Its Google.

 

UK papers urge public to support king as cancer treatment starts

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LONDON, Feb 6, 2024 (Net) – King Charles’s III’s cancer diagnosis splashed the front page of every British national newspaper Tuesday, with publications praising the monarch for revealing his illness and urging readers to rally behind him.
The Sun tabloid said Monday’s shock announcement by Buckingham Palace, which sparked a flood of support from around the world, would heighten awareness about the condition.

“We should applaud Charles for choosing to reveal his cancer diagnosis in order to assist public under-standing for those around the world who are affected by cancer,” the tabloid wrote.
“Over the decades, His Majesty has been there for so many people, visiting hospitals and offering them hope,” it added.
“Now it is time for the nation to show how much they care for him, which I am sure they will.”
Charles, who became king upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on September 8, 2022, has generally enjoyed good health, barring injuries from polo and skiing.
But the palace said that during his recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement “a separate issue of concern was noted” and that he had begun treatment.
Most papers carried portraits of Charles on their front page. The Sun went with “King: I have cancer” as its headline, while fellow redtop The Daily Mirror had “King’s cancer shock”.
The Daily Telegraph newspaper said the 75-year-old monarch’s diagnosis should be “no cause for alarm” and that from all accounts “the prognosis is good”.
“The key to dealing with cancer is to catch it early and that appears to have happened here,” the newspa-per wrote in an editorial.
The Times took a more sceptical tone, saying that by refusing to disclose the precise form of cancer, Buckingham Palace may well start the rumour mill churning.
“By chosing to be open one minute and not the next, they may well inspire unwanted speculation,” the newspaper wrote.

“This strategy, however, runs the risk of leaving many people to assume that the King’s condition is more sinister than the Palace is letting on.”
The Guardian newspaper, less adoring of the British royal family than its rivals, said the king’s diagnosis will “once again” raise questions about whether it is fair to expect a man in his mid-70s to “fulfil a rota of public duties”.
“He in effect started his new job a decade after most men retire,” the newspaper wrote.

Russia, China accuse US of stoking Mideast tensions

 

UNITED NATIONS, United States, Feb 6, 2024 (Net) – Russia and China accused the United States dur-ing a UN Security Council meeting on Monday of stoking already high tensions in the Middle East with its recent retaliatory strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria.
The US military struck dozens of targets in Syria and Iraq overnight on Friday into Saturday, in retalia-tion for a January 28 drone attack on a base in Jordan that killed three US soldiers.
The strikes, which targeted elite Iranian units and pro-Iranian groups, have led to fears that the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza could spiral into a regional conflict.
“It’s clear that American airstrikes are specifically, deliberately aimed to stoke the conflict,” said Russian ambassador Vasily Nebenzia, whose country had called for the emergency meeting.

China’s ambassador Jun Zhang similarly claimed that the “US actions will certainly exacerbate the vi-cious cycle of tit-for-tat violence in the Middle East.”
Anger over Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza — which began after an unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7 — has grown across the Middle East, stoking violence involving Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
A UN official called for “all parties to step back from the brink and to consider the unbearable human and economic cost of a potential regional conflict.”
“I appeal to the Council to continue to actively engage all concerned parties to prevent further escalation and the worsening of tensions that undermine regional peace and security,” said Rosemary DiCarlo, un-der-secretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs.
The American strikes have drawn criticism from the governments of Iraq and Syria, and also from Iran, which denies any role in last month’s drone attack.
“Any attempt to attribute these actions to Iran or its armed forces is misleading, baseless and unaccepta-ble,” Iranian ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the Council on Monday.
He pledged that if Iran faces “any threat, attack or aggression affecting its security,” it would “not hesi-tate to exercise its inherent rights… to respond firmly.”
The White House said Sunday it plans more retaliatory action.
“Let me be clear, United States does not desire more conflict in a region when we are actively working to contain and deescalate the conflict in Gaza,” said deputy ambassador Robert Wood.
He added: “We are not seeking a direct conflict with Iran, but we will continue to defend our personnel against unacceptable attacks. Period.”

