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online games laptop Major high street retailer with 130 UK branches to CLOSE popular store for good as shoppers warned ‘all stock must go’3 Americans held for years in China have been released, the White House saysOscar-winning director Christopher Nolan will be taking audiences to mythical Greece with his latest project. Universal Pictures announced this week that Nolan will be directing a cinematic adaptation of " The Odyssey ," an ancient poem believed to be written by Homer between 750 and 650 BCE centering on the character Odysseus' 10-year trek home after the Trojan War. Nolan's forthcoming adaptation is described as "a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology," according to the studio's announcement posted to their X page Monday. Zendaya, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson along with Oscar-winners Matt Damon, Lupita Nyong'o, Anne Hathaway and Charlize Theron are reportedly set to star in the film. Holland recently spoke about signing onto the project, saying on "The Dish" podcast last week that the film hasn't started shooting yet. He added that Nolan only "loosely pitched" it to him when they met to discuss the project, but that he still didn't know all the details. The "Spider-Man" actor also touched on working with his girlfriend Zendaya, joking that "studios love it" when they're on the same project because they only have to pay for "one hotel room." Pattinson, Damon and Hathaway have all previously appeared in Nolan's films, including "Tenet," "Interstellar" and "Oppenheimer." Nolan is also behind epic films including "Inception," "The Dark Knight," "Dunkirk" and his most recent film "Oppenheimer," which scored big at last year's Oscars when it took home the trophy for Best Picture. Nolan won that award as a producer and also took home the Academy Award for Best Director. According to Universal's social media announcement this week, "The Odyssey" will bring Homer's "foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time" and will open in theaters on July 17, 2026.Wafer Loader Market Analysis By Top Keyplayers - Astel (Semisyn), RENA, Baumann, Cï1⁄4†D Semiconductor, Inc., Waftech, McBain, Nutek, SemiMotto, Shenzhen S.C, PVA TePla, Schmid Group, Nikon

Much-loved East London gymnastics centre gets lifeline in last-ditch attempt to save itHow do you explain the lack of street protests and the silence of political groups as one of the most controversial books published in independent India -Salman Rushdie’s 1988 novel 'The Satanic Verses' – returns to the country's bookshops after being banned for 36 years? The book, which is based on the life of Islam's prophet Muhammad, was banned by the Rajiv Gandhi government immediately after it was published. An international fatwa and a bounty were placed on the head of the author by the Iranian government, forcing him to go into hiding.The book, considered blasphemous by believers, still evokes extreme reactions. Rushdie, who had come out of hiding, was stabbed two years ago in New York, losing an eye in the attack. The book's release in India had triggered riots. However, reaction to news about the book's reappearance on the bookshelves has been muted.Dr Zeenat Shaukat Ali, former head of the Department of Islamic Studies at Mumbai's St Xavier's College, explained it: "The Muslim community has matured. Many things have happened in the last few years. There was a mindset that Muslims did not react (to events) logically. The reaction (to the book's reappearance) has been muted, which is the correct reaction. We are hurt, but we cannot react violently." Others who had seen the protests that led to the book's ban said that the Muslim community is now facing so many challenges, both politically and socially, that the book is another irritant. Farid Khan, president of the literary group Urdu Caravan, said that he had watched the protests in Mumbai and the police reaction to it. "At that time people felt that they had a friendly government that would listen to them. There have been so many events since then - the 1993 riots, the demolition of the Babri Masjid. People have seen worse things. A book looks irrelevant after all these," said Khan. Another reason for the tepid response to the book's return could be the four decades that separate the ban and the book's reappearance. The majority of the community have been born after the controversy. Nazim Ansari, 36, a human resource consultant, said he did not know about the book till he read recent news reports. "Young people are not familiar with the book," said Ansari. The government has not officially lifted the ban on the book but the order is now in legally untenable territory, the notification banning the book having been lost. Noting that no document exists to enforce the ban, the Delhi High Court said: “We have no other option except to presume that no such notification exists.”The book's publishers in India - Penguin Random House - have not commented about republishing a new edition. Manasi Subramaniam, the editor-in-chief at Penguin Random House India, the book’s publisher, quoted Rushdie on X, and posted: “‘Language is courage: the ability to conceive a thought, to speak it, and by doing so to make it true.’ At long last, @SalmanRushdie’s The Satanic Verses is allowed to be sold in India.”The book is not yet available on major e-retail sites. One online site has the book on sale for Rs 1714. Amazon's international portal sells the book but it is not available for shipment to India. The site, however, sells the Kindle edition. In Delhi, major book retailer Bahrisons said in a social media post that it is in stock, though the imported edition cost around Rs 2000. In Mumbai, the book is not available at major retailers.However, it may be too early to decipher the response to the book's sale. Maulana Yasub Abbas, general secretary of the All India Shia Personal Law Board, said he wrote to the Prime Minister on Thursday demanding a fresh ban on the book. "The book insults prophet Muhammad and his companions. Allowing its sale poses a threat to peace. The Prime Minister has to stop the sale," said Abbas Maulana Rashidi, legal advisor for the UP unit of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind (AM) reported as saying: "Religious sentiments cannot be hurt under the garb of freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution." Saeed Noori, president of Raza Academy, said it is regrettable that such orders are being issued by the court. "The government should take decisive action, but it seems that those in power influence court decisions based on their inclinations."

