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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Alpha Leaders</title> <atom:link href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk</link> <description>Latest Entrepreneurs and Leaders News and Updates</description> <lastBuildDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 14:05:54 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-GB</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.4</generator> <image> <url>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/cropped-alph-icon-32x32.png</url> <title>Alpha Leaders</title> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height></image> <item> <title>Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) Review: Can Laptop’s Twin Displays Deliver?</title> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/asus-zenbook-duo-2024-review-can-laptops-twin-displays-deliver/</link> <comments>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/asus-zenbook-duo-2024-review-can-laptops-twin-displays-deliver/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Press Room]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 14:05:53 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Innovation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[asus]]></category> <category><![CDATA[business laptop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[dual display laptop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[laptop with two screens]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[two screens]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Windows 11]]></category> <category><![CDATA[zenbook duo]]></category> <category><![CDATA[zenbook duo 2024]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://alphaleaders.co.uk/asus-zenbook-duo-2024-review-can-laptops-twin-displays-deliver/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>How do you replicate the multi-monitor experience and workflow when travelling? Asus hopes that the answer will be found in the latest Zenbook Duo. Thanks to Asus’ UK PR team, I’ve spent time with the laptop to find out more. Design The Zenbook Duo is all about the twin screens, but the real party trick [...]</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/asus-zenbook-duo-2024-review-can-laptops-twin-displays-deliver/">Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) Review: Can Laptop’s Twin Displays Deliver?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><p>How do you replicate the multi-monitor experience and workflow when travelling? Asus hopes that the answer will be found in the latest Zenbook Duo. Thanks to Asus’ UK PR team, I’ve spent time with the laptop to find out more.</p><p><strong>Design</strong></p><p>The Zenbook Duo is all about the twin screens, but the real party trick is the built-in kickstand that supports the Zenbook in two different orientations. The vertical orientation utilises the kickstand exactly as you would expect; you hinge it out, it carries the weight of the screen on the long edge, and when you hinge up the dual screen, the centre of gravity sits nicely between the leading edge and the kickstand.</p><p>The small diagonal trim at each corner allows you to flip the Zenbook on its side and use the two screens as if they were pages in a book. You don’t have the benefit of the friction hinge here to allow for a wide range of movement, but as the line holds up just one side, the second side can pivot where you need to go, thanks to the strong 180-degree hinge.</p><p>The hinge works both as expected, and the small trim is a delightful bit of sleight of hand that makes the second orientation practical.</p><p><fbs-ad position="inread" progressive="" ad-id="article-0-inread" aria-hidden="true" role="presentation"></fbs-ad></p><p><strong>Keyboard</strong></p><p>Rather than the limitations of a fixed keyboard, the Asus Zenbook Duo comes with a Bluetooth keyboard that sits safely above the second screen when you are in the more traditional laptop mode. A magnetic pogo-pin connection allows the keyboard to be charged directly from the laptop, making this an almost invisible Bluetooth option.</p><p>In terms of the keyboard’s feel, it doesn’t feel out of place compared to other modern laptop keyboards. It doesn’t feel compromised for being a detachable keyboard; there’s enough travel and bounce-back in the keys to keep typing an enjoyable and physical experience, and it’s always good when a Bluetooth keyboard lights up the keys.</p><p>It’s a similar story with the trackpad. It’s expansive, echoes similar designs on regular laptops, and does not feel compromised in use.</p><p>I’ve always preferred using an external keyboard on my laptops and desktops because it allows me to place my keys and screen in the best ergonomically possible place. I appreciate having this option in the Zenbook. However, with the designers spending time on the kickstand, would it be too much to have something on the keyboard that would give it a little bit of pitch when detached rather than sitting perfectly flat on a table surface?</p><p><strong>Multitasking Feeling</strong></p><p>The reason for this technology is to have far more digital workspace available to you while on the move. Multi-monitor working at home or in the office is becoming the norm, so Asus’ Zenbook Duo offers a mobile solution that brings some of those benefits to a laptop. In theory, this should make you more productive (or it just gives you a “high up” screen to watch your favourite baseball team as you work).</p><p>Those who work in a multi-monitor setup will no doubt understand the efficiency the Zenbook Duo can offer. For others, where it is more of a theoretical win, it might be harder to see the Zenbook’s practical side.