car

AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT Graphics Card Review

Read the in depth Review of AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT Graphics Card PC Components. Know detailed info about AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT Graphics Card configuration, design and performance quality along with pros & cons, Digit rating, verdict based on user opinions/feedback.




car

AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT Graphics Card Review

Read the in depth Review of AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT Graphics Card PC Components. Know detailed info about AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT Graphics Card configuration, design and performance quality along with pros & cons, Digit rating, verdict based on user opinions/feedback.




car

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 Review

Read the in depth Review of ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 Laptops. Know detailed info about ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 configuration, design and performance quality along with pros & cons, Digit rating, verdict based on user opinions/feedback.




car

ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 3080 Ti AMP Holo Graphics Card Review

Read the in depth Review of ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 3080 Ti AMP Holo Graphics Card PC Components. Know detailed info about ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 3080 Ti AMP Holo Graphics Card configuration, design and performance quality along with pros & cons, Digit rating, verdict based on user opinions/feedback.




car

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Graphics Card Review

Read the in depth Review of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Graphics Card PC Components. Know detailed info about NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Graphics Card configuration, design and performance quality along with pros & cons, Digit rating, verdict based on user opinions/feedback.




car

Carvaan Musicbar CBWY121 Review

Read the in depth Review of Carvaan Musicbar CBWY121 Audio Video. Know detailed info about Carvaan Musicbar CBWY121 configuration, design and performance quality along with pros & cons, Digit rating, verdict based on user opinions/feedback.




car

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Graphics Card Review

Read the in depth Review of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Graphics Card PC Components. Know detailed info about NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Graphics Card configuration, design and performance quality along with pros & cons, Digit rating, verdict based on user opinions/feedback.




car

AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Graphics Card Review

Read the in depth Review of AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Graphics Card PC Components. Know detailed info about AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Graphics Card configuration, design and performance quality along with pros & cons, Digit rating, verdict based on user opinions/feedback.




car

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4070 Ti AERO OC 12G Graphics Card Review

Read the in depth Review of GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4070 Ti AERO OC 12G Graphics Card PC Components. Know detailed info about GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4070 Ti AERO OC 12G Graphics Card configuration, design and performance quality along with pros & cons, Digit rating, verdict based on user opinions/feedback.




car

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Graphics Card Review

Read the in depth Review of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Graphics Card PC Components. Know detailed info about NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Graphics Card configuration, design and performance quality along with pros & cons, Digit rating, verdict based on user opinions/feedback.




car

AMD Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card Review

Read the in depth Review of AMD Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card PC Components. Know detailed info about AMD Radeon RX 7600 Graphics Card configuration, design and performance quality along with pros & cons, Digit rating, verdict based on user opinions/feedback.




car

Here’s how you can activate your SBI debit card online: A step-by-step guide

Any State Bank of India account holder in order to activate their ATM card or a debit card can go to the online portal of SBI and do so by clicking on the e-services tab.





car

5 Killed As Speeding Car Rams Truck On Greater Noida Expressway

At least five people were killed this morning after their speeding car rammed a truck that had broken down and was parked on the roadside in Noida.




car

6 Killed, 1 Injured As Car Crashes Into Truck In Dehradun

Six people were killed and one sustained serious injuries when their car collided with a truck here early Tuesday, police said.




car

Jimmy Carter Turns 100 - 1st Ever US President To Reach Century Mark

Jimmy Carter celebrated his 100th birthday on Tuesday - the first ever US president to reach the century mark and another extraordinary milestone for the one-time peanut farmer who found his way to the White House.





car

Brace For Impact! Maruti Will Increase Price Of Almost All Cars By This Date: Check Full Details

India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has announced that it will hike the prices of its models from January 2023. It said the increase will vary for different models. Why? In a statement the automaker explained its struggles and the reason behind the hikes. “The Company continues to witness increased cost pressure driven […]




car

11 Vehicle Testing Station Officials and Car Owners Arrested for Alleged Fraud

[SAPS] - Polokwane based Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in collaboration with National Traffic Anti-corruption Unit arrested 11 suspects between the ages of 27 and 57 for alleged fraud at various Provinces during operation "SISFIKILE".





car

The Future of Driving: How Advanced DSP is Shaping Car Infotainment Systems

As vehicles transition into interconnected ecosystems, artificial intelligence and advanced technologies become increasingly crucial. Infotainment systems have evolved beyond mere music players to become central hubs for connectivity, entertainment, and navigation. With global demand for comfort, convenience, and safety rising, the automotive infotainment market is experiencing significant growth. Valued at USD14.99 billion in 2023, it is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9% from 2024 to 2030.