The Electoral Reform Commission is likely to recommend an investigation into irregularities during the last three national polls held under ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. It is also of the opinion that the election commissioners who oversaw those polls breached their oath of office to preserve the constitution, according to commission Chairman Badiul Alam Majumdar. The reform commission may recommend appointing election commissioners through a search committee with representatives from the government, the opposition, and the third-largest party in parliament. Besides the restoration of the caretaker government system, capping the tenures of a prime minister at two terms and a proportional representation system, the reform commission is likely to recommend giving more powers to the Election Commission (EC). While discussing the updates on the reform commission's work with The Daily Star recently, Badiul said the other points under consideration include increasing women's seats in parliament, the reintroduction of "no vote" on ballot papers, and allowing Bangladeshi migrants to cast their votes from abroad. PUNISHMENT 'A MUST' The last general election in January had been at the centre of controversy as it was not competitive and inclusive due to a boycott by the major opposition parties, including the BNP. The AL had to field dummy independent candidates, many of whom were leaders of the party, to make the polls appear participatory. The 2018 election became controversial with opposition parties alleging ballot-box stuffing the night before election day. In January 2019, the Jatiya Oikya Front alleged before the EC that between 30 and 60 percent of the votes were cast the night before. The same month, Transparency International, Bangladesh in a study found that stamping of ballots took place the night before election day in more than one centre in 33 of the 50 surveyed constituencies. The 2014 election was one-sided, in which 153 lawmakers out of 300 were elected unopposed as most of the opposition, including the BNP, boycotted the election. The AL-led alliance won more than two-thirds majorities in all three national elections held under the Hasina government. A section of police officials on Tuesday admitted that they were under pressure from higher authorities while performing duties during the last three national elections. In a meeting with the reform commission, they also alleged that there were "financial transactions" during the polls. The reform commission members believe that the election commissioners, by overseeing the "controversial" elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024, breached their "oath to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution." Its chief Badiul said everyone is aware of how those elections were conducted. "We are considering these issues so that no one can get the scope to evade accountability for their wrongdoing. Those responsible should be brought to justice and punished. These elections need to be investigated. If the question of justice arises, the matter must be investigated first. These are our considerations while preparing the recommendations," he said. He emphasised the EC's role as a constitutional body and said that the election commissioners took an oath to uphold the constitution and ensure the democratic system will be effective through free, fair, and neutral elections. "By failing to do so [hold fair polls], they have violated the constitution on one hand and breached their oath on the other," Badiul added. The reform commission is also thinking about how to hold the election commissioners accountable if they are involved in irregularities. The reform commission is considering proposing legal provisions to take action against the commissioners through investigation in such cases, said a member of the reform commission, who wished not to be named. MEANINGFUL CHANGES Badiul said that they are considering a recommendation to change the law under which the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners are appointed. The government can appoint its desired people as CEC and election commissioners under the law, he said. "There is weakness in the law, which is not befitting this era". To avoid manipulation of the system, the reform commission chief said, representatives from the opposition and the third-largest party in parliament, along with the treasury bench, should be included in the search committee responsible for selecting nominees for the CEC and other election commissioners' posts. The commission is likely to recommend restoring the provision of the Representation of the People Order, 1972 (RPO) that empowered the EC to postpone elections at any stage after announcing the schedule. After an amendment in July 2023, the EC now can postpone elections only on the polling day. He noted that the RPO includes provisions for taking action against election offenders, but no significant action was seen in the past. Asked about his thoughts on empowering the EC, Badiul said, "We will try to increase the powers of the independent Election Commission. It is under our consideration." He said, "It is also important to mention that we cannot make any individual independent. According to the constitution, the Election Commission is already independent. However, we cannot force someone to act independently