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casino games win real money Montrose Regional Health has announced that it has successfully completed its 1000 th successful operation with the Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System. This milestone reflects the hospital’s continued dedication to utilizing advanced medical technology, ensuring the best and safest experience for patients. “Congratulations to Western Slope Orthopaedics and to our entire surgical team,” said Jeff Mengenhausen, CEO of Montrose Regional Health. “This milestone demonstrates Montrose Regional Health’s commitment to bringing technology and innovation to our rural communities to enhance patient care.”

Rupert Murdoch Fails in Bid to Change Family TrustSome tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen National Politics | Exhausted by political news? TV ratings and new poll say you’re not alone The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip020

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Powering Inner Growth Through Design HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 November 2024 – Presented by PMQ and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), formerly known as Create Hong Kong (CreateHK), deTour design festival will take place from 29 th November to 15 th December 2024 at PMQ, Central. This year, the exhibition has been extended to seventeen days, free of charge, and is open to all design enthusiasts, students, and the public. Through large-scale exhibitions, workshops, guided tours and Creative Voice design forums, deTour 2024 showcases the creative works among the local and international creative communities, exploring the underlying meaning of the connection between design and one’s inner strength! The Theme of deTour 2024: Having→Being: Designing Inner Worlds Design has long been seen as an instrument for solving problems. Adonian Chan, Curator of deTour 2024 was inspired by the book To Have or To Be by Erich Fromm, a psychologist. He found that with the advancing production methods and material abundance, design has gradually become a tool to produce desire, and a person’s worth is judged based on their possessions. This change echoes Erich Fromm’s concept of the “mode of having” in his book To Have or To Be . Fromm argues that society frequently judges a person’s worth based on their possessions. Yet he asserts that true value lies not in what we “have” but in who we “are”— the “mode of being”. In deTour 2024, the Curator and designers will uncover underexplored possibilities in design, emphasising how design enriches one’s inner power. Not only does design present the outlook of an environment or a product, but it is also a catalyst for one’s inner growth, well-being, and creative expression. Through careful consideration and curation, as well as the environment, product, and experience provided in deTour2024, it aims to help people create a space and a tool that reflects their inner true self and provide inspiration for a deeper dialogue and connection. Starting from the Courtyard: Opening a Dialogue and Connections with 17 Installations and Exhibitions deTour2024 exhibits a total of 17 installations from local and overseas designers throughout PMQ. Walking through the entrance tunnel to the courtyard, a feature exhibition of “ Air-Scape “, “ Capturing Qi ( 氣 ) “, and “ Passage to the Lake “, from three groups of local and overseas young designers, unveils the path to reflection. Other installations are displayed through the courtyard, Hollywood Garden, and the specific levels in Block A. Every installation is a dialogue to inner growth, allowing us to rethink how design has influenced our lives and environment, including experimental works that explore new possibilities through deTour 2024. In addition, the seventeen-day design festival has 40 workshops and 13 Creative Voice sessions, bringing a series of free exciting experiences to the public. International Collaboration: Kimchi and Chips —— “ REWORLD Type 2 ” Founded in 2009 by Seoul-based artists Mimi Son and Elliot Woods, Kimchi and Chips is acclaimed for merging art, technology, and philosophy. Their large-scale installations explore the intersections of light, space, and perception, creating immersive experiences that blur reality and illusion. “REWORLD Type 2” is an innovative urban screen that constructs images not with traditional LEDs, but by remixing fragments from the surrounding cityscape. Urban screens have become a principal material of the built environment, and are used to communicate ideas, convey ambitions, provide instructions, and contribute to the creation of a city’s aesthetic and mythology. Kimchi and Chips quote Donna J. Haraway, “It matters what stories make worlds, what worlds make stories.” REWORLD is a screen that generates images solely from the city’s existing elements, reimagining and recycling reality into new messages and ideas. This screen operates using more than 1,000 of micro-prisms actuated by precision motors, which selectively refract the surroundings to form new images, showcasing a stunning “reworld”. Feature Exhibitions: About Living Attitudes – Balance, Feng Shui, Penjing and Lakes 1. Wich Chau, Match Chen — “ A place of Being ” Wich Chau is a Hong Kong designer who adopts an experimental approach to designing furniture, public spaces, and installation art, delving into the potential of urban environments through thought-provoking inquiries. His work “Wave of Growth” was featured in the MoMA-published book “Uneven Growth@2015”. Since 2020, he has tried oil painting, drawing on elements of science fiction, surrealism, and futuristic imagination to provoke contemplation about the universe and existence. Match Chen, co-founder of KaCaMa Design Lab in Hong Kong, has rich experience in sustainable and community-focused design and is dedicated to promoting local craftsmanship and artistic creation. His works, “Flawless Failure” and “Bamboo-Copter Pavilion”, have been showcased in PMQ, the Hong Kong Museum of History, etc. “A place of Being” is an interactive installation that explores the intricate balance between “Having” and “Losing”, as well as “Balance” and “Imbalance”, through participants’ personal experiences and interactions. At the heart of this installation lies a scale, set against a blue carpet. Participants, in groups of one to three, take turns adding wood to the scale, aiming to maintain a sense of inner calm and equilibrium. If too much wood is piled on or if the centre of gravity shifts, everything on the scale will tip over. The team hopes that this straightforward interactive experience will illuminate abstract yet tangible concepts in life, such as “Inner”, “Outer”, “Accept”, “Reject”, “Balance”, and “Imbalance”. The team anticipates that this experience will encourage participants to reflect on their journey toward “being” and finding balance in their lives. 2. Future Soil X Laurence Lee — “ Air-Scape ” Formed in 2023 by Arthur Cheung, Carolyn Tam, and Yvonne Wong, the team explores the relationship between traditional plant cultivation and emerging technologies, combining material exploration and digital fabrication to design bio-receptive structures integrated with plant species. Their project, exhibited at the deTour 2023 – design festival, showcased how lifeforms can influence computational design, offering a fresh perspective on the interaction between nature and the built environment and encouraging us to rethink how we shape our surroundings. Laurence Lee King Man has studied penjing under several masters in Hong Kong since 2000. Now Chairman of the Penjing Association of Hong Kong, he promotes penjing culture. Lee is also a Chinese ink painter and curates art exhibitions. Penjing is a fascinating art form that grows and transforms over time. “Air-Scape” integrates soilless foam with perforated 3D-printed forms, allowing for customisable vessel shapes that support diverse plant species. This holistic approach bridges traditional penjing with computational design and digital fabrication, offering new geometric possibilities for the art form. 3. Yoojin Chung — “ Capturing Qi ( 氣 ) ” Yoojin Chung is an interdisciplinary Korean designer whose works encompass a wide array of media, including objects, installations, and speculative research. Following her studies at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, she earned her MA in Contextual Design at Design Academy Eindhoven. Yoojin integrates conceptual exploration with innovative design methodologies to reimagine the dynamic interplay between materiality, form, and human experience. Her work challenges conventional notions and encourages fresh perspectives on everyday interactions. She promotes discussions around social, cultural, philosophical, and psychological themes, and creates platforms for critical reflection, and she continues to investigate new avenues in art and design across diverse contexts. “Capturing Qi (氣) ” offers a satirical critique of the evolving customs surrounding post-modern feng shui, questioning how feng shui influences Asians’ living, landscape and culture. This device “captures” Qi inside transparent capsules, serving as a physical, vision-oriented tool offering a new perspective on controlling success in life with the invisible substance, Qi, to combine the concepts of Eastern and Western feng shui, presenting a unique cultural dialogue and design perspective. 