Monday, October 2, 2023

This virtual reality experience takes you to Hiroshima right after the bombing

When creators carefully tread the line between empathy and trauma, immersive technology can be a powerful tool for educating audiences about history.

On August 6, 1945, Shigeru Orimen left his rural home near Itsukaichi-cho for Hiroshima, where he was one of nearly 27,000 students working to prepare the city for impending American air raids. For lunch that day, he brought soybeans, French fries, and daikon strips.

When the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima at 8:16 a.m., Shigeru was among the approximately 7,200 students who died. Three days later, his mother Shigeko identified his body using her lunch box; the food inside turned to charcoal, but the outside remained intact.

Today, his lunch box and Shigeko’s testimony are part of the archives of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The object and its history left a haunting impression on filmmakers Saschka Unseld and Gabo Arora, who co-directed a new virtual reality experience titled The day the world changed. Created in partnership with Nobel Media to commemorate the work of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (winner of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize), the film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last week.

The immersive experience begins with an explanation of the genesis, development and deployment of the atomic bomb, then moves into a second chapter focused on the consequences of the attack. The public can walk through the city ruins and examine artifacts from the bombing, including Shigeru’s lunch box. In the final chapter, the play returns to the present, describing the frantic race to create new atomic weapons and the continuing threat of nuclear war.

It’s not the only work at Tribeca focusing on difficult topics: Among the festival’s 34 immersive titles are works that address the legacy of racism, the threat of climate change, AIDS, and the current crisis in Syria. This is also not the first virtual reality installation to receive public praise. Last November, filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu received the Oscar at the Academy Governor’s Awards for his virtual reality installation MEAT and SANDthat captures the experience of migrants crossing the border between the United States and Mexico.

The day the world changed It differs from these installations in one fundamental way: much of the material already exists in archival form. Video testimonies and irradiated relics from the day of devastation come from the museum’s archives and photogrammetry (creating 3D models from photographs) has enabled digital reproduction of surviving sites. In this sense, the work shares more with the interpretive projects carried out by traditional documentary filmmakers and historians than with the fantastic or gamified recreations more associated with virtual reality.

What sets it apart, Arora and Unseld say, is that the narrative possibilities offered by immersive technologies allow viewers to experience previously inaccessible places, for example the interior of the Atomic Dome, the UNESCO world heritage site located just below the explosion of the bomb that was fired. it remains intact and relates to the existing artifacts in a more visceral way.

The future is exciting, although there is some tension given the national debate about the dangers of technological manipulation. “You have to be very careful,” says Arora. “We think it’s important to understand the grammar of virtual reality and not just rely on a simple way to horrify people. Because it doesn’t last.

***

But what exactly makes a visual medium immersive? This question captivated one of the pioneers of virtual reality, Morton Heilig. In 1962, he developed the Sensorama, a mechanical device that looked like a combination of an arcade game and a tonometer. The Sensorama included a reclining chair and full stereo sound, projected 3D images and even played aromas during short films.

Although the project never received commercial funding, Heilig remains fascinated by the possibilities of new technologies. In 1992, five years before his death, he published a manifesto detailing this new “cinema of the future.” He argued that advances in magnetic tape would enable the kind of dramatic engagement advertised by Sensorama with greater clarity and at much lower cost. “Open your eyes, listen, smell and feel: feel the world in all its magnificent colors, depths, sounds, smells and textures,” he proclaimed. “This is the cinema of the future!”

For Heilig, cinema was no longer just a visual medium, but an “art of consciousness”, and the future of cinema lay not only in its ability to convey lucid and realistic experiences, but also to capture nature and history in its most captivating dimensions. .

The spiritualism expressed by Heilig took a particularly dystopian form a few years later in the novel by science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. Do androids dream about electric sheep? In the book’s post-apocalyptic world, devoid of meaning and true connection, survivors longing for purpose and community follow a character named Wilbur Mercer. Using an “empathy box,” the acolytes join Mercer on an endless climb up a barren mountain while he is stoned by unseen enemies. Like self-flagellation, the exercise takes on a reverential dimension among followers. As one explains: “This is how you touch other humans, this is how you stop being alone. »

***

In a context where technology evangelists are touting virtual reality as the “ultimate empathy machine,” Dick’s warning still seems remarkably accurate. With cutting-edge technologies promising to disrupt our sense of belonging, the line between compassion and trauma is becoming porous. These anxieties manifest themselves in The day the world changed, a work with a clear message – the abolition of nuclear weapons – whose creators, however, affirm that they have no interest in selling an ideology.

