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Saturday, November 30, 2024 Ancient artifacts, as timeless bearers of a nation’s history and cultural identity, provide invaluable perspectives on the appreciation of heritage. Each year, museums across China attract over a billion visitors. While the nation’s major museums offer expansive collections, specialized institutions further enrich understanding by focusing on the history, society, and diverse peoples of the country. The Global Times cultural desk is proud to present the “Museum Wonders” series, highlighting how these cultural treasures embody the essence of Chinese civilization and celebrate its profound wisdom. In the heart of Beijing, there lies a museum unlike any other, a repository of historical artifacts and ancient manuscripts that encapsulate the nation’s diverse cultural legacy. This is the Cultural Palace of Nationalities, home to one of the most extensive and varied collections of ethnic minority artifacts, rare manuscripts, and artworks. From ancient tools and everyday objects to vibrant clothing, musical instruments, and sacred relics, the museum offers a rich and colorful portrayal of China’s multi-ethnic society. “The Cultural Palace of Nationalities’ extensive collections of artifacts clearly illustrate the long history of interaction, exchange, and integration among China’s ethnic groups,” Cui Dezhi, deputy curator of the museum told the Global Times. “They are powerful evidence of the nation’s unity in diversity and the development of a cohesive Chinese nation,” he added. Cultural Riches and Heritage at the Cultural Palace of Nationalities The Cultural Palace of Nationalities is home to a remarkable collection, with over 50,000 artifacts representing various ethnic minorities. It also holds more than 200,000 ancient texts in minority languages and over 4,600 works of art created by famous painters and artists from ethnic groups. Among the museum’s most exceptional holdings are rare manuscripts and prints written in diverse ethnic scripts. These include ancient palm-leaf and bodhi-leaf manuscripts that are considered treasures, seldom found either within China or internationally. The museum’s collections offer a glimpse into the rich history of China’s ethnic unity, with significant items like seals and certificates once awarded to regional ethnic leaders by the central government. One of the most valuable artifacts is a Yi manuscript that narrates the tale of Lady Shexiang, a tribal leader who played a vital role in fostering national unity. “The collections not only showcase the unique artistic styles and cultural characteristics of China’s ethnic groups but also reflect the inclusive nature of Chinese culture,” noted Cui. For instance, the Cultural Palace of Nationalities houses a remarkable collection of musical instruments that span various ethnic groups. These instruments come in numerous shapes, produce diverse sounds, and embody the cultural exchanges and shared learning among China’s ethnic communities. In a similar vein, the museum’s clothing collection showcases vibrant, intricately embroidered garments with colorful patterns. These designs reflect the influence of different ethnicities on one another’s attire, illustrating a collective cultural progression. Revitalizing Heritage As reported by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, Chinese museums achieved a record-breaking 1.29 billion visits in 2023. A notable trend has emerged on social media, where younger generations are increasingly visiting museums to admire the exhibits, snap photos, and purchase souvenirs, further enriching their cultural experience. “The rise in museum visits nationwide has had a positive impact on our museum’s development. It has encouraged more people to visit cultural exhibitions, significantly increasing public awareness of national heritage, and deepening the understanding of China’s rich history, thereby boosting national cultural confidence,” Cui said. Cui explains that the increasing influx of visitors has raised expectations for the museum to elevate its planning, exhibit design, and visitor services in order to better align with the dynamic cultural demands of the public. In response, the museum has assembled a range of exceptional and unique exhibitions, including one of its most discussed showcases, Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation. By integrating innovative exhibits and state-of-the-art technologies, the museum is revitalizing its collections. For example, interactive multimedia components are used to deepen visitor engagement. In the Unified Nation hall, the Petal Wall of Ancient Texts blends artistic visuals with cultural knowledge. Each petal holds a small book box containing a reproduction of ancient texts. When visitors activate a petal, a book is revealed, offering an immersive experience into history. “Through simple interactive actions, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of the stories behind the artifacts and ancient texts, enhancing their comprehension and appreciation of the exhibition’s theme,” Cui remarked. The Cultural Palace of Nationalities, founded 65 years ago, has been home to over 1,700 exhibitions both domestically and internationally. These exhibitions have showcased the contributions and accomplishments of various ethnic groups. In addition to its domestic impact, the museum plays a vital role in promoting cultural exchanges. International exhibitions in countries such as Japan, the United States, France, and South Korea have featured the traditional arts of Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, ethnic attire, and other cultural treasures, providing global audiences with a unique insight into China’s diverse heritage. “By showcasing the unique charm of China’s outstanding traditional heritage, they enhance international cultural exchange and understanding, playing an important role in promoting Chinese culture,” Cui said.