To keep pace with this evolution, infotainment systems must accommodate a range of workloads, including audio, voice, AI, and vision technologies. This requires a flexible, scalable Digital Signal Processor (DSP) solution that acts as an offload engine for the main application processor. Integrating a single DSP for varied functions offers a cost-effective solution for high-performance, low-power processing, which aligns well with the needs of Electric Vehicles (EVs).

If you missed the detailed presentation by Casey Ng, Product Marketing Director at Cadence at CadenceLIVE 2024, register at the CadenceLIVE On-Demand site to access it and other insightful presentations. Stay ahead of the curve and explore the future of innovative electronics with us.

Cadence Infotainment Solution: Leading the Charge

Cadence Tensilica HiFi DSPs play a crucial role in enhancing audio capabilities in vehicle infotainment systems. They support applications like voice recognition, hands-free calling, and deliver immersive audio experiences. This technology is also paramount for features such as active noise control, which reduces road and cabin noise, and acoustic event detection for identifying unusual sounds like broken glass. One notable innovation is the "audio bubble," enabling personalized audio zones within the vehicle, ensuring passengers enjoy distinct audio settings.

Cadence HiFi DSP technology enriches the driving experience for electric vehicles by mimicking traditional engine sounds, while its advanced audio processing ensures optimal performance across various digital radio standards. It significantly contributes to noise reduction, hence improving the cabin experience. Integrating a Double Precision Floating Point Unit (FPU) stands out, as it upgrades audio performance and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) through efficient 64-bit processing, allowing control over numerous speakers without hitches.

These advancements distinguish the DSP as an essential tool in evolving infotainment systems, offering unmatched performance and adaptability. Tensilica HiFi processors, crucial to advanced infotainment SoCs, serve as efficient offload processors, augmenting real-time execution and energy efficiency. Cadence’s ecosystem, with over 200 codecs and software partnerships, propels the evolution of innovative infotainment systems. Introducing the HiFi 5s DSP marks a new era in connected car experiences, setting the stage for groundbreaking advancements.

Exploring Tomorrow with HiFi 5s DSP Technology

The HiFi 5s represents the apex of audio and AI digital signal processing performance. Built on the Xtensa LX8 platform, it introduces capabilities like auto-vectorization, which allows standard C code to be automatically optimized for performance. This synergy of hardware and software co-design marks a significant step forward in DSP technology. By leveraging its extended Single Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD) capabilities alongside features like a double-precision floating-point unit (DP_FPU), the HiFi 5s delivers unparalleled precision and speed improvements in signal and audio processing tasks. Equally notable are its branch prediction and L2 cache enhancements, which optimize system performance by refining the control code execution and recognizing codec efficiency. The application of such enhancements are particularly beneficial in real-world scenarios.

AI-Powered Audio

Cadence's focus on AI integration with the HiFi 5s demonstrates significant improvements in audio clarity through AI-powered solutions.

  • AI models learn from real-world data and adapt dynamically, while classic DSP algorithms rely on fixed rules.
  • AI can be fine-tuned for specific scenarios, whereas classic DSP lacks flexibility.
  • AI handles extreme and marginal noise patterns better, generalizes well across different environments, and is robust against varying noise characteristics.

Cadence's dedication to artificial intelligence marks a pivotal shift in audio processing. Traditional DSP algorithms, bound by rigid rules, are eclipsed by AI's ability to learn dynamically from real-world data. This adaptability equips AI models to tackle challenging noise patterns and offer unmatched clarity even in noisy environments, making them ideal for automotive and consumer audio applications.

Realtime AI-Optimized Speech Enhancements by OmniSpeech and ai|coustics

OmniSpeech

Our partner, OmniSpeech, has advanced AI-based audio processing that enhances the performance of audio software, specifically for omnidirectional and dipole microphones. Impressively, their technology operates with less than 32MHz and requires only 418kB of memory.