“You don’t want to impose something on anyone,” Unseld says. “But we shouldn’t abandon them completely either. You want to guide them in a way that is very respectful of their own pace and their own humanity.

Unseld says that because virtual reality lends itself to stories about “our spirituality,” “our collective guilt,” “our collective responsibility,” and “our collective capacity for change,” creators must reflect on the lives and experiences of their audience and find ways to communicate a message while leaving options open. In this sense, it works better as a provocation than as a controversy, a story that invites awareness without forcing the viewer to put on a specific pair of shoes.

The public can walk through the ruins of the city and find artifacts from the bombings.

Creators using these immersive media could draw inspiration from a surprising handbook: that of historians. Sure, their digital recreations may not have the polish of Hollywood images, but their focus on how to create meaningful engagement is certainly applicable. And as Lisa Snyder, an architectural historian at the UCLA Institute for Digital Research and Education, points out, vivid images aren’t always what motivates people intellectually.

“When people see photorealistic spaces, they accept it,” he says. “It’s harder for people to say, ‘Oh, I should be critical of this.’”

Snyder has spent more than 20 years working on what she calls “desktop virtual reality.” Basically, she creates incredibly accurate models of historical sites, from Carnac to the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, that educators use for classroom exercises and museum audiences explore on guided tours. Her work is a painstaking process that requires the same dedication as traditional historians. She meticulously determines dimensions using construction guides and archaeological evidence, and creates textures and color palettes using contemporary sources. For every hour she models, she says she spends five hours researching.

“I’m not interested in someone using this visualization to spin the contraption,” she says. “I want something that people live and experience.”

Although the work of historians may seem distant at first glance, it ultimately points to the same end goal: providing the public with the space to learn, discover, and interact with the past. Technology can change the contours of this engagement, explains Steven Mintz, a digital historian and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, but seeing is not enough.

“What the story should be is the interaction with the material,” he says. “The analysis you do is what makes it meaningful.”

As immersive technologies continue to delve into the past to shape attitudes in the present, Mintz says there is a need to avoid mere spectacle. But he is optimistic about the future, especially if academics and artists can find ways to work together with the support of foundations and cultural institutions. And as Arora and Unseld point out, new features can only enhance, not replace, the human element of stories, even if immersive technologies can affect audiences with a power that other forms of media struggle to achieve.

“I think there’s something about virtual reality that makes you feel intrinsically,” Unseld says. “Because you somehow shed your body and become a spirit, virtual reality speaks to your soul.”

Ligue 1: PSG holds on, OM knocked down, Lyon defeated again… what to remember from matchday seven

PSG was left hanging on the Clermont grass during the seventh day of Ligue 1, while OM was overthrown by Monaco and Lyon was defeated again by Reims. Here you will find everything you need to remember from this day.

Strasbourg-Lens: 0-1

Lens continues. Traveling to Alsace, the French runner-up signed a 2my Consecutive victory on the Strasbourg grass (0-1). A success achieved thanks to the first goal scored in his new colors by Elye Wahi (16my). If the Lensois had some opportunities to double the lead, at the end of the match they were saved by their goalkeeper Brice Samba. With this success, Franck Haise’s men have gained confidence ahead of hosting Arsenal in the Champions League and Lille in the northern derby of the championship.

Clermont-PSG: 0-0

PSG slowed down. A week after their great success in the Classic against OM (4-0), the capital club crashed on the Clermont grass (0-0). If the Parisians dominated the debates without being really convincing, they faced Clermont goalkeeper Mory Diaw, author of ten saves. Gianluigi Donnarumma was also decisive at the beginning of the second half to prevent the Auvergnes from opening the scoring. With this tie, Paris is still fighting to start its league season with 12 points before going to Newcastle in the Champions League and Rennes on the following day. For its part, Clermont has not yet won in the championship and will travel to Montpellier next weekend.