Nationalism has emerged as a potent force shaping global tech policy, nowhere more so than in the United States. With Donald Trump returning to the White House for a second term, his vision for America's technological future is coming into sharper focus. At home, Mr Trump promises a sweeping deregulatory agenda coupled with industrial policy aimed at boosting domestic tech businesses. Abroad, his administration appears poised to double down on aggressive restrictions aimed at keeping American technology out of China's hands. Yet Mr Trump's grand vision to "make America great again" overlooks a crucial detail: the cycle of innovation matters hugely for technological progress. The path the US is charting risks fostering a tech ecosystem dominated by mediocre products, like attention-grabbing social media apps, while failing to nurture the kind of transformative inventions that drive productivity and long-term economic growth. Joseph Schumpeter, the renowned Austrian economist who popularised the term "creative destruction", identified three key stages of the process. First, there's innovation -- a breakthrough idea or method. In the realm of artificial intelligence, this stage includes the development of neural networks, which laid the foundation for deep learning and, more recently, the transformer architecture that has powered the rise of generative AI. Then comes the stage of commercialisation, when disruptive ideas evolve into market-ready products. This is where tools like ChatGPT -- applications built on large language models (LLMs) -- emerge and become accessible to everyday consumers. Finally, there's diffusion, the phase when the novel technology becomes pervasive, reshaping industries and daily life. So far, discussions of tech regulation have tended to focus on the later stages of this process, which bring immediate economic benefits, often overlooking the early stage of invention. It is true that regulations to ensure safety, guarantee data privacy, and protect intellectual property can raise adoption costs and slow down product rollouts. But these guardrails are less likely to stifle innovation at the invention stage, where creative ideas take shape. Of course, the prospect of discovering the next commercial blockbuster -- something like ChatGPT -- may indeed spur future invention, and widespread adoption can also help refine these technologies. But such feedback is likely to be very limited for most products. Consider the case of Character.AI, a company that developed a popular companion chatbot. While the product has certainly contributed to the diffusion of LLM-based services, it has done little to spur invention. Recently, the company even abandoned its plans to build its own LLM, signalling that its focus remains firmly on diffusion rather than groundbreaking invention. In such cases, regulations ensuring that innovations are safe, ethical and responsible by the time they reach the market would most likely deliver benefits outweighing the costs. The recent tragedy of a 14-year-old boy who took his own life after prolonged interactions with Character.AI's chatbot underscores the urgent need for safeguards, especially when such services are easily accessible to young users. Lax tech regulation also carries a hidden cost: it can shift resources away from scientific discovery, favouring quick profits through mass diffusion instead. This dynamic has fuelled the proliferation of addictive social-media apps that now dominate the market, leaving behind a trail of societal ills -- everything from teenage addiction to deepening political polarisation. In recent years, a growing chorus of academics and policymakers has sounded the alarm over the systemic dysfunction of the US tech sector. Yet, despite the high drama of congressional hearings with Big Tech CEOs and a cascade of bills promising comprehensive reforms, the results have been disappointing. So far, the federal government's highest-profile effort to rein in Big Tech has centred on TikTok -- in the form of a bill that would either ban the app outright or force its Chinese owners to divest. In the realm of data privacy, the most significant measure so far has been an executive orderrestricting the flow of bulk sensitive data to "countries of concern", China chief among them. Meanwhile, US authorities have increasingly directed their scrutiny inward to root out espionage. The now-infamous China Initiative, which disproportionately targeted ethnic Chinese scientists, has stoked fear and prompted a talent exodus from the US. Compounding this is a broad visa ban on Chinese students and researchers associated with China's "military-civil fusion" programme. While ostensibly aimed at protecting national security, the policy has driven away countless skilled individuals. This brings us to the paradox at the heart of US tech policy: simultaneous under- and overregulation. On one hand, US policymakers have failed to implement essential safeguards for product safety and data privacy – areas where thoughtful oversight could mitigate risks while fostering a competitive environment conducive to cutting-edge innovation. On the other hand, they have adopted an aggressive, even punitive, stance towards US-based researchers at the forefront of scientific discovery, effectively regulating invention itself. The irony could not be starker: in its bid to outcompete China, America risks stifling its own potential for the next breakthrough technology. ©2024 Project Syndicate S Alex Yang is Professor of Management Science and Operations at London Business School. Angela Huyue Zhang, Professor of Law at the University of Southern California, is the author, most recently, of 'High Wire: How China Regulates Big Tech and Governs Its Economy'(Oxford University Press, 2024).