4. Moon Seop Seo — “ Passage to the Lake “ Moon Seop Seo is a Korean designer living in Eindhoven, Netherlands, graduating from Design Academy Eindhoven in 2021 with projects such as “Passage to the Lake” and “The Ephemeral Wall”, earning cum laude honours. Shortly after graduation, he established his own design studio, collaborating with various design museums and galleries. He often navigates the intersections of Eastern and Western cultures, philosophies, and aesthetics. He takes pride in his poetic ability to evoke specific atmospheres that convey messages and resonate with audiences. He describes his design concept as: “I would like for my works to spark our imagination and leave exclamation marks in our daily lives.” “Passage to the Lake” takes inspiration from the soothing effect on the mind of standing by a lake. He aims to honour the essence of living water and harness its potential in urban settings by crafting a spatial experience that allows people to enjoy a moment of relaxation. He invites visitors to witness a droplet falling into a puddle, where it comes to life again, allowing them to experience the calming rhythm of water amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. Selected Entries: 12 Artworks Selected through Open Recruitment 1. URBAN PROJECTION — “ Being Between Inner and Outer ” URBAN PROJECTION is a workgroup founded by Junxiang Zhang and Xiaoxu Zhao, which explores the gap between humanity and the built environment. Moving beyond traditional spatial design, the group focuses on the intangible aspects of life—perception, consciousness, and the unseen forces that shape our reality through text, image, and space to reconstruct a new understanding of our life. “Being Between Inner and Outer” is a spatial installation. The prototype features a U-shaped wall that delineates both inner and outer spaces. Positioned between these spaces, the wall serves as a spatial metaphor for the self. From the outside, the installation resembles a sculpture. Its polyhedral form presents multiple identities, shifting with each perspective. Within the U-shaped enclosure, an intimate space is created for personal interaction. Between inner and outer space, there exists a quiet place for solitude amidst the surrounding crowd, enhanced by a reflection of greenery. The phrase “Flowers in the mirror, moon in the water” (鏡中花, 水中月) evokes the idea that everything in the world is an illusion. Yet, these illusions—like the reflections in the mirror—may serve as gateways to a deeper, metaphysical realm, leading the audience to reflect upon the interactive relationship between one’s inner self and the outside world. 2. Sandy Choi — “ Being Transferred ” Sandy Choi, a Hong Kong graphic designer graduated from London with a degree in Graphic Design from Saint Martin’s School of Art, has been working and active for the past two decades and has garnered numerous local and international awards. He established his own design consultancy, Sandy Choi Associates (now Sandy Eddie Tommy Associates) in 1997. In recent years, in addition to adjudicating various international design competitions, Sandy has also been a part-time lecturer in graphic design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and HKU Space, dedicated to nurturing the next generation of designers. As Anaïs Nin, a famous American author, once said, “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” The same can be said about collectables and possessions: “We don’t buy things for what they are. We buy things for what we are.” As a designer, Sandy Choi has been collecting for many years, and over the past five years, he has shared some of these items on Instagram, pairing them with personal reflections. “Being Transferred” displays 33 items from his collection alongside their corresponding Instagram posts, exploring a shift from “having” to “being”—an invitation for viewers to take some of these meanings and ideas with them, integrating them into their own sense of being. 3. Studio Anthony Ko — “ Casa Destruct ” Studio Anthony Ko primarily engages in architecture, spatial designs, installations, and community projects, approaching the world with a theoretical lens. Through manifestos, the studio explores the provocative aspects of architecture, experimenting with themes such as place attachment, environmental psychology, and cultural preservation. Recently, Studio Anthony Ko has focused on designing spaces in remote and exilic environments, with a strong emphasis on well-being and emotional connection. The studio’s conceptual approach to embedding meaning in spaces is evident in projects such as “Station by the Sea” (Oku-Noto Triennale), “Disintegration” (SMACH Biennale), Fragile World (Sai Kung Hoi Arts Festival), After Seventeen Days (detour 2022). “Casa Destruct” replicates the aftermath of a home belonging to anonymous hosts, left in ruins after an unknown catastrophe. The remains, “Casa Destruct”, provoke us to reflect on life in this simulated state of destruction. Does the ghost or being of the home endure, defending the idea that a certain matter lingers (Or retains) or is even revived after the destruction of its physical form... Or is everything lost when the house collapses? This work allows people to think deeply about the state of “being” into a state of “having” and reinterpret the idea of “home”. 4. Ford Cheng, Vinzan Leung — “ DIVINE ” Ford Cheng is a promising young spatial artist who graduated from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and gained a master’s degree from the University of Hong Kong with a focus on architecture. His keen interest lies in fusing architecture, art, future technologies, and artificial intelligence. Ford believes this integration can result in designs that are not only interactive but also emotionally impactful, making spaces a vital part of people’s lives. His work fosters innovation in spatial art and encourages audiences to imagine what the future of living could look like. Vinzan is an imaginative young spatial artist currently enrolled in the Master of Architecture programme at the University of Hong Kong. She is dedicated to creatively blending architecture with interactive design, seeking ways to seamlessly unite art, technology, and human-centred design. With a passion for mechanical and artificial intelligence applications, Vinzan explores new avenues to enhance user experiences, transforming spaces into emotional expressions rather than merely functional environments. “DIVINE” features a fundamental framework along with multiple mirrors, each representing a unique aspect of the self. The installation’s movement varies in speed based on the distance between viewers and the sensors. As viewers draw near, their reflections engage in a dialogue with their own identities. The shape of the installation shifts dynamically with audience participation, celebrating the joy of “being”. Each audience’s interactive experience is unique. It is hoped that this experience inspires viewers to contemplate the difference between “having” and “being”, ultimately leading to a redefined understanding of life’s meaning. 5. JONO Craftspace — “ Hz Lab ” JONO Craftspace is a design studio founded by designers Paul Chung and Dino Cheung in 2019, with the concept of “A Space for CRAFTING and Crafting SPACE”. Initially established as a woodworking workshop, it serves as a platform to explore design ideas and create experimental prototypes, encompassing everything from small-scale woodwork to architectural explorations. “Hz Lab” is an experimental work that reminds us that the essence of music is found not in the instruments we own but in the moments we share. By embracing the concept of “being” rather than “having”, we open ourselves to a realm where creativity thrives, and connections deepen. This artistic exploration allows us to rediscover the transformative power of music and its profound impact on our lives. In a world that can feel increasingly fragmented, initiatives like “Hz Lab” inspire us to prioritise connection and creativity, fostering a sense of belonging and unity through sound. Ultimately, this project transforms our perception of music and our relationships, creating lasting memories that resonate far beyond the notes played. 