Monaco-Marseille: 3-2

The Gennaro Gattuso effect will wait. Just two days after his arrival, OM was defeated in Monaco (3-2). Everything started well for the Olympic club, which opened the scoring 30 seconds into the game thanks to Iliman Ndiaye’s first goal (1time). But the Monegasques reacted quickly with the equalizer of the talented Maghnes Akliouche (8my). Marseille regained the lead with a volley from Samuel Gigot (18my) before seeing Falorin Balogun tie the two teams again (23my). And Maghnes Akliouche finally offered victory to Monaco at the beginning of the second half (52my). Before hosting Brighton in the Europa League and Le Havre in the championship, Marseille recorded their fifth consecutive game without a win in all competitions, while Monaco triumphed again before traveling to Reims.

Reims-Lyon: 2-0

Lyon continues to sink. Still looking for their first victory of the season, Lyon was defeated again in Reims (2-0), adding their fifthmy defeat in seven games. Fabio Grosso’s men gave in for the first time with a header from Marshall Munetsi at the end of the first half (45′).my+1) before losing again to a comeback from Yunis Abdelhamid (71my). With this new setback, Lyon occupies the last place in the standings before hosting Lorient in a week. For its part, Stade de Reims confirmed its good start to the season and gained a little more confidence before the arrival of Monaco.

Le Havre-Lille: 0-2

Lille returns to victory… away. Losc, who had not won away from their bases since last March, won on the pitch in Le Havre (0-2). Edon Zhegrova opened the scoring with a shot from the edge of the area at the end of the first half (40′).my), before Lille doubled the advantage after a recovery by Ivan Cavaleiro that Yoann Salmier deflected into his own goal (53).my). The northern club will try to do it again next weekend in the northern derby against Lens. The promoted from Le Havre, who registered his 2my defeat of the season, will try to recover in Marseille.

Nice-Brest: 0-0

A shock without a winner. At the top of the standings, before facing each other on the Côte d’Azur, Nice and Brest neutralized each other at the Allianz Riviera (0-0). In a streak of three victories, the Niçois have failed to find fault in Brest’s defense. For its part, the Breton club showed solidity to maintain its leadership tied on points with Monaco. Next week, Nice will travel to Metz and Brest will host Toulouse.

Toulouse-Metz: 3-0

Toulouse finally wins at home. Disconnected from victory at the Stadium since mid-February, TFC easily defeated FC Metz (3-0). Toulouse made the difference in the first half with a recovery by Niklas Schmidt (31st).my) and then a goal from Thijs Dallinga (43′).my). At the end of the match, Franck Magri sealed the victory for Toulouse (82my). Toulouse thus ended a streak of six games without winning, while Metz registered a 2my consecutive defeat.

Lorient-Montpellier: 0-3

A success that suits Montpellier. The Hérault club signed its 2my victory of the season in the field of Lorient (0-3). The Montpellier players failed the Merlus defense for the first time, in a perfectly executed counterattack by Akor Adams on the half hour mark (30′).my). Téji Savanier doubled the lead from a penalty (73′).my) and Akor Adams scored a success that confirms the success of Montpellier (89my). If Montpellier has given itself a break, Lorient remains at the bottom of the standings with only one victory in seven games.

Rennes-Nantes: 3-1

The Breton derby of Rennes. Stade Rennais emerged victorious in the duel against Nantes (3-1). The two teams were tied at half-time, after Benjamin Bourigeaud opened the scoring with a penalty (6th) and Pedro Chirivella tied just before half-time (45th). But Bruno Genesio’s men made the difference in the second half thanks to Désiré Doué, scorer of the goal a few minutes after coming into play (73rd), and a new penalty converted at the end of added time by Arnaud Kalimuendo (90th + 6) , while The Nantes finished the match numerically inferior after the expulsion of Mostafa Mohamed (77th). With this victory, Rennes remains undefeated this season before facing Villarreal in the Europa League and hosting PSG in the championship. For its part, Nantes suffered its third defeat and will try to get back on its feet in Strasbourg.

“Paw Patrol” rises to the top of the North American box office

The youth film “Paw Patrol” jumped to the top of the North American box office in its first weekend after its release, with 23 million dollars in revenue, ahead of the horror film “Saw”, according to figures published on Sunday by the specialized firm Exhibitor. Relations.