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EAA spotlights funding for educationMENLO PARK, Calif., Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sight Sciences , Inc. (Nasdaq: SGHT) (“Sight Sciences,” or the “Company”), an eyecare technology company focused on developing and commercializing innovative, interventional technologies that elevate the standard of care, today announced the results of a Budget Impact Analysis (“BIA”) of the TearCare ® System (“TearCare”) for the treatment of MGD-associated dry eye disease (“DED”) in the United States. A BIA estimates the fiscal impact of adopting a new technology or treatment within a specific provider environment or patient population – in this case, identifying the health savings associated with increased adoption of TearCare as compared to prescription dry eye medications for patients with DED.* The analysis, projected over a two-year period, focused on moderate to severe MGD- associated DED in U.S. patients over 18 years of age. It compared the financial impact of TearCare to commonly prescribed dry eye medications, including Restasis 0.05% branded and generic, and Xiidra 5%. Key findings indicated that a 20% increase in market share of TearCare compared to prescription dry eye medications would yield an estimated annual savings of $36.87 per member per year (“PMPY”) in a hypothetical health plan with one million covered lives. The study showed a direct relationship between increased utilization of TearCare in place of prescription medications and total costs savings from a US payer perspective. “In addition to the strong clinical efficacy of TearCare shown in the SAHARA and OLYMPIA randomized controlled trials, this budget impact analysis reported that increased adoption of TearCare treatments for patients with MGD-associated DED was estimated to result in meaningful cost savings. We believe the combination of the strong clinical data from the SAHARA RCT and the findings of this budget impact analysis create a compelling case for payors to cover treatments performed with TearCare at an appropriate reimbursement level,” said Paul Badawi, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sight Sciences. “Pioneering market access to interventional dry eye treatments with TearCare on behalf of patients and the eye care providers who care for them is a core component of our strategy and this milestone represents progress towards delivering this innovative technology to a portion of the 17.9 million patients diagnosed with dry eye disease in the U.S.” Authors and affiliations : Phoenix Riley, PharmD, MSc (AESARA, Inc.); Cristina Masseria, PhD (AESARA, Inc.); Chad Patel, PharmD (AESARA, Inc.); Roberta Longo, PhD (AESARA, Inc.); Lorie Mody, PharmD (AESARA, Inc.), and Thomas Chester, OD, FAAO (Cleveland Eye Clinic). *The BIA was developed in accordance with established ISPOR guidelines, but it was based upon various assumptions, including with respect to cost of treatments, respective usage and market uptake of prescription drops and TearCare, efficacy (including duration of effect), safety and similar factors. These assumptions may not be consistent with actual clinical and market conditions, and changes in one or more of these assumptions could cause individual health plan results to differ. Paper Reference: Chester, T., Longo, R., Masseria, C., Riley, P., Patel, C., & Mody, L. (2024). Budget impact analysis (BIA) of the TearCare System for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)-associated dry eye disease (DED) in the United States (US). Expert Review of Ophthalmology , DOI: 10.1080/17469899.2024.2444930. About Sight Sciences Sight Sciences is an eyecare technology company focused on developing and commercializing innovative and interventional solutions intended to transform care and improve patients’ lives. Using minimally invasive or non-invasive approaches to target the underlying causes of the world’s most prevalent eye diseases, Sight Sciences seeks to create more effective treatment paradigms that enhance patient care and supplant conventional outdated approaches. The Company’s OMNI ® Surgical System is an implant-free glaucoma surgery technology (i) indicated in the United States to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients with primary open-angle glaucoma; and (ii) CE Marked for the catheterization and transluminal viscodilation of Schlemm’s canal and cutting of the trabecular meshwork to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients with open-angle glaucoma. Glaucoma is the world’s leading cause of irreversible blindness. The Company’s SION ® Surgical Instrument is a bladeless, manually operated device used in ophthalmic surgical procedures to excise trabecular meshwork. The Company’s TearCare System technology is 510(k) cleared in the United States for the application of localized heat therapy in adult patients with evaporative dry eye disease due to Meibomian Gland Disease (“MGD”) when used in conjunction with manual expression of the meibomian glands, enabling clearance of gland obstructions by eyecare providers to address the leading cause of dry eye disease. For more information, visit www.sightsciences.com . Sight Sciences, the Sight Sciences logo, TearCare, SmartHub and SmartLids are trademarks of Sight Sciences registered in the United States. OMNI and SION are trademarks of Sight Sciences registered in the United States, European Union and other territories. © 2024 Sight Sciences. All rights reserved. Forward-Looking Statements This press release, together with other statements and information publicly disseminated by the Company, contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and includes this statement for purposes of complying with these safe harbor provisions. Any statements made in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements and should be evaluated as such. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation statements regarding estimated costs savings associated with use of the TearCare System; and the belief that the findings of this budget impact analysis create a compelling case for payors to cover treatments performed with TearCare at an appropriate reimbursement level. These statements often include words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “suggests,” “plan,” “believe,” “intend,” “estimates,” “targets,” “projects,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “may,” “will,” “forecast” and other similar expressions. We base these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, plans and assumptions that we have made in light of our experience in the industry, as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances at such time. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions at the time they are made, you should be aware that many factors could affect our business, results of operations and financial condition and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to and involve numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as may be updated from time to time in subsequent filings, and you should not place undue reliance on these statements. These cautionary statements are made only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Media contact pr@SightSciences.com Investor contact: Philip Taylor Gilmartin Group 415.937.5406 Investor.Relations@Sightsciences.com

