zeus slots
Health care continues to be a top priority for Manitobans. The shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic and cuts from previous governments still hang over the sector, and many Manitobans have long been waiting for improvements. CityNews reporter Joanne Roberts sat down with Manitoba Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-term Care Uzoma Asagwara to find out how the NDP government is working to turn the system around. Joanne Roberts (JR) : You made it very clear that a main priority for your government was health care, and the care of all Manitobans, not just here in the city, but also rural Manitobans as well. Reflecting on the past year, how do you feel your government has held up to this promise? Minister Uzoma Asagwara (UA) : I feel our government has done a really good job of listening to Manitobans from every corner of the province in terms of what they want to see their health care look like. We know in order to make the changes that Manitobans want to see, we have to understand what they want to see. So, the premier and I have had the opportunity to undertake a listening tour. We’ve been all across the province. We’ve been in Winnipeg, rural Manitoba, we’ve been in the north listening to frontline health-care workers and Manitobans, sharing with us their hopes, their ideas, concerns and experiences of the health-care system. And through that listening tour and through the work we’ve been doing with our partners, I think we’ve been able to take some really important steps in making health care better and fixing the previous damage that was done to the health-care system that was done over seven-and-a-half years. JR : Can you talk about what you’ve learned this last year being on the front lines, being all over the province, and hearing from both patients and staff? UA : What I’ve learned and what’s been reinforced is health care is Manitobans’ No. 1 priority. It doesn’t matter where you go in our province, people are talking about their experiences in emergency rooms, or trying to see a specialist or a doctor. And they’ve been sharing a lot about what health care means to them. Being able to access essential health care no matter where they live. So, what we know as a government and what we’ve heard resoundingly is that we need more people on the front lines of our health-care system. We need more nurses, doctors, allied health-care professionals and staff and it’s been wonderful to hear directly from those folks about how we do the real work of actually retaining those folks on the front lines and also recruiting and training more health-care professionals. Through that listening, through that learning, and through taking real action, we’ve been able to take some big steps; like hiring a net, new 873 health-care workers on the front lines of our health-care system across Manitoba. JR : Is there a particular moment over the last year, is there somebody that you’ve met, given your experience in this industry, is there something you’ve learned, that you were surprised to learn and it’s now guiding you through the next year. UA : I would say we’ve had the incredible opportunity to meet folks from all aspects of health care. We’ve heard from folks who always haven’t had the opportunity to have their voices and expertise heard directly by the government. What I’ve really taken away is that every single perspective matters. Every single person who helps keep our health-care system, from the environmental staff workers, housekeeping, frontline folks, there’s administrators who understand the inner workings of the front line. We need to listen to those folks and invite them into the conversation as to how we fix health care – together. I would say one of the biggest pieces in doing this work and learning from folks who have been generous in sharing their knowledge with us, has been the way that people want to do the work together. There were a lot of years before our government, where people weren’t engaged. They weren’t listened to. They weren’t heard. Their expertise wasn’t valued and people are really eager to share what they know with us, and be a part of the solution. So, we know that doing things together is the way we accomplish hard things. Here in Manitoba, we’ve got the best communities who do that work, and the best health-care workers who do that work. We’re committed to working together, working in collaboration and partnership and continuing the work of moving our health-care system in a better direction. JR : You’ve also been honest in the last year, that all of these strides that you are making, there’s still a long way to go. We’ve also heard from nurses who are saying morale is at an all-time low. We’ve heard from patients who are still feeling like they are left behind, or they are falling through the cracks, because of the existing health-care system and how long it takes to make these changes. What would you say to people who feel they are still not seeing an impact, despite all you’ve accomplished over the last year? UA : Like every other Manitoban, I want and I wish to see these changes, big changes, tomorrow. But we know these things take time. We didn’t get to where we are in health care overnight. It took seven-and-a-half years of cuts, of closures, of chaos for us to see the level of damage done to our health-care system that has created a lot of the tough challenges we’re facing right now, but there’s hope. There’s hope when we can talk about a net, new 873 health-care workers that have joined the front lines. There’s hope when we see that we have more access to primary care with the extended hours primary care clinics we’ve opened. And there’s hope when we see we’ve hired a net new – a record number – 116 doctors to our health-care system. I know that it’s frustrating. Folks