6. Naonori Yago — “ Imitative Behavior: In the Footsteps of My Daughters ” Naonori Yago, born in Shizuoka in 1986, graduated from Musashino Art University with a degree in Visual Communication Design in 2008. He joined Hakuhodo in 2009 and has been affiliated with SIX since 2014. His notable awards include the Tokyo ADC, JAGDA New Designer Award, D&AD, NY ADC, and ONE SHOW. “Imitative Behavior: In the Footsteps of My Daughters” is a collaborative series from Naonori Yago and his daughter. They have always been creating drawings and paintings since his daughter was three years old. In this exhibition, Naonori Yago chooses some of his daughter’s drawings, scans them, and then traces her lines with dots on the computer. These works showcase the changes of the strength of her arm movements, resulting in lines that can be faint or bold. Through graphic designs, he tries to capture and express these features of the unexpected lines. To Naonori Yago, this experience has been incredibly enriching for him as a creator. While many artists draw inspiration from the past—histories, movements, or previous creators—he finds himself inspired by the future through his daughter’s creations. 7. Island Works — “ ISLAND LIGHTS ” Co-founded by Chi and Leroy, Island Works is a collaborative initiative, stemming from their shared fascination with Hong Kong’s islands. Island Works aims to document and archive these islands, ultimately creating a digital library dedicated to them. Through on-site visits, 3D scanning and photography, the project seeks to capture and preserve the essence of each island, transforming these elements into an engaging public platform. Supported by the Design Trust seed grant, Chi and Leroy are preparing for a public launch, fostering a connection between their creative vision and the natural landscapes that inspire them. Islands stir our natural curiosity to explore the unknown. In ancient times, our ancestors embarked on daring expeditions to reach these isolated lands, investing immense effort into charting maps, building ships, and constructing bridges to distant shores. Various forms of design and construction have not only reduced the distances between islands but, more importantly, created bridges of communication that connect us emotionally. Design facilitates connection. “ISLAND LIGHTS” highlights the approximately 200 islands of Hong Kong, comprising acrylic panels and each printed with point cloud data of an island to create an interactive archive installation reminiscent of a laboratory shelf. Through photographs and 3D scanning, they documented unique features such as striking rock formations and varied terrain. This work takes an archaeological and archivist approach to exploring the islands’ past, while also gesturing towards a speculative future through its digitised and technological aesthetics. This continuity between preservation and innovation reimagines how thoughtful design interventions might shape the islands’ evolving roles in the region—and, in turn, our lives. 8. Ng Chak Lam — “ The Club ” Chaklam Ng is a sound artist and inventor of musical instruments based in Hong Kong, with over 15 years of experience in design. He is the founder of the sound design collective Oblik Soundwork, exploring the intersection of sound, engineering, and interactive design. His recent work, “Pause Rec Play 2.0”, is an interactive sound installation that premiered at Clockenflap 2023. Chaklam’s projects often emphasise community engagement, and his public installations have been showcased at prominent venues such as K11 Musea, PMQ, and Central Market. “The Club” is an arcade-style pinball machine designed for up to four players. During gameplay, the pinball collides with various bumpers, generating a unique and dynamically evolving rhythmic pattern that varies with each round. To capture these one-of-a-kind sonic byproducts, the design utilises the kinetic interactions of the pinball to trigger a library of pre-recorded musical samples, such as drum hits, which are seamlessly integrated and looped within a digital turntable interface. This way, the seemingly random and unpredictable movement of the pinball transforms into a novel and engaging musical composition, with each machine featuring its own distinct set of sound samples to enhance the uniqueness of the experience. “The Club” effectively merges the excitement of arcade gameplay with the creative expression of music, allowing players to move beyond traditional gaming and engage in authentic musical creation. 9. New Common — “ The People’s Pavilion ” New Common is formed by a collective of alumni from the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London. Beyond their shared educational and professional background in architecture, they are deeply connected by a mutual passion for documenting architecture through diverse mediums—ranging from spatial design and visual communication to game design and interactive experiences. This open call of deTour 2024 has provided them with the opportunity to reunite and explore the possibilities of design together. “The People Pavilion” is designed as a space for self-discovery, reflection, and acceptance. Through a dynamic use of colours, each representing participants’ levels of satisfaction or “flavours” in different areas of life, the pavilion creates a vibrant metaphor for emotional complexity. These colours, interacting with mirrors and lighting, form a layered landscape, illustrating that emotional well-being is about finding balance across all feelings rather than prioritising any single one. Promoting emotional authenticity, the pavilion encourages visitors to explore and express their full range of emotions, even in moments of bitterness or disappointment. This collective installation captures participants’ internal thoughts through playful interaction, creating shared memories for the community. It showcases how a pavilion can act as both a reflection of the surrounding social and cultural environment, as well as a space for gathering and dialogue. By transforming individual emotions into a visual narrative, this work seeks to revolutionise the way communities express and strengthen their bonds by contributing their feelings to the evolving space. 10. half AND half Studio — “ trans(RE)SONANCE ” half AND half Studio is an architecture and design studio based in Hong Kong, comprising Charles Kwan, Henry Au, and Aurora Wong as the project team. It offers a wide range of services that encompass innovative and integrative architectural design, spatial planning, interior design, and art installations. “trans(RE)SONANCE” presents an interactive experience that requires the active participation of the visitors. Visitors have to control the movement intensity of the connected ropes of the light-sensitive device through a flashlight in a quiet environment, achieving a design that is technically simple yet visually effective. It brings a special sensory experience and lets visitors think deeply about the relationship between actuality and potentiality. 11. Chang Hoi Wood & Tang Chi Tat & Li Hong Ting — “ Unfinished Project ” Chang Hoi-wood, Tang Chi Tat, and Li Hong Ting are Hong Kong creators who have professional background and creative experience in architecture, design, and philosophy respectively. Chang Hoi-wood studied Master of Architecture at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, dedicated to coordinating place-making and arts technology projects; Li Hong Ting is a co-founder of the philosophy-promoting group Corrupt The Youth, studied Design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Philosophy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong; and Tang Chi Tat is a designer passionate about landscape and exhibition design, with a degree in Environment and Interior Design and recently completed his Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA). “Unfinished Project” seeks to explore the mutual influence between humans and objects. Things can shape our identities, and in turn, we can shape the things around us. Active users are creators; they reshape objects, integrating them into their identities. A pen, for instance, only exists as a pen when it is used to write; without that action, it is merely an object. This reveals how the unfinishedness of individuals and objects is intricately connected. 