The watchmaking prodigy has drawn scepticism because of his young age, but his passion and talent have already earned him recognition in the horological world Stepping into 16-year-old watchmaker Ricky Hong’s workshop/bedroom reveals a huge contrast between his youthful age and his chosen after-school activities. Exposed watch movements tick loudly atop his standing desk while more typical preoccupations of a teenager – an Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 – sit discreetly underneath. “People see someone who’s 50 or 60 and just assume they’re capable, but if they see a teenager, they’ll think he’s too young,” Hong says of the way he has been received in the watch community. “I’ve been called a cheeky brat, jokingly. I have to accept the fact that I’m still young and may not get that respect yet.” Despite his youth, Hong, who has been featured by local media for his ambitious forays into watchmaking, has a CV that would make a grown horology insider envious. After seeing his first Lemania movement at the age of 13 and asking where the battery was, Hong started modifying Casio G-Shock “Casioaks” for paying clients, going on to learn to assemble watches from factory-produced parts, then designing those parts and now polishing his own movements. Such are his skills that, in 2023, he was appointed to the celebrated Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève Academy, which requires referrals from two existing members. These days, Hong prefers to spend his time on proprietary designs. “Before I got into watches, I wore a Daniel Wellington, but when I played sports the crown snapped. I wanted to make a watch I could wear to school that is dressy but durable,” Hong recalls. Inspired by H. Moser & Cie’s Vantablack pieces, Hong ordered cases from various factories in bulk from Taobao to finally assemble the piece. His second and third pieces added complexity – a tourbillon fitted to a gold case that is even more akin to the H. Moser & Cie Venturer Concept Vantablack; then a piece powered by a Sellita SW200 movement with a custom case designed with a crown guard, as well as dials and hands he was able to have customised by a factory. Hong’s most recent piece, with an openworked tourbillon, is an expression of his ultimate desire to build his own brand. Calligraphy of his Chinese surname fills the 3 o’clock area of the dial. Hong also used a jewellery saw to cut away parts of the stock movement plate to build a barrel bridge at 10 o’clock, painstaking work where even fractions of a millimetre difference caused earlier versions to snap. Through working on these four pieces, Hong has gone from assembling pre-existing parts to flexing more of his watchmaking and design chops, but he still feels it’s tough to pin down if what he is doing makes him a watchmaker. “I always say I’m not [a watchmaker] but I’m very lucky to know a few young watchmakers who tell people, ‘Don’t listen to him, he’s a watchmaker.’ After a while, I don’t want to deny what they’re saying, so I compromise and have added ‘part-time watchmaker’ to my Instagram,” he says.Russian state news agencies say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad is in Moscow and given asylum DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russian state news agencies say the ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family and been given asylum, hours after close ally Russia said he left Syria after negotiations with rebel groups. The Russian agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press is not immediately able to verify the reports but has contacted the Kremlin for comment. Assad reportedly left Syria early Sunday, and Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. The fall of Bashar Assad after 13 years of war in Syria brings to an end a decades-long dynasty BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad has fled the country. Assad’s departure on Sunday brings to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto power in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Assad’s exit stood in stark contrast to his first months as Syria’s unlikely president in 2000, when many hoped he would be a young reformer after three decades of his father’s iron grip. But faced with protests of his rule that erupted in March 2011, Assad turned to his father's brutal tactics to crush dissent. A long stalemate was quickly broken when opposition groups in northwest Syria launched a surprise offensive late last month. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” Trump calls for immediate cease-fire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate cease-fire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of a backpack found in Central Park that they believe was carried by the killer. South Korean prosecutors detain ex-defense chief over martial law imposition SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors have detained a former defense minister who allegedly recommended last week’s brief but stunning martial law imposition to President Yoon Suk Yeol. Local media say that ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun voluntarily appeared on Sunday at a Seoul prosecutors’ office, where he had his mobile phone confiscated and was detained. A law enforcement official says Kim was later sent to a Seoul detention facility. Kim's detention came a day after Yoon avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him, with most ruling party lawmakers boycotting a floor vote to prevent a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. Trump's return may be a boon for Netanyahu, but challenges abound in a changed Middle East TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant about President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term policies skewed heavily in favor of Israel, and he has picked stalwart Israel supporters for key positions in his administration. But much has transpired since Trump left office in early 2021. The turmoil in the Middle East, the lofty ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition and Netanyahu’s own personal relationship with the president-elect could dampen that enthusiasm and complicate what on the surface looks like a seamless alliance. A farming project in South Africa is helping deaf people build skills and find jobs JOHANNESBURG (AP) — In South Africa, where the general unemployment rate is over 32%, deaf people face even steeper hurdles. Unlike their counterparts who can hear and speak, they must struggle to communicate in sign language while trying to gain opportunities for jobs and skills development. Now a deaf entrepreneur who quit her job at one of the biggest banks in the country has created an organization where the deaf can be trained in agriculture, develop their skills and earn a sustainable living. The farming sector is emerging as a solace for those with disabilities who also face the dire levels of unemployment in Africa’s most developed economy. First 12-team College Football Playoff set, Oregon seeded No. 1 and SMU edges Alabama for last spot SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs (11-2), losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama (9-3) of the SEC but one fewer loss. The first-of-its-kind 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.