are carrying frustration that they’ve experienced for years into their experiences today. But we are seeing things get better and we are going to continue to take steps — even if they are just little steps — we’re going to keep taking those steps in the right direction. I want to reassure Manitobans that their No. 1 priority is going to continue to be our No. 1 priority. JR : Can you talk about the new year? A fresh start for many people. What is your government planning to do over the next year? What can you share with us today? UA : In year one, our government was able to do some really big things. Universal free birth control for all Manitobans was a really big step. We were able to do a lot around health-care recruitment and retention. We were able to do a lot in terms of bringing MRI, mobile MRI technology, to the north. The first time ever the north has ever had this diagnostic capacity. But looking into the future, looking into the new year, we just want to keep that momentum going. We have a target of hiring a net new 1,000 health-care workers. We are well on our way to achieving that very, very ambitious target. READ MORE: Manitoba announces mobile primary health-care clinic pilot So for 2025, we’re going to continue to set really ambitious goals. Manitobans deserve to have an ambitious government. They deserve to have a team that’s committed to making health care better and really doing the work, the heavy lifting and the hard work, of changing the culture in health care. That’s a really big part of how we improve the morale of nurses and front-line folks. It’s a big part of how we make the health-care system a place where we can attract people and keep people working happily and with a good balance. 2025, for me, is going to be a continuation of 2024. Where we continue to build on the good things we’ve done. We continue to do the work of changing the culture in health care, continue to build and repair relationships with front-line health-care workers and making sure, at the bedside, Manitobans feel the improvements right there. JR : Speaking about changing the culture in health care, your recent announcement of the request for proposals to move from agency nurses, back to nurses funded by the province. Nurses that are working for us, for the good of Manitobans. Many people called that a big and bold move and I know when you had announced that, you signalled to Manitobans that their health care comes first and profit does not come first. With that announcement as well, what did you want to signal to all of the health-care workers? UA : We know that health-care workers care deeply making sure that all Manitobans receive the best quality of care. I can’t thank nurses enough for what they do for Manitobans everyday in our health-care system. I’m a nurse myself. I was a nurse for a number of years before going into politics, so I know firsthand what it means to provide care at the bedside and it’s a calling. It’s something that is a really sacred responsibility and role. What we want is for more folks to be working in the public system, as part of a team — a structure — that we know results in the best outcomes for Manitobans who need care. RELATED: Manitoba vowing to crack down on overuse, lack of scrutiny by private health agencies The RFP is making sure that we put clear controls in place. That we can manage the costs around agencies, which are completely out of control and there were no controls in place for many years. We know that when you have these controls in place, that you can also improve the quality of care, and you can hold agencies accountable to making sure that they’re taking an approach that supports a strong public health-care system. It is a bold step, but again, Manitobans deserve a bold government. They deserve a government that’s going to take important steps to make health care better and this is just one part of that. It’s a way for us to also make sure we’re moving in the right direction of strengthening health care in the system for nurses and the health-care workers alike. JR : We all know that everyone struggles, Manitobans are not exempt from that, and I imagine being a provincial leader and also just the person that you are, that you are not exempt from criticism from every corner that you are in. I’m wondering if you could reflect on a difficult day you’ve had as our deputy premier this year, and how you made it through this day? UA : That’s a really big question. I’m a human. I’m a Manitoban just like everyone else. I love this province, I love our province. I’m so proud to be a Manitoban and I’m so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to serve Manitobans and our province in this way. It’s something I don’t take for granted; it’s the highest honour of my life. So, for all of the tough days and tough moments, I reflect on what this opportunity really means and it means that I get to be a part of making Manitoba better for all families. We’ve got great leadership in our Premier Wab Kinew; he’s somebody who is really guiding our province in a much brighter direction than where it was being led previously and it’s something I take really seriously. So for the tough days that do come up, and they absolutely do come up, for the challenges that maybe I have in my own personal life, we all have families, we have relationships we navigate and I want the same things for my family that Manitobans want for their families. I want my family to be healthy and safe. And doing the work of making health care better not only supports my family, but it supports all Manitoban families, and so I do this work with the province that I love at the heart of it, with my own family, my own community at the heart of it, and I’m just grateful to be able to continue to serve in this role and be there for Manitobans.