“It’s a great start” for “PAW Patrol: The Movie,” said expert David Gross. “Although it does not compete in the category of the giants Disney, Pixar or Illumination,” this film from Paramount studios has a much more modest budget and, therefore, should have a profitable destination, according to the analyst.

In this animated film, American actor and comedian Chris Rock and former tennis champion Serena Williams lend their voices to super-powered canine characters. In this new adventure inspired by the successful cartoon, the Super Patrol follows the trail of supervillains, whom they seek to stop to save Adventureville, which has crashed into a magical meteorite.

For its opening weekend (Friday to Sunday), the movie “Saw In this new installment of the “Saw” saga, the famous and mysterious serial killer, suffering from cancer, takes revenge for a scam by setting up an ingenious and machiavellian.

The film “The Creator”, which takes place in a world where humans are at war with artificial intelligence, is in third place (14 million), while the horror film “The Nun: The Curse of Saint Lucia” is already does not smell holy with the public, falling to 4th place after dominating the box office the previous weekend.

Here’s the rest of the Top 10:

5. “The Blind” (4.1 million)

6. “Mystery in Venice” (3.8 million)

7. “Dumb Money” (3.5 million)

8. “Equalizer 3” (2.7 million)

9. “Expend4bles” (2.5 million)

10. “Barbie” (1.4 million)

Will Still’s Reims pushes Lyon into crisis, Wout Faes scores for Leicester

Stade de Reims, coached by will continue to be, inflicted the fifth defeat this season on Olympique Lyonnais, bottom of Ligue 1 (2-0), on Sunday. The Rémois are second in Ligue 1, awaiting the Brest match in Nice (3:00 p.m.).

Reims opened the scoring shortly before half-time with a goal from midfielder Marshall Munetsi (45th + 1) and achieved the breakthrough in the second half thanks to their captain, the experienced defender Yunis Abdelhamid (71st). In Reims, full-backs Thibault De Smet and Thomas Foket played the entire game in defense. Former Pro League players Teddy Teuma and Junya Ito also participated in the victory, with the Japanese winger assisting on the first goal. This result allows Reims to achieve a second consecutive victory and occupy second place with 13 points, one less than the leader Monaco. The situation is even more complicated for Lyon, who have not won a single game in seven games and are last with two points. The Rodans recently changed their coach: now on the bench is the club’s former Italian defender, Fabio Grosso.

In the Championship, Leicester continues its very good run. Relegated from the Premier League, the Foxes are leaders with 24 points from nine games. They beat Blackburn (1-4) on Sunday afternoon. Aligned in the axis of the defense, Wout Faes played the entire match and especially opened the scoring in the 4th minute. Jamie Vardy (28), Kelechi Iheanacho (82) ​​and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (88) also scored for Leicester . . In Serie A, Alexis Saelemaekers did not score for Bologna after he was sent off on Thursday in Monza. His teammates still beat Empoli at home (3-0), with a hat-trick from Riccardo Orsolini (21, 66, 90 + 2).

A year after Ottawa announced low-carbon tax credits, investors are still waiting for details

Article content

OTTAWA – Liberal tax credits aimed at preventing the flow of jobs in the renewable and low-carbon energy sectors to the United States are still not in effect nearly a year after their initial announcement, a delay that has Canadian business groups fearing they will companies choose to take them. their investments south of the border anyway.

The federal Liberals have introduced a series of investment tax credits (ITCs) that they say will attract more investment in low-carbon technologies. These include incentives for hydrogen production, carbon capture and storage, clean electricity and clean manufacturing, with the government offering credits of up to 30% of the cost of new investments.

Article content

The credits are designed to encourage a variety of low-carbon businesses, ranging from power plants, nuclear reactors and critical mineral mines to battery factories and solar equipment factories. They have positioned themselves to counter the American Inflation Reduction Act, which provides massive government subsidies to companies that invest in this kind of thing in the United States.

The government announced all of the tax credits in Budget 2023 or the 2022 Autumn Economic Update, but none of them are in place yet because the bill creating them has not yet been introduced in the House of Commons.