Test results show that background noise is significantly reduced when AI employs a single omnidirectional microphone, outperforming non-AI solutions. Additionally, when using a dipole microphone with AI, there is a 3.5X improvement in the weighted Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and more than a 28% increase in the Global Mean Opinion Score (GMOS) across various background noise.

ai|coustics

ai|coustics, a Cadence partner specializing in advanced audio technologies, utilizes real-time AI-optimized speech enhancement algorithms. They leverage an extensive speech-quality dataset containing thousands of hours and 100 languages to transform low-quality audio into studio-grade audio. Their process includes:

  • De-reverb, which eliminates room resonances, echoes, and reflections
  • Removing artifacts from downsampling and codec compression
  • Dynamic and adaptive background noise removal
  • Reviving audio materials with analog and digital distortions
  • Providing support for all languages, accents, and a variety of speakers

Applications include:

  • Automotive: Enhances clarity of navigation commands and communication for driver safety
  • Consumer audio: Improves voice clarity for better dialogue understanding in TV programs. Optimizes speech intelligibility in communication for both uplink and downlink audio streams
  • Smart IoT: Boosts voice command detection and response quality

Performance Enhancements

The advancements in branch prediction and L2 cache integration have significantly boosted performance metrics across various systems. With HiFi 5s, branch prediction increases codec efficiency by an average of 5%, reaching up to 16% in optimal conditions. L2 cache improvements have drastically enhanced system-level performance, evidenced by a 2.3X boost in EVS decoder efficiency. Adding MACs and imaging ISA in imaging use cases has led to substantial advancements. When comparing HiFi 5s to HiFi 5, imaging ISA performance improvements range with >60% average performance improvements.

The Crescendo of the Future

As Cadence continues to blaze trails in DSP technology, the HiFi 5s emerges as the quintessential solution for consumer and automotive audio use cases. With a robust framework for auto-vectorization, an unmatched double-precision FPU, AI-driven audio solutions, and comprehensive system enhancements, Cadence is orchestrating the next era of audio processing, where every note is clearer, every sound richer, and every experience more engaging. It is not just the future of audio—it's the future of how we experience the world around us.

 Discover how Cadence Automotive Solutions can transform your business today!




car

A problem with setup when Monte Carlo simulation starts

Hi, 

When I try to run Monte Carlo it gives me a 3 items message for possible failure:

1. It says the machine selected in the current job setup policy isnot reachable

2. The Cadence hierarchy is not detected, not installed properly. or

3. Job start script (with a path and a name like swiftNetlistService#) is not found on the remote machines.

Any recommendation on how to fix this?




car

fDi Index: investors carried weak sentiment into January as coronavirus threat emerged

Announced greenfield projects into China plummeted in early 2020 with the US and Europe taking the lion's share of global foreign investment. 




car

The death list: These cars have been discontinued for 2025

We're already deeply into the discovery phase of the 2025 model year. With it, as usual, have come a stellar crop of new vehicles—everything from the high and mighty Chevy Corvette ZR1 to the cheeky, efficient Honda Civic Hybrid. But on the sadder end of the spectrum, we're tallying the list of vehicles that didn't make the cut—the...




car

Lucid Air cop car tested by California Highway Patrol

Lucid Motors is pitching its Air electric sedan as a potential police cruiser. On Sunday the automaker posted photos of an Air decked out in police equipment on X (formerly Twitter). Lucid said the car had recently participated in California Highway Patrol testing, but did not provide any other details. We've reached out to Lucid with questions...




car

Insight – Global decarbonisation agenda drives copper and lithium opportunities in Argentina

Argentina’s copper and lithium projects are rich in opportunities for Australian mining equipment, technology and services providers.




car

'Carry On' trailer sees Taron Egerton in Christmas airport thriller hell

Taron Egerton finds himself in a "Speed"-like Christmas Eve in the trailer for Netflix's "Carry On." Trailer.




car

Wind project off North Carolina coast gets overwhelming support

Birders and organized labor dominated a recent public comment period, while beach towns were mostly mum. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will now consider the input ahead of an anticipated auction this spring.