So you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays
Ingersoll Rand stock soars to all-time high of $105.68
GoDaddy (NYSE:GDDY) Price Target Raised to $225.00Americans are more optimistic about 2025 than they were about 2024 — in large part because of President-elect Donald Trump, according to new polling. In a December CBS News/YouGov poll, 57% of respondents said that, when looking ahead to 2025, they feel more hopeful than discouraged . Meanwhile, 23% said they feel more discouraged, and 20% said they feel both equally. In contrast, a poll taken during December 2023 found that 47% of respondents were hopeful about 2024 — marking a 10-point difference. An additional 22% said they were discouraged, and 31% said they felt both equally. The latest poll — fielded between Dec. 18-20 with a sample of 2,244 adults — asked the hopeful respondents what makes them feel mostly optimistic about the new year. It provided them with seven options. Sixty percent said “Trump becoming president” made them feel mostly hopeful, making it the most popular choice. Following that, 55% said family and personal relationships, 51% said personal finances and opportunities, and 51% said the U.S. economy, according to the poll, which has a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points. Slightly less than half, 47%, said personal health, 34% said American politics generally and 33% said “the state of the world.” The poll, using the same seven choices, then asked the discouraged respondents what makes them feel mostly pessimistic about 2025. The vast majority, 85%, said Trump becoming president made them mostly disheartened, again making it the most popular choice. Meanwhile, 74% said American politics generally, 71% said the state of the world and 58% said the American economy. Less than half, 46%, said personal finances and opportunities, while 28% said personal health, and 17% said family and personal relationships. The responses were largely skewed based on partisan affiliation, with 85% of Republicans saying they feel hopeful and 38% of Democrats saying the same.NEW YORK (AP) — Having waited 63 years for an Ivy League football title, Columbia had to stand by for another 40 minutes. The Lions had beaten Cornell 17-9 but needed a Harvard loss against Yale to secure a share of first place on the season's final day. So Columbia players retreated to their locker room on a hill a few hundred feet from Wien Stadium to watch the game in Boston on TV as a few hundred fans remained and gazed at the gold-and-orange foliage of Inwood Hill Park glowing in Saturday's afternoon sun. When Yale recovered onside kick with seconds left to ensure a 34-29 Harvard defeat, players let out a scream and streamed back onto the field to celebrate, smoke cigars, lift a trophy and sing “Roar, Lion, Roar” with family and friends. Who would have thunk it? “You had the realization of, oh, I’m a champion, which is something that hasn’t been said here in a while,” co-captain CJ Brown said. Harvard dropped into a tie with Columbia and Dartmouth at 5-2, the first time three teams shared the title since 1982 — the conference doesn't use tiebreakers. “It was nerve-wracking, for sure, but definitely exciting because that's something that not a lot of people have experienced, especially here," running back Joey Giorgi said. There have been several top players at Columbia — Sid Luckman, Marty Domres, Marcellus Wiley among them — but the school is perhaps better known for owners such as the New England Patriots' Robert Kraft and former Cleveland Browns head Al Lerner. Columbia's only previous championship in 1961 also was shared with Harvard. That Lions team was coached by Buff Donelli, a former Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Rams coach who scored for the Americans in soccer's 1934 World Cup. Columbia set a then Division I-AA record with 44 consecutive losses from 1983-88, a mark broken by Prairie View’s 80 in a row from 1989-98. Since 1971, the Lions’ only seasons with winning records until now were 1994, 1996, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022. Al Bagnoli, who won nine Ivy titles in 23 years at Penn, couldn't manage one at Columbia from 2015-22. He quit six weeks before the 2023 opener, citing health, and was replaced on an interim basis by Mark Fabish, his offensive coordinator. Jon Poppe, now 39, was hired last December after working as a Bagnoli assistant at Columbia from 2015-17 between stints at Harvard from 2011-14 and 2017-22, plus one season as a head coach at Division III Union College. He led the Lions to a 7-3 record overall, their most wins in a coach's first season since George F. Sanford's team went 9-3 in 1899. Poppe had wife Anna and 7-year-old daughter with him in the locker room watching the countdown to the title. “Sixty-three years of whatever into now,” he said. “Just seeing a lot of that history myself, personally. This is a hugely — a feeling of elation, seeing my dad on the field, a lot of emotional things with that.” Before a crowd of 4,224, quarterback Caleb Sanchez's 1-yard touchdown run put Columbia ahead in the second quarter. Giorgi's 1-yard TD run opened a 14-3 lead in the third and Hugo Merry added a 25-yard field goal in the fourth, overcoming three field goals by Alan Zhao. Giorgi rushed for 165 yards and finished his career with 2,112, second in school history. He and Brown missed what would have been their freshman season in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Given Columbia's athletic history — the most successful sport is fencing — it is not an obvious football destination. “I saw the dedication, whether it resulted in wins or losses,” Brown said. “I saw their dedication to the product that they put out on the field and also the athletic department, the facilities that we had here, the busses on schedule and stuff, I was like, OK, they care about their athletes. People here want to win and it doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past, it matters what we’re going to do now.” Poppe cited a mindset. “You get 10 opportunities, unlike other sports, it is a grind to play this sport and prepare the way we do just for 10,” he said. As the final whistle sounded in Boston, Brown noted an unusual initial reaction in the locker room. “It was like kind of awe when they recovered the kick,” he said. “It was a lot quieter than you would think it would be, but you could feel the joy and the elation.” They accomplished what more than six decades of their predecessors had failed to. As the players headed out, Poppe had a final word. “Day off tomorrow,” he said. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Bill Clinton discharged after being hospitalized with feverVikings waive former starting cornerback Akayleb Evans in another blow to 2022 draft classShare Tweet Share Share Email PDF scanner to scan documents, images & text scanner. PDF maker app in premium. PDF scanner app which helps you to get rid of paperwork & digitize your documents to pdf. It is tiny Scanner which helps you to convert images to pdf or photo scan, documents to pdf. PDF scanner give option to make password-protected and give three quality options. Document scanner is pdf maker which help you out to manage your documents safe & securely. PDF Maker app is the ultimate document scanner app that transforms your smartphone into a high-quality, portable document scanner. With Smart Scan capture, edit, convert documents, receipts, notes, ID card, Passport and more into clear sharp PDFs in seconds! Our intelligent auto-cropping, OCR text recognition, and enhanced filters ensure your scans are optimized and easy to read. Perfect for professionals, students, and anyone on the go, its smart scan simplifies document organization and sharing, keeping everything at your fingertips. Features : ☑️ Scan documents with camera scanner ☑️ Fill & Sign document ☑️ Scan QR & create QR ☑️ ID Card Scanner , Passport Scanner ☑️ Photo ID Maker ☑️ Image Scanner ☑️ Text Scanner (OCR) ☑️ Merge PDF’s , Split PDF ☑️ Web to PDF ☑️ PDF Maker with password protected ☑️ Compress PDF files ☑️ Organize documents in folders Free Document Scanner: Easily scan and digitize documents like receipts, invoices, and contracts with precision. Convert scanned files into high-quality PDFs or images instantly. Stay organized and share documents effortlessly, right from your device! Experience the power of smart scanning android app. Extract Text From Image(OCR): Extract text from documents and images with advanced OCR technology. Digitize handwritten notes, printed files, and more into editable, searchable text instantly. Advance Document Editing: Enhance your scans with advanced editing features like magic filters, auto-cropping, and brightness adjustments. Add signatures directly to your documents for a seamless and professional finish. Download Document Scanner – PDF Maker today and streamline your digital documentation! Related Items: Document Scanner , PDF Scanner App Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you How To Choose A Document Scanner For Your Business Comments
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings waived cornerback Akayleb Evans on Saturday in another setback for their beleaguered 2022 draft class. Evans started 15 games last season, but he had been relegated to a special teams role this year after the Vikings added veteran cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin. Evans was a fourth-round pick out of Missouri, one of three defensive backs among Minnesota's first five selections in 2022. Lewis Cine (first round) was waived and Andrew Booth (second round) was traded earlier this year. One of their second-round picks, guard Ed Ingram, lost his starting spot last week. Evans was let go to clear a roster spot for tight end Nick Muse, who was activated from injured reserve to play on Sunday at Chicago. The Vikings ruled tight end Josh Oliver out of the game with a sprained ankle. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL The Associated PressOklahoma's rate of child maltreatment is among worst in the nation, report findsWhether you’re after a big ticket tech item for under the tree this year, or a just looking for a stocking stuffer for a gadget-obsessed loved one, here are some of our favourite bits of kit that could make for great presents. Gadgets and smart home Clockwise from top: Blink Outdoor 4, Adventures with Interactive LEGO Peach, Google TV Streamer, Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses. Google TV Streamer There are now heaps of options for updating a TV with new smarts via a set-top box or HDMI stick, but Google’s latest could just be the best value out there (assuming you’re not already wedded to the Amazon or Apple ecosystems). At around $150 it has all the major apps covered in up to 4K, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, it connects to Matter and Thread smart home devices to keep your tech co-ordinated, and the remote is practically unlosable since you can ask Google to make it ring (or press a button on the Streamer). Blink Outdoor 4 As far as security cameras go, Blink’s aren’t super powerful or sophisticated. But they work well and are comparatively cheap. The Blink Outdoor 4, which is $150 but currently going for much less, is great for viewing live on your phone and alerting you when it detects motion. You do need to pay a $50 yearly subscription for it to record clips, but you have the option of backing them up automatically to a USB drive so you won’t lose the clips if you unsubscribe. Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses A regular pair of glasses that also contain a camera, microphones, earbuds and buttons, these specs let you take photos and videos, listen to music, answer calls and even stream your point of view, all while leaving your phone in your pocket. You can also talk to the built-in AI to send messages or ask about what you’re looking at. They start at around $450 (it will be extra if you need prescription lenses put in). Adventures with Interactive LEGO Peach / Mario / Luigi I’ve been hesitant to embrace Lego sets that have a bunch of tech and batteries and screens, especially for kids, as regular plastic bricks remain such an engaging toy for unstructured play. But the Lego Mario sets – where you build courses and then run through them with a battery-powered character that reacts to your creations – have proven it can be done right. There are loads of sets that add obstacles and enemies, but any of the three starter sets for this year (going for around $65 each) would be a perfect place to start. Cleaning and fitness From left: Garmin Fenix 8; Dyson WashG1; TP-Link Tapo RV30 Robot Vacuum & Mop; Xiaomi Smart Band 9. Dyson WashG1 At first glance a mop might not sound like the most exciting Christmas gift, but this one has had a decidedly hi-tech upgrade thanks to Dyson. The $849 WashG1 is easy to set up – and far more convenient than readying a bucket and mop – and removes both liquid and dry debris before smartly self-cleaning on its charging dock. TP-Link Tapo RV30 Robot Vacuum & Mop Pretty much since their inception, robot vacuums have by and large felt better in theory than in reality. No longer. The TP-Link has a ticket price of $800 but is less than $400 on sale, offering great value and plenty of smarts to boot. The RV30 uses LiDAR technology to map out your house in minutes and avoid repeated cleaning, and its 5000 mAh battery is good for five hours of continuous cleaning. Oh, and it cleans pretty darn well, too. Xiaomi Smart Band 9 For a low-cost, high-value stocking stuffer it’s hard to go past Xiaomi’s $60 Smart Band, which is probably the cheapest fitness tracker money can buy. While lacking some of the features of rivals from Apple and Fitbit, Xiaomi’s wearable offers sleep tracking, step counting, heart rate monitoring, and calorie counting, which are all reasonably accurate. As a gift for someone’s first fitness tracker, Xiaomi’s gadget is an easy recommendation. Garmin Fenix 8 At the total other end of the spectrum is Garmin’s latest effort, the $1850 Fenix 8, which is targeted at serious athletes (and wannabe athletes). Boasting some significant hardware upgrades from its predecessor – a new speaker and microphone let you take calls while you’re on run – the watch has had a user interface overhaul, including revamped icons, widgets and settings. Its battery lasts for weeks, not days, and when Garmin calls its device the “ultimate GPS smartwatch” it’s hard to disagree. Sound and audio From left: Apple AirPods 4 with ANC; Sonos Ace; Shokz OpenRun Pro 2; KZ EDX Pro. Sonos Ace When Sonos released its first portable headphones in the $700 Ace earlier this year, it also added a whole host of bugs and issues to its app, which have frustrated customers to no end. Thankfully, most of those problems are now resolved, and what we’re left with are some of the highest quality Bluetooth headphones that cost under $1000. Featuring superior noise cancellation, excellent sound quality and a TV audio swap feature for Sonos soundbar users, the Sonos Ace is an impressive piece of kit. Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Bone conduction technology sounds rather threatening, but the concept is pretty simple: headphones that sit next to your ears, rather than in them. They wrap around the back of your head and are ideal for runners and swimmers, given they let you hear your surroundings including sirens and oncoming traffic. Perhaps the best of the bunch is the OpenRun Pro 2, from Shokz, which somehow manages to offer strong sound quality and 90 minutes of battery life with just a five-minute charge. You can find them for around $200. Apple AirPods 4 with ANC Even if you don’t like invasive silicon ear tips, or the idea of paying $400 for earbuds, Apple’s latest non-Pro AirPods give you a taste of noise-cancelling goodness. The $300 AirPods 4 with ANC have an open design, like the non-ANC version, but they do a pretty good job at blocking out most sounds. You can also turn on transparency mode to amplify ambient noise, or adaptive mode to hide droning background sound while letting speech through. They’re also all-round great earbuds, with a water resistant design, long battery life and support for Spatial Audio. KZ EDX Pro You can’t get much more wallet-friendly than the KZ EDX Pro in-ear monitors, which offer incredible bang for buck at less than $10 if bought through AliExpress or Temu, or about $27 through Amazon. For those who like their music bassy, these small but muscular in-ear headphones offer plenty of punchy punch, and pair great with an iPhone (just remember to also buy one of those 3.5mm adapters to be able to plug them in). Some prefer wired earbuds to Bluetooth, and these offer stunning sound at a puny price point. Tablets and e-readers From left; Kobo Clara Colour; Amazon Kindle; Apple iPad; Google Pixel Tablet. iPad The standard iPad (10th Gen) is a wonderful tablet from $600 and will be more than enough for most people. Its A14 chip (from the iPhone 12) is getting a bit long in the tooth but still delivers plenty of power. Stepping up to the iPad Mini ($800) or Air ($1000) will get you a nicer screen, more performance, Apple Intelligence and support for the fancier Apple Pencil. For a less expensive option you can find the 9th Gen iPad for less than $400, just be aware it has an old Lightning port (instead of USB-C) if you’re also picking up accessories. Pixel Tablet Google’s entry is the best all-round Android slab on the market. It won’t win against-high-end Samsungs in terms of spec, but it looks great and is filled with useful Google software thanks to the AI-forward G2 chip it shares with the Pixel 8 phones. You can also buy it in a bundle with a magnetic stand that charges it, gives its audio a bassy boost and allows it to act as a smart home display. The recommended price is $900 with the stand or $730 without, but you can currently find it pretty