf cart. The incident led to significant repercussions on the field. Al-Shaair was . However, the situation escalated when multiple Jaguars players came to Lawrence's defense, resulting in an on-field altercation. Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones In the aftermath, Al-Shaair has been . Jon Runyan, the NFL's vice president of football operations, called the hit " ," highlighting the league's commitment to player safety. Lawrence's injury raises questions about Jaguars' future Lawrence's placement on injured reserve means . With only five games remaining in the season and the Jaguars struggling at 2-10, it appears unlikely that Lawrence will return this year. The team has little incentive to rush him back, . This marks another setback in what has been a challenging season for Lawrence, who also missed two games earlier in the year due to a left shoulder injury. Over 10 games, he completed 60.6% of his passes for In Lawrence's absence, former first-round pick during Sunday's game. Jones performed admirably under the circumstances, completing 20 of 32 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns, though the Jaguars ultimately fell short. Moving forward, for the remainder of the season. The Jaguars will now have to navigate the rest of their schedule without their franchise quarterback, while Lawrence focuses on his recovery. As the team looks ahead, they will likely lean heavily on Jones and other key players to finish out what has been a difficult season.
S&P/TSX composite index rises Tuesday, U.S. markets mixed