car

Lab Confidential: Japan Research Keeps Healthcare Data Secure

Established 77 years ago, Mitsui & Co stays vibrant by building businesses and ecosystems with new technologies like generative AI and confidential computing. Digital transformation takes many forms at the Tokyo-based conglomerate with 16 divisions. In one case, it’s an autonomous trucking service, in another it’s a geospatial analysis platform. Mitsui even collaborates with a Read Article




car

Japan Develops Next-Generation Drug Design, Healthcare Robotics and Digital Health Platforms

To provide high-quality medical care to its population — around 30% of whom are 65 or older — Japan is pursuing sovereign AI initiatives supporting nearly every aspect of healthcare. AI tools trained on country-specific data and local compute infrastructure are supercharging the abilities of Japan’s clinicians and researchers so they can care for patients, Read Article




car

Fighting the Good Fight: Fiftieth-Anniversary Interview with John MacArthur (Selected Scriptures)

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.




car

Thinking Biblically About the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Interview with John MacArthur (Selected Scriptures)

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.




car

Persecution and the Essential Church: An Interview with John MacArthur ()

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.




car

Scared to Death (Revelation 6:12-17)

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.




car

Shepherds Conference Q&A with John MacArthur and John Piper (Selected Scriptures)

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.




car

Thinking Biblically About Current Events: A Conversation with John MacArthur (Selected Scriptures)

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.




car

Police, govt dismiss Plateau bomb scare

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang and the Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, on Tuesday, dismissed the bomb scare in the state. The government, in a statement denying the explosion in Jos, the state capital, described it as “only a bomb scare.” This is despite reports of an explosion said to have occurred in the city


Read More




car

Global Warming in Round Numbers— Toward a Zero-Carbon Economy

Global Warming in Round Numbers— Toward a Zero-Carbon Economy Global Warming in Round Numbers— Toward a Zero-Carbon Economy
Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/07/2019 - 12:19

East-West Wire

Tagline
News, Commentary, and Analysis
East-West Wire

The East-West Wire is a news, commentary, and analysis service provided by the East-West Center in Honolulu. Any part or all of the Wire content may be used by media with attribution to the East-West Center or the person quoted. To receive East-West Center Wire media releases via email, subscribe here.

For links to all East-West Center media programs, fellowships and services, see www.eastwestcenter.org/journalists.

Explore

East-West Wire

Tagline
News, Commentary, and Analysis
East-West Wire

The East-West Wire is a news, commentary, and analysis service provided by the East-West Center in Honolulu. Any part or all of the Wire content may be used by media with attribution to the East-West Center or the person quoted. To receive East-West Center Wire media releases via email, subscribe here.

For links to all East-West Center media programs, fellowships and services, see www.eastwestcenter.org/journalists.

Explore




car

Lebombo Border reopens for cargo amid safety concerns




car

US carried out strikes against Iranian-linked targets in Syria

washington — The U.S. military said Monday that it had carried out strikes against nine targets associated with Iranian groups in Syria.  In a statement, the U.S. military said the strikes were made against two locations in Syria and were a response to several attacks on U.S. personnel in Syria in the past 24 hours.  The U.S. has occasionally carried out strikes against targets linked to Iran in both Iraq and Syria. In February, the U.S. launched airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against more than 85 targets linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and militias it backs, in retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. troops.  "These strikes will degrade the Iranian backed groups' ability to plan and launch future attacks on U.S. and coalition forces," the U.S. military said after the most recent strikes.  The U.S. has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in neighboring Iraq, on a mission to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large swaths of both countries but was later defeated.  The U.S. has sent warships and fighter aircraft to the region since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, to try to deter Iran and Iran-backed groups from getting involved in the conflict.  U.S. forces have also helped shoot down projectiles that Iran launched toward Israel this year. 