CALGARY, AB , Dec. 19, 2024 /CNW/ - Accelerate Financial Technologies Inc., ("Accelerate") today announced an update to the December and fourth quarter cash distributions, along with the annual reinvested share distributions for Accelerate Exchange Traded Funds ("Accelerate Funds"), summarized below, that are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange ('TSX"). The ex-dividend date and the record date that was declared on December 16, 2024 , has been amended as described in following section. The ex-dividend date for the distributions will be December 31, 2024 . All unitholders of record of the Accelerate Funds on December 31, 2024 , will receive cash distributions payable on January 10, 2025 , or later. Details of the quarterly per unit distribution amounts are as follows: Accelerate Funds TSX Ticker Distribution per Unit ($) Distribution Yield Payment Frequency Accelerate Absolute Return Fund HDGE 0.10 1.46 % Quarterly Accelerate Canadian Long Short Equity Fund ATSX N/A 0.00 % N/A Accelerate OneChoice Alternative Portfolio ETF ONEC 0.10 1.72 % Quarterly Accelerate Arbitrage Fund ARB 0.26 3.94 % Quarterly Accelerate Diversified Credit Income Fund INCM 0.165 10.09 % Monthly Details of the estimated annual per unit reinvested distribution amounts are as follows: Accelerate Funds TSX Ticker Total Reinvested Distribution Per Units ($) Accelerate Absolute Return Fund HDGE 0.0 Accelerate Canadian Long Short Equity Fund ATSX 0.935293 Accelerate OneChoice Alternative Portfolio ETF ONEC 0.0 Accelerate Arbitrage Fund ARB 0.0 Accelerate Diversified Credit Income Fund INCM 0.0 Accelerate is powering diversification. To learn more visit https://accelerateshares.com . About the Accelerate Funds Performance fees, brokerage fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in the Accelerate Funds. Please read the prospectus or ETF facts document before investing. ETFs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. ETF units are bought and sold at market price on a stock exchange and brokerage commissions will reduce returns. About Accelerate Financial Technologies Inc. Accelerate Financial Technologies Inc. is a leading provider of alternative investment solutions. Accelerate helps investment advisors, institutions and individual investors diversify their investment portfolios, manage risk, and improve their portfolio's risk-adjusted returns. SOURCE Accelerate Financial Technologies Inc. View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/December2024/19/c1201.html © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Patriots coach Jerod Mayo believes narrow loss to Bills shows potential of his young team

Nationalism has emerged as a potent force shaping global tech policy, nowhere more so than in the United States. With Donald Trump returning to the White House for a second term, his vision for America's technological future is coming into sharper focus. At home, Mr Trump promises a sweeping deregulatory agenda coupled with industrial policy aimed at boosting domestic tech businesses. Abroad, his administration appears poised to double down on aggressive restrictions aimed at keeping American technology out of China's hands. Yet Mr Trump's grand vision to "make America great again" overlooks a crucial detail: the cycle of innovation matters hugely for technological progress. The path the US is charting risks fostering a tech ecosystem dominated by mediocre products, like attention-grabbing social media apps, while failing to nurture the kind of transformative inventions that drive productivity and long-term economic growth. Joseph Schumpeter, the renowned Austrian economist who popularised the term "creative destruction", identified three key stages of the process. First, there's innovation -- a breakthrough idea or method. In the realm of artificial intelligence, this stage includes the development of neural networks, which laid the foundation for deep learning and, more recently, the transformer architecture that has powered the rise of generative AI. Then comes the stage of commercialisation, when disruptive ideas evolve into market-ready products. This is where tools like ChatGPT -- applications built on large language models (LLMs) -- emerge and become accessible to everyday consumers. Finally, there's diffusion, the phase when the novel technology becomes pervasive, reshaping industries and daily life. So far, discussions of tech regulation have tended to focus on the later stages of this process, which bring immediate economic benefits, often overlooking the early stage of invention. It is true that regulations to ensure safety, guarantee data privacy, and protect intellectual property can raise adoption costs and slow down product rollouts. But these guardrails are less likely to stifle innovation at the invention stage, where creative ideas take shape. Of course, the prospect of discovering the next commercial blockbuster -- something like ChatGPT -- may indeed spur future invention, and widespread adoption can also help refine these technologies. But such feedback is likely to be very limited for most products. Consider the case of Character.AI, a company that developed a popular companion chatbot. While the product has certainly contributed to the diffusion of LLM-based services, it has done little to spur invention. Recently, the company even abandoned its plans to build its own LLM, signalling that its focus remains firmly on diffusion rather than groundbreaking invention. In such cases, regulations ensuring that innovations are safe, ethical and responsible by the time they reach the market would most likely deliver benefits outweighing the costs. The recent tragedy of a 14-year-old boy who took his own life after prolonged interactions with Character.AI's chatbot underscores the urgent need for safeguards, especially when such services are easily accessible to young users. Lax tech regulation also carries a hidden cost: it can shift