12. Victoria Dong — “ What if I had one more chance? ” Victoria Dong is a pioneering interdisciplinary designer who blends the thinking and design principles of both architecture and contemporary textiles. By exploring the intersection of material and space, she employs textile techniques to push design boundaries, championing inclusivity and creativity in all her projects. Through the fusion of architectural principles and textile art, her innovative designs establish a sense of unity between time and place, reflecting the fluid and multi-dimensional nature of identity. Currently based at Heatherwick Studio in London, she showcased her work at the Alveston Gallery in London, Royal Birmingham Society of Artists for the Prized Exhibition 2022 and created installations for the Hong Kong Museum of Art and K11 Art Mall. “What if I had one more chance?” uses the pinball machine as a metaphor, encouraging people to rediscover their authentic selves through play. It explores the question: How do “I” become “myself”? In this interactive experience, players are invited to imagine themselves as the ball, embarking on a journey filled with twists, turns, and obstacles. The racecourse, representing a space for ongoing self-reflection and inner exploration, is fully customisable—players can add or remove objects along the path. After each round, new insights may emerge, inspiring changes to the course and sparking further creativity. In this analogy, the ball symbolises one’s life, while the racecourse represents our life’s journey. The obstacles reflect the possessions we accumulate. Through playful engagement, we can embrace both our personal journey and the elements that shape it. A Whole New Parent-child Programme of deTour 2024 — “deTour Kids” To raise public awareness of the inspiration brought by design and creativity to a child’s development, deTour partnered with PMQ Seed and Creativekids launched a whole new parent-child programme, “deTour Kids”, includes “deTour Kids’ Morning tour” and “Family Crest Workshop”. “deTour Kids’ Morning tour” through interactive tours and engaging mini-games, introducing kids and parents to some selected works from deTour 2024 in an easy-to-understand way. In addition to guided tours, it also provides a parent-child design experience to create the unique “family crest”. Naonori Yago, the Japanese designer of the exhibition “Imitative Behavior: In the Footsteps of My Daughters” and his daughter will participate as guests in one public session on 30 Nov, encouraging parents and children to design together, gaining inspiration from each other! Workshops and Creative Voice Not only is deTour 2024 design festival showcases large-scale installations and exhibitions, but it also includes a variety of workshops, such as enamel painting, a unique small-scale coffee ground sculpture, accessory mould design, incense, collagraph printing, and planting. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to connect with international and local designers and cross-disciplinary industry professionals through Creative Voice, listening to their insights and understanding more about the connection between design and psychology, feng shui, nature, music, and more. All activities can be registered online, inviting the public to explore the unlimited possibilities of design together. Guided Tours X Diverse Tour Guides Various guided tours will be held during deTour 2024 such as, the Curator, Adonian Chan, and co-creators, Anthony Ko, Victoria Dong and Ng Chak Lam. Some designers and creators from different professions such as Kit Chan, the author of “Hong Kong Knowhere”, Corrupt The Youth, and Pan Tang, the founder of Midway, will become the tour guides. Through different perspectives and horizons, they bring visitors to explore the highlights in the exhibition and understand the behind stories and inspiration. Register to participate in the public programmes of deTour 2024. Attendees who complete the activities will have a chance to receive exclusive deTour 2024 souvenirs. For more information about deTour 2024 design festival and public programmes, please stay tuned for our social media updates, and visit the website: https://detour.hk/2024 deTour 2024 – design festival Date: 29th November 2024 – 15th December 2024 Opening Hours: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm Venue: PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central, Hong Kong Admission: Free Entry Website: https://detour.hk/2024 Hashtag: #deTour2024 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. deTour is an annual design festival showcasing creative designs and concepts. Organised by PMQ and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the event offers a wide range of programmes that bring together designers and creative communities from Hong Kong and abroad. deTour serves as a unique platform for inspiring people through the latest in creative expression and cutting-edge design. It also fosters exchanges between up-and-coming talents and seasoned professionals. Located in the heart of Hong Kong’s SoHo district, PMQ is the landmark of creative and design industries housing over 100 Hong Kong emerging designers. In 2014, PMQ was revitalised and transformed into a creative hub with a variety of design studios showcasing a wide array of design products including fashion and accessories, gifts & premium, homeware, and small furniture as well as other lifestyle goods and creative products. PMQ has now become an interactive platform for supporting up-and-coming creative talents and fostering a community of patrons and lovers of creativity, design, and heritage. It is also one of the popular venues in town for international design, arts, and cultural events from Hong Kong and around the world. The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) established in June 2024, formerly known as Create Hong Kong (CreateHK), is a dedicated office set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau to provide one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative industries with a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries. Its strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, promoting cross-sectoral and cross-genre collaboration, promoting the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries under the industry-oriented principle, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community to implement Hong Kong’s positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange under the National 14th Five-Year Plan. Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organisers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.Stock market today: Wall Street slips as technology stocks drag on the marketPublished 16:43 IST, November 30th 2024 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, speaking on the occasion, emphasised the importance of integration of technology, resources and capital in present times to accelerate a nation's growth and prosperity. Union minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday asserted that the country's growth over the last decade was propelled by advancement in science and technology, and innovation. He said that empowering youth and fostering innovations are key to achieving development goals for the nation. Delivering the presidential address at the inaugural session of the 10th India International Science Festival (IISF) here, the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology said, "India's remarkable growth story is deeply rooted in its advancements in science and technology, and innovation." "Over the past decade, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, we have seen a profound transformation across sectors -- from the rise of startups to revolutionary breakthroughs in biotechnology, space technology and quantum science," he added. The northeastern region, once on the periphery of development, has become a shining example of growth, embodying both economic progress and scientific innovation, he claimed. "As we approach India@2047, empowering youth and fostering innovation are key. Initiatives like the National Research Foundation and the bioeconomy revolution are driving India toward self-reliance and global leadership, with young innovators leading the way," the Union minister added. The four-day festival aims to popularise science and technology across diverse communities and is expected to attract over 8,000 delegates, researchers and leading scientific organisations, along with 10,000 students, fostering collaboration and innovation across disciplines. At the programme, Singh also launched the India Science, Technology & Innovation (ISTI) portal, a centralised platform which will serve as a comprehensive repository for content related to science, technology and innovation within India's ecosystem. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, speaking on the occasion, emphasised the importance of integration of technology, resources and capital in present times to accelerate a nation's growth and prosperity. "Technology is the most transformative force... and by harnessing it, a nation can overcome resource limitation and reduce dependency on capital," he maintained. It will also help in achieving social equity, poverty alleviation and improving the standard of living, impacting all sectors from agriculture to industry, power, communication and transportation, he added. Highlighting India's rich legacy of contribution to mathematics, astronomy, medicine and philosophy, he said, "India has been a cradle of pursuit of science. Assam also has a rich legacy, with its ancient name 'Pragjyotishpur' symbolising its contribution to astronomy and astrology." Expressing gratitude to the central government for holding the IISF in Guwahati, the CM said about 30 international scientists are also attending the meet, along with top luminaries of the field of the country. He said 1,500 students from Assam are participating in the IISF and will be staying at the venue, IIT-Guwahati, for three days. "It will be a one-of-a-kind experience for them. I urge our students to go back and share with your friends whatever you learn here," Sarma added. He said that the IISF is a celebration of collective commitment to excellence, innovation and harnessing of science and technology as a powerful engine of growth and prosperity for the nation. Sarma requested the central government to grant higher education institutions of the Northeast opportunity under the 'One Nation One Subscription' scheme, a newly launched programme which will allow nationwide access to scholarly research articles and journal publication. The CM said he also had a brief meeting with director general (DG) of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) N Kalaiselvi, who was present at the IISF, and requested her for research on how Assam can develop a flood-resistant economy. "Every year, floods destroy our infrastructure. We need to introduce more flood-resistant construction technology. I am sure agencies like CSIR will work towards achieving it," he said. Sarma also requested the Centre for leveraging the Northeast's strategic location and alignment with the Act East Policy, and consider establishing bio-foundry and bio-manufacturing hubs in the region. "We are also eager to establish aroma, flavour and fragrance industrial hubs in the state. We request the establishment of fragrance vertical by CSIR, along with R&D and incubation," he said. He proposed the setting up of a Northeast institution of climate studies and adaption to address the region's climate vulnerability and preserve indigenous knowledge, among other aspects. Updated 16:43 IST, November 30th 2024

Duffy 2-2 0-2 4, Stillwell 4-7 2-5 10, Fulks 8-11 0-1 17, McKee 4-10 2-3 10, Pullian 5-7 3-4 13, Lovelace 2-8 0-0 5, Franklin 0-4 1-2 1, Davis 1-2 0-0 3, Pippa-White 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 27-54 8-17 65.Cerity Partners LLC Boosts Stock Position in Twilio Inc. (NYSE:TWLO)Cerity Partners LLC Buys 18,132 Shares of Service Co. International (NYSE:SCI)

Cerity Partners LLC Reduces Stock Position in Invesco Russell 1000 Dynamic Multifactor ETF (BATS:OMFL)

In Civilization 7 , unlike previous games in the series, any leader can lead any civilization. So your choice of civilization is completely independent, allowing for a huge set of possible bonuses. And while your chosen leader will follow you all the way to the end, you'll choose a new civilization for each of the three acts: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. Each civ comes with a unique ability, unique civics, at least two unique units, and one or more unique infrastructures (which is basically the new name for unique buildings). They also specialize in two of the six civ attributes (Cultural, Economic, Diplomatic, Expansionist, Militarist, and Scientific). Here are all of the civs we know about so far: Age: Antiquity Historical context: Founded in the 1st century CE and hitting its height around the 500s, the Aksumite Empire was based around what is now Northern Ethiopia, and was considered by some an equal to Rome and Persia. Attributes: Cultural, Economic Unique ability: Kingdom of Natural Wealth. All resources that produce Gold produce more of it. Unique military unit: Dhow. An early naval unit with increased strength on coasts and the ability to create a naval trade route. Unique civilian unit: Tankwa. A trade ship that cannot be pillaged and has increased trade route range. Unique improvement: Hawlit. Produces culture for each adjacent wonder, but can only be built on flat land. Our advice: The Asksumites are poised to dominate in coastal trade, with safe shipping lanes and an advantage in coastal naval combat. Saving up some gold for later ages while your culture flourishes seems like a wise plan. Age: Antiquity Historical context: One of the oldest complex agricultural civilizations, they're known today for some rather large triangles and many of the earliest depictions of furries and scalies. Fun fact: Cleopatra lived closer to the present day than to the last time you finished an entire campaign of Civ on Marathon speed. Attributes: Cultural, Economic Unique ability: Gifts of Osiris. Tiles on navigable rivers give more Production. Unique military unit: Medjay. Infantry with increased strength in friendly territory, and an even higher bonus for being stationed in an owned settlement. Unique civilian unit: Tjaty. Produced in any city with a Necropolis, granting one of several randomized historical figures with unique bonuses. It's like if a loot box was a guy with a cool hat. Basically you're replacing one of the standard Great Person lists (in this case the Vizier) with a unique, Egypt-specific list that is better. Unique quarter: Necropolis. Gain Gold every time a wonder is completed in this city. Unique building: Mastaba. Produces Culture, as well as bonus Gold for adjacent Desert tiles. Unique building: Mortuary Temple. Produces Gold, as well as bonus Happiness for adjacent navigable rivers. Our advice: Settling near navigable rivers is obviously a must. But beyond that, Egypt is deceptively flexible, and could fit a lot of different playstyles. Even if you want to play aggressively, it may be better to let your enemies come to you first, so you can take advantage of your home turf combat bonuses. The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team. Age: Antiquity Historical context: The starting point for the majority of national myths that seek to set everything West of the Levant as a special, cool place where all the special-est, coolest people came from, they are credited with the Olympics, Western philosophy, and some pretty damn impressive beards. Attributes: Cultural, Diplomatic Unique ability: Demokratia. Increased Influence (that'd be the new diplomatic currency in Civ 7) on Palaces. Unique military unit: Hoplite. Increased strength when adjacent to another Hoplite. Unique civilian unit: Logios. Similar to Egypt's Tjaty, this is like a unique Great Person that can spawn as one of several randomized historical figures with different bonuses. Aristotle, Plato, Sappho—the gang's all here. They replace the vanilla Scholar and can only be built in cities with an Acropolis. Unique quarter: Acropolis. For every city-state you are suzerain of, your Parthenon building produces extra Gold. Unique building: Parthenon. Produces Culture, as well as bonus Influence if placed on rough terrain. Unique building: Odeon. Produces Happiness, as well as bonus Culture for each adjacent quarter. Our advice: The Greeks are definitely set up to master the Culture game, but you could also get some early conquest done with Hoplites if you make the most of their formidable formation fighting. Building a league of city-states should also be a major priority. Age: Antiquity Historical context: The Han dynasty of China reigned from the 200s BCE to the 200s CE, laying many of the foundations for later Chinese civilization and even giving their name to the Han ethnicity that most Chinese people identify with today. Attributes: Diplomatic, Scientific Unique ability: Nine Provinces. The Capital and new Towns gain two population the first time they get a growth event, instead of just one. Unique military unit: Chu-Ko-Nu. You've seen these guys, I'm sure. It's like a repeater crossbow. They have a zone of control (which most ranged units do not) to prevent other units from simply marching right past them, and higher defense than other early archers. While they can engage from up to one tile away, they also get increased strength at point-blank range. Unique civilian unit: Shì Dàfū. It's another one of those loot box guys, replacing the Scholar just like Greece's Logios, and representing a variety of important figures in early Chinese history from Laozi to Meng Ke (known as Mencius to Western scholars). Unique improvement: Great Wall. We're back to building this thing in individual segments. Each one gives Culture, as well as bonus Happiness for each adjacent Great Wall segment. Also increased combat strength for defenders on the same tile. Wall segments have to be built in a continuous line. They can eventually loop around, but they can't branch off. Our advice: A very defensible capital and early bonuses to population growth give you a lot of options, and as usual for a Chinese civ in Civ, they will be a natural pick for a Science-focused playstyle, albeit one that now depends a bit more on RNG. Age: Antiquity Historical context: The Khmer Empire was founded around 800 CE, making it one of the youngest starter civs in Civ 7, centered on what is today Cambodia. They came to control most of mainland Southeast Asia at their height. Attributes: Expansionist, Scientific Unique ability: Ksekam Chamnon. Urban districts next to rivers retain the output of any natural resources they were built on top of. Unique military unit: Yuthahathi. A cavalry unit with increased combat strength but