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SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring ‘Bakeru’ & ‘Peglin’, Plus Highlights From Nintendo’s Blockbuster Sale

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 2nd, 2024. I think it’s a holiday today in …






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Trump's plan for people struggling with mental illness, addiction and homelessness

Trump wants to return to the use of mental institutions and proposes tent cities to deal with people who are unhoused and have mental illness. Experts say it's beyond the scope of federal authority.




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Trump to nominate Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be defense secretary

President-elect Donald Trump has announced he will nominate Fox News host Pete Hegseth to serve as secretary of defense. Hegseth is a combat veteran who has long advocated for veterans.




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Tesla posts bigger-than-expected loss, bigger-than-expected revenue [Updated]

Company expects to be cash flow positive in the next two quarters.






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Europe's richest man sues world's richest man!


Europe's richest man sues world's richest man!


(Second column, 2nd story, link)


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Friends burn to death in TESLA as electronic doors wouldn't open after crash...


Friends burn to death in TESLA as electronic doors wouldn't open after crash...


(First column, 15th story, link)


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Former Salesforce president named Amperity CEO

He replaces interim CEO Chris Jones, who had been filling in since the previous CEO stepped down in June.




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Sacramento-based Zennify buys Virginia tech firm specialized in AI development

Sacramento-based Zennify, a tech consulting firm for financial service companies, has acquired Terazo, a digital engineering firm based in Richmond, Virginia.




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Innovation Works opens grant application for hardware startups

The grant program provides hardware startups with reimbursement for working with local manufacturers.




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Software unicorn Sirion appears to have moved its headquarters out of Washington

The contract software company closed a $110 million Series D round in 2023, one of the largest venture capital deals in Washington last year.




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What Would Happen to a Decomposing Body in Space?

As humans leave space junk behind, there may come a time when human bodies would need to decompose in space. Learn how this happens and why it's a slow process.




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New Telescope Could Potentially Identify Planet X

Are there hidden planets in our solar system? New technologies, like the powerful Rubin Observatory, brings us closer to answers.




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How to Overcome Your Device Dependency and Manage a Successful Digital Detox

Getting outside – without your phone – is one way to disconnect.




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Revisiting Human Remains at Pompeii Rewrites the Story of Mt. Vesuvius’ Victims

Combining DNA analysis, archeological techniques, and historical records overturns some assumptions of the people of Pompeii.




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Voices: Who should replace Gary Lineker on Match of the Day? Join The Independent Debate

Should the BBC pass the torch to a seasoned veteran or opt for a fresh voice when Lineker steps down?




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The dark world of Nineties boybands: ‘They put a bucket by the stage so I could spew’

Screaming girls. Sudden riches. Your face on the cover of Smash Hits magazine. Life in a Nineties boyband sounds like a dream, but one survivor of the maelstrom likens it more to being in the military. Jessie Thompson goes behind the scenes of revealing new BBC documentary ‘Boybands Forever’




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Dutch appeals court overturns landmark climate ruling against Shell

The original 2021 ruling ordered Shell to cut its carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. The appeals court said there is "insufficient consensus" on a specific reduction percentage.






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LGBTI people can get a free breast screen with BreastScreen Victoria

This Thursday and Saturday, BreastScreen Victoria is providing free LGBTI specific mammogram sessions to women and trans and gender diverse people over the age of 40, as part of their ...

The post LGBTI people can get a free breast screen with BreastScreen Victoria appeared first on Star Observer.




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Volcanic eruption in Indonesia leaves at least 10 people dead

Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency said Monday that at least 10 people have died as a series of volcanic eruptions widens on the remote island of Flores.




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First ferret babies born from a clone bring new hope for their species

Sibert and Red Cloud, black-footed ferret siblings at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, are the first members of an endangered species born to a cloned animal.



  • Radio/As It Happens

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Those strange clouds over Vancouver are called 'asperitas,' and they are very rare

The rare type of cloud, whose name is Latin for "roughness," was first observed in 2006 by an amateur cloudspotter in Iowa.