car

Car owners who fraudulently received roadworthy certificates traced in Gauteng, Limpopo and KZN and arrested




car

Earthshot youth leader Lesedi Monnanyane on fighting pollution and water scarcity




car

Eastern Cape cops shoot dead two suspects en-route to carry out cash heist




car

Limpopo cops intercept truck carrying R1 million illicit cigarettes from Zimbabwe, two arrested




car

New Zealand's leaders formally apologize to survivors of abuse in state and church care

wellington, new zealand — New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made a “formal and unreserved” apology in Parliament on Tuesday for the widespread abuse, torture and neglect of hundreds of thousands of children and vulnerable adults in care. “It was horrific. It was heartbreaking. It was wrong. And it should never have happened,” Luxon said, as he spoke to lawmakers and a public gallery packed with survivors of the abuse. An estimated 200,000 people in state, foster and faith-based care suffered “unimaginable” abuse over a period of seven decades, a blistering report released in July said at the end of the largest inquiry ever undertaken in New Zealand. They were disproportionately Māori, New Zealand’s Indigenous people. “For many of you it changed the course of your life, and for that, the government must take responsibility,” Luxon said. He said he was apologizing for previous governments too. In foster and church care — as well as in state-run institutions, including hospitals and residential schools — vulnerable people “should have been safe and treated with respect, dignity and compassion," he added. “But instead, you were subjected to horrific abuse and neglect and, in some cases, torture.” The findings of the six-year investigation believed to be the widest-ranging of comparable probes worldwide were a “national disgrace,” the inquiry's report said. New Zealand's investigation followed two decades of such inquiries around the globe as nations struggle to reckon with authorities’ transgressions against children removed from their families and placed in care. Of 650,000 children and vulnerable adults in New Zealand's state, foster, and church care between 1950 and 2019 — in a country that today has a population of 5 million — nearly a third endured physical, sexual, verbal or psychological abuse. Many more were exploited or neglected. “We will never know that true number,” Chris Hipkins, the leader of the opposition, told Parliament. “Many people entering into state and faith-based institutions were undocumented. Records were incomplete, they've gone missing, and in some cases, yes, they were deliberately destroyed.” In response to the findings, New Zealand’s government agreed for the first time that historical treatment of some children in a notorious state-run hospital amounted to torture — a claim successive administrations had rejected. “I am deeply sorry that New Zealand did not do better by you. I am sorry you were not believed when you came forward to report your abuse,” Luxon said. “I am sorry that many abusers were not made to face justice which meant that other people experienced abuse that could have been prevented.” His government was working on 28 of the inquiry's 138 recommendations, Luxon said, although he did not yet have concrete details on financial redress, which the inquiry had exhorted since 2021 and said could run to billions of dollars. Luxon was decried by some survivors and advocates earlier Tuesday for not divulging compensation plans alongside the apology. He told Parliament a single redress system would be established in 2025. He did not, however, suggest a figure for the amount the government expected to pay. “There will be a big bill, but it's nothing compared to the debt we owe those survivors and it must not be the reason for any further delay,” said Hipkins, the opposition leader. Survivors began to arrive at Parliament hours before the apology, having won spots in the public gallery — which only seats about 200 people — by ballot. Some were reluctant to accept the state's words, because they said the scale of the horror was not yet fully understood by lawmakers and public servants. Jeering was so loud during an apology from the country's solicitor-general that her speech was inaudible. Others called out or left the room in tears while senior public servants from relevant health and welfare agencies spoke before Luxon's remarks. Survivors invited to give speeches were required to do so before Luxon's apology — rather than in response to it, said Tu Chapman, one of those asked to speak. “Right now I feel alone and in utter despair at the way in which this government has undertaken the task of acknowledging all survivors,” she told a crowd at Parliament. The abuse "ripped families and communities apart, trapping many into a life of prison, incarceration, leaving many uneducated,” said Keith Wiffin — a survivor of abuse in a notorious state-run boys' home. “It has tarred our international reputation as an upholder of human rights, something this nation likes to dine out on.” The inquiry's recommendations included seeking apologies from state and church leaders, among them Pope Francis. It also endorsed creating offices to prosecute abusers and enact redress, renaming streets and monuments dedicated to abusers, reforming civil and criminal law, rewriting the child welfare system and searching for unmarked graves at psychiatric facilities. Its writers were scathing about how widely the abuse — and the identities of many abusers — were known about for years, with nothing done to stop it. “This has meant you have had to re-live your trauma over and over again,” said Luxon. “Agencies should have done better and must commit to doing so in the future.” He did not concede that public servants or ministers in his government who had denied state abuse was widespread when they served in previous administrations should lose their jobs. Luxon has also rejected suggestions by survivors that policies he has enacted which disproportionately target Māori — such as crackdowns on gangs and the establishment of military-style boot camps for young offenders — undermine his government's regret about the abuse. Māori are over-represented in prisons and gangs. In 2023, 68% of children in state care were Māori, although they are less than 20% of New Zealand's population. “It's not enough to say sorry,” said Fa’afete Taito, a survivor of violent abuse at another state-run home, and a former gang member. “It's what you do to heal the wounds of your actions and make sure it never happens again that really counts.”