resources away from scientific discovery, favouring quick profits through mass diffusion instead. This dynamic has fuelled the proliferation of addictive social-media apps that now dominate the market, leaving behind a trail of societal ills -- everything from teenage addiction to deepening political polarisation. In recent years, a growing chorus of academics and policymakers has sounded the alarm over the systemic dysfunction of the US tech sector. Yet, despite the high drama of congressional hearings with Big Tech CEOs and a cascade of bills promising comprehensive reforms, the results have been disappointing. So far, the federal government's highest-profile effort to rein in Big Tech has centred on TikTok -- in the form of a bill that would either ban the app outright or force its Chinese owners to divest. In the realm of data privacy, the most significant measure so far has been an executive orderrestricting the flow of bulk sensitive data to "countries of concern", China chief among them. Meanwhile, US authorities have increasingly directed their scrutiny inward to root out espionage. The now-infamous China Initiative, which disproportionately targeted ethnic Chinese scientists, has stoked fear and prompted a talent exodus from the US. Compounding this is a broad visa ban on Chinese students and researchers associated with China's "military-civil fusion" programme. While ostensibly aimed at protecting national security, the policy has driven away countless skilled individuals. This brings us to the paradox at the heart of US tech policy: simultaneous under- and overregulation. On one hand, US policymakers have failed to implement essential safeguards for product safety and data privacy – areas where thoughtful oversight could mitigate risks while fostering a competitive environment conducive to cutting-edge innovation. On the other hand, they have adopted an aggressive, even punitive, stance towards US-based researchers at the forefront of scientific discovery, effectively regulating invention itself. The irony could not be starker: in its bid to outcompete China, America risks stifling its own potential for the next breakthrough technology. ©2024 Project Syndicate S Alex Yang is Professor of Management Science and Operations at London Business School. Angela Huyue Zhang, Professor of Law at the University of Southern California, is the author, most recently, of 'High Wire: How China Regulates Big Tech and Governs Its Economy'(Oxford University Press, 2024).How to watch Oregon football FREE STREAM today (11/30/24)

The Yamaha True X Bar 50A is a low-profile, elegant soundbar that'll look good under any TV. The Yamaha True X Bar 50A is available now at a discount, with surround speakers sold separately (and individually). The sound produced by these speakers is rich, deep, well-blended, and spacious. I just wish the setup process was more seamless and simple. For months, I was one hundred percent certain the JBL Bar 1000 soundbar couldn't be beat. It offers incredible clarity of sound, rich bass, and brilliant surround via two wireless speakers. When Yamaha sent me the True X Bar 50A to review, I assumed it wouldn't be able to stand up to the sound the JBL delivered. Given that the Yamaha sells for roughly half the price of the JBL, that assumption was a fairly safe bet. And even though my audiophile ears could easily tell the difference between the two (with the JBL coming out on top), for the money, the Yamaha True X Bar 50A is hard to beat. Also: One of the loudest Bluetooth speakers I've tested is not made by Sonos or Bose One thing to remember is that I was also sent a True X Speaker 1A , which is sold separately and runs for $150 each. If you want surround (which you should), now you're talking about $850 for the whole kit. Another thing to keep in mind is that I only reviewed this connected to my television and didn't opt to test how music might sound via this speaker. For me, a soundbar serves a single purpose... to replace built-in TV speakers that rarely offer sound of much quality. With that in mind, let's dive into the review. Yamaha True X Bar 50A soundbar You'd be hard-pressed to find a better sounding soundbar at this price. The specs Drivers - Front L/R: 4.6 × 6.6 cm (1-3/4 × 2-5/8") cone × 2, Height L/R: 5.2 cm (2") cone × 2, Built-in Subwoofer: 7.5 cm (3") cone × 2, Wireless Subwoofer: 16 cm (6-1/4") cone Output power - 280 W (Front L/R: 30 W × 2-ch, Height L/R: 30 W × 2-ch, Built-in subwoofer: 30 W × 2, Subwoofer: 100W ) Dimensions - Center unit: 1,015 × 63 × 112 mm (40" × 2-1/2" × 4-3/8"), Subwoofer: 187 × 407 × 409 mm (7-3/8" × 16" × 16-1/8") Inputs - HDMI, digital optical Sound technology - Dolby Atmos with stereo, standard, movie, and game modes. Bass extension Wireless streaming The Yamaha sub is on the left and the JBL Bar 1000 sub is on the right. My experience The first thing to note about this soundbar is that the setup can be a bit finicky. It took me several attempts to connect the subwoofer and surround speakers. The issue with the surround speakers turned out to be a low battery -- they needed to be fully charged via USB-C before they would connect. Even then, the setup process is somewhat confusing, requiring you to download a manual on your phone using a QR code for guidance. Also: This stereo amp made me feel like I was hearing my favorite band for the first time For some reason, the subwoofer wouldn't connect right out of the box either. I had to go through the manual setup a few times before it finally linked with the main speaker. But once everything was connected, the difference was impressive. Many soundbars in this price range (without the additional surround speakers) tend to overemphasize midrange frequencies, which makes sense since that's where vocals sit. However, too much focus on the midrange can result in tinny or harsh sound. That's not the case with the True X Bar 50A. Instead, it delivers a well-balanced mix that adds richness to the sound. When the subwoofer kicks in, it adds depth and punch for a more immersive experience. Once everything is set up, the True X Bar 50A is easy to use, thanks to a well-designed remote that lets you switch between modes (Standard, Movie, Music, Game, and All), adjust the bass, and control surround levels. While this soundbar does advertise Dolby Atmos for a more immersive sound experience, mid-range systems like this aren't quite capable of delivering the full effect. The True X Bar 50A gets close but doesn't fully achieve the true Atmos experience. That said, it still fills the room with sound beautifully, and when you add the surround speakers, the sound really comes to life. Also: Philips