deeply discounted. Kindle If it’s been a while since your book-loving giftee has updated their Kindle, now is a great time. Amazon’s newest $200 entry-level model is quite small with a 6-inch screen, but it has the sharp 300dpi screen and built-in light that you used to have to pay extra for. One step above that, the $300 Paperwhite has adjustable colour lighting for late-night reading, a larger 7-inch screen and a waterproof body. Or there’s the $550 Kindle Scribe, which is much bigger (but not waterproof) and comes with a pen you can use to mark up books or keep your own digital notepads. Kobo If someone doesn’t have an e-reader at all or is open to changing brands, I tend to recommend Rakuten’s Kobo . While the Kindle is more or less locked to Amazon’s services, the Kobo has a comparable store and also works with ebooks from other retailers, digital files from the internet and many local libraries via the Overdrive service, meaning cheap or free access to books. The Clara has a 6-inch screen, adjustable colour light and is waterproof, available with a regular black and white screen for $240, or a new colour screen (which makes book covers and magazines pop) for $260. Consoles and video games From left: Xbox Series X; Nintendo Switch OLED; PlayStation 5 Digital Edition; Astro Bot. PlayStation 5 The standard PS5 goes for $800, though you also have the option of a digital version for $680 (meaning you can’t play games from discs) or a pro version for $1200 (more storage and better performance on 4K TVs). Most major games come out for PS5, including some key titles that are exclusive to the platform, making it very popular. For existing PS5 owners, the $330 PlayStation Portal could be a good upgrade; it’s a handheld device that streams games from the console so users can play away from the TV. It does require a very strong Wi-Fi network to work well though. Xbox The Series X is also $800, though you can once again save some money by dropping the disc drive (with the digital version going for $700). Most of the new games available on Xbox are also sold on other platforms, but it remains a very strong console with a lot of older games available as well, plus it’s the best place to play games from Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service. Another option is the less-expensive Series S ($500 or $550 depending on storage size). It has no disc drive and isn’t powerful enough for 4K graphics, but it plays all the same games as its bigger sibling. Switch Nintendo’s console is old and due to be superseded next year, but anyone who doesn’t have one yet will still love it. The standard model can play on the TV or as a handheld and goes for $450, while the nicer OLED screen model is around $500. The cute Switch Lite is cheaper at $300 but does not connect to the TV. A good option to go with a Switch is a $100 Pro Controller (for TV compatible systems) or a nice case to keep it safe (from around $25). There are plenty of gift card options too, including for the Switch Online service that provides access to a library of classic games. Games Gift cards for digital stores are the best option, but if you prefer to go physical here are some guaranteed hits from 2024. On PS5, the best recent exclusive games are Astro Bot (G, $100) and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (M, $70). On both PS5 and Xbox, some other great new games are Star Wars Outlaws (M, $100) and Dragon Age: The Veilguard (MA15+, $100). For new Switch exclusives, you can’t go past The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (PG, $80) or Super Mario Party Jamboree (G, $80). And on all platforms I’d also recommend P rince of Persia: The Lost Crown (M, $50) and Sonic X Shadow Generations (PG, $80) from this year. Get news and reviews on technology, gadgets and gaming in our Technology newsletter every Friday. Sign up here. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Gadgets Home tech Video games Wearables Tim Biggs is a writer covering consumer technology, gadgets and video games. Connect via Twitter or email . David Swan is the technology editor for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. He was previously technology editor for The Australian newspaper. Connect via Twitter or email . Most Viewed in Technology Loading
IT was an occasion to behold as former political foes came together during the Penang MIC Deepavali gathering at Tapak Pesta in Sungai Nibong. Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan leaders along with their party members were seen mingling. More than 800 people attended the gathering, the first such event since Pakatan Harapan took over the state administration in 2008. Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow was the guest of honour, with Penang Barisan Nasional chief Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng, MIC vice-president Datuk M. Asogan and MIC secretary general Datuk S. Ananthan in attendance. Also present were Jelutong MP RSN Rayer, Batu Uban assemblyman A. Kumaresan, Bagan Dalam MP K. Kumaran and Senator Dr RA Lingeshwaran, as well as Barisan representatives from the MCA and Umno. Chow, in his speech, thanked Barisan for being a “pillar of political stability” in both the Federal and state governments over the past two years. Chow thanked Barisan component parties, including MIC, for their efforts in supporting his Penang administration. He said there was a need for continued and greater cooperation between Pakatan and Barisan to face future challenges, including the next general election. During the event, state MIC chief Datuk J. Dhinagaran urged the Penang Hindu Endowment Board to consider installing an escalator for Hindu devotees to go up to the hilltop Waterfall Temple. “Such a move will provide access for the sick and elderly to visit the temple, as well as boost tourism in the state,” he said. Dhinagaran and party members surprised Chow with an elaborate flower garland and celebrated his 65th birthday, which fell on Nov 14.