কনটেন্ট ক্রিয়েটরদের স্বাগত জানাচ্ছে হোয়াইট হাউস

 

প্রেসিডেন্ট ডোনাল্ড ট্রাম্পের বর্তমান প্রশাসনে হোয়াইট হাউস মিডিয়া নীতিতে বড় পরিবর্তন আনা হয়েছে। এবার থেকে প্রচলিত সংবাদমাধ্যমের পাশাপাশি নতুন মিডিয়ার প্রতিনিধি—যেমন পডকাস্টার, ব্লগার এবং সোশ্যাল মিডিয়া প্রভাবশালীদেরও সংবাদ ব্রিফিংয়ে অংশ নেওয়ার সুযোগ দেওয়া হবে।

মঙ্গলবার নিজের প্রথম সংবাদ ব্রিফিংয়ে ট্রাম্প প্রশাসনের ২৭ বছর বয়সী কনিষ্ঠ প্রেস সেক্রেটারি ক্যারোলিন লেভিট বলেন, মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের তরুণ জনগোষ্ঠী এখন প্রচলিত টেলিভিশন এবং পত্রিকার পরিবর্তে পডকাস্ট, ব্লগ এবং সোশ্যাল মিডিয়ার মাধ্যমে সংবাদ গ্রহণ করছে। এই পরিবর্তনকে বিবেচনায় রেখে হোয়াইট হাউসের বার্তা আরও বেশি মানুষের কাছে পৌঁছে দেওয়ার জন্য আমাদের এই উদ্যোগ।  

তিনি আরও জানান, ব্রিফিং রুমে ‘নিউ মিডিয়া আসন’ নামে একটি নির্দিষ্ট স্থান বরাদ্দ করা হয়েছে, যেখানে হোয়াইট হাউসের প্রচলিত প্রেস স্টাফের আসন থাকত। এখন থেকে নতুন মিডিয়ার প্রতিনিধি এই আসনগুলোতে বসবেন।  

ট্রাম্প প্রশাসন পূর্ববর্তী সরকারের সময়ে বাতিল হওয়া ৪৪০টি প্রেস পাস পুনর্বহাল করবে বলে জানিয়েছে। একই সঙ্গে, হোয়াইট হাউসের নতুন ওয়েবসাইট (whitehouse.gov/newmedia) থেকে নতুন মিডিয়ার প্রতিনিধিরা প্রেস ক্রেডেনশিয়াল আবেদন করতে পারবেন।  

ক্যারোলিন লেভিট আরও জানান, আমাদের লক্ষ্য, বৈধ সংবাদ তৈরির কাজ যারা করেন, তাদের জন্য মাধ্যম নির্বিশেষে সমান সুযোগ তৈরি করা। হোক সেটা টিকটকের ভিডিও, ব্লগ বা পডকাস্ট। যদি সংবাদবিষয়ক কনটেন্ট হয়, তবে সবাই আবেদন করতে পারবেন।  

প্রেস ব্রিফিংয়ের প্রথম প্রশ্নটি তিনি কনজারভেটিভ সংবাদমাধ্যম ব্রেইটবার্টের একজন প্রতিনিধিকে করার সুযোগ দেন, যা প্রচলিত ধারা থেকে একটি নতুন পদক্ষেপ। তিনি আরও জানান, অ্যাসোসিয়েটেড প্রেসসহ অন্যান্য ঐতিহ্যবাহী সংবাদমাধ্যমের প্রতিনিধিরাও প্রতিদিনের ব্রিফিংয়ে তাদের জায়গা পাবে।  

লেভিট বলেন, আমরা প্রথম সংশোধনী (First Amendment) রক্ষা করতে দৃঢ়প্রতিজ্ঞ। এটি নিশ্চিত করা হবে যে, যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের প্রতিটি বৈধ সংবাদমাধ্যম হোয়াইট হাউসে প্রতিনিধিত্ব পায়।

এই উদ্যোগের মাধ্যমে ট্রাম্প প্রশাসন বর্তমান ডিজিটাল যুগের সংবাদ গ্রহণের ধরনকে স্বীকৃতি দিয়েছে। সোশ্যাল মিডিয়া প্রভাবশালী এবং স্বাধীন কনটেন্ট ক্রিয়েটরদের সুযোগ দেওয়ার মধ্য দিয়ে তারা প্রচলিত সংবাদমাধ্যমের বাইরেও নতুন মিডিয়ার সঙ্গে যুক্ত হওয়ার দ্বার খুলে দিয়েছে।

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed elected President of the UAE

 