if they have a subservient attitude. "That is why we are advocating for a law to ensure the appointment of neutral individuals as the CEC and ECs. If this happens, meaningful changes can take place." PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION Badiul said the reform commission would keep the issue of introduction of a proportional representation system "under serious consideration", along with the restoration of a caretaker government to oversee national elections; and limiting the tenures of the prime minister to two terms. He noted that these issues, as well as the introduction of bicameral legislation, and direct elections to women's seats, are related to constitutional amendments. The government formed a separate commission for constitutional reforms. "Members of the two commissions are discussing ways to ensure coordination between their proposals on such matters," Badiul said. Proportional representation is an electoral system in which seats in parliament are allocated to political parties based on the proportion of votes they receive in an election. About the caretaker government system, Badiul said, "Recently, the High Court issued a verdict regarding the restoration of the caretaker government. This is now a reality, and we are considering it in our recommendations." Asked about increasing the women seats and direct election to these seats, Badiul said that this will ensure women's "true representation" in parliament. The commission is thinking about a rotational voting system for women's seats, he said. If these seats are increased to 100, the total number of parliamentary seats will rise to 400. "These 100 seats would rotate across constituencies over three election cycles, with women competing alongside men for other seats," he said. He said that they are thinking about the reintroduction of "no vote" option on the ballot paper so that none get the chance of being elected unopposed. "No vote" was on the ballot papers in the 2008 polls, and none was elected unopposed in the election. Around 3,82,000 people cast "no vote" in that election, said EC officials. The reform commission is also likely to propose some other changes, including the requirement for candidates to disclose their foreign assets in their affidavits. The interim government constituted the electoral reform commission on October 3 and sought its report within 90 days. Since then, the commission has taken proposals from stakeholders, including political parties, former CECs, members of different citizen platforms, and general people. "We are at the final stage of our work and hopeful that will be able to submit the report within the stipulated time," Badiul said. The Electoral Reform Commission is likely to recommend an investigation into irregularities during the last three national polls held under ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. It is also of the opinion that the election commissioners who oversaw those polls breached their oath of office to preserve the constitution, according to commission Chairman Badiul Alam Majumdar. The reform commission may recommend appointing election commissioners through a search committee with representatives from the government, the opposition, and the third-largest party in parliament. Besides the restoration of the caretaker government system, capping the tenures of a prime minister at two terms and a proportional representation system, the reform commission is likely to recommend giving more powers to the Election Commission (EC). While discussing the updates on the reform commission's work with The Daily Star recently, Badiul said the other points under consideration include increasing women's seats in parliament, the reintroduction of "no vote" on ballot papers, and allowing Bangladeshi migrants to cast their votes from abroad. PUNISHMENT 'A MUST' The last general election in January had been at the centre of controversy as it was not competitive and inclusive due to a boycott by the major opposition parties, including the BNP. The AL had to field dummy independent candidates, many of whom were leaders of the party, to make the polls appear participatory. The 2018 election became controversial with opposition parties alleging ballot-box stuffing the night before election day. In January 2019, the Jatiya Oikya Front alleged before the EC that between 30 and 60 percent of the votes were cast the night before. The same month, Transparency International, Bangladesh in a study found that stamping of ballots took place the night before election day in more than one centre in 33 of the 50 surveyed constituencies. The 2014 election was one-sided, in which 153 lawmakers out of 300 were elected unopposed as most of the opposition, including the BNP, boycotted the election. The AL-led alliance won more than two-thirds majorities in all three national elections held under the Hasina government. A section of police officials on Tuesday admitted that they were under pressure from higher authorities while performing duties during the last three national elections. In a meeting with the reform commission, they also alleged that there were "financial transactions" during the polls. The reform commission members believe that the election commissioners, by overseeing the "controversial" elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024, breached their "oath