</p><p>And that’s to the Zenbook’s advantage. This is not a one-size-fits-all laptop. It has a specific purpose, is designed for that purpose, and delivers on the expected experience. I’m not sure if the goal is to convert people to the idea, and even if it is, I suggest buying a second deskbound monitor, which might be a cheaper way to try this way of working.</p><p><strong>Windows 11</strong></p><p>As you start, the default in Windows 11 is to duplicate the screen. There are advantages to this in some fields—digital artists will love working with the included stylus on the lower screen while watching what happens on the top screen, but for most people, the benefit will be in extending the screen. This gives you twice the real estate to place windows. You could use that to extend a window over both screens or, more likely, have two separate apps on each display, flicking between them with your ALT-TAB or swinging the mouse over as you would with a dual monitor setup on a deskbound machine.</p><p>It works, but it seems a bit clunky. There must be a better way to do this. Thankfully, Asus has some ideas and has addressed some of these concerns with ScreenXpert 3. This app runs in the background, captures touch input, and gives you gesture controls to move around the system. You can quickly expand apps over two screens, swapping windows between the two displays and creating the layout for groups of apps that can be launched in one move.</p><p>You certainly feel the benefit of these choices when they are used. They feel part of the OS instead of something added on at the last minute.</p><p><strong>Ports</strong></p><p>Asus has targeted the Zenbook Duo as a productivity machine, something that is geared towards business users. So why has it been left behind ports? It has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-A port, and an HDMI 2.1 port. I’m glad to see the inclusion of USB-A, given the number of peripherals still in use in business environments requiring this connection. However, just two USB-C sockets, one of which will be taken up by the charger, means the Duo lacks a decent level of connectivity. If you use this at home or in a hot desk environment, you will need an additional dock for more expansion.</p><p><strong>Speakers And Webcam</strong></p><p>Both feel compromised because of the Zenbook’s physicality. While the laptop’s overall construction leaves it feeling chunky, it has two screens, a detachable keyboard, shells that need to wrap around these components, a sturdy hinge, and the aforementioned kickstand.</p><p>That doesn’t leave much depth for the camera lens, so while it is rated 1080p, it doesn’t let in a lot of light and the image is quick to pick up noise and look grainy. I suspect the speaker’s lower volume and soundscape are down to packing the speaker into a smaller space than you would expect on a laptop. Thankfully, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack for the audiophile, but these areas feel like they have been sacrificed to allow for the other parts of the package to shine.</p><p>For a business machine, I think that’s a good choice regarding speakers, but with so much work now involving remote presence and teleconferencing, the poor webcam is a noticeable issue.</p><p><strong>Battery</strong></p><p>What could have been the downfall of the Zenbook Duo is more a case of a weak point rather than a showstopper. Running everything at full tilt and full brightness on the two OLED panels, manually setting them at 120Hz, and asking much of the processor with some demanding multimedia editing apps, and the 75Wh battery is not going to last long—but that’s the case with any laptop under load. Expect just less than two hours under these conditions.</p><p>More sedate laptop use, such as navigating and working within the web browser, offers a more useful seven to nine hours of endurance. That’s just enough to get through a working day on battery power alone if you take care, but it does make it very easy to slip up and move into needing a top-up before the end of the day if you push the laptop a little bit harder.</p><p>Start using the second OLED panel in normal use, and you will see a drop in battery life. Generally, you can knock an hour or two off the endurance, so six to seven hours of life in the dual-screen and detached keyboard is achievable.</p><p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong></p><p>While there have been several dual-screen laptops, the Asus Zenbook Duo in 2024 is one of the most mature choices in this form factor. The second display is a genuine display, not an additional screen for monitoring or input. Dual is Dual. There’s no skimping regarding trackpad and mouse; in fact, apart from the chunky size in regular laptop mode, there’s little to suggest you’re packing another display.</p><p>This business-focused machine leaves space in the specs for some leisure. The Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and 32 GB of RAM in my review model offered a lot of headroom for applications. The Intel Arc graphics is a low-end graphics card, but in 2024, many games running at 1080p will have acceptable performance. It’s not a powerhouse; don’t expect the best performance ever. But it is enough for a solid gaming session, especially if you are playing older PC-based games.</p><p>Prices start at $1500, which feels like an aggressive price for the technology offered. We’ll undoubtedly see more laptops in this form factor over the next few years, but Asus has nailed the balance between form and function in this model.</p><p><strong><em>Disclaimer</em></strong><em>: </em><em data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://www.asus.com/uk/">Asus UK</em><em> provided an </em><em data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://www.asus.com/uk/laptops/for-home/zenbook/asus-zenbook-duo-2024-ux8406/">Asus Zenbook Duo 2024</em><em> for review purposes</em>.</p></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/asus-zenbook-duo-2024-review-can-laptops-twin-displays-deliver/">Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) Review: Can Laptop’s Twin Displays Deliver?