Supreme Council of the UAE on Saturday elected His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi, as the President of the UAE. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, who served as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi since November 2004, will also be the 17th Ruler of Abu Dhabi. According to a Wam statement, the Federal Supreme Council convened at Al Mushrif Palace in Abu Dhabi and unanimously elected Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed as the UAE President. The new president is set to hold office for a five-year term before being eligible for re-election. The meeting was chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and attended by the UAE rulers. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed has also served as the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces since January 2005. He is known for playing a key role in developing the UAE Armed Forces in terms of strategic planning, training, organisational structure and promoting defence capabilities. Under his leadership, the UAE Armed Forces has emerged as a leading institution that is widely admired by international military organisations. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid congratulated the new president upon his election. Hailing Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed as “the carrier of Sheikh Zayed’s legacy, the founder of our centennial and the protector of our union,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid pledged allegiance to the successor. “Our country shall follow him towards the path of glory and prosperity.” The Federal Supreme Council members and Rulers of the UAE reaffirmed their keenness to continue implementing the principles laid down by the late president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who carried on the legacy of the UAE’s Founding Father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The late rulers' contributions have gained the UAE a prominent stature on the regional and international scale. In a statement, the council expressed its full confidence that the people of the UAE will remain, as Sheikh Zayed and the founders believed, "a faithful guardian of the Union and its gains at all levels". The UAE began 40 days of mourning on Friday following the death of President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who ruled the UAE since 2004. Government and private offices have been shut for three days starting Saturday, with work to resume on Tuesday, May 17.

Nobel Prize in medicine awarded to David and Ardem

 

how humans perceive temperature and pressure through nerve impulses, reports CNN. "Our ability to sense heat, cold and touch is essential for survival and underpins our interaction with the world around us," the Nobel Assembly said in a statement announcing the prize. "David Julius utilized capsaicin, a pungent compound from chili peppers that induces a burning sensation, to identify a sensor in the nerve endings of the skin that responds to heat. Ardem Patapoutian used pressure-sensitive cells to discover a novel class of sensors that respond to mechanical stimuli in the skin and internal organs," it added.

Party mode

 

মোদিকে ফোনে অস্ত্র কেনার চাপ ট্রাম্পের

 

                                     ডোনাল্ড ট্রাম্প (বামে) ও নরেন্দ্র মোাদি। ফাইল ছবি

 আগামী দিনে যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের সঙ্গে ভারতের দ্বিপাক্ষিক সম্পর্ক মসৃণ থাকবে না বলে ধারণা কূটনৈতিক মহলের। তাদের মতে, দ্বিতীয় মেয়াদে প্রেসিডেন্ট হিসেবে ক্ষমতার মসনদে বসার পর নরেন্দ্র মোদির সঙ্গে প্রথম কথোপকথনেই তা স্পষ্ট করে দিয়েছেন ডোনাল্ড ট্রাম্প।

কার্যত ভারতের উপর শুল্ক চাপানোর জুজুকে ট্রাম্প তার দেশ থেকে আরও বেশি অস্ত্র কেনার সঙ্গে সংযুক্ত করতে চাইছেন বলে মনে করা হচ্ছে। এই পরিস্থিতিতে প্রতিরক্ষা ক্ষেত্রে ভারতের দীর্ঘদিনের অংশীদার রাশিয়া এবং যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের মধ্যে ভারসাম্য বজার রাখা ভূকৌশলগতভাবে চাপের বিষয় হয়ে উঠতে চলেছে।

সংবাদমাধ্যমের প্রতিবেদনে দাবি করা হয়েছে, সোমবার ভারতের প্রধানমন্ত্রীর সঙ্গে মার্কিন প্রেসিডেন্টের ফোনালাপের পরে হোয়াইট হাউসের বিবৃতিতে বলা হয়েছে, ভারতকে তার দেশ থেকে আরও বেশি করে প্রতিরক্ষা সরঞ্জাম (অস্ত্রশস্ত্র) কেনার কথা বলেছেন দিয়েছেন ট্রাম্প। সেই সঙ্গে আরও ‘ন্যায্য’ দ্বিপাক্ষিক বাণিজ্যিক সম্পর্ক গড়ে তোলার উপরেও জোর দিয়েছেন তিনি। যদিও নির্দিষ্টভাবে এই দু’টি স্পর্শকাতর বিষয় নিয়ে কোনও উচ্চবাচ্য করা হয়নি ভারতীয় পররাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয়ের বিবৃতিতে। সাউথ ব্লকের বিবৃতিতে শুধুমাত্র জানানো হয়েছে, প্রযুক্তি, বাণিজ্য, বিনিয়োগ, শক্তি এবং প্রতিরক্ষার মতো বিভিন্ন গুরুত্বপূর্ণ বিষয় নিয়ে আলোচনা হয়েছে দুই শীর্ষ নেতার।