to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution." Its chief Badiul said everyone is aware of how those elections were conducted. "We are considering these issues so that no one can get the scope to evade accountability for their wrongdoing. Those responsible should be brought to justice and punished. These elections need to be investigated. If the question of justice arises, the matter must be investigated first. These are our considerations while preparing the recommendations," he said. He emphasised the EC's role as a constitutional body and said that the election commissioners took an oath to uphold the constitution and ensure the democratic system will be effective through free, fair, and neutral elections. "By failing to do so [hold fair polls], they have violated the constitution on one hand and breached their oath on the other," Badiul added. The reform commission is also thinking about how to hold the election commissioners accountable if they are involved in irregularities. The reform commission is considering proposing legal provisions to take action against the commissioners through investigation in such cases, said a member of the reform commission, who wished not to be named. MEANINGFUL CHANGES Badiul said that they are considering a recommendation to change the law under which the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners are appointed. The government can appoint its desired people as CEC and election commissioners under the law, he said. "There is weakness in the law, which is not befitting this era". To avoid manipulation of the system, the reform commission chief said, representatives from the opposition and the third-largest party in parliament, along with the treasury bench, should be included in the search committee responsible for selecting nominees for the CEC and other election commissioners' posts. The commission is likely to recommend restoring the provision of the Representation of the People Order, 1972 (RPO) that empowered the EC to postpone elections at any stage after announcing the schedule. After an amendment in July 2023, the EC now can postpone elections only on the polling day. He noted that the RPO includes provisions for taking action against election offenders, but no significant action was seen in the past. Asked about his thoughts on empowering the EC, Badiul said, "We will try to increase the powers of the independent Election Commission. It is under our consideration." He said, "It is also important to mention that we cannot make any individual independent. According to the constitution, the Election Commission is already independent. However, we cannot force someone to act independently if they have a subservient attitude. "That is why we are advocating for a law to ensure the appointment of neutral individuals as the CEC and ECs. If this happens, meaningful changes can take place." PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION Badiul said the reform commission would keep the issue of introduction of a proportional representation system "under serious consideration", along with the restoration of a caretaker government to oversee national elections; and limiting the tenures of the prime minister to two terms. He noted that these issues, as well as the introduction of bicameral legislation, and direct elections to women's seats, are related to constitutional amendments. The government formed a separate commission for constitutional reforms. "Members of the two commissions are discussing ways to ensure coordination between their proposals on such matters," Badiul said. Proportional representation is an electoral system in which seats in parliament are allocated to political parties based on the proportion of votes they receive in an election. About the caretaker government system, Badiul said, "Recently, the High Court issued a verdict regarding the restoration of the caretaker government. This is now a reality, and we are considering it in our recommendations." Asked about increasing the women seats and direct election to these seats, Badiul said that this will ensure women's "true representation" in parliament. The commission is thinking about a rotational voting system for women's seats, he said. If these seats are increased to 100, the total number of parliamentary seats will rise to 400. "These 100 seats would rotate across constituencies over three election cycles, with women competing alongside men for other seats," he said. He said that they are thinking about the reintroduction of "no vote" option on the ballot paper so that none get the chance of being elected unopposed. "No vote" was on the ballot papers in the 2008 polls, and none was elected unopposed in the election. Around 3,82,000 people cast "no vote" in that election, said EC officials. The reform commission is also likely to propose some other changes, including the requirement for candidates to disclose their foreign assets in their affidavits. The interim government constituted the electoral reform commission on October 3 and sought its report within 90 days. Since then, the commission has taken proposals from stakeholders, including political parties, former CECs, members of different citizen platforms, and general people. "We are at the final stage of our work and hopeful that will be able to submit the report within the stipulated time," Badiul said.