Related stories

  1. One year later, how the US Inflation Reduction Act changed Canada

  2. Investments In Clean Hydrogen Production Could Lead To A Tax Credit Of At Least 40 Percent.

    Ottawa introduces green energy tax credits of up to 40% in attempt to keep pace with Biden

The Liberals have released draft bills for two of the credits, the carbon capture and clean technology credits, but have not yet released details on the credits for electricity, manufacturing or hydrogen production.

The government has committed to meeting labor requirements to qualify for the credits, such as paying prevailing wages or working with a unionized workforce. He also suggested that the credits would be valid for 10 years, until 2034.

Article content

Evan Wilson, vice-president of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association, said his members were happy to see the government match what was proposed in the United States, but now they need details.

“There are still many details missing to know how to move forward with our projects. But overall, we are very excited about the signal that has been sent,” he stated.

Wilson said many renewable energy products are led by multinational companies that have teams in the United States and Canada launching projects, and that right now Americans have an advantage.

“Some of our members feel that the teams on the US side of the border, because the IRA is in place, have a better story to tell. »

The Business Council of Canada has urged the government to accelerate work on ICT so that businesses can start applying for and receiving credit. The government consulted on the loans this summer and the underlying message from the council was to hurry.

“The federal government committed to developing CCIs for cleantech in its last three budgets. “None are currently in effect, minimizing their ability to support final investment decisions in the near term,” the board wrote.

Article content

He highlighted that the American program is already profitable for companies.

“Delays in finalizing the terms and conditions of each ITC through legislation effectively freeze capital and diminish Canada’s ability to meet its emissions reduction targets and important commitments,” the council wrote. “Finance Canada must send a clear and bankable market signal articulating the details of its ITCs. The sooner this is done, the sooner companies will be able to invest in emerging technologies and equipment.

A government source who spoke behind the scenes because he was not authorized to speak publicly insisted that completing the credits is a high priority and that they hope to complete it soon.

The source emphasized that Ottawa had never created such credits before and wanted to make sure it got it right.

Katherine Cuplinskas, press secretary for Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, said the credits were intentionally made retroactive so businesses know they are coming even if they are not yet firmly established.

He said the government was aware of the importance of matching American credits.

“We know that an important part of this is the growth of Canada’s clean economy. “Our government is making more than $120 billion in historic investments to make this happen, including creating tax credits for clean technology investments that are already helping businesses and workers plan for the future,” he wrote in a statement. of press.

National mail
(email protected)

Our website is the ideal place for breaking news, exclusive scoops, long reads and provocative commentary. Bookmark nationalpost.com and subscribe to our politics newsletter, First Read, here.

Share this article in your social network

Elon Musk predicts bankruptcy of American automakers

Tesla boss Elon Musk spoke about the strike affecting the automotive sector in the United States. According to him, acceding to the unions’ demands would be equivalent to bankrupting manufacturers.

Without a doubt, everyone has an opinion about the strike that has paralyzed the American automobile sector for almost 15 days. As a reminder, it affects the three main manufacturers in the country: Ford, Stellar and General Motors. At the origin of the movement, the demands of unionized workers. They ask, among other things, 40% salary increase in 4 yearsthe transition to a 32 hour work week and in general theimprovement of their working conditions.

He US President Joe Biden He showed strong support for the strikers as he himself participated in a strike picket. Quite the opposite of donald trump who believes that the move to electric cars will in any case eliminate the protesters’ jobs. And now a figure from the sector gives his opinion on the situation: Elon Muskboss tesla. He doesn’t support the strike, but not for the same reasons as Trump.

Elon Musk believes union lawsuits will bankrupt US automakers

Elon Musk’s point of view is contained in a post on X (Twitter), speaking of the strikers: “They want a 40% wage increase *and* a 32-hour work week. The best way to put (General Motors), Ford and Chrysler out of business in a short time.” Therefore, it is not so much the transition to electricity that would bankrupt manufacturers as the demands of the workers themselves.

Also read: Volkswagen stops production of the ID. 3 in the historic Dresden factory

Elon Musk spoke with them in Belleville, Michigan. According to him, if the three companies affected by the strike “are fine at the moment,” their employees should also be “fine.” The latter, of course, do not agree with the vision of the Tesla boss. According to the latest information from the American media, the strike could extend to General Motors and Ford, while talks are progressing better with Stellantis.