মোদির সঙ্গে বাক্যালাপের পর ট্রাম্প ফ্লোরিডায় এক দলীয় আলোচনায় নেতাদের বলেছেন, “যেসব দেশ আমাদের সত্যিই ক্ষতি করতে চায়, সেই সব বাইরের দেশ এবং ব্যক্তির উপর আমরা শুল্ক চাপাব। আমাদের কাছে ক্ষতিকর, কিন্তু আসলে নিজেদের দেশের ভালই করতে চায় তারা। দেখুন না অন্যরা কী করছে! চীন বিপুল কর চাপিয়ে থাকে। ভারত, ব্রাজিল-সহ অন্য দেশও কিছু কম নয়। আমরা আর এটা হতে দিতে পারি না। আমরা আমেরিকাকেই অগ্রাধিকার দেব।”

অতীতেও এই বিষয়গুলো উত্থাপন করেছেন ট্রাম্প। বাণিজ্যের ক্ষেত্রে তিনি মাঝেমধ্যেই ভারতকে ‘শুল্কের রাজা’ হিসেবে উল্লেখ করেন। পাশাপাশি গত দু’দশকে আমেরিকা থেকে প্রচুর প্রতিরক্ষা সরঞ্জাম কিনেছে ভারত। সম্প্রতি দু’ দেশের মধ্যে তিনশ’ কোটি ডলারের প্রিডেটর ড্রোন কেনারও চুক্তি হয়েছে। কিন্তু তারপরও ভারতের প্রতিরক্ষা নীতি (প্রতিরক্ষা সরঞ্জাম) নিয়ে আমেরিকার কিছুটা ক্ষোভ আছে বলে সংশ্লিষ্ট মহলের অভিমত। 

রাশিয়া, ফ্রান্সের মতো দেশ থেকে প্রতিরক্ষা সরঞ্জাম কেনা এবং ‘মেক ইন ইন্ডিয়া’-র উপরে জোর দেওয়ার ব্যাপারটা মেনে নিতে পারছে না আমেরিকা, যা মোদি ও ট্রাম্পের কথার পর হোয়াইট হাউসের বিবৃতিতেও কিছুটা ফুটে উঠেছে। সূত্র: এনডিটিভি, ফিন্যান্সিয়াল টাইমস, ডেকান হেরাল্ড

Rivian R3: Everything We Know

 

When a silver Rivian R3 prototype rolled on stage during the automaker’s R2 reveal event on March 7, the audience’s eyes sparkled and jaws dropped, followed by cheerful whistling and whooping. Few other EVs have triggered such enthusiastic reactions in recent memory.

For car nerds, the pint-sized, angular hatchback was an ode to legendary rally names like the Lancia Delta Integrale. For regular people, the message was clear: An affordable yet highly desirable Rivian is on its way.“I’m really excited to talk about the R2’s sibling, which we call the R3,” Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said during the reveal event. "It takes the package and platform of the R2 and shrinks it,” he added. “It’s almost hard to define what it is, but it captures what we represent as a company.”

Currently, Rivian offers two high-end models, the R1S SUV and the R1T truck. It’s typical for automotive upstarts to introduce expensive models first that allow them to fund future affordable projects. The R2 would be accessible to a wider audience. The R3 will take that recipe further, slotting under the R2 and aiming to transform Rivian into a mass-market brand—similar to how the Model 3 worked out for Tesla.

The exact dimensions of the R3 haven't been disclosed yet, but the CEO mentioned that its wheelbase is five inches shorter than the R2’s, so it would measure around 110.6 inches. Broadly speaking, this places the R3 in the same category as the Bolt EV and the new Kia EV3.

In terms of design, Rivian was gunning for a retro-modern feel. “We need this to be our solo rally car,” Rivian design boss Jeff Hammoud told Road & Track after the reveal event. The EV should have “more of that nostalgic feeling where it looks modern, but where it looks like it’s from the future and the past, at the same time,” he said.

The prototype's design reflects the team's vision. The two-box design exudes traditional proportions, whereas the full-width DRL and headlamps add a modern touch. They are integrated into a smooth and uncluttered surface. It has the silhouette of a hatchback, but the stubby front bumper and black cladding on the sides give it a mini-crossover appearance.

That said, the rear three-quarter angle has garnered the most praise. Car designers interviewed by InsideEVs have said that the R3 evokes joy, as people probably associate it with happier times. Speaking of the past, historical models with similar rear-ends come to mind, including the first-generation Volkswagen Golf, the Russian Lada Niva, the aforementioned Lancia Delta Integrale, and the Audi Quattro.