car

Migrant caravan of 3,000 heads north in Mexico

A caravan of approximately 3,000 migrants set off on Tuesday from southern Mexico, headed toward the United States on the day when U.S. voters were deciding between U.S. presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Immigration has been a key issue in the U.S. election campaign. Before heading northward, the migrants gathered in Tapachula, the capital of the southern Chiapas state, carrying banners with messages such as "NO MORE MIGRANT BLOOD" and images of the Virgin of Guadalupe, an important religious and cultural symbol in Mexico, according to Reuters witnesses. "We want U.S. authorities to see us, to see that we are people who want to work, not to harm anyone," said Honduran migrant Roy Murillo, who joined the caravan with his two children and his pregnant wife. In recent years, several caravans with people hoping to enter the United States have attempted to reach the U.S.-Mexican border, traveling in mass groups for safety. Most have dispersed along the way. "I'm afraid to travel alone with my family. Here, the cartels either kidnap you or kill you. ... That's why we're coming in the caravan," Murillo said. Murillo recounted his unsuccessful attempts to secure an asylum appointment through a mobile app developed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency. Tapachula, a mandatory crossing point for tens of thousands of migrants, has become one of Mexico's most violent cities in recent months, with migrants frequently targeted by organized crime, according to official data. "I feel suffocated here. That's why we decided to leave," said 28-year-old Venezuelan migrant Thais, who spoke on condition that her surname not be used due to safety concerns. She joined the caravan with her husband and 3-year-old daughter. "I wish Mr. Trump and Ms. Kamala would see that we are human beings, that we want to live and support our families," she added. Voters cast ballots on Tuesday in the race between Vice President Harris, a Democrat seeking to become the first female U.S. president, and Trump, a Republican immigration hard-liner aiming to regain the presidency.




car

Locals move to protect Chile's giant desert geoglyphs scarred by off-roaders 

IQUIQUE, Chile — Over a thousand years ago, the hundreds of giant geoglyphs carved into the desert in northern Chile were a bustling scene. They marked sources of water in the vast arid landscape and were where locals came together to trade skins, animals and fish. Now the carvings are scarred with hundreds of tire tracks from motorcycles and off-road vehicles tearing through the art creations in the landscape and permanently disfiguring them. "It's practically destroyed by motorcycles, off-roaders," said Jose Barraza, general director of the regional national patrimony office. He said various groups were trying to preserve the site to prevent any more destruction - but also without restoring it to its former glory, to show the error of people's ways in the future. "[It] will be an example that shows future generations what not to do with our heritage, no matter how painful or how much anger, discomfort or resentment we feel towards it," he said. Local resident Angelo Araya says the community has been working with a local museum and authorities to try and "put an end to the destruction." The goal, Araya says, is to stop motorcycle and off-road vehicles from damaging the site further and "to make everyone aware that this is not just a heritage site, but that it belongs to all of us." The site has gone through many phases, going from a place to barter, to an abandoned site, to one where people were looking for gold. Eventually Chile's national forests association CONAF turned the area into part of the Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserve. Sand board instructor Franco Diaz said the government should physically close off access to the sites as the geoglyphs are difficult to spot. "If a jeep driver goes behind the hill, he won't notice if there's a geoglyph," Diaz said. "They should close the perimeter and protect these sites that are over 1,000 years old."




car

Taiwan says on 'alert' as China aircraft carrier detected to its south

Taiwan was on "alert" as it detected a Chinese aircraft carrier to its south on Sunday, the self-ruled island's defense ministry said.




car

Sanlam installs water tanks at Soweto school, spotlighting water scarcity crisis




car

SIM card scam hub in Pasay raided

The police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group raided a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card scam hub in Pasay last week.