Source: Own car

Spain | At least 13 dead in nightclub fire in Murcia

(Murcia) At least 13 people died on Sunday morning in Murcia, southeastern Spain, in a fire of “extreme” violence at a nightclub, although most of the bodies have not been identified and a final assessment has not been made. .

Posted at 7:23 a.m. Updated at 4:51 p.m.

José Jordán Agence France-Presse

“Thirteen bodies were found and taken to the forensic institute for autopsy. Of them, three can be identified by fingerprints, the rest of the bodies will have to be identified by DNA,” announced the mayor of Murcia, during a press conference, 12 hours after the start of the fire.

“The Murcia firefighters (…) will continue to secure the building for the next few hours. “It cannot be ruled out that another body may be located,” the emergency services explained shortly after 10 p.m., warning that “a definitive assessment will not be made until the reconnaissance work among the rubble has been completed.”

The circumstances of the tragedy are still unclear.

L’incendie, d’une violence « extrême » selon le maire de Murcie José Ballesta, s’est déclaré vers six hours du matin (0 h heure de l’Est) dans this rue du quartier d’Atalayas à Murcie comptant plusieurs boîtes at night.

Spain | At Least 13 Dead In Nightclub Fire In Murcia

PHOTO JAVIER CARRION, FRANCE-PRESSE AGENCY

It was in one of them, the Fonda Milagros, where the 13 bodies were found, but the flames spread to two other nightclubs, the Teatre and the Golden.

Firefighters, who arrived at the scene at 7 a.m., managed to extinguish the fire within an hour. But due to the risk of collapse and the high temperatures of the building, the excavations are very delicate to carry out.

” We are going to die ”

Authorities have drawn up a list of about fifteen missing people, but it could contain the names of people whose bodies have been found, as well as those who are currently being treated in hospital.

A man named Jairo introduced himself as the father of one of the victims and explained to the press that he had no news about his 28-year-old daughter. She sent him a voicemail at 6:06 am where she can be heard crying. He has not been able to contact her since.

“Mom, I love you, we are going to die, I love you mom,” says the young woman, while we hear screams behind her demanding to turn on the light.

Spain | At Least 13 Dead In Nightclub Fire In Murcia

PHOTO FIREFIGHTERS/MURCIA CITY COUNCIL VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS

According to authorities, twelve emergency vehicles, 40 firefighters and twenty police officers were needed to put out the flames.

The photographs released by the emergency services show the blackened and devastated facades of the Teatre and the Fonda Milagros, whose facade was devoured by the flames.

Three days of mourning

The King of Spain Felipe VI expressed his “pain and dismay” after “this tragic day in Murcia”, thanking all emergency services for their “exemplary work” in a press release from the royal family.

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, expressed himself on the social network

The tragedy even made the young tennis star, Carlos Alcaraz from Murcia, react, who said he was “very affected.”

In a message published online, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed “its solidarity with Spain.”

The mayor of Murcia declared three days of mourning and the city council set up a reception cell for the victims’ relatives at the Atalayas Sports Palace.

As a sign of mourning, the city’s bars and restaurants decided to keep their doors closed on Sunday night, announced the local hospitality and restaurant federation HoyTú.

In 1990, 43 people died in a fire at a nightclub in Zaragoza, northeastern Spain.

The United States and its allies want to counter the New Silk Roads

The United States and its partners from Europe, the Middle East and Asia unveiled on Saturday an “economic corridor” project that will link the three regions, a major initiative that will have to overcome numerous obstacles but that, in the long term, could limit trade ambitions. Chinese.

The idea is to connect Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and potentially Israel by rail and then use sea transport to reach Europe on one side and India on the other, along an axis of almost 5,000 kilometers.

“We, the leaders of the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union, have announced a protocol of “an agreement in which we commit to work together to establish a new India” . -Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor,” the leaders said in a statement issued at the event dedicated to global infrastructure investments and organized on the sidelines of the summit held in New Delhi, India.

The G20 met to work on issues such as climate change and the reform of international financial institutions, as well as the strengthening and diversification of global supply chains.

Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser of the United States, called the project “vast and ambitious,” underlining that his country believes that these three regions are very interesting and that the corridor will be a way to improve global infrastructure. Important geopolitical objectives are also at stake on both sides of the Atlantic. Faire concurrence aux initiatives chinoises pour limiter l’influence de Pékin, d’une part, et renforcer celle de Washington au Moyen-Orient, d’autre part, une région où les puissances concurrentes (la Russie et la Chine) ont gagné du terrain in recent years. Developing ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, which have no formal relations but share some animosity toward Iran, would be the icing on the cake.

Eager to reduce economic influence in their region, European nations have distanced themselves from the New Silk Roads.

In recent months, the United States and its European partners have developed plans to fund infrastructure projects to try to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The original idea of ​​the project, born in the 2010s, was to allocate an estimated $1 billion to the construction of railways, roads, oil pipelines and ports to connect Asia, Europe, Africa and America, all financed by Beijing. Chinese ambitions have recently been scaled back.

In any case, for many Western countries, the initiative is aimed at boosting the economic and diplomatic power of the Middle Kingdom. Eager to reduce economic influence in their region, European nations distanced themselves from the project.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, met with the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. She pledged to do everything possible to strengthen ties between the Emirates and the EU.

At the end of last May’s G7 summit in Japan, leaders pledged to provide $600 billion in infrastructure financing; They met on Saturday to monitor the progress of the initiative, called the Global Infrastructure and Investment Partnership (GIIP).

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said last Thursday that the White House was putting a lot of effort into the economic corridor project.

“For us, it is extremely important to connect India, the Middle East and Europe,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. The economic and strategic benefits will be numerous for all countries that participate. »

Not all signatories will commit to providing funding but, according to one official, several more months will be needed to finalize financial aspects and time horizons.

Initially, Israel should not join the corridor, even if its eventual integration would allow a clearer rapprochement with Saudi Arabia; In fact, Washington is trying to normalize relations between the two countries. And, as part of these negotiations, the White House asked Riyadh to limit its (burgeoning) relations with China.

The corridor would also strengthen ties between Washington and Riyadh, ties that have been strained by tensions over issues such as human rights, oil and Saudi Arabia’s alleged support for Russia in the war in Ukraine.

Saudi Arabia plans to strengthen its national infrastructure as part of a multibillion-dollar plan to make the economy less dependent on oil. The kingdom also plans to establish new connections, particularly electrical, with its neighbors and other countries.

(Translated from the original English version by Marion Issard)

This week’s zodiac horoscope rankings are published. Rats are kind in love and the Ox should not rush to invest | Life | CTWANT

Zodiac numerology expert Man Hua analyzed the luck of the 12 zodiac animals from October 1 to 7. People born this week in the year of the Rat and the Tiger have quite good luck in terms of career, wealth, health, etc. taking advantage of the opportunity.

“The three best professional fortunes of this week”

1.rat

Your luck will be strong this week and you will finally be given first place and the championship back. Luck arrives and everything goes well. Of course, you still need to know how to cooperate with your peers to create a bigger pie in the market.

2. pig

This week’s fortune maintains combat effectiveness and ranks second. Not only does the boss value hard work and consistent, solid work, but the clients are satisfied, but I am also very happy.

2.Tiger

This week, people will be prosperous and lucky, and good luck will break out. They also occupy second place. Talk more freely with friends willing to cooperate, cross-border or cross-sector, which can reverse the disadvantages of stagnation before change.

3. cow

The situation this week has been favorable and we remain in third place. You can get perfect results by enduring this irritating process. Although the outlook is good, it is still not advisable to rush into investing and wait to see more.

3. Lapland

This week’s fortune increased slightly and ranked third. The long-planned business was finally crowned with success, as long as one is careful and discreet.

“The three best opportunities for wealth this week”

1.rat

Wealth luck is on the rise this week. After being so busy that you doubt your life, even if you are full of money, you want to rest and gain strength to fight again. This week you intend to invest in real estate.

2.Tiger

This week’s luck is positive. After returning to the main track, I will work hard in the final season of this year and hope to bounce back and surpass last year’s income level.

3. Lapland

Sudden wealth is in the comments after referrals and help. As the saying goes, good intentions pay off, nothing is preordained, but I think it is a great victory.