A Miami Student Earn $1M With Litecoin —Is BlockDAG the Next Success Story?
Party City to close its stores as company files for bankruptcy LOS ANGELES (AP) — Party City announced that it's going to “wind down” its retail and wholesale operations as it prepares to shutter nearly 700 stores nationwide. The company said Saturday it has also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection "to maximize value for the benefit of the company’s stakeholders.” The New Jersey-based retailer said it will keep more than 95% of its 12,000 employees to help with the process of closing down. Customers have flocked to Party City for Halloween costumes, favors for children’s birthday parties and decorations for New Year’s Eve celebrations for nearly 40 years. It has faced growing competition from Walmart and Target and from occasion-based pop-up stores such as Spirit Halloween. A million taxpayers will soon receive up to $1,400 from the IRS. Who are they and why now? Approximately 1 million taxpayers will automatically receive special payments of up to $1,400 from the IRS in the coming weeks. The money will be directly deposited into eligible people’s bank accounts or sent in the mail by a paper check. Most people shouldn't get their hopes up about receiving the cash. The IRS says it’s distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who failed to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns after missing one of the COVID stimulus payments or receiving less than the full amount. The IRS says most taxpayers eligible for the federal stimulus payments received them. Bluesky finds with growth comes growing pains — and bots Bluesky has seen its user base soar since the U.S. presidential election, boosted by people seeking refuge from Elon Musk’s X, or wanting an alternative to Meta’s Threads and its algorithms. The platform grew out of the company then known as Twitter and was eventually intended to replace it. While this is still very much a pie in the sky, Bluesky’s growth trajectory could make it a serious competitor to other social platforms. With growth, though, comes growing pains. It’s not just human users who’ve been flocking to Bluesky but also bots, including those designed to create partisan division or direct users to junk websites. 'Sonic 3' bests 'Mufasa: The Lion King' at the box office NEW YORK (AP) — In the holiday season battle of big-budget family movies, Paramount Pictures’ “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” sped past the Walt Disney Co.’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” to take the top spot at the box office. The results came just ahead of the lucrative Christmas corridor in theaters. According to studio estimates, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” debuted with $62 million in ticket sales over the weekend. “Mufasa,” however, was humbled in its opening weekend, coming in notably shy of expectations. It returned just $35 million in domestic ticket sales. Amazon and Starbucks workers are on strike. Trump might have something to do with it Amazon delivery drivers and Starbucks baristas are on strike in a handful of U.S. cities as they seek to exert pressure on the two major companies to recognize them as unionized employees or to meet demands for an inaugural labor contract. Strikes during busy periods like the holidays can help unions exercise leverage during negotiations or garner support from sympathetic consumers. One expert says he thinks workers at both companies are “desperate” to make progress before President-elect Donald Trump can appoint a Republican majority to the National Labor Relations Board. Workers at Starbucks, Amazon and some other prominent consumer brands are fighting for their first contracts after several locations voted to unionize. Farmers are still reeling months after Hurricane Helene ravaged crops across the South LYONS, Ga. (AP) — Farmers in Georgia are still reeling more than two months after Hurricane Helene blew away cotton, destroyed ripened squash and cucumbers and uprooted pecan trees and timber. Agribusinesses in other Southern states saw costly damage as well. The University of Georgia estimates the September storm inflicted $5.5 billion in direct losses and indirect costs in Georgia alone. In rural Toombs County, Chris Hopkins just finished harvesting his ravaged cotton crop and figures he lost half of it, costing him about $430,000. Poultry grower Jeffrey Pridgen in Georgia's Coffee County had four of his 12 chicken houses destroyed and others badly damaged. Farmers say more government disaster assistance is needed. Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI’s strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products. But he grew disillusioned with the company and told The Associated Press this fall he would “try to testify” in copyright infringement cases against it. Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge shows price pressures eased last month WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge that is closely watched by the Federal Reserve barely rose last month in a sign that price pressures cooled after two months of sharp gains. Prices rose just 0.1% from October to November. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, prices also ticked up just 0.1%, after two months of outsize 0.3% gains. The milder inflation figures arrived two days after Federal Reserve officials, led by Chair Jerome Powell, rocked financial markets by revealing that they now expect to cut their key interest rate just two times in 2025, down from four in their previous estimate. Albania to close TikTok for a year blaming it for promoting violence among children TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s prime minister says the government will shut down video service TikTok for one year, blaming it for inciting violence and bullying, especially among children. Albanian authorities held 1,300 meetings with teachers and parents following the stabbing death of a teenager in mid-November by another teenager following a quarrel that started on TikTok. Prime Minister Edi Rama, speaking at a meeting with teachers and parents, said TikTok “would be fully closed for all. ... There will be no TikTok in the Republic of Albania.” Rama says the ban will begin sometime next year. Albanian children comprise the largest group of TikTok users in the country, according to domestic researchers. Stock market today: Wall Street rises to turn a dismal week into just a bad one NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to turn what would have been one of the market’s worst weeks of the year into just a pretty bad one. The S&P 500 rallied 1.1% Friday to shave its loss for the week down to 2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped nearly 500 points, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. A report said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than expected. It’s an encouraging signal after the Fed shocked markets Wednesday by saying worries about inflation could keep it from cutting interest rates in 2025 as much as earlier thought.
BERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur caused uproar by backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Related Articles Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk’s guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag — a sister publication of POLITICO owned by the Axel Springer Group — was published over the weekend. It was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. “The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the last spark of hope for this country,” Musk wrote in his translated commentary. He went on to say the far-right party “can lead the country into a future where economic prosperity, cultural integrity and technological innovation are not just wishes, but reality.” The Tesla Motors CEO also wrote that his investment in Germany gave him the right to comment on the country’s condition. The AfD is polling strongly, but its candidate for the top job, Alice Weidel, has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the far-right party. An ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, the technology billionaire challenged in his opinion piece the party’s public image. “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk’s commentary has led to a debate in German media over the boundaries of free speech, with the paper’s own opinion editor announcing her resignation, pointedly on Musk’s social media platform, X. “I always enjoyed leading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print,” Eva Marie Kogel wrote. The newspaper was also attacked by politicians and other media for offering Musk, an outsider, a platform to express his views, in favor of the AfD. Candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz, of the Christian Democratic Union, said Sunday that Musk’s comments were “intrusive and presumptuous”. He was speaking to the newspapers of the German Funke Media Group. Co-leader of the Social Democratic Party, Saskia Esken said that “Anyone who tries to influence our election from outside, who supports an anti-democratic, misanthropic party like the AfD, whether the influence is organized by the state from Russia or by the concentrated financial and media power of Elon Musk and his billionaire friends on the Springer board, must expect our tough resistance,” according to the ARD national public TV network. Musk’s opinion piece in the Welt am Sonntag was accompanied by a critical article by the future editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Jan Philipp Burgard. “Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong,” Burgard wrote. Responding to a request for comment from the German Press Agency, dpa, the current editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Ulf Poschardt, and Burgard — who is due to take over on Jan. 1 — said in a joint statement that the discussion over Musk’s piece was “very insightful. Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression.” “This will continue to determine the compass of the “world” in the future. We will develop “Die Welt” even more decisively as a forum for such debates,” they wrote to dpa.
OUT OF THE SHADOWSTech companies led a broad rally for U.S. stocks Tuesday, a boost for the market in a holiday-shortened trading session. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% in midday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 273 points, or 0.6%, as of 12:18 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite was up 1%. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.9%, while semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 0.8%. Super Micro Computer jumped 5.8%. Tesla climbed 5.1%, one of the biggest gains among S&P 500 stocks. Amazon.com rose 1.6% American Airlines slipped 0.1% after the airline briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical issue. U.S. Steel rose 1.1% a day after an influential government panel failed to reach consensus on the possible national security risks of the nearly $15 billion proposed sale to Nippon Steel of Japan. NeueHealth surged 68.9% after the health care company agreed to be taken private in a deal valued at roughly $1.3 billion. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.61% from 4.59% late Monday. European markets were mostly higher. Markets in Asia mostly gained ground. U.S. markets will close at 1 p.m. Eastern and stay closed Wednesday for Christmas. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to this week, including a weekly update on unemployment benefits on Thursday. Tuesday’s rally comes as the stock market enters what’s historically been a very cheerful season. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. The so-called “Santa rally” also correlates closely with positive returns in January and the upcoming year. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the stock market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up about 26% so far this year and remains within roughly 1.3% of the all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year.