reduced speed. It cannot be damaged by floods. Unique civilian unit: Vaishya. A merchant that cannot be damaged by floods and ignores movement penalties in flooded tiles. Unique improvement: Baray. Produces Food, increasing based on the number of floodplains within the borders of the settlement it is built. You can only build one per settlement and it must be on flat ground. Our advice: Natural disasters from Civ 6's Gathering Storm expansion are getting folded into the base game in Civ 7, and the Khmer are particularly well-equipped to survive and thrive with the natural flood cycles. Boosted food production and lower opportunity costs for urbanization will allow them to pursue many different strategies. Age: Antiquity Historical context: Founded in 322 BCE, the Maurya Empire grew to be the largest empire in South Asia up to that point. Controlling land from what is now Afghanistan all the way to the Bengal Delta, they were the cultural and political predecessors of most Indian subcontinent civilizations that came after them. Attributes: Militaristic, Scientific Unique ability: Dhamma Lipi. When you unlock Mysticism in the civics tree, you can choose an additional Pantheon bonus to represent your diverse religious beliefs. Unique military unit: Purabhettarah. A cavalry unit that has increased strength when fighting fortifications. Unique civilian unit: Nagarika. A settler that gives bonus Happiness on city halls. Unique quarter: Matha. Increases Happiness in the city where it is built. Unique building: Dharamshala. Produces Happiness, as well as bonus Science for every adjacent quarter. Unique building: Vihara. Produces Happiness, as well as bonus Culture for adjacent mountains. Our advice: Indian civs tend to focus on growth in Civ, and the Maurya seem to be no exception. But rather than speeding things up with food, they provide a lot of ways to keep your population centers happy. So you might grow slower, but the maximum population you can manage is greater. They are well-equipped for conquest and aggressive settling, as well as culture and science. Age: Antiquity Historical context: Less of an empire than a series of related societies that existed mainly in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula from at least 2000 BCE, they were renowned for their early discoveries in astronomy and the development of a complex writing system. Attributes: Diplomatic, Scientific Unique ability: Skies of Itzamna. Palaces produce bonus Science for every adjacent tile with vegetation. Unique military unit: Hul'che. A ranged unit that can see and move through tiles with vegetation as if they were open land. Unique civilian unit: Jaguar Slayer. A replacement for the Scout that can place a hidden Jaguar Trap on vegetation tiles. Enemy units that enter the tile take damage and immediately end their movement. Unique quarter: Uwaybil K'uh. Gains bonus production every time you research a technology. Unique building: Jalaw. Produces Happiness, as well as bonus Culture for every adjacent quarter. Unique building: K'uh Nah. Produces Science, with a bonus for every adjacent tile with vegetation. Our advice: Mayans were my pick for the best Science civ in Civ 6, and they still definitely lean in that direction. Though, as with other civs we've seen so far, it seems like their bonuses are more focused on giving you extra bonuses for doing science rather than making your science go faster. They also seem like they're going to be one of the most difficult and advanced civs, since you have to preserve the natural spaces around you to make the most of their bonuses. Age: Antiquity Historical context: Arising some time around 800 CE, the Mississippian cultures built the largest pre-Columbian city we know of in what is now the United States at Cahokia, as well as most of the examples of monumental architecture from that region. They went into decline some time before European contact for what are still poorly-understood reasons. Attributes: Economic, Expansionist Unique ability: Goose Societies. All buildings produce bonus Food for each adjacent resource. Unique military unit: Burning Arrow. An archer with increased strength against fortified districts and siege units. Its attacks apply a burning status to the targeted tile that deals damage to units on the burning tile for a number of turns. Unique civilian unit: Watonathi. A merchant that gains bonus Gold for every resource you gain access to when it creates a trade route. Unique improvement: Potkop. Produces Gold, as well as bonus Food for every adjacent resource, and must be built on flat land. Our advice: The Burning Arrow is a really interesting early game unit, letting you do some battlefield control that no one else has access to, which makes the Mississippians a really interesting pick for a militaristic playstyle. Otherwise, their ways to get bonus food will enable a lot of different playstyles. Age: Antiquity Historical context: The Achaemenid Persian Empire was founded in 550 BCE and was one of the great powers of the ancient world. At its height, they controlled land from India all the way to modern Libya and had a complex system of local governors. Attributes: Economic, Militaristic Unique ability: Hamarana Council. Infantry units have increased combat strength when attacking. Unique military unit: Immortal. A melee infantry unit that heals for a small amount after defeating an enemy unit. Unique civilian unit: Hazarapatis. A replacement for the Commander that starts with the Initiative promotion, allowing your units to move after "unpacking" from a commander. (In Civ 7, Commanders basically scoop up all of your adjacent units onto its tile to make armies easier to move, but you can't fight without unpacking them.) Unique improvement: Pairidaeza. Produces Culture and Gold, but cannot be built adjacent to one another. Our advice: Being able to sustain a conquest with self-healing Immortals lends itself to being very aggressive very early. You always want to be going on the attack, even when defending. I haven't played around with it yet, but I also think that having all your commanders start with Initiative is going to be huge. The Persians might be the best early warmonger civ. Age: Antiquity Historical context: Come on, even FPS players know this one. They built some roads and aqueducts. They did some conquests with their legions. They did a lot of arguing in elaborate spaces, and eventually had their government overthrown by a dictator. We can probably learn from at least a couple of those things, even today. Attributes: Cultural, Militaristic. Unique ability: Twelve Tables. Bonus Culture on all districts in the Capital and in Towns. The notable thing here is that it does not apply to Cities that are not the Capital, which encourages building a single, super tall capital and keeping all your other settlements as Towns. Unique military unit: Legion. A melee infantry unit that gains increased strength for every Roman-specific tradition you have adopted into your Government. Unique civilian unit: Legatus. A Commander that is able to found new settlements after gaining enough promotions. Unique quarter: Forum. Produces Cultures, as well as bonus Gold for every Roman-specific tradition you have adopted into your Government. Unique building: Temple of Jupiter. Produces Happiness, as well as bonus Culture for adjacent Happiness-producing buildings. Unique building: Basilica. Produces Gold, as well as Influence for adjacent Culture buildings. Our advice: Rome can certainly conquer, but they seem to be, perhaps, even better as a culture/settler rush civ this time around. The playstyle of all roads leading back to Rome with Towns serving as your outposts means you'll need to be extra careful building and defending your capital for maximum imperium. Age: Exploration Historical context: The third Islamic Caliphate, established in 750 CE, they oversaw the flourishing of culture and science known as the Islamic Golden Age and ultimately repelled the Crusades. At their height, their territory stretched from Tunisia to modern Pakistan. Attributes: Cultural, Scientific Unique ability: Medina. When a Specialist is created, you gain Gold for each population living in a rural district in that city. Unique military unit: Mamluk. A cavalry unit that gets increased combat strength for every population in urban districts when occupying a settlement. Unique civilian unit: Ālim. A unique Great Person created in a city with an Ulema, which can appear as one of several important figures from the Islamic Golden Age such as Ibn Sina and Ibn Fadlan. Unique quarter: Ulema. All specialists in the city where it's built produce bonus Science. Unique building: Madrasa. Produces Science, with a bonus to Science for each adjacent quarter and Science building. Unique building: Mosque. Produces Happiness, with a bonus to Happiness for adjacent Culture buildings and bonus Culture for adjacent Happiness buildings. If you don't already have the ability to do so, this will unlock the