“The 3 best loves of luck this week”

1.rat

A rare consecutive vacation begins, a week of sweet love for couples and couples. Even if you are busy, don’t forget to create a romantic atmosphere: a walk in the park or a drink in a cafe is good.

2. cow

Your love fortune will be fluid. This week, a like-minded person of the opposite sex will appear with you. You love fame, wealth, career and fashion, and the other person will be willing to help you and satisfy your needs. .

3.Tiger

Your luck in love has improved slightly. After finally breaking the deadlock, how to express your feelings to the person you love is the most important problem to solve this week.

3. Lapland

For single men, there’s a good chance of short-term love happening this week, but long-distance love can be hard to avoid. Unless you are very confident and disciplined, you need to be mentally prepared.

“This week’s three best health opportunities”

1. pig

Your health is good, keep it up. If you like sports, take your whole family for a walk after dinner and let them move with you.

2.Tiger

Good health. Healthy exercises like stretching and twisting in the morning, going for a walk after meals and walking the dog for 50 minutes every day are the magic weapons that help you maintain your health.

3. rats

I’m lucky when it comes to health. This week I will continue to maintain a healthy diet, increasing dietary fiber and eating mainly foods low in fat, salt and oil. I think I will regain my thinness immediately.

2023-10-01 10:31:20
1696205359
#ranking #horoscope #zodiac #this #week #is #published #The Rats #are #gentle #love #ox #should #not #rush #to #invest #Life #CTWANT

Genome study reveals 30 years of evolution of Darwin’s finch

An international team of researchers has published a landmark study on contemporary evolutionary change in natural populations. Their study uses one of the largest genomic data sets ever produced for animals in the wild, including nearly 4,000 Darwin’s finches. The study revealed the genetic basis of adaptation in this iconic group. The results are published in the magazine. Science.

Since Darwin wrote about the finches of the Galapagos Islands, biologists have studied these small songbirds to understand the mechanisms of their evolution. One ancient species has evolved into 18 different species over the last million years. The strength of Darwin’s finches as a study organism is what they can demonstrate about the early stages of speciation. Peter and Rosemary Grant (Princeton University) tracked almost all Daphne Major individuals starting in the 1970s. Their work demonstrates that Daphne Major finches evolved in response to environmental changes and species interactions. An international team has sequenced the genomes of almost all the finches studied in Daphne and revealed the genetic architecture of adaptive change.

“I think this is a really exciting opportunity to connect our understanding of evolutionary changes in the deep past with observations from the current era,” says Erik Enbody, lead author of the study and former postdoctoral researcher at Uppsala University. “Genomic data are a powerful tool to conduct our observations of birds in the field and learn more about the factors that shaped their evolution,” and he added that this type of study on this scale would not be possible without decades of research in Galapagos.

“One of the notable things we discovered is that only a few genetic loci explain much of the variation in finch beaks,” says Leif Andersson (Uppsala University and Texas A&M University), lead author of the study. “It appears that one way these genetic changes evolve is by clustering multiple genes, which are then subject to natural selection as the environment changes.”

These results might surprise human geneticists, where many genetic variants are each responsible for only a small amount of variation in human height, for example.

Over the three decades studied, the average finch’s beak became smaller. Using the genomes of all Daphne finches, the researchers show that this was a result of gene transfer from the small ground finch through hybridization and periods of drought where individuals with smaller beaks survived better.

“This study highlights the value of long-term studies in understanding the mechanism of evolutionary change,” explains Peter Grant.

The researchers collected a drop of blood from the wing vein and marked each bird. This allowed them to track them and determine how long they survived, who they mated with, and their offspring.

“By collecting blood samples throughout the study, we had samples available for genomic study when the technology became available,” adds Rosemary Grant.

The researchers studied not only the average finch, but also the entire community of four finch species found on the island. The common cactus finch underwent a gradual evolution toward a more rounded beak as conditions on the island changed and hybridization with the average ground finch increased. This study paints a dynamic picture of how species adapt to changing environments through a combination of genetic changes with strong phenotypic effects that are sometimes transferred between species. As the global environment continues to change, the Galapagos finches will provide a valuable window into understanding how birds, their genetic makeup, and their environments interact to shape the future of wild populations.