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Vancouver Canucks prospect Sawyer Mynio was not registered ahead of Team Canada's first game at the 2025 World Juniors. The native of Kamloops, BC was named to the roster just over a week ago, but at this point is slated to not suit up for his country. Mynio is left off of the official roster along with Seattle Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf and Philadelphia Flyers goalie prospect Carson Bjarnason. Despite not being registered, the Canucks prospect could find his way into Team Canada's lineup with an injury, and while there are only four preliminary games - injuries are not unheard of. While it'll be disappointing to not see Mynio suit up, being selected ahead of the wide crop of Canadian defencemen available is still no small feat. Sam Dickinson, Oliver Bonk, Tanner Molendyk, Caden Price, Beau Akey, Matthew Schaefer, and Andrew Gibson stand to make up Canada's defensive core for the length of the tournament barring injury. A strong D+2 season for Sawyer Mynio Mynio, a third round pick in 2023, took strides last year as a top defenceman with the Seattle Thunderbirds. This year, the 19 year old is further building his case to be a future member of the Canucks , and is starting to look like a steal at 89th overall. So far in 18 games played, Mynio has 19 points for a Thunderbirds team that has struggled this season. If his WHL team continues to struggle throughout the season, he'll likely get moved to a contender. This article first appeared on Canucks Daily and was syndicated with permission.An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalitionSemona scores 15 as Stonehill takes down Lafayette 70-65

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GREEN BAY, Wisc. (AP) — Je'Shawn Stevenson scored 20 points as Cleveland State beat Green Bay 83-61 on Saturday. Stevenson added three steals for the Vikings (5-6, 1-1 Horizon League). Tevin Smith scored 16 points while shooting 5 of 10 from the field and 6 for 6 from the line. Chase Robinson shot 4 for 8, including 3 for 5 from beyond the arc to finish with 13 points. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

Boyd scores 22 in Charleston's 79-64 win against Northern KentuckyTwin Cedars announces 2025 Royal Court

Reliance Retail starts test launch of Shein labels on Ajio platform7 Things you should never-ever tell or ask from ChatGPT and other AI ChatbotsStanford scientists are looking to combine SRAM and DRAM The new memory type would help solve issues with AI computing Gain Cell memory looks to bridge the gap between the two types The development of more energy-efficient hardware for artificial intelligence ( AI ) systems is receiving increased support, with a focus on improving memory technology. A hybrid type of memory that blends the high density of DRAM (Dynamic Random-Access Memory) with the speed of SRAM (Static Random-Access Memory) is at the forefront of this effort. The project is being led by electrical engineers at Stanford University, with the team’s goal being to create faster, more efficient memory hardware for AI applications that addresses the current limitations in processing power and energy consumption. Memory, a key AI bottleneck – hybrid gain cell memory to the rescue This research is being funded under the CHIPS and Science Act, with a recent boost of $16.3 million in US Department of Defense funding to the California-Pacific-Northwest AI Hardware Hub. AI systems are heavily reliant on hardware that can efficiently move and process large volumes of data. However, moving data between memory and logic unites takes time, which slows down GPUs and leads to increased energy consumption. As AI models become larger and more complex, these memory bottlenecks become more pronounced. Therefore, faster and denser memory located directly on chips is seen as a potential solution to this problem. Stanford University’s H.-S. Philip Wong, an electrical engineer and chair of the AI Hardware Hub, emphasizes the importance of memory in making AI hardware more energy efficient. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Wong’s team has turned to a new type of memory design called Gain Cell memory, which combines the advantages of both DRAM and SRAM. The hybrid gain cell offers a middle ground which has the small footprint of DRAM, but it also provides the faster readout speeds characteristic of SRAM. The key difference in this new design is the use of two transistors—one for writing data and one for reading rather than the capacitor found in traditional DRAM. This allows the gain cell to retain data more reliably and to boost the signal strength when data is read. Gain Cell memory has faced limitations such as rapid data leakage in silicon-based designs and slower readout speeds in oxide-based designs. However the Stanford team combined a silicon transistor with an indium tin oxide transistor, significantly enhancing the device's performance, offering faster readouts while maintaining a compact footprint. The new design can hold data for over 5,000 seconds, far longer than traditional DRAM, which needs refreshing every 64 milliseconds. Additionally, the hybrid memory is around 50 times faster than oxide-oxide gain cells. Wong likens this advancement to transitioning from a basic 3-gear bicycle to a sophisticated 20-gear bicycle, emphasizing that this evolution of memory technology will extend beyond traditional options like DRAM, SRAM, and flash memory. “We want to provide better options so designers can optimize better...it’s an opportunity to rearchitect computers,” Wong said. Via IEEE Scientists inch closer to holy grail of memory Server DRAM is set to overtake Mobile DRAM this year Take a look at the best mini-PCs

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks wavered in afternoon trading on Wall Street Monday at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%. A handful of technology companies helped support the gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 63 points, or 0.2% as of 1:18 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 0.7%. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.Notable quotes by Jimmy Carter