  • News/Canada/British Columbia

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Gus the penguin makes mysterious solo trip to popular Australian beach

An emperor penguin found malnourished far from its Antarctic home on the Australian south coast is being cared for by a wildlife expert, a government department said Monday.




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Moss Agate: Meaning, Metaphysical Properties, and Healing Uses

Moss Agate meaning revolves around growth, emotional healing, and nature's balance. Discover its grounding energy and how it fosters abundance and inner peace.




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Apophyllite Crystal: Meaning, Healing Properties, and Benefits

Apophyllite: Discover the healing powers of apophyllite crystals, known for enhancing clarity, intuition, and spiritual growth. Perfect for meditation and relaxation.




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Adjacent Angles: Types and Examples

Adjacent angles are one of the earliest and most important concepts to learn in basic geometry, as they have applications in further subjects like trigonometry, physics, and engineering. Effective students of geometry should be able to identify adjacent angles on sight and calculate them to a great degree of accuracy without a protractor.




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Headspace's Black Friday deals discounts subscriptions by 50 percent

The winter holidays are upon us and despite the festive feelings we might be hoping for, this time of year is often paired with increased stress, worry and anxiety. Fortunately, there are some great tools for helping to manage those negative emotions while promoting positive ones. One of those tools is the Headspace mental health app, which is running a three-week Black Friday deal. From November 12 through December 4, you can snag a Headspace annual plan for half off. This subscription normally costs $70 a year, but during this promotion, you can access the service for $35 billed annually. And what better time than the holiday chaos to gift someone (or heck, to gift yourself) a little bit of mindfulness?

Headspace's service has features to help users with meditation, sleep tools, mindfulness and general mental health. Its holistic approach made Headspace stand out as one of our top picks for meditation apps. Reviewer Lawrence Bonk appreciated how well Headspace created progression across its courses, as well as the chance to pick from different instructors so that any user can find the meditation guidance that will work best for their individual brains. This app is also getting the AI treatment. Headspace has introduced an AI companion named Ebb that can help users by recommending meditations and activities to best match their current challenges. 

Since this is a year-long subscription, it's a gift that keeps on giving for whoever you choose to buy this plan for. Having a happier brain is a present anyone can appreciate.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/headspaces-black-friday-deals-discounts-subscriptions-by-50-percent-140026483.html?src=rss




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One of our favorite Anker power banks is 41 percent off for Black Friday

I'm a big fan of Anker's chargers, especially its portable ones, as they tend to be sleek, fast and small enough to shove in my pocket (the last bit is a requirement for me). While the company's products run the gambit price-wise, there's a big sale on one of Anker's more expensive options: the 200W Prime Power Bank. Right now, you can get this power bank and its 100W charging base for just $110, down from $185 — a 41 percent discount.

Anker's 200W portable charger is our choice for best premium power bank thanks to features like charging an iPhone in an average of one hour and 48 minutes. One of the best parts of the power bank is its sleek screen, which shows the power coming in or out and how much battery the accessory is holding. This feature is much more exact than the four dots on my cheaper (but still loved) Anker Nano Power Bank

The power bank and charging base both offer one USB port and two USB-C ports so there's plenty of ways to charge your devices. The base also uses magnets to secure its pins to the power bank and charge it upright. Our biggest quip with the power bank was its high price, but with this sale it's definitely worth looking into. 

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-anker-power-banks-is-41-percent-off-for-black-friday-161543537.html?src=rss




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Shell wins appeal in Dutch court after three-year battle against green groups

Climate activists won against Shell in 2021 when a Dutch court commanded the oil giant to reduce its carbon emissions by 45 percent by the end of 2030. Three years later, Shell managed to win its appeal against this ruling. In the court's view, Shell doesn’t have a “social standard of care” to curtail emissions, the BBC reports.