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/asus-zenbook-duo-2024-review-can-laptops-twin-displays-deliver/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>10 Top JRPG (Japanese Role-Playing Games)</title> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/10-top-jrpg-japanese-role-playing-games/</link> <comments>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/10-top-jrpg-japanese-role-playing-games/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Press Room]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 13:04:39 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Innovation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Best jrpg on ps4]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Best jrpg on ps5]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Best jrpg on steam]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Best jrpg on switch]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Best jrpg pc]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rpg vs jrpg]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Top jrpg]]></category> <category><![CDATA[What is a jrpg]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://alphaleaders.co.uk/10-top-jrpg-japanese-role-playing-games/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The Japanese role playing video games genre is one of the most well-loved in all of games, with a very dedicated fan base. Obviously hailing from Japan, most JRPG games have a visual style with similarities to other areas of Japanese media such as Manga and Anime. This makes it a genre that many Westerners [...]</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/10-top-jrpg-japanese-role-playing-games/">10 Top JRPG (Japanese Role-Playing Games)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><p>The Japanese role playing video games genre is one of the most well-loved in all of games, with a very dedicated fan base. Obviously hailing from Japan, most JRPG games have a visual style with similarities to other areas of Japanese media such as Manga and Anime. This makes it a genre that many Westerners will bounce off due to cultural differences, but for those who fall in love with a JRPG, the rewards are massive. There are many all-time classics in the genre and some that have become genuine worldwide cultural phenomenons. Finding the best JRPGs isn’t always easy due to poor translations or a lack of modernised ports, but there are a lot available today that can claim to be great.</p><h2 class="subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align" id="what-is-a-jrpg?-0">What Is A JRPG?</h2><p>JRPG stands for Japanese role-playing game, which is a game from Japan that sits within the RPG genre. The genre has been around since the early 80s, but it wasn’t until the mid 80’s with games like Dragon Quest that it really started to solidify itself as a unique genre away from traditional RPGs.</p><p>While the name of the genre is fairly self-explanatory, it is a little more specialised than that. True JRPGs often have a distinct art style that mirrors other Japanese media, some kind of party system featuring multiple characters, and either turn-based or action-style combat that tends to remain on the slower more tactical side of things. There will also be an epic story that can take hundreds of hours to complete. These days you can play JRPGs on almost every platform available, but the consoles from Japanese companies such as Nintendo and Sony have the biggest catalogues.</p><h3 class="subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align">RPG Vs. JRPG</h3><p>While RPGs and JRPGs obviously share a lot of similarities there are some key differences that separate the two. An RPG, or Role Playing Game, allows you to play as a character within a story, and usually what you do as that character will impact the game in some way.</p><p><fbs-ad position="inread" progressive="" ad-id="article-0-inread" aria-hidden="true" role="presentation"></fbs-ad></p><p>This is still the case in JRPGs, however, the Japanese influence also adds a few extra features that typically differentiate them from general RPGs. The visual style is a key factor, with most JRPGs having similarities to other Japanese media, and the stories are usually more aligned with Japanese culture. While not a hard rule, most JRPGs also include some kind of party system, featuring multiple characters or creatures that will join you on your journey in some way.</p><h2 class="subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align" id="top-jrpg-games-1">Top JRPG Games</h2><p>Over the last 15 years, JRPGs have become much more accessible to players in the West, with translations and ports improving dramatically. Now you can find JPRGs on every platform, even mobile, but you’ll find the biggest catalogues on consoles with Japanese heritage such as the Switch and PlayStation.</p><p>The games below make up the best JRPGs you can play today based on critical and fan reception and overall quality. Some classics in the genre either require old hardware, a knowledge of the Japanese language or are prohibitively expensive to play legally, so are not included.</p><h3 class="subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align">10. <em>Octopath Traveller II</em></h3><p><em>Octopath Traveller II</em> is a throwback to the very early JRPGs, many of which are difficult to play these days. With a beautiful 2D-come-3D style and a simple gameplay loop, this is a back-to-basics JPRG but it executes nearly flawlessly.