Fidelio FB1 soundbar is just for audiophiles My only gripe with the surround speakers is that they lack the volume power of a JBL system. With JBL, the sound is so immersive that you sometimes wonder if it's coming from the speakers, somewhere in the house, or even outside. In comparison, the Yamaha is more subtle. Even with the surround speakers set to max, the effect is more understated. However, the All mode, which sends sound to both the main and surround speakers, is a great solution -- especially for watching TV or movies where dialogue can be hard to hear. These surround speakers are small but they produce impressive sound. Hit the All button, and you'll have no trouble understanding dialogue. There's also a Clear Voice option that enhances vocal clarity. I tested it with a few films where the dialogue is notoriously hard to hear, and the Clear Voice feature easily solved that issue. In particular, Oppenheimer —which is known for its challenging dialogue -- sounded crisp and clear with Yamaha's Clear Voice technology. You'll likely find yourself using this feature often, especially with more films leaning into complex sound design. The only downside As I mentioned earlier, setting up the True X Bar 50A isn't as straightforward as it should be. With JBL, it was as simple as unpacking, plugging in, and getting started. The Yamaha setup, on the other hand, requires a bit of patience and luck. But once it's up and running, you're good to go. Also: This is the soundbar I recommend if you have limited space at home (and it's $100 off) Here's a tip: if you purchase the surround speakers, keep the soundbar on once everything is connected. When you turn the soundbar off, you'll have to manually switch each surround speaker back on. While the speakers offer around 12 hours of battery life, I recommend keeping them plugged in via USB-C, especially if you mount them on the wall. If you choose to use them wirelessly, be sure to charge them regularly. Otherwise, you risk losing sound mid-movie—like during Prometheus —and ruining the experience. ZDNET's buying advice If you don't have the budget for a $1,000+ soundbar, but you still want high-quality sound, the Yamaha True X Bar 50A is a brilliant option, especially with Amazon's current discount. And if you can afford it, add the surround speakers for a much more immersive experience. Just make sure to give yourself plenty of time for setup, and don't be surprised if you have to go through the steps a few times before everything connects properly. If it weren't for the exceptional sound of the JBL Bar 1000 , the Yamaha True X Bar 50A would easily be my top pick. With its deep, rich bass, well-balanced mids, and crisp highs, this soundbar is a significant upgrade from your TV speakers and will likely outperform any midrange soundbar you're currently using. When will this deal expire? Deals are subject to sell-out or expire at any time, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We're sorry if you've missed out on this deal, but don't fret -- we're constantly finding new chances to save and sharing them with you at ZDNET.com . Why I pick this ultraportable Lenovo tablet over the iPad Air for multimedia consumption I tested the new Kindle Scribe for two weeks, and it beat my ReMarkable in several ways One of the best QLED TVs I've tested isn't made by Samsung or Hisense These Beyerdynamic earbuds delivered glorious sound for any kind of music I played

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Shares of Navient Co. ( NASDAQ:NAVI – Get Free Report ) have received a consensus recommendation of “Reduce” from the eight ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation and five have issued a hold recommendation on the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $15.75. Several analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Navient from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. TD Cowen cut their target price on Navient from $14.00 to $13.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Bank of America began coverage on shares of Navient in a research report on Monday, September 30th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $17.00 price target for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Navient from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, October 7th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Navient from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. View Our Latest Analysis on Navient Insider Activity at Navient Institutional Trading of Navient Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. IAG Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in Navient in the second quarter valued at about $50,000. KBC Group NV lifted its position in shares of Navient by 47.0% during the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 4,355 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $68,000 after purchasing an additional 1,392 shares during the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC grew its stake in Navient by 22.1% in the second quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 4,797 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $70,000 after purchasing an additional 869 shares in the last quarter. nVerses Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Navient in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $87,000. Finally, Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Navient during the third quarter worth $95,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.14% of the company’s stock. Navient Stock Up 1.7 % Shares of NASDAQ NAVI opened at $15.58 on Friday. Navient has a 1 year low of $13.71 and a 1 year high of $19.68. The company has a market capitalization of $1.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.58 and a beta of 1.39. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $15.26 and a 200-day simple moving average of $15.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 16.59, a current ratio of 9.49 and a quick ratio of 9.49. Navient ( NASDAQ:NAVI – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 30th. The credit services provider reported $1.45 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.25 by $1.20. The firm had revenue of $1.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $150.04 million. Navient had a net margin of 1.71% and a return on equity of 8.62%. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.84 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Navient will post 2.47 earnings per share for the current year. Navient Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.11%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 6th. Navient’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 92.75%. About Navient ( Get Free Report Navient Corporation provides technology-enabled education finance and business processing solutions for education, health care, and government clients in the United States. It operates through three segments: Federal Education Loans, Consumer Lending, and Business Processing. The company owns Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans that are insured or guaranteed by state or not-for-profit agencies; and performs servicing on its portfolios, as well as federal education loans held by other institutions. See Also Five stocks we like better than Navient 3 Home Improvement Stocks that Can Upgrade Your Portfolio The Latest 13F Filings Are In: See Where Big Money Is Flowing CD Calculator: Certificate of Deposit Calculator 3 Penny Stocks Ready to Break Out in 2025 3 Warren Buffett Stocks to Buy Now FMC, Mosaic, Nutrien: Top Agricultural Stocks With Big Potential Receive News & Ratings for Navient Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Navient and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A businessman with no experience in public office is taking over as mayor of Oregon’s biggest city as it embraces an entirely new system of government — one that’s so different, the City Council chambers had to be completely renovated. Portland voters last month elected Keith Wilson, a trucking company executive and founder of a nonprofit working to increase homeless shelter capacity. He ran on an ambitious pledge to end unsheltered homelessness within a year and will be sworn in Thursday alongside a council expanded from five seats to 12. Portland is contending with homelessness, public drug use and a rising cost of living. Wilson, a Portland native, plans to reach his goal of ending unsheltered homelessness by increasing the number of nighttime walk-in emergency shelters in facilities such as churches and community centers. His message appeared to have resonated in a city where surveys conducted over the past few years have shown that residents view homelessness as a top issue. He ran against three outgoing City Council members. The mayoral race , which featured 19 candidates, was thrown open when Mayor Ted Wheeler decided against seeking reelection after holding the city’s top post since 2017. Wheeler rose to national prominence in 2020 as nightly protests erupted on Portland streets and around the country in response to the police killing of George Floyd . The field of candidates in council races was crowded as well, with nearly 100 running for the new seats that were elected by voters in individual districts rather than citywide. The 130-year-old City Hall was renovated for $8.3 million to accommodate the increase in members. The new dais can now seat 12 people; floor layouts were changed to create more office space; and technology, seismic and accessibility updates were added throughout the building. “Remodeling council chambers is a once-in-a-generation activity,” Maty Sauter, director of Portland’s Bureau of Fleet and Facilities, told the outgoing City Council as it held its last meeting on Wednesday in the new chambers. “We’ve been able to reuse this 1895 facility and make it modern, contemporary and useful.” It’s going to take time for the new government to figure out which of the many changes are working, said Chris Shortell, associate professor of political science at Portland State University. In another first for City Hall, Wilson and the incoming Council members were elected under Portland’s new system of ranked-choice voting . A candidate would win if they were the first choice of more than 50% of voters in the first round. Otherwise, a second round would eliminate the candidate with the fewest votes and their supporters’ votes go to their next choice. The process would repeat until someone emerges with a majority of votes. Some 34% of voters ranked Wilson as their first choice, according to final results. The new City Council will hold its first meeting in January.The press freedom group Reporters Without Borders is urging Apple to remove its newly introduced artificial intelligence feature that summarizes news stories after it produced a false headline from the BBC. The backlash comes after a push notification created by Apple Intelligence and sent to users last week falsely summarized a BBC report that Luigi Mangione, the suspect behind the killing of the UnitedHealthcare chief executive, had shot himself. The BBC reported it had contacted Apple about the feature “to raise this concern and fix the problem,” but it could not confirm if the iPhone maker had responded to its complaint. On Wednesday, Reporters Without Borders technology and journalism desk chief Vincent Berthier called on Apple “to act responsibly by removing this feature.” “A.I.s are probability machines, and facts can’t be decided by a roll of the dice,” Berthier said in a statement . “The automated production of false information attributed to a media outlet is a blow to the outlet’s credibility and a danger to the public’s right to reliable information on current affairs.” More broadly, the journalist body said it is “very concerned about the risks posed to media outlets by new A.I. tools, noting that the incident emphasizes how A.I. remains “too immature to produce reliable information for the public, and should not be allowed on the market for such uses.” “The probabilistic way in which A.I. systems operate automatically disqualifies them as a reliable technology for news media that can be used in solutions aimed at the general public,” RSF said in a statement. In response to the concerns, the BBC said in a statement, “it is essential to us that our audiences can trust any information or journalism published in our name and that includes notifications.” Apple did not respond to a request for comment. Apple introduced its generative-AI tool in the US in June , touting the feature’s ability to summarize specific content “in the form of a digestible paragraph, bulleted key points, a table, or a list.” To streamline news media diets, Apple allows users across its iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices to group notifications, producing a list of news items in a single push alert. Since the AI feature was launched to the public in late October, users have shared that it also erroneously summarized a New York Times story , claiming that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been arrested. In reality, the International Criminal Court had published a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest, but readers