At the rear, a sharply raked windshield merges into a scooped-out section that houses a full-width taillight with the brand’s name embossed at the bottom. The tires fill the large wheel arches perfectly. Zooming into YouTuber MKBHD’s walkaround video also gives away the tire and wheel sizes of the prototype. It was riding on 235/55 tires wrapped around 20-inch wheels.

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Rivian will offer both the R2 and R3 with two battery sizes, with the larger one offering an estimated 300 miles of range. The performance versions will slingshot from zero to 60 miles per hour in three seconds, which is impressively quick even by sports car standards. CEO RJ Scaringe mentioned that the R3 will also offer powertrain options similar to the R2, including single, dual, and tri-motor configurations.

The R3 would be equipped with Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) port natively, so it would be compatible with the now-standardized SAE J3400 charging connector. It will also use the Combined Charging System (CCS) connector with an adapter. There are no surprises regarding voltage architecture yet, but the R3 is said to go from 10% to 80% state of charge (SoC) in under 30 minutes, which isn’t too bad.

Update: The R2 and R3 may not get an 800-volt architecture which allows blistering charging speeds. Rivian has not confirmed this yet, but Scaringe told reporters during a roundtable that 800-volt makes more sense for larger cars with bigger batteries. In small- and mid-sized vehicles, a 400-volt system can apparently be used for fast enough charging speeds with better cell chemistry and cooling. 

One aspect that confused the EV community was the charging port, previously located on the rear passenger side. In a roundtable with reporters, design chief Jeff Hammoud referenced curbside charging in European countries. "In left-hand-drive European countries, many people were charging cars on the street. You'd see charging cables wrapped over hoods to get to the other side, and we wanted to solve that," he said.

Rivian later seems to have reversed this decision on the R2, relocating the charge port to the driver's side at the rear. Rivian may bring this update to the R3 and R3X as well—it just makes more sense for the U.S. market. With a port on the rear left side, drivers would easily be able to access thousands of Tesla Superchargers without having to double park.

Previously, having the port on the rear right side allowed engineers to use fewer wires and hence reduced weight and costs, Hammoud added. Even though this decision might seem practical for Rivian, it could be a problem when R3 owners pull up to V3 Superchargers, which have shorter cables and are designed for Teslas, which have their ports at the rear left. 

Rivian said the cockpit features abundant soft-touch surfaces and claims to be made from sustainable and durable materials. A large infotainment screen dominates the dashboard, and the steering wheel, similar to the R2’s, includes integrated scroll wheels with haptic feedback—something Rivian says will help drivers stay focused on the road.

The automaker has also shown intent to improve voice commands to a level where most vehicle functions can be voice-activated. So, it may be trying to go a step ahead of Tesla in keeping the cabin of the R3 minimalist and fewer buttons, like it already is on the R1S and R1T. The manual gear lever, however, is here to stay, Scaringe said last year. 

Practicality seems to be a big focus on the R3. It features a "flipper glass" at the rear, allowing owners to load items into the boot without opening the tailgate. The glass can be left open at different angles for larger items like surfboards that may need to protrude outwards.

Both row seats fold flat, and the mid-size platform provides enough space for a frunk. Despite the compact size, Rivian retains some of its quirky features, including dual glove boxes and a door-mounted flashlight.

Rivian R3 Price, Availability And Production  

The R2 will start at $45,000, so the R3 is estimated to fall in the $30,000-40,000 price range. At that price, the R3 would compete with the next-gen Chevrolet Bolt EV, the Kia EV3, and potentially an affordable Tesla, among others.

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In a loan application filing with the U.S. Department of Energy, Rivian said last year that production of the R2 and R3 at the Georgia plant was expected to begin in 2028. A lot has changed since—Rivian decided to begin making the R2 at its Normal, Illinois plant after receiving $827 million in state incentives for expansion.

More recently, the DOE finalized its colossal $6 billion loan to build out the previously-paused Georgia factory, which is expected to create some 7,500 jobs. Rivian also partnered with the Volkswagen Group for a $5 billion joint venture to collaborate on software and electrical architectures. 

Rivian posted record EV sales in 2024 despite supply chain problems. It sold 51,579 units in 2024, compared to 50,122 units in 2023. Its losses per vehicle seem to be shrinking and sales continue to grow despite having a limited and aging line-up. However, things look upbeat for the brand going forward with three new exciting models in the pipeline, the backing of the Volkswagen Group and a huge cash infusion from the U.S. government.

Now, if it can power through this turbulence, the R3 will not just be a distant dream but also a reality for thousands of fans who have been drooling over it.