Why Christmas is the most diverse, equitable and inclusive time of the year
Is a high-yield savings account still worth it? Here's why it may be, according to experts.PITTSBURGH (AP) — Technically, the standings still show the Pittsburgh Steelers atop the AFC North. It just doesn't exactly feel that way at the moment. While the Steelers still have everything in front of them even after a 34-17 loss in Baltimore on Saturday in which a pair of Russell Wilson turnovers and a battered defense starting to show signs of wear allowed the Ravens to pull away, the grasp they had on the division two weeks ago is now far more tenuous. There were no excuses offered afterward. Yet there's also no time to pout either. Not with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs visiting Acrisure Stadium on Christmas Day. “The one thing I’m not going to do is keep my head down," Wilson said shortly after a fourth-quarter pick-6 allowed Baltimore to pull away. "I know for us, we got so much great confidence in who we are and what we can do and how we’re going to respond.” If Pittsburgh wants the home playoff game that capturing a division title for the first time since 2020 would provide, it doesn't really have a choice. To do it, the Steelers will likely have to beat the two-time defending Super Bowl champions on three days' rest and then the Bengals in the regular-season finale, not exactly ideal opponents for an injury-marred defense that has given up more than 400 yards in consecutive weeks for the first time since the first three games of the 2019 season. Beating Philadelphia and Baltimore on the road even in the best of times is a tough ask. The Steelers came up empty twice in six days, and while Wilson's turnovers didn’t help, Pittsburgh’s inability to match up with either team in the trenches could be a far bigger problem going forward if it can't find a way to regain the physicality it showed earlier this season. True, the Ravens and Eagles have the two best running games in the league led by backs who are putting together Hall of Fame resumes. Still, every team the Steelers figure to face in the postseason will almost certainly try to follow the blueprint Philadelphia and Baltimore used so effectively. Pittsburgh's truncated schedule — the visit by the Chiefs will be its third game in 11 days — means the tackling issues that have popped up of late will have to be addressed more in theory than in practice. It's a less-than-ideal situation. Yet despite the step or two back recently, the Steelers believe that everything they want to do this season is still in front of them. That's certainly true. Wilson — who knows a thing or two about winning this time of year — remains upbeat. “We can’t let a tough game like this take us into a negative state of mind because there’s a lot more to play for and a lot more we’re searching for, and we can still win the (AFC) North,” he said. "There’s still a lot of opportunity there, too, as well. And so we just got to buckle down and get back to work.” What's working Being disruptive in the red zone. Minkah Fitzpatrick's fourth-quarter pick of Lamar Jackson — his first in 26 games — was the fifth takeaway by the Steelers inside their 20 this season, tied for second most in the NFL. What needs help Just about everything else in the red zone. The Steelers allowed Baltimore to score touchdowns on its first three drives that reached the Pittsburgh 20. The other two ended with Fitzpatrick's interception and a chip-shot field goal by Justin Tucker in the final minutes. Two short touchdown throws from Jackson to tight ends Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews bothered Steelers coach Mike Tomlin the most. “It is just too late in the year to have guys running open like that, to be quite honest with you," Tomlin said. “So we’ve got some work to do this week and try to shore some of that up.” Stock up Calvin Austin III is the only wide receiver who seems capable of being a difference-maker with George Pickens out of the lineup. The 5-foot-9 Austin has nine receptions for 130 yards over the past two games, and while Wilson's fourth down heave to Austin at the goal line in the third quarter fell incomplete, it also symbolized the faith Wilson has in a highly motivated player who thrives on being underestimated. Stock down Complementary football. The Steelers surged to the top of the division by having a team that thrived in all three phases. That hasn't happened of late. The Ravens turned Wilson's fumble into a 96-yard touchdown drive. Fitzpatrick's interception appeared to give the Steelers momentum only to have Wilson give it right back with a poor throw that Marlon Humphrey turned into the clinching score. Injuries Pickens could return from the hamstring injury that has forced him to miss the past three games. Safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring), defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin), cornerback Donte Jackson (back) could also play after sitting out against Baltimore. The news isn’t as positive for starting cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (knee) and wide receiver Ben Skowronek (hip), both of whom left against the Ravens and did not return. Key number 39 — field goals this season by Chris Boswell, five short of the NFL record set by David Akers with San Francisco in 2011. Next steps Try to heal up quickly and beat Mahomes for the first time. The Kansas City star is 3-0 against the Steelers with 14 touchdowns and zero interceptions. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Will Graves, The Associated PressSudan's war is 'deepening and widening' a famine crisis, hunger monitoring report says
Mutsvangwa and His Liberation War TikTok: Kerina