In a historic effort which blends modern engineering with mythological inspiration, authorities in Uttar Pradesh have unified three distinct streams of the Ganga river to ensure uninterrupted water flow at the Sangam. For the unversed, the Sangam is the sacred confluence of the Yamuna, Ganga, and mythical Saraswati rivers. This initiative aims to enhance the spiritual experience for millions of devotees expected to attend the Mahakumbh-2025 in Prayagraj, scheduled from January 13 to February 26. The project is seen as a modern-day parallel to the legend of Bhagirath, who, according to Hindu mythology, brought the sacred Ganga to Earth through his intense penance. “The initiative echoes the mythological tale of Bhagirath. This project ensures uninterrupted Ganga water flow at Sangam, where over 400 million pilgrims will take a holy dip,” said Vijay Anand, Nodal Officer for Mahakumbh. Over time, the Ganga had split into three streams between Shastri Bridge and Sangam Nose, reducing its sanctity and complicating pilgrimage planning. The division disrupted fairground arrangements, limiting bathing space and creating logistical challenges for the Mahakumbh. The Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department restored the Ganga’s original course by merging its three streams into one, expanding the bathing area and simplifying arrangements for pilgrims. “Linking the three streams into one was a challenging yet necessary task,” said Anand. “It ensures that pilgrims can bathe in the sacred waters without disruption, making their spiritual experience more fulfilling.” The unification has created an additional 22 hectares of bathing space. “This expansion allows thousands of devotees to bathe simultaneously at a central location, reducing congestion and ensuring a seamless experience,” said Manish Srivastava, a technical advisor for the project. The engineering feat involved deploying three massive dredging machines based on detailed surveys. However, stabilising the machines against the Ganga’s swift currents and high water levels proved to be a significant challenge. The strong flow frequently destabilised the heavy machinery, bending discharge pipes and damaging key components. Engineers secured the dredgers with large anchors, pontoon bridges, and thick ropes to withstand the river’s force. “Restoring the river’s original course was a daunting task, but our team worked tirelessly, overcoming every challenge,” Srivastava added. After continuous dredging in three shifts, the streams were successfully unified. To prepare the expanded fairground, over five lakh metric tonnes of sand were used to level the area, ensuring accessibility and readiness for the millions of devotees expected to gather. In addition to restoring the river’s course, the UP Jal Nigam (Urban) has taken measures to maintain the Ganga’s purity. A Rs 55 crore geotube technology-based treatment plant has been established in Salori to treat wastewater from 22 untapped city drains. “The plant is currently undergoing trial runs and will be fully operational by January 1,” said Saurabh Kumar, Executive Engineer of Jal Nigam (Urban). Using geotube technology, the facility can treat 40-50 per cent of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and around 80 per cent of Total Suspended Solids (TSS). The water undergoes further purification through hydrogen peroxide and ozonation. Ozonation replaces traditional chlorination to avoid harming aquatic life while effectively eliminating faecal bacteria. The entire treatment process is monitored using advanced OCEMS technology. With the unification of the Ganga’s streams and advanced wastewater management in place, Mahakumbh-2025 promises to be a more organized, sacred, and environmentally sustainable gathering. “With these strategic measures in place, Mahakumbh-2025 is set to provide a more organised, sacred, and environmentally sustainable experience for millions of devotees gathering at Prayagraj’s revered Sangam,” Anand went on to add.