scrolling their home screens only saw two words: “Netanyahu arrested.” The challenge with the Apple Intelligence incident stems from news outlets’ lack of agency. While some publishers have opted to use AI to assist in authoring articles, the decision is theirs. But Apple Intelligence’s summaries, which are opt-in by the user, still present the synopses under the publisher’s banner. In addition to circulating potentially dangerous misinformation, the errors also risk damaging outlets’ credibility. Apple’s AI troubles are only the latest as news publishers struggle to navigate seismic changes wrought by the budding technology. Since ChatGPT’s launch just over two years ago, several tech giants have launched their own large-language models, many of which have been accused of training their chatbots using copyrighted content, including news reports. While some outlets, including The New York Times, have filed lawsuits over the technology’s alleged scaping of content, others — like Axel Springer, whose news brands include Politico, Business Insider, Bild and Welt — have inked licensing agreements with the developers. window.addEventListener('load', function() { (function(c, id, p, d, w){ var i = d.createElement('iframe'); i.height = '0'; i.width = '0'; i.style = { display: 'none', position: 'absolute', visibility: 'hidden' }; i.src = "https://newsource-embed-prd.ns.cnn.com/articles/cnnvan-stats.html?article_id="+id+"&category="+c+"&publisher="+p+"&url=" + encodeURI(w.location); d.body.appendChild(i); })("Business%2FConsumer", "L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2FydGljbGUvaW5zdGFuY2VzL2NtNHZyM3g0NjAwMG4yY3A5M2pzNjFtdGw%3D", "3244", document, window)})

( MENAFN - PR Newswire) BEIJING, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2014, Lei Zhen, a graduate from Tsinghua University in Beijing, chose to settle in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). He decided to start his business in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, and make the innovative application of new materials with nano silver wire its core product. When the central government established the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin in 2021, Lei relocated his company there, making full use of Macao and Hengqin's capital, talent and taxation advantages to scale up production. "Hengqin has a vast industrial space and a good supporting environment, which can provide a broad stage for the development of Macao's high-tech and diversified industries," he said. Today, the cooperation zone has become a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, hosting nearly 6,500 Macao-invested enterprises and providing a platform for new industries. "Macao plus Hengqin" is becoming a new demonstration to enhance the practice of "One Country, Two Systems," a new highland to promote the building of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and a new platform to realize the country's high-level opening up, said Chinese President Xi Jinping during an inspection tour of the cooperation zone on Thursday as part of his three-day visit to the Macao SAR. New highland for innovation Hengqin is located at the southern tip of Zhuhai and is separated from Macao by a narrow stretch of water. Since its establishment, the cooperation zone has served as a vital platform for promoting Macao's appropriate economic diversification. It has enabled Macao to develop industries such as high-end manufacturing, traditional Chinese medicine, financial services, and cultural tourism. Today, the cooperation zone is home to 30 national and provincial-level technological innovation platforms, 268 national high-tech enterprises, and 41 provincial-level specialized and sophisticated enterprises. Currently, the cooperation zone has established innovation platforms, such as the Macao-Hengqin Youth Entrepreneurship Valley, and has drawn several innovative resources, such as industry-university-research bases of Macao universities and high-tech enterprises and talents. Hailing the progress made in the cooperation zone, President Xi said the level of integration between Hengqin and Macao has gradually improved and that its role of supporting Macao's appropriate economic diversification is becoming prominent. In recent years, the Macao SAR has also promoted the implementation of major sci-tech projects and important innovation platforms locally, making it a new technological platform for global innovation and a gathering place for talents. "Macao Science 1" is the first space science satellite program jointly developed by the Chinese mainland and Macao. With the highest accuracy of geomagnetic field detection in China, the satellite will significantly improve the country's space magnetic survey. Visiting the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) on Thursday, Xi said the satellite is an example of deepened high-tech cooperation between Macao and the mainland, showcasing Macao's sci-tech sector's outstanding innovative and creative capabilities. Cultivating young talents The Macao SAR has also become an ideal place for entrepreneurs thanks to its open business environment and the opportunities provided by the cooperation zone. Today, industry-university-research demonstration bases of the University of Macau and MUST have been established in Hengqin, and four state key laboratories in Macao have set up branches in the zone, carrying out the transformation and industrialization of university scientific and technological achievements. As of November 2024, Hengqin had incubated 898 entrepreneurship projects for young people from Hong Kong and Macao, with 815 projects from Macao. Meeting with Macao residents living in Hengqin and young entrepreneurs from Macao who have startups in the zone, President Xi emphasized that Hengqin's development provides great opportunities for Macao's youth to achieve their ambitions and expressed hope that more young people from Macao will build remarkable careers there. "The building of the cooperation zone is reshaping the regional concepts and career plans of Macao youth. The younger generation is paying more attention to the development potential of the mainland's vast market," said Ip Kuai Peng, vice rector of the City University of Macau. It is imperative to attach great importance to education from a strategic perspective, lay out the system of disciplines, and cultivate high-quality talents to meet the needs of the development of both the country and the Macao SAR, President Xi said during his visit to MUST. For more information, please click: MENAFN19122024003732001241ID1109014947 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.