Long a cultural phenomenon, anime boasts vivid storytelling and artistically appealing artwork. Its impact has gone beyond conventional television and movies during the previous 10 years and is now rather noticeable in the gaming sector. Anime-themed games from casino games to role-playing adventures are igniting players all around’s imaginations. This tendency reflects the rising cross-appealing nature of anime as a cultural and entertainment tool, therefore changing the gaming scene in amazing ways. Are you interested in exploring this trend a bit further? If yes, keep reading. Originally the home of anime, Japan has always been associated with gaming. Anime aesthetics have been deftly combined with engrossing gameplay in titles including Pokémon, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Ball Z. Developers are using this rich visual and narrative legacy more and more as anime fandoms expand to create games appealing to a variety of consumers. Demand for interactive experiences anchored in this cherished art form has also been driven by the emergence of streaming sites like Crunchyroll and Netflix, which deliver anime to millions of fans. Playing an anime-themed game blurring the boundaries between spectator and participant gives fans a closer connection to the characters and settings they love. Unexpected but fascinatingly interesting development: the casino gaming industry has embraced anime style. Slots, card games, and even roulette with anime-inspired themes abound on online sites, so fusing the excitement of gambling with the attraction of anime images. This mix has drawn a fresh set of players, especially younger viewers conversant with anime culture. For example, 1 hour payout casinos online have also used this tendency to appeal more attractingly. These systems guarantee gamers will have a flawless experience by providing lightning-fast withdrawal times. Combining fast payouts with the captivating graphics of anime-themed casino games produces a special entertainment value that closes the distance between conventional gaming senses and current ones. Games with an anime theme go beyond adventure and role-playing genres now. From fighting games and puzzle adventures to simulation titles, developers are using anime themes with everything. Popular games like Genshin Impact and Ni no Kuni highlight the adaptability of anime-inspired design by providing amazing visuals and complex narratives meant for a worldwide audience. Mobile gaming has also embraced this trend; gacha games like Fate/Grand Order and Azur Lane enthrall millions with their anime-inspired characters and narratives. These books not only show the industry’s capacity for innovation and diversification but also represent the rising desire for experiences with anime themes. Anime-themed games have come to life in great part because of technological developments. Motion capture, high-definition visuals, and AI-driven character growth let creators design games that seem to be interactive anime episodes. Offering players immersive experiences previously the stuff of science fiction, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are also helping to shape anime-themed gaming. For example, VR games modeled by anime series let users enter magical realms and interact with cherished characters as though they were part of the narrative. This degree of involvement improves gaming as well as the emotional connection players have with their preferred anime stories. The enormous acceptance of anime-themed games is much influenced by the worldwide passion for the medium. Anime and gaming aficionados meet in a vibrant ecology built by conventions, fan art, and social media networks. Aware of this chance, game creators have been interacting with their players to customize their works to fit their tastes. Additionally enabling fans to help the creation of anime-themed games are crowdsourcing sites like Kickstarter. This cooperative method guarantees that the last product really appeals to its intended market, therefore enhancing the link between producers and customers. Anime aesthetics’ inclusion into games marks a more general change in the way the business views design and narrative than merely a fad. As games with anime appeal keep becoming popular, they open the path for creative crossovers and joint ventures. Nowadays, big-name programmers are working with anime companies to produce games with challenging visual and narrative limits. Titles that combine the finest aspects of gaming and anime not only provide entertainment value but also motivate the next generations of creators to venture into interactive narrative. The growth of games with anime themes emphasizes the dynamic and always-changing character of the gaming business. Developers are creating experiences that appeal to a broad spectrum of players by combining the intriguing artistry of anime with several gameplay techniques. Unquestionably, anime influences gaming whether via casual mobile games, classic role-playing adventures, or even casino games with one-hour payouts. Future promises even more creative and engaging anime-themed experiences as technology and fandom develop, therefore confirming this trend as a permanent presence in the gaming environment.Even though Waymo's robotaxis have surpassed the 25-million-mile mark on public roadways, AI trainers have yet to prepare these vehicles for every possible scenario. The latest incident highlights how humans—in certain situations—remain superior . X user Liam McCormick snapped a photo of a Waymo Jaguar I-PACE SUV that ignored traffic cones and work area signs and ended up stuck knee-deep in wet cement . Oops! @Waymo pic.twitter.com/DM2XaCCQ8C " There were ones, but spaced far enough apart that the Waymo was able to drive between them. New concrete poured in sections, the final section was fresh ," McCormick "aid. There were cones, but spaced far enough apart that the Waymo was able to drive between them. New concrete poured in sections, the final section was fresh. pic.twitter.com/zxhUgeOyBM Smart AI robotaxi can't outsmart wet cement. Is LiDAR to blame ?