</p><p>Developed by Square Enix and released in 2023, <em>Octopath Traveller II</em> features eight characters, each with their own story to explore. You’ll switch between all of them throughout the game to experience their stories and traverse through the world of Solistia, which is set around the turn of the 20th century. Combat is turn-based, like all the classic JRPGs, but with some more modern improvements to make it less clunky than older games. If you’re a fan of older JRPGs this is certainly one to check out, and it’s available on Switch, PS4, PS5 and PC, with Xbox releases expected in mid-2024.</p><h3 class="subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align">9. <em>Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered </em></h3><p>If you want a game that looks like a playable anime, <em>Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch Remastered</em> by Level-5 is the one for you. The original released in 2011, but the PS54, PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S remaster from 2019 is the one you’ll want to play these days.</p><p>Studio Ghibli was on hand to produce the animated sections of the game, with the art style trying to mimic the iconic look of the studio’s work making this one of the best-looking games ever made. The story isn’t bad either, following a child whose doll Drippy is brought to life by tears and they embark on a journey between worlds. It’s an action RPG with decent combat and pretty fun quests, but this is more about the story and look of the game than anything. If you are a fan of Studio Ghibli’s work, or just anime in general this is worth a look, but anyone who isn’t a fan of that style of media might be disappointed.</p><h3 class="subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align"><em>8. Xenoblade Chronicles 3</em></h3><p>All three games in the <em>Xenoblade </em>trilogy from Monolith Soft are worth playing if you have the older Nintendo hardware to do so, but if not then you can pick up the third for the Switch and still have a great time in its massive open world with impressive combat and solid story.</p><p>Released in 2022, the third instalment in the series is an action RPG that sees you and a party of up to seven fighting incredible monsters around the world of Aionios where there is a big war going on that you find yourself in the middle of. A much-improved combat system compared to the older games allows you to combine abilities from party members in hundreds of different ways to keep fights fresh throughout its massive 100+ hour run time. This is very much a game for true JRPG fans and does have a lot of downtime compared to some others on the list, but if you gel with it you are in for a great time.</p><h3 class="subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align"><em>7. Genshin Impact</em></h3><p><em>Genshin Impact </em>is one of the biggest games in the world right now, with the fact it’s available for free on Android, iOS, PC, PS5 and PS4 likely being a big factor in that. But if you can get past the F2P monetization this is a great game you can spend hours with.</p><p>Created by Chinese developers miHoYo in 2020, <em>Genshin Impact </em>might not quite have the Japanese part of JRPG covered, but its style is so similar to the rest of the genre that it can easily sit within it. It’s an open-world action-RPG, which is impressive on mobile devices, and it’s fun to play, especially with friends in co-op. There are puzzles, enemies to fight and a massive world to explore, with some even comparing it to recent Zelda games. However, it falls down a little with the end-game content that really requires you to drop some cash to fully enjoy. If you are ok with that then this is one to try, especially if you want to play on mobile.</p><h3 class="subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align"><em>6. Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth</em></h3><p>The <em>Yakuza</em> series, which has recently shifted to <em>Like A Dragon</em> in the West, was the hidden gem of JRPGs for years, with only hardcore fans knowing about the unusual series until more recent years. Now it’s a firm mainstream favourite with the latest outing being one of the best ever.</p><p>2024’s <em>Infinite Wealth</em>, developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, is what happens when a series doesn’t take itself seriously and goes with whatever seems fun. Instead of taking place in Japan, the stars of the series find themselves in Hawaii with some loose goals that end up going in some unexpected directions and make for some great moments. You can run around a cause chaos or play darts and do karaoke, with comparison to the <em>GTA</em> style not being totally unwarranted. This is not the semi-serious gangster epic you might think of, but it’s all the better for it and much more accessible for even non-JRPG fans. It’s available on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 and PS5.</p><h3 class="subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align"><em>5. Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age</em></h3><p>Developed by Square Enix, the <em>Dragon Quest</em> series is one of the oldest and most well-loved JRPG series of all time, and the 11th instalment from 2017 is one of the best to play today, especially if you pick up the definitive edition on Switch, PS4, Xbox One or PC.</p><p>The <em>Dragon Quest </em>series features character design from the legendary Akira Toriyama and has always looked incredible as a result, with 11 being no different. It’s not the easiest series to get into, but the story in 11 is solid with your character being the reincarnation of a legendary hero, but almost no one believes you so you go on a quest to prove them wrong and save the world. But just generally being in the cool world, running around and fighting monsters is great fun and what makes <em>Dragon Quest 11</em> a great JRPG. As such an iconic series every JRPG fan should play at least one game in the series, and this is the best modern option.</p><h3 class="subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align"><em>4. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl</em></h3><p>You can pretty much swap in any mainline <em>Pokémon</em> title here and it would still justify the place on the list as the iconic franchise rarely falters. But in terms of games that stand up to modern scrutiny while still keeping the classic feel, <em>Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl</em> are the best bet.</p><p>The pair of titles are remakes of the 2006 Nintendo DS games, but updated for the Switch and released in 2021. Obviously the core experience Game Freak produced all those years ago remains, but with ILCA tackling the remake there are a few improvements from the originals that make this the definitive version. The standard <em>Pokémon</em> format of a small child embarking on an adventure to catch them all and become the best <em>Pokémon</em> trainer in the world is still present, this time taking place in Sinnoh which features snow-covered routes. <em>Pokémon</em> is one of the rare franchises that can be enjoyed by both adults and kids equally, and everyone should play at least one game in the series.</p><h3 class="subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align"><em>3. NieR: Automata</em></h3><p>When <em>NieR: Automata</em> was preparing to launch in 2017 a lot of JRPG fans were excited, but only when it launched did the wider world take notice to realise this isn’t just a great JRPG, it’s one of the best games of all time.</p><p>Developed by the legendary Platinum Games, <em>NieR: Automata </em>is an action JRPG that has some of the most satisfying combat ever. Set in a world where human-made androids are fighting alien machines, you’ll be darting around hacking and slashing through a variety of enemies with a massive smile on your face all the time. There are also a few surprises thrown in, and with its unique story layout, it’s a game you’ll want to play through multiple times to experience all the possibilities. <em>NeiR</em> is the game for anyone looking for fast-paced and exciting combat, and it’s available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC.</p><h3 class="subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align"><em>2. Final Fantasy VII Remake & Rebirth</em></h3><p>This list could easily be filled with <em>Final Fantasy</em> games, but VII is considered to be the best by a large majority of fans, and the recent remakes from Square Enix have brought the classic into the modern era in a way no other remake ever has.</p><p>With the original released in 1997 when a lot of the big ideas it had were limited by tech, the remake process has been split into three parts, with the first, <em>Final Fantasy VII Remake</em>, launching in 2020 and the second, <em>Rebirth</em>, launching in 2024. Both are worth playing and I’d wager the third will be as well, so consider this a recommendation for all of them.</p><p>The overall <em>FF7</em> experience sees your hero Cloud escape from Midgar and try to defeat Sephiroth, one of the most iconic baddies in gaming, and end the tyranny of the Shinra Electric Power Company. There is more to it than that, but with the story being such a key component it would be a shame to spoil anything here. It features real-time action combat, with some nifty party combat systems being added for the remakes, and <em>Rebirth</em> has a great open world to run around. If you’ve ever enjoyed a JRPG then chances are you will enjoy this, but you’ll have to be a PS5 owner to play both of them, although <em>Remake</em> is also on PC and PS4.</p><h3 class="subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align"><em>1. Persona 5 Royal </em></h3><p><em>Persona 5</em> is not only an amazing JRPG, it’s one of the best games of all time. Having initially released in 2016, the Royal edition from 2019, which adds more content and brings it to modern platforms, is the version you need to play to get the full experience created by developers P-Studio.</p><p>Set in modern-day Tokyo, <em>Persona 5</em> is a story about high school students who have access to special powers and become vigilantes. While every aspect of the game is incredible, the story is a highlight with well-thought-out characters and relationships between them that make you want to keep playing to see where things go. The turn-based combat system is one of the better ones you will find, but <em>Persona 5 </em>is more about the experience and story rather than running around and fighting everyone. JRPG fans simply must play<em> Persona 5</em>, and even those not familiar with the genre will likely find a lot to love. It’s available on PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC.</p><p><strong>Bottom Line</strong></p><p>The JRPG genre is massive and with games having hundreds of hours of content you could easily spend the rest of your life playing them exclusively and never run out of things to do. They can be an acquired taste, but when you fall in love with the genre you are in for something special.</p></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/10-top-jrpg-japanese-role-playing-games/">10 Top JRPG (Japanese Role-Playing Games)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/10-top-jrpg-japanese-role-playing-games/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>U.S. Lags Behind Other Countries in Hepatitis-C Treatment</title> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/u-s-lags-behind-other-countries-in-hepatitis-c-treatment/</link> <comments>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/u-s-lags-behind-other-countries-in-hepatitis-c-treatment/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Press Room]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 12:58:35 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://alphaleaders.co.uk/u-s-lags-behind-other-countries-in-hepatitis-c-treatment/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>In the 10 years since the drugmaker Gilead debuted a revolutionary treatment for hepatitis C