The 2021 ruling was noteworthy, as it was the first time a court made a private company obey the 2015 Paris Agreement in addition to Dutch law. However, the appeals court judge said that while Shell had an obligation to reduce emissions, a 45 percent cut could not be established as there is no universally accepted amount. Shell’s statement says it’s planning to reduce its products’ carbon intensity by a comparatively paltry 15 to 20 percent by 2030 compared to a 2016 baseline.

The 2021 ruling would only be effective in the Netherlands as well. Shell wouldn’t have been legally obligated to follow the lower court's ruling for its operations outside Dutch territory. Now even that small gain is off the table for now.

The activists, who are largely associated with Milieudefensie (the Dutch branch of Friends of the Earth), issued a statement promising to continue the fight against climate change. “Large polluters are powerful. But united, we as people have the power to change them,” said Donald Pols, Director of Milieudefensie. They’re now trying to take the case to the Supreme Court, but getting a final verdict will likely take years.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/shell-wins-appeal-in-dutch-court-after-three-year-battle-against-green-groups-165543894.html?src=rss




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Meta cuts the price of its ad-free plan by 40 percent in a bid to sate EU regulators

Meta has long been at loggerheads with European Union officials over its approach to targeted Facebook and Instagram ads. The company is hoping to placate regulators with some changes to its ad model in the bloc, which includes lowering the price of its ad-free subscription. Starting November 13, the plan will cost 40 percent less — €6 ($6.36) per month for signups via the web and €8 ($8.48) for those who subscribe on an iOS or Android device. The fee for each additional Facebook and Instagram account is €4 per month on the web and €5 via mobile.

The company will automatically drop current subscribers down to the lower pricing. It says that it will once again ask users in the bloc if they'd like to sign up.

When they see this prompt (which can only be ignored for a certain period of time), there will be a third option for EU Facebook and Instagram users to choose from. Those who don't want to pay for a subscription can instead opt to only view ads that are based on what they see in a given session in the apps. Meta will also factor in a few key data markers such as "a person’s age, location, gender and how a person engages with ads."

These less-personalized ads naturally won't be as tailored to a given user's interests, the company notes. As such, people are perhaps less likely to click on such ads. To make up for that (and make sure this option doesn't hit Meta in the pocket too hard), folks who choose the less-personalized ads option will sometimes encounter unskippable ads. According to The Wall Street Journal, these will be displayed full screen.

"Such ad breaks are common across other services, and are already offered by many of our competitors," Meta argues. "This change will help us continue to provide value to advertisers which ensures we can offer people a less personalized ads experience at no charge."

Targeted ads are Meta's biggest revenue driver, but EU officials have reportedly been pressuring the company to offer a free, less-personalized option in its apps. Meta has argued that would negatively impact its bottom line. Although it has seemingly caved to officials' requests, the unskippable ad aspect may be construed as malicious compliance, as it worsens the user experience.

Meta claims that these changes to its ad model "meet EU regulator demands and go beyond what’s required" by the bloc's laws. The company introduced its ad-free subscription a year ago to comply with laws such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA), as well as stricter interpretations of the General Data Protection Regulation. It was previously ordered to seek permission from users in the bloc before showing them personalized ads.

The EU didn't take too kindly to the paid ad-free approach, however. An investigation into the "consent or pay" model is ongoing. In July, the EU said that in its preliminary findings, Meta was violating the DMA with this plan.

These latest changes are said to be Meta's attempt to settle the case, but according to the Journal, the EU's discussions with the company haven't concluded. The bloc's regulatory body has until late March to finish its investigation and make a final decision. If it determines that Meta has indeed violated the DMA, the company could be on the hook for a fine of up to 10 percent of its annual global revenue. Based on its total revenue for 2023, it could have to pay up as much as $13 billion or so.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-cuts-the-price-of-its-ad-free-plan-by-40-percent-in-a-bid-to-sate-eu-regulators-174926790.html?src=rss




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23andMe is laying off 40 percent of its staff

More than 200 employees of 23andMe are being laid off as part of the company’s ongoing cost-cutting measures. The layoffs will impact 40 percent of the genetic testing company’s workforce.