ability to found a Religion. Our advice: The Abbasids may be the real Science powerhouse in Civ 7, with pretty decent bonuses to Gold and Culture as well. Mamluks are specialized for urban fighting, so you'll not only want to urbanize your own settlements, but focus on attacking highly urbanized ones. Age: Exploration Historical context: A Tamil empire founded in Southern India in 848 CE, they came to command a large trade empire with bases as far away as modern Indonesia, and were influential in the spread of Hinduism into Southeast Asia. Attributes: Diplomatic, Economic Unique ability: Samayam. You get an extra trade route from every trade agreement. Unique military unit: Kalam. A naval unit that can attack twice per turn. Unique civilian unit: Ottru. A naval commander replacement that reduces the strength of all military units within its command radius. Unique quarter: Five Hundred Lords. Increases the range of your trade routes. Unique building: Manigramam. Produces Happiness, with a bonus to Happiness for each adjacent trade building and bonus gold for each adjacent quarter. Unique building: Anjuvannam. Produces Gold, with a bonus to Gold for adjacent coasts and navigable rivers, and a bonus to Production for naval units. Can only be built on the coast. Our advice: Unsurprisingly, the Chola are highly specialized to be a maritime trade empire. In addition to supporting a formidable navy, the Ottru will also aid with coastal land battles. Beyond that, they aren't particularly biased toward any specific victory objectives. Age: Exploration Historical context: While the Hawaiian islands may have been settled by Polynesians as early as the 100s CE, they were united into a single kingdom in 1795 by king Kamehameha. So far, very little has been announced about this civ beyond the name. Age: Exploration Historical context: A powerful Hindu kingdom that existed in modern-day Indonesia from the late 1200s through the early 1500s. Its rise to power saw it allying with and then betraying Kublai Khan's forces when they invaded Java in 1293. Attributes: Economic, Cultural Unique ability: Negara. All Cities except the Capital have an increased Specialist Limit. After the Exploration Age, the Specialist Limit increase goes away, and the Specialists become inactive until you increase the Specialist Limit. Unique Quarter: Pura. Receive a Relic when completed. Unique Building: Candi Bentar. Receive a Culture Adjacency for Coast and Navigable River tiles. Unique Building: Meru. Ageless. Receive a Happiness Adjacency for Mountains and Wonders. Increased Happiness on Natural Wonder tiles. Unique civilian unit: Pedanda. Unique Missionary Unit. Receive Culture when you convert a Settlement to your Religion. Requires a Temple. Unique military unit: Cetbang. Unique Naval Unit. Has increased Combat Strength against Naval Units. Can pillage tiles at range with a reduced Movement cost. Associated Wonder: Borobudur. Adds Happiness. Increase Happiness on Quarters. Must be built adjacent to a Coast tile. Age: Exploration Historical context: Established in 1368, the Ming dynasty restored Chinese rule to China after a period of Mongol domination under the Yuan, founded by Genghis Khan and his successors. They were responsible for expanding the Great Wall of China into what we know it as today. Attributes: Economic, Scientific Unique ability: Great Canon of Yongle. You gain increased Science in the capital, but decreased Science per turn for every social policy you have added to your government. Unique military unit: Xunleichong. A melee infantry unit that also has a ranged attack, they gain bonus strength in flat terrain with no vegetation. Unique civilian unit: Mandarin. A replacement for the Merchant that gives you a large amount of Gold every time you build a road. Unique improvement: Ming Great Wall. Like the Han equivalent, it can only be built in a single, continuous line. Produces Gold for every adjacent fortification (including other Great Wall segments). Our advice: The Ming still excel in Science, but things get a bit trickier due to the social policy restriction. It's sort of an interesting way to model their later decline. Luckily, their focus on Gold should make up for this, or allow you to pivot to a different strategy entirely. Age: Exploration Historical context: Under Genghis Khan and his heirs in the 1200s, the Mongol Empire created a vast confederation of steppe people across Eurasia that controlled the largest land empire, by area, in history. They ruled all the way from Southern China to parts of modern Turkey and Romania. Attributes: Expansionist, Militaristic Unique ability: Bokh. When capturing a settlement, you get a copy of the strongest cavalry unit you can currently build. However, you have -50% production toward Settlers. You also gain victory points for the conquest victory objective differently from other civs. Unique military unit: Keshig. A ranged cavalry unit with increased movement that heals after defeating enemies. Unique civilian unit: Noyan. A Commander replacement with increased movement, it grants improved Flanking ability to cavalry units. Unique improvement: Ortöö. Produces Gold, and resets the movement allowance for any unit that lands on it. Can't be placed on rough terrain, vegetation, or rivers. Our advice: Hoo boy. This is gonna be fun. As you'd expect, the Mongolians are honed for fast conquests and controlling large land areas. Sustaining assaults with Keshigs will be trivial if you know what you're doing, but remember that they're probably not sufficient on their own to win sieges. Creating networks of ortöös will allow you to move startlingly fast across the open plains, but rocky, coastal areas, forests, and rivers will present strategic obstacles. Age: Exploration Historical context: In 1066, William the Bastard and a bunch of his bandit friends crossed the channel to seize the Kingdom of England on a dubious claim and make our eventual language of global communication way more complicated than it needed to be. Attributes: Diplomatic, Militaristic Unique ability: Normannitas. Land units get +1 movement when embarked, and +5 strength when adjacent to a coast. Unique military unit: Chevaler. A cavalry unit with increased strength against any unit that has less movement speed. Unique civilian unit: Sokeman. A Settler replacement that automatically builds a wall when a new town is created. Unique quarter: Donjon. Creates a Chevaler for free when built. Unique building: Motte. Produces Happiness if built on rough terrain, and functions as a fortification. Unique building: Bailey. Produces Culture for adjacent walls, and functions as a fortification. Our advice: Castles. That's it, that's the post. The Normans excel at protecting their outposts and building up defensive infrastructure, while also enjoying some residual benefits to amphibious warfare from their viking—with a lower-case v because it's a job and not an ethnicity but I realize I may have lost that battle for good—roots. They don't really excel at anything besides warfare though, just like William and his pack of pillagers. Age: Exploration Historical context: A North American people originally from what is now Ohio, and the namesake of the town where this author went to high school, they formed the core of a great confederacy that represented one of the most concerted Native efforts to curb US Westward expansion, under their chief Tecumseh. Attributes: Diplomatic, Economic. Unique ability: Nepekifaki. Settlements next to navigable rivers produce more Food on river tiles, but settlements that are not next to a navigable river produce less. Unique military unit: Kispoko Nena'to. A melee infantry unit with increased strength for every Empire Resource you possess. (The currently known Empire Resources include Gold, Iron, Ivory, Marble, and Wine.) Unique civilian unit: Hoceepkileni. A Missionary replacement that has increased movement, and that can cross rivers without ending its movement. Unique improvement: Mawaskawe Skote. Produces food, as well as bonus Gold for every adjacent resource. Can only be placed on tiles with vegetation, and not adjacent to another Mawaskawe Skote. Our advice: This is another one of those river valley boom civs, with the added twist that you can have a very deadly army if you manage to accumulate a lot of resources through expansion and trade. They aren't particularly biased toward any specific victory type. Age: Exploration Historical context: Founded in the 1430s, the Songhai Empire conquered much of inland West Africa, with its center in what is today the country of Mali. They were influential in the spread of Islam to sub-Saharan Africa. Attributes: Economic, Militaristic Unique ability: Tarikh al-Sudan. +15 trade route range for cities on navigable rivers. Trade ships can't be plundered while sailing on navigable rivers. Unique military unit: Gold Bangles Infantry. (Stats not yet shown.) Unique civilian unit: Tajiro. (Stats not yet shown.) Unique infrastructure: Caravansarai. (Stats