So you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays
Alberta aiming to create test site to support new drilling technologiesCalgary Public Library CEO Sarah Meilleur at the Central library, in Calgary, on Dec. 19. Todd Korol/The Globe and Mail The Calgary Public Library first flagged suspicious activity on its servers on Oct. 10. Less than 24 hours later, it confirmed the library was the target of a full-fledged cyberattack. Security teams chose to pro-actively shut down the servers rather than leave systems vulnerable, a decision that chief executive officer Sarah Meilleur credits with saving the library’s infrastructure, stopping the attack and ensuring that no business, employee or member data was compromised. All branches were closed that first weekend. The normally bustling Central branch downtown, much lauded for its architectural beauty, was locked up tight, security guards sitting on chairs in the foyer behind glass doors. For the next six weeks, library operations remained in a holding pattern. Patrons were asked to avoid returning books. WiFi was disconnected at branches. E-books and audiobooks couldn’t be checked out and holds couldn’t be placed. The online catalogue was a best-guess scenario. Yet there was a charming analog side to the digital nightmare. Branches reopened on Oct. 16, albeit with limited services. People could check out books – with librarians writing out card and items numbers by hand – and gather in the local spaces for reading groups and the like. “It took us back to those days before technology was so much a part of our services,” Ms. Meilleur said in a recent interview. “It was pretty amazing seeing how the community responded, even when access to the full library was minimal. Our locations were busy. People were coming in, they were checking out materials, they were studying, they were gathering and connecting with folks.” The library’s IT team provided branches with secure laptops after a few days, so librarians switched to scanning book barcodes into a document. The information was uploaded later, once servers were back online. A Microsoft Incident Response team was brought in early on to support containment procedures and investigate what happened. On. Oct. 29, the team’s report confirmed a suspected ransomware attack. The Calgary Public Library has invested a lot in cybersecurity over the past two years, Ms. Meilleur said – a direct result of watching escalating attacks on public and private libraries. In October 2023, the Toronto Public Library was hobbled for months after a ransomware attack on its network. In that case, the attackers, from the Black Basta group, demanded a ransom. The library reported that it did not pay, but it’s believed the identities, home addresses and social insurance numbers of current and former staff were compromised. Calgary’s choice to immediately shut down its servers was disruptive, but it helped one of North America’s largest municipal library systems avoid such a fate. On Dec. 11, two months after the cyberattack, public WiFi became available at all Calgary library locations, as did printing services. Todd Korol/The Globe and Mail “Because we were able to stop the attack from being fully implemented, we were never in contact with a threat actor at any point to really understand what they were looking for or what their intentions were,” Ms. Meilleur said. “There’s no conclusive evidence to determine who the attacker was, so we’ll probably never know.” Post-attack, the Calgary Public Library slowly implemented a three-stage Pathway to Recovery. The first step restored staff networks and devices, a lengthy process that included inspecting and reviewing every piece of technology at the library before making it available to staff or patrons. Stage two rolled out on Nov. 21. Members could access their accounts and libraries could finally begin processing returns and holds. The last stage, which is under way, is the restoration of full technology services at the library. On Dec. 11, public WiFi became available at all library locations, as did printing services, and members could finally access most digital resources and book meeting rooms online. The library is building back stronger using lessons it learned from the attack and recommendations from experts, but the strategy it already had in place stopped the situation from being much worse. “No doubt we were preparing for what we might do if something like this happened, focusing on what recovery might look like,” Ms. Meilleur said. “That planning and preparation work stood us in good stead. You can’t prepare for every eventuality, but even thinking about the steps you might take help set you up for the future and for a solid comeback story.” The attack also highlighted the importance of strong cybersecurity training and password management for staff, Ms. Meilleur said – something she’s taking into her own personal life as well. “Many organizations have mandatory cybersecurity training, but it really comes home in a new way when you live through a cybersecurity attack,” she said. By the way, she said, as the interview wrapped up, “Can I give you a book recommendation?” Absolutely. She named a book by Japanese author Michiko Aoyama. The title? What You Are Looking For Is in the Library .
CSP Inc. Declares Quarterly Dividend of $0.03 (NASDAQ:CSPI)
Cowboys G Zack Martin, CB Trevon Diggs out vs. CommandersWild and Scenic: Tester bill to protect sections of 20 Montana rivers heads to full SenateAllbirds is having a massive 30% off sitewide sale for Black Friday — here are the best deals
Hudson Meek, 16-year-old "Baby Driver" actor, dies after falling from a moving vehicle, officials say