23andMe CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki said in a statement released on Monday that the staff reduction would save the beleaguered company more than $35 million. She called the layoffs “difficult but necessary actions as we restructure 23andMe and focus on the long-term success of our core consumer business and research partnerships.”

The company also announced it will start to shut down its therapeutics clinical programs that used its genetic database to research and develop new drugs. The therapeutics division housed two “immuno-oncology programs” that investigated therapeutic antibodies “designed to restore the ability of the body’s immune cells to kill cancer cells,” according to the division’s website.

The San Francisco-based company has not had an easy year. Hackers hit the genetics giant in April of last year and leaked information of 6.9 million customers. The data breach went unnoticed for a year and a half, leading to a $30 million settlement of a class action lawsuit and resignations from the company’s entire board.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/23andme-is-laying-off-40-percent-of-its-staff-221207302.html?src=rss




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Coupe Billie Jean King: le Canada pour un improbable doublé

Leylah Fernandez et ses compatriotes auront fort à faire pour conserver leur titre.




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Les Penguins vont-ils congédier leur entraîneur?

Ça va mal pour Sidney Crosby et ses coéquipiers.




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Canadien: Il faut parfois laisser son petit frère gagner

J’ai beaucoup de mal à comprendre ce qu’il y a d’étonnant dans le fait que le Canadien soit dernier au classement.




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Threat facing Aussie super gains

A VOLATILE year for our superannuation savings looks likely to end in positive territory as long as global markets don’t crash this week.




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Secret tape not the only talking point

THE reasons behind a decision to release a secret expletive-laden recording of former Chief Justice Tim Carmody are almost as juicy as the tape is expected to be.




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Three suspected rebels killed in Indian Kashmir clashes

Mumbai (AFP) Nov 2, 2024
Indian security forces killed three suspected militants in two separate firefights in disputed Kashmir, the army and a senior police official said Saturday. Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947 and is home to a long-running insurgency. The first firefight broke out after Indian troops moved to check




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Europe dispatches Proba-3 satellites to India for December eclipse mission

Paris, France (SPX) Nov 03, 2024
ESA's Proba-3 mission, designed to create a solar eclipse in space, is leaving Europe to head to its Indian launch site. The mission's two spacecraft, designed to align precisely in orbit so one will block the Sun for the other, have departed from Redwire Space's facilities in Kruibeke, Belgium. The pair will be transported to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre near Chennai, India, to prepare for th




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Ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz are for sale nearly 2 decades after they were stolen

A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz are on the auction block nearly two decades after a thief stole the iconic shoes, convinced they were adorned with real jewels.




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Kim Kardashian debuts Princess Diana pendant

Billionaire and social media mogul Kim Kardashian finally wore the Princess Diana-owned pendant she bought last year. She debuted the amethyst and diamond cross, purchased in January 2023 for £163,800 (roughly $265,000 Cdn), at the LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles on Saturday. 




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Safety experts outline what Toronto Taylor Swift fans should know

As Toronto readies for Taylor Swift's arrival this week, some crowd management and planning experts say additional safety precautions should be taken when tens of thousands of fans fill the city's downtown core on show nights.



  • News/Canada/Toronto

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27 000$ dérobés à Hydro-Québec: un avocat de Laval a volé de l’électricité pendant 14 ans

Un avocat de Laval épinglé pour son compteur d’Hydro-Québec trafiqué qui lui a fait économiser près de 27 000$ d’électricité devra payer une amende.




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[EN IMAGES] Vol spectaculaire: un guichet automatique extirpé d’une caisse Desjardins en Mauricie

Des voleurs ont réussi à dérober un guichet automatique en le tirant à travers la devanture vitrée de l’immeuble à l’aide d’un camion.




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«C’était absolument nécessaire»: Laurence Jalbert a tout arrêté pendant deux mois pour guérir de la COVID

Laurence Jalbert a dû tout arrêter pendant deux mois