not yet shown.) Our advice: We don't have the full picture of Songhai yet, but they seem tooled to be a strong inland trade civ, with the ability to secure routes overland and via rivers. Judging by their attributes and their historical reputation, they will also likely turn out to be a strong military civ. Age: Exploration Historical context: This civ represents the Spanish Empire as it existed from 1492 onwards. At the forefront of the European Age of Discovery, it came to control territory from modern-day Canada all the way down to Chile and Argentina, supported by influential religious missions and a powerful armada. Attributes: Expansionist, Militaristic Unique ability: Sigio de Oro. You get a 15% discount on converting a Town into a City, increasing to 30% if that town is considered part of the "Distant Lands." Unique military unit: Tercio. An infantry unit that has increased strength, and grants any adjacent units an additional +3 strength against cavalry (not stackable). Unique civilian unit: Conquistador. Another unique type of Great Person, which can appear as a number of significant figures from the Age of Exploration such as Christopher Columbus or Hernán Cortés. They each have a unique ability that can only be activated in "Distant Lands" (far from your starting Homelands), and start with the ability to cross ocean tiles. Unique quarter: Plaza. Produces bonus gold in the settlement where it's built for every settlement you own in Distant Lands. Unique building: Casa Consistorial. +5 Culture, and an additional +1 for every adjacent quarter and wonder. Can only be built in your Homelands next to a coast. Unique building: Casa de Contratación. +5 Gold, and an additional +1 for adjacent navigable rivers, resources, and wonders. Can only be built in your Homelands. Our advice: If you guessed the Spanish would be focused on exploration and overseas colonization, you would have guessed right. They will benefit greatly from settling tons of towns and cities in places distant to their capital, and should have a fairly easy time doing so. Culture seems to be their forte, but with all that imperial Gold coming in, you can probably go for any strategy you want. We haven't seen much about the Modern Age civs yet other than their names, but here's a little bit of historical context for each. Buganda : The Baganda people of modern Uganda (I know, this is a lot of similar-sounding proper nouns—the people are Baganda, the kingdom is Buganda, and the modern state is Uganda) unified under a single king in the 1200s, and it retains the status of a traditional kingdom under the Ugandan state to this day. They were one of the most powerful states in East Africa from the 1700s up until they were eventually colonized by the British in 1884. France: This civ is based on the First French Empire, ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte. It only lasted for about three years, but in that time, managed to conquer the lion's share of continental Europe before succumbing to a coalition of a bunch of other nations who didn't like that very much. Japan: This civ represents the Japanese Empire, which lasted from the Meiji Restoration of 1868 up until their defeat in World War II in 1945. It was a time of great nationalism, expansionism, and militarism. So, like the French, I think we can expect them to have a pretty aggressive playstyle. Mexico: Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821, at the time controlling most of Central America and much of what is now the Western and Southwestern United States. This civ is simply described as representing the "modern nation," rather than any specific historical government like the French and Japanese civs. Mughal Empire : A little bit of a stretch for the label of "Modern," the Mughal Empire existed from 1526 until it was finally absorbed into the British Raj in 1867. At its height, it controlled nearly all of modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and even parts of Afghanistan. They had a very effective military for the time, so this will probably be yet another aggressive modern civ. Since any of these civs can be played with any leader, be sure to also check out our Civilization 7 Leaders guide to start planning how you'll mix and match your way to global pre-eminence.

A judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women's volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. The ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to compete in the Mountain West Conference women's championship opening this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league's policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans woman volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player's name because she has not commented publicly on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Crews' ruling referred to the athlete as an "alleged transgender" player and noted that no defendant disputed that the San Jose State roster includes a transgender woman player. San Jose State will "continue to support its student-athletes and reject discrimination in all forms," the university said in a statement, confirming that all its student-athletes are eligible to participate under NCAA and conference rules. "We are gratified that the Court rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week." The conference did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The players filed a notice for emergency appeal with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Crews said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a loss in league standings. He also refused a request to re-seed the tournament without the forfeited losses. The judge said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 — making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season's awareness of her reported identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a major election year. Crews' ruling also said injunctions are meant to prevent harm, but in this case, he argued, the harm has already occurred. The games have been forfeited, the tournament has been seeded, the teams have made travel plans and the participants have confirmed they're playing. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. Colorado State is seeded first and San Jose State, second. The teams split their regular-season matches and both get byes into Friday's semifinals. San Jose State will play the winner of Wednesday's match between Utah State and Boise State — teams that both forfeited matches to SJSU during the regular season. The conference tournament winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. San Jose State coach Todd Kress, whose team has not competed in the national tournament since 2001, has said his team has been getting "messages of hate" and that has taken a toll on his players. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official conference standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada's players stated they "refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes," without elaborating. Nevada did not qualify for the conference tournament. The nine current players and others now suing the Mountain West Conference, the California State University Board of Trustees and others include San Jose State senior setter and co-captain Brooke Slusser. The teammate Slusser says is transgender hits the volleyball with more force than others on the team, raising fear during practices of suffering concussions from a head hit, the complaint says. The Independent Council on Women's Sports is funding a separate lawsuit against the NCAA for allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Both lawsuits claim the landmark 1972 federal antidiscrimination law known as Title IX prohibits transgender women in women's sports. Title IX prohibits sexual discrimination in federally funded education; Slusser is a plaintiff in both lawsuits. Several circuit courts have used a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to conclude that discriminating against someone based on their transgender status or sexual orientation is sex-based discrimination, Crews wrote. That means case law does not prove the "likelihood of success" needed to grant an injunction. An NCAA policy that subjects transgender participation to the rules of sports governing bodies took effect this academic year. USA Volleyball says a trans woman must suppress testosterone for 12 months before competing. The NCAA has not flagged any issues with San Jose State. The Republican governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the team cancellations, citing fairness in women's sports. President-elect Donald Trump likewise has spoken out against allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Crews was a magistrate judge in Colorado's U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him as a federal judge in January. Get local news delivered to your inbox!It Might Be Time to Ditch These Two Retirement ‘Rules’