Category: Uncategorized

  • Google may change a small but crucial chip inside the Pixel 10

    The Google Pixel 10 series may break from the Pixel 9 series and use a different, but crucial, new component compared to the previous models. The next Google Pixel phones will use a MediaTek modem rather than the Samsung Exynos modem, according to an anonymous source speaking to Android Authority.

    MediaTek makes various 5G capable modems, suited for use in smartphones and other mobile devices, along with modems suitable for home networking. During Mobile World Congress in early 2024 it announced the T300 5G platform, which brings 5G to “power constrained” devices like wearables, proving it’s expertise in the area. For the Pixel 10, Google has apparently selected an as-yet unreleased MediaTek platform called the T900, which will use an also unreleased modem with the name M85.

    The departure from Samsung’s modem is interesting. The Tensor G4 processor used for the Pixel 9 is a collaboration between Samsung and Google, and it used a new Samsung modem — the Exynos 5400 — to improve connectivity and bring new features like satellite communication to the phone. For the Tensor G5 Google is expected to switch manufacturing from Samsung to TSMC, a move which would give it the opportunity — either willingly or not — to try a different manufacturer for the modem at the same time.


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    While it may sound like a small internal component change, the modem is obviously crucial to making your phone work, and if it doesn’t do so in a effective and efficient way, it can quickly cause battery life problems. Unlucky owners of the Google Pixel 8 series will know this already, as some complained about excessive battery drain caused the Samsung Exynos 5300 modem used inside it with the Tensor G3 processor.

    Google will be keen to avoid a repeat of this situation, especially after the Exynos 5400 modem has proven more reliable, but its choice for an alternative is limited. Aside from Samsung, Qualcomm and MediaTek are the most likely alternatives, outside of making its own. Apple is expected to launch its own modem in 2025, shifting away from its reliance on Qualcomm for modems inside the iPhone.

    Digital Trends has contacted MediaTek for comment on the link between it and Google, and will update when we hear back.






  • Captain America 4 director says it’s great to return to a ‘rage monster’ Hulk

    In Captain America: Brave New World, Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) isn’t just going to be electepresident of the United States — he’s also going to transform at one point in the film into a red-skinned Hulk. The character’s angry transformation has been teased heavily in the early Captain America: Brave New World trailers, and for good reason. Not only have comic book fans been waiting years to see a version of the Red Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the character’s climactic showdown with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) also looks like it is going to be Brave New World‘s biggest set piece.

    In a recent interview with Empire, Brave New World director Julius Onah called Ford’s performance in the film “mind-blowing.” He added “All of us on set were like, ‘Holy f**king s**t, he nailed it.’” While Marvel has mined plenty of humor and drama out of Bruce Banner’s (Mark Ruffalo) transformation into a smarter Hulk in Avengers: Endgame, Onah says it was fun for him to bring an angry, uncontrollable Hulk back to the MCU. “It’s really great to get back to a Hulk that is just f**king breaking s**t,” the director confessed, calling Ford’s Red Hulk “a rage monster.”

    Marvel Studios

    Ford’s transformation has been at the center of many of Captain America: Brave New World‘s marketing materials, but he says that he was less worried about inhabiting his character’s enraged Hulk state and more about taking over for original Thaddeus Ross actor William Hurt, who passed away in 2022. “I was a little concerned about taking over from Bill Hurt, who was a wonderful actor,” Ford told Empire. “I’m only slightly familiar with the Marvel Universe — I live in another universe — but I have watched a number of Marvel films with wonderful actors, apparently having a good time. And I thought, ‘Well, why not me?’”

    Despite how incredible Onah says his performance turned out to be, Ford admits that he didn’t feel any pressure to overthink his role in Brave New World. “I tried to understand the ambition of the filmmakers, and to be useful to them,” he recalled. “I just didn’t sit home at night and say, ‘Oh, what do I want to do when I turn into the Hulk?’ It didn’t seem to me to be a terribly difficult acting proposition.”


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    Marvel fans will get to appreciate the full scope of Ford’s Red Hulk performance when Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14, 2025.






  • Photos: Violence in Sambhal over Mosque survey


    Police try to control situation after violence erupted during the second survey of the Jama Masjid, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple, in Sambhal, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (PTI Photo)

    Sambhal: Three people were killed and scores of others, including around 20 security personnel and four personnel of the administration, were injured as protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque here clashed with police on Sunday.

    Bareilly: Police conduct a flag march in the wake of Sambhal violence, in Bareilly district, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_24_2024_000406B)
    Sambhal: Workers remove brick bats from a road after violence erupted during the second survey of the Jama Masjid, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple, in Sambhal, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_24_2024_000356B)
    Sambhal: A damaged vehicle after violence erupted during the second survey of the Jama Masjid, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple, in Sambhal, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_24_2024_000353B)
    Sambhal: A vehicle in flames after violence erupted during the second survey of the Jama Masjid, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple, in Sambhal, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_24_2024_000334B)
    EDS PLS TAKE NOTE OF THIS PTI PICK OF THE DAY ::: Sambhal: Police try to control the situation amid violence during a second survey of the Jama Masjid, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple, in Sambhal, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_24_2024_000200B)(PTI11_24_2024_000313B)
    **EDS: BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE** Sambhal: Police and security personnel interact with locals protesting during a second survey of the Jama Masjid, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple, in Sambhal, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Police used tear gas and “minor force” in the face of stone pelting by locals on Sunday as tension escalated during the survey of the Mughal-era mosque. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_24_2024_000117B)
    Sambhal: Police stand guard during a second survey of the Jama Masjid, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple, in Sambhal, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_24_2024_000198B)
    **EDS: SCREENGRAB VIA PTI VIDEOS** Sambhal: People and security personnel use teargas to disperse protestors during a second survey of the Jama Masjid, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple, in Sambhal, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Police used tear gas and “minor force” in the face of stone pelting by locals on Sunday as tension escalated during the survey of the Mughal-era mosque. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_24_2024_000148B)
    Sambhal: A vehicle in flames after violence erupted during the second survey of the Jama Masjid, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple, in Sambhal, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_24_2024_000334B)
    Sambhal: Police and security personnel stand guard amid violence during a second survey of the Jama Masjid, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple, in Sambhal, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Police used tear gas and “minor force” in the face of stone pelting by locals on Sunday as tension escalated during the survey of the Mughal-era mosque. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_24_2024_000116B)
    **EDS: SCREENSHOT VIA PTI VIDEO** Sambhal: Security personnel stand guard during a second survey of the Jama Masjid, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple, in Sambhal, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_24_2024_000208B)


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  • 5 phones you should buy instead of the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

    This was a big year for Google thanks to the arrival of the Pixel 9 lineup. Not only did we get the return of the XL size, but Google also launched the second generation of its foldable, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

    Though it was late to the foldable game, Google’s second iteration of a folding phone is a huge improvement over the original Google Pixel Fold. It’s thinner, opens flat without issue, is ergonomic, and has a fantastic inner screen and a redesigned camera module. It just feels great overall.

    But there’s no denying that it’s expensive for what you get, and it’s not the only foldable out there. Here are a few alternatives to consider if you’re thinking about buying the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

    OnePlus Open

    Tushar Mehta / Digital Trends

    The OnePlus Open is the first foldable from OnePlus, and for the company’s first attempt at a foldable, it’s pretty fantastic.

    OnePlus used titanium for the OnePlus Open, making it one of the most lightweight foldables on the market. It also comes in some beautiful colors, like green and even red, while also offering a standard black color.

    The displays on the OnePlus Open are fantastic. The cover screen is similar to a regular phone, so it’s a good size to hold in your hand and doesn’t have awkward aspect ratios. The inner display is one of the best around. It has an anti-reflective layer, which makes it easier to use outdoors since the glare is reduced. And with up to 2800 nits of peak brightness on both screens, visibility on the Open’s screens is about as good as it gets.

    But the OnePlus Open doesn’t only look good; it also packs in a ton of power. Inside is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, 16GB RAM, and 512GB storage. For the cameras, you get a 48MP primary camera, a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a 64MP periscope telephoto with 3x optical zoom. The cover selfie camera is 32MP, and the inner display is 20MP for the selfie camera.

    Regarding battery life, it’s hard to beat the 4,805mAh battery capacity that the OnePlus Open offers. It even supports 67-watt fast wired charging so that you can go from zero to 100% charged in about 42 minutes. There’s no wireless charging, however, but when it charges that fast, it’s a fine trade-off.

    The OnePlus Open offers better specs for less than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, even though it’s about a year old. It’s still a fantastic foldable and a beast in terms of performance, and it remains one of the best folding phones around.

    Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

    The hinge on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
    Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

    Samsung has been in the foldable market for six years, so it knows a thing or two about making a good foldable. That expertise is on full display with the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

    Though the design of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 isn’t very different from its predecessor, it has been refined and slimmed down. The cover display has been improved to a 6.3-inch size that is easier to use. The 7.6-inch inner display is also beautiful to look at, and both screens work with the S Pen, giving the Fold 6 a pretty unique advantage over its competitors.

    Inside the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy processor, 12GB RAM, and storage that ranges from 256GB to 1TB. The triple-lens camera consists of a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom capability. Though the cameras haven’t been upgraded since the Z Fold 4, Samsung phones always take vibrant, punchy photos that look good.

    For battery life, you have a 4,400mAh battery that should last all day. It charges at 45W when plugged in or 15W when charging wirelessly. The Z Fold 6 is one of the most well-rounded folding phones available today. If you’re considering the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, this also needs to be on your list of options.

    Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

    Someone holding the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
    Joe Maring / Digital Trends

    If the reason you’re thinking about a Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the large display, then you might also want to take a look at the Pixel 9 Pro XL. It’s not a foldable, but it offers one of Google’s largest phone displays — and it’s significantly cheaper, too.

    The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the first XL-size Pixel since the Pixel 4 XL in 2019. It has a large and beautiful 6.8-inch Super Actua OLED display at 486 pixels per inch (ppi), a 120Hz refresh rate, and a whopping 3000 nits of peak brightness — that’s double the brightness that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold gets.

    Inside the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the Tensor G4 and 16GB RAM, just like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. You can choose from at least 128GB storage, all the way up to 1TB. And while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold only gets black and white color options, the regular Pixel 9 Pro XL (and its smaller sibling) gets Rose Quartz pink or Hazel, in addition to the Obsidian (black) and Porcelain (white) colors.

    Despite the Pixel 9 Pro Fold having a very expensive price tag, the cameras aren’t the best. On the other hand, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which is much cheaper, has better cameras. There’s a 50MP primary camera, a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom. It’s a more sophisticated setup than the one you get on Google’s folding phone, and if cameras are a top priority for you, it’s a serious reason to go for the XL instead of the Fold.

    Google even equipped the Pixel 9 Pro XL with a larger battery than the Fold, as it has a 5,060mAh battery inside. It has 37W wired charging, 23W wireless charging with the Pixel Stand, and 12W wireless charging with other Qi-compatible chargers. It supports reverse wireless charging as well.

    If you want the Pixel experience with a large screen, but also could use better cameras, then the Pixel 9 Pro XL is a better choice than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. And you’ll save quite a bit of money, too. Definitely keep your eye on this one.

    Motorola Razr Plus (2024)

    The back of the Motorola Razr Plus 2024.
    Joe Maring / Digital Trends

    If you insist on having a foldable and don’t mind the flip form factor, the Motorola Razr Plus (2024) is a great choice.

    Motorola made some significant design changes to the Razr Plus this year, including the move to a vegan leather back for all colors. It’s soft and grippy, making it easier than ever to hold the phone without fear of dropping it. And the colors themselves are fantastic, especially the Spring Green.

    The hinge on the Razr Plus (2024) has a new design, making it smoother and silent, which results in it feeling a lot nicer to open and close. The crease on the inner display is also mostly nonexistent, thanks to this new hinge design, and it feels much more durable overall.

    For the cover display, there’s now a 4-inch pOLED always-on display with 2400 nits peak brightness and up to a 165Hz refresh rate — yes, you read that right. It may be overkill for a cover screen, but it looks great. And you can run pretty much any app on the cover display, too, making it visually and functionally fantastic. Combine that with the inner screen, with a 6.9-inch pOLED panel, 165Hz refresh rate, and up to 3000 nits peak brightness, and there’s very little to complain about.

    The cameras on the Motorola Razr Plus (2024) have been upgraded, too, as the dual camera system now has a 50MP primary camera and a 50MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. It has a 32MP camera at the top of the inner display for selfies. There are no more ultrawide lenses, but that’s a good trade-off for a flip phone with a telephoto camera.

    Surprisingly, the Razr Plus (2024) has a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip, which is a step below the typical Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. But it’s still very solid in terms of performance, and when you have 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, it’s more than performant enough for most people.

    The 4,000mAh battery isn’t massive, but it’ll still last you a whole day and then some. You also get 45W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging. With a price tag that’s hundreds of dollars less than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, there’s a lot to like here.

    Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

    A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
    Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

    Finally, before you go out and buy the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, you should give serious consideration to the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. It’s not a folding phone, but it has a large screen, beastly performance, and even comes with an integrated S Pen.

    Samsung’s top-tier S24 Ultra has a premium look and feel with its titanium frame, boxy design with a flat screen, and bold new colors. The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display is also beautiful, with 2500 nits peak brightness and a 120Hz refresh rate. The new Gorilla Armor glass also has another benefit you don’t see on many phones: less reflections. It’s not completely anti-reflective like the OnePlus Open inner display, but it significantly reduces the amount of glare, especially outdoors.

    Inside the S24 Ultra is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy with 12GB RAM and various storage options up to 1TB. This is plenty of power for all your needs, including running Samsung’s Galaxy AI tools.

    The S24 Ultra also comes with the S Pen, which can be used in a variety of ways besides just handwritten notes or sketching. Since it has a button, it can be used for things like a pointer for presentations or even as a remote camera shutter. Each time the S Pen is taken out of its slot, you get a pop-up menu interface on the screen with shortcuts for actions you may want to use the S Pen for.

    The S24 Ultra also has some of the best cameras around. It has an incredible 200MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide camera, a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and another 50MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. If you want a smartphone with the absolute best cameras, it’s hard to beat the S24 Ultra’s quad camera system.

    Samsung equipped the S24 Ultra with a massive 5,000mAh battery, which should last at least a day, if not more. It supports 45W wired charging and has your typical wireless and reverse wireless charging, too.

    The Galaxy S24 Ultra is not a cheap phone, but it’s also one of the most capable on the market today. You can likely find a good deal on it, too, considering that the Galaxy S25 series will be coming soon.






  • ABC agrees to pay $15 million to Trump’s presidential library to settle defamation lawsuit

    NEW YORK (AP) — ABC News has agreed to pay $15 million toward Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate on-air assertion that the president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.

    As part of the settlement made public Saturday, ABC News posted an editor’s note to its website expressing regret over Stephanopoulos’ statements during a March 10 segment on his “This Week” program. The network will also pay $1 million in legal fees to the law firm of Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito.

    The settlement agreement describes ABC’s presidential library payment as a “charitable contribution,” with the money earmarked for a non-profit organization that is being established in connection with the yet-to-be built library.

    “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” ABC News spokesperson Jeannie Kedas said.

    A Trump spokesperson declined comment.

    Trump, Stephanopoulos and ABC executives signed the settlement agreement on Friday.

    The document bore Trump’s bold, distinct signature and an electronic signature with the initials GRS in a space for Stephanopoulos’ name. Debra OConnell, the president of ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks, also e-signed the agreement.

    ABC News must transfer the $15 million for Trump’s library to an escrow account that’s being managed by Brito’s law firm within 10 days, according to the agreement. The network must also pay Brito’s legal fees within 10 days.

    While sizeable, ABC’s contribution to Trump’s presidential library will likely cover just a fraction of the cost. Former President Barack Obama’s library in Chicago, for example, was estimated to cost $830 million as of 2021.

    Trump sued ABC and Stephanopoulos in federal court in Miami days after the network aired the segment, in which the longtime “Good Morning America” anchor and “This Week” host repeatedly misstated the verdicts in Carroll’s two civil lawsuits against Trump.

    During a live “This Week” interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., Stephanopoulos wrongly claimed that Trump had been “found liable for rape” and “defaming the victim of that rape.”

    Neither verdict involved a finding of rape as defined under New York law.

    In the first of the lawsuits to go to trial, Trump was found liable last year of sexually assaulting and defaming Carroll. A jury ordered him to pay her $5 million.

    In January, at a second trial in federal court in Manhattan, Trump was found liable on additional defamation claims and ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million.

    WATCH: Jury decides Trump must pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defamation

    Trump is appealing both verdicts.

    Carroll, a former advice columnist, went public in a 2019 memoir with her allegation that Trump raped her in the mid-1990s at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury Manhattan department store across the street from Trump Tower, after they crossed paths at an entrance.

    Trump denied her claim, saying he didn’t know Carroll and never ran into her at the store.

    After Trump lashed out, calling Carroll a “nut job” who invented “a fraudulent and false story” to sell her memoir, she sued him for unspecified monetary damages and sought a retraction of what she said were Trump’s defamatory denials.

    Testifying in April 2023, Carroll told jurors: “I’m here because Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen. He lied and shattered my reputation, and I’m here to try and get my life back.”

    After she’d agreed to help Trump shop for a gift for a woman, Carroll testified that he pushed her against a dressing room wall, stamped his mouth onto hers, yanked down her tights and shoved his hand and then his penis inside her while she struggled against him.

    She said she finally kneed him off her and fled.

    In upholding the $5 million judgment in the first trial, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan wrote that the unanimous verdict was almost entirely in favor of Carroll, except that the jury concluded she had failed to prove that Trump raped her “within the narrow, technical meaning of a particular section of the New York Penal Law.”

    Kaplan, who presided over both of Carroll’s lawsuits against Trump, said the definition of rape in the state code was “far narrower” than how rape is defined in common modern parlance, in some dictionaries, in some federal and state criminal statutes and elsewhere.

    Under New York law, a rape finding requires vaginal penetration by a penis. Forcible penetration without consent of the vagina or other bodily orifices by fingers or anything else is labeled “sexual abuse.”

    The judge said the verdict did not mean that Carroll “failed to prove that Mr. Trump ‘raped’ her as many people commonly understand the word ‘rape.’ Indeed … the jury found that Mr. Trump in fact did exactly that.”

    Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Zeke Miller contributed to this report.

  • Photos: Winter session of Parliament


    Winter session of Parliament

    New Delhi: The Winter Session of Parliament began on Monday and is scheduled to continue till December 20.

    New Delhi: Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav and NCP MP Praful Patel during the first day of the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (PTI Photo)
    New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi during the first day of the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (PTI Photo)
    New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the first day of the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (PTI Photo)

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  • Cyclone Chido causes hundreds of deaths on Mayotte islands in Indian Ocean, officials say

    Cyclone Chido causes hundreds of deaths on Mayotte islands in Indian Ocean, officials say

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The death toll in the French territory of Mayotte from Cyclone Chido is “several hundred” and may be close to 1,000, the island’s top government official told the local broadcaster Sunday.

    Mayotte Prefect François-Xavier Bieuville told TV station Mayotte la 1ere that “I think there are some several hundred dead, maybe we’ll get close to a thousand.”

    He said it was “extremely difficult” to get an exact number right now after the Indian Ocean islands were pummeled by the intense tropical cyclone on Saturday, causing widespread destruction. Officials had confirmed at least 11 deaths in Mayotte earlier Sunday but said that was expected to increase.

    Chido has now made landfall on the east coast of Africa, where aid agencies are warning of more loss of life and severe damage in northern Mozambique.

    The tropical cyclone blew through the southeastern Indian Ocean, also affecting the nearby islands of Comoros and Madagascar. Mayotte was directly in its path and suffered extensive damage on Saturday, officials said. The local prefect said it was the worst cyclone to hit Mayotte in 90 years.

    WATCH: After devastating hurricane, Grenada demands global action on climate change

    French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said Saturday night after an emergency meeting in Paris that there were fears that the death toll in Mayotte “will be high” and the island had been largely devastated.

    Prime Minister François Bayrou, who took office on Friday, said public infrastructure on Mayotte had been severely damaged or destroyed, including the main hospital and the airport. He said many people living in precarious shacks in slum areas have faced very serious risks.

    Chido brought winds in excess of 220 kph (136 mph), according to the French weather service, making it a category 4 cyclone, the second strongest on the scale.

    Mayotte has a population of just over 300,000 spread over two main islands about 800 kilometers (500 miles) off Africa’s east coast. It is France’s poorest island and the European Union’s poorest territory. In some parts, entire neighborhoods were flattened, while local residents reported many trees had been uprooted and boats had been flipped or sunk.

    The French Interior Ministry said 1,600 police and gendarmerie officers have been deployed to “help the population and prevent potential looting.”

    More than 100 rescuers and firefighters have been deployed in Mayotte from France and the nearby territory of Reunion, and an additional reinforcement of 140 people was due to be sent on Sunday. Supplies were being rushed in on military aircraft and ships.

    French President Emmanuel Macron said he was closely monitoring the situation, while Pope Francis offered prayers for the victims of the cyclone while on a visit Sunday to the French Mediterranean island of Corsica.

    Chido continued its eastern trajectory and made landfall early Sunday in Mozambique on the African mainland, where emergency officials had warned that 2.5 million people could be impacted in two northern provinces, Cabo Delgado and Nampula. Landlocked Malawi and Zimbabwe are also preparing to be affected, with both countries warning they might have to evacuate people from low-lying areas because of flooding.

    In Mozambique, the United Nations Children’s Fund said Cabo Delgado province, home to around 2 million people, had been hit hard.

    “Many homes, schools and health facilities have been partially or completely destroyed and we are working closely with government to ensure continuity of essential basic services,” UNICEF said. “While we are doing everything we can, additional support is urgently needed.”

    UNICEF Mozambique spokesman Guy Taylor said in a video posted by the group from Cabo Delgado’s regional capital that alongside the immediate impact of the cyclone, communities now face the prospect of being cut off from schools and health facilities for weeks.

    December through to March is cyclone season in the southeastern Indian Ocean and southern Africa has been pummeled by a series of strong ones in recent years. Cyclone Idai in 2019 killed more than 1,300 people in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Cyclone Freddy left more than 1,000 dead across several countries last year.

    The cyclones bring the risk of flooding and landslides, but also stagnant pools of water may later spark deadly outbreaks of the waterborne disease cholera as well as dengue fever and malaria.

    Studies say the cyclones are getting worse because of climate change. They can leave poor countries in southern Africa, which contribute a tiny amount to global warming, having to deal with large humanitarian crises, underlining their call for more help from rich nations to deal with the impact of climate change.

    Corbet reported from Paris.

  • Photo: Gritty Gukesh outplays Liren on time in Rd3 for first win in World Championship

    Photo: Gritty Gukesh outplays Liren on time in Rd3 for first win in World Championship


    Singapore: Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh clinched his first win over defending champion Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship, outplaying the Chinese on time control in the third round to draw level on points here on Wednesday.

    Singapore: India’s D Gukesh at a press conference after his match against Ding Liren of China at the FIDE World Championship 2024, in Singapore, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI11_27_2024_000318B)
    Singapore: India’s D Gukesh during his FIDE World Championship 2024 match against Ding Liren of China, in Singapore, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI11_27_2024_000313B)
    Singapore: Ding Liren of China at a press conference after his match against India’s D Gukesh at the FIDE World Championship 2024, in Singapore, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI11_27_2024_000315B)
    Singapore: India’s D Gukesh during his FIDE World Championship 2024 match against Ding Liren of China, in Singapore, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI11_27_2024_000314B)
    Singapore: India’s D Gukesh during his FIDE World Championship 2024 match against Ding Liren of China, in Singapore, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI11_27_2024_000313B)
    Singapore: India’s D Gukesh at a press conference after his match against Ding Liren of China at the FIDE World Championship 2024, in Singapore, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI11_27_2024_000316B)
    Singapore: India’s D Gukesh at a press conference after his match against Ding Liren of China at the FIDE World Championship 2024, in Singapore, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI11_27_2024_000318B)
    Singapore: Ding Liren of China plays plays against India’s D Gukesh (unseen) at the FIDE World Championship 2024, in Singapore, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI11_27_2024_000161B)
    Singapore: India’s D Gukesh plays against Ding Liren of China (R) at the FIDE World Championship 2024, in Singapore, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI11_27_2024_000160B)
    Singapore: India’s D Gukesh plays against Ding Liren of China (unseen) at the FIDE World Championship 2024, in Singapore, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI11_27_2024_000158B)
    Singapore: India’s D Gukesh, left, and Ding Liren of China during their match at the FIDE World Championship 2024, in Singapore, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI11_27_2024_000321B)

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  • Severe winter storms wallop the U.S. with snow, ice and a tornado in California

    Severe winter storms wallop the U.S. with snow, ice and a tornado in California

    OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A tornado near a mall in central California swept up cars, uprooted trees and sent several people to the hospital. In San Francisco, authorities issued the first-ever tornado warning.

    Elsewhere, inclement weather plagued areas of the U.S., with dangerous conditions including heavy snow in upstate New York, a major ice storm in Midwest states and severe weather warnings around Lake Tahoe.

    The ice storm beginning Friday evening created treacherous driving conditions across Iowa and eastern Nebraska Friday and into Saturday and prompted temporary closures of Interstate 80 after numerous cars and trucks slid off the road. In upstate New York, more than 33 inches (84 centimeters) was reported near Orchard Park, which is often a landing point for lake-effect snow.

    On Saturday, a tornado touched down near a shopping mall in Scotts Valley, California, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) south of San Francisco, around 1:40 p.m. The tornado overturned cars and toppled trees and utility poles, the National Weather Service said. The Scotts Valley Police Department said several people were injured and taken to hospitals.

    Some trees toppled onto cars and streets and damaged roofs in San Francisco. The damage was being assessed to determine if the city was indeed hit by a tornado, which had not occurred since 2005, according to the weather service.

    READ MORE: Why 2024’s destructive tornado season was one of the most active on record

    Roger Gass, a meteorologist in the weather service’s office in Monterey, California, said the warning of a possible tornado in San Francisco was a first for the city, noting an advanced alert did not go out before the last tornado struck nearly 20 years ago.

    “I would guess there wasn’t a clear signature on radar for a warning in 2005,” said Gass, who was not there at the time.

    The fast-moving storm prompted warnings for residents to take shelter, but few people have basements in the area.

    “The biggest thing that we tell people in the city is to put as many walls between you and the outside as possible,” Meteorologist Dalton Behringer said.

    More than a foot (30 centimeters) of snow fell at some Lake Tahoe ski resorts, and a 112-mph (181-kph) gust of wind was recorded at the Mammoth Mountain resort south of Yosemite National Park, according to the weather service’s office in Reno, Nevada. Up to 3 feet (91 centimeters) of snow was forecast for Sierra Nevada mountaintops.

    The Tahoe Live music festival at Palisades Tahoe ski resort in California was expected to go ahead as planned Saturday and Sunday in spite of a winter storm warning for the area. Lil Wayne was scheduled to perform Saturday night, with Diplo as the headliner on Sunday, the festival’s website said.

    A winter storm warning was set to expire at 10 p.m. Saturday, but an avalanche warning remained in effect into the following night for elevations above 8,000 feet (about 2,400 meters) around Tahoe.

    Interstate 80 was closed along an 80-mile (130-kilometer) stretch from Applegate, California, to the Nevada line just west of Reno on Saturday. The California Highway Patrol reopened the road in the afternoon for passenger vehicles with chains or four-wheel drive and snow tires.

    The severe weather in the Midwest resulted in at least one death. The Washington County Sheriff’s office in Nebraska said a 57-year-old woman died after she lost control of her pickup on Highway 30 near Arlington and hit an oncoming truck. The other driver sustained minor injuries.

    Businesses announced plans to open late Saturday as temperatures rose high enough in the afternoon to melt the ice in most places.

    “Luckily some warmer air is moving in behind this to make it temporary,” said Dave Cousins, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s office in Davenport, Iowa.

    Tens of thousands of people in western Washington state lost electricity Saturday as the system delivered rain and gusty winds, local news outlets reported.

    Associated Press reporters Olga R. Rodriguez in San Francisco, Julie Walker in New York, Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, and Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, contributed.

  • Photos: PM Modi holds talks with Sri Lankan President Disanayaka

    Photos: PM Modi holds talks with Sri Lankan President Disanayaka


    PM Modi holds talks with Sri Lankan President Disanayaka

    New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday held extensive talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka, focusing on further shoring up India-Sri Lankan cooperation in a range of areas, including defence, trade and investment.

    The Sri Lankan leader arrived in Delhi on Sunday, his first foreign trip after becoming president in September.

    PM Modi holds talks with Sri Lankan President Disanayaka
    Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake inspects the guard of honour during his ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (PTI Photo)
    PM Modi holds talks with Sri Lankan President Disanayaka
    Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses for photographs after his ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (PTI Photo)
    PM Modi holds talks with Sri Lankan President Disanayaka
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake as President Droupadi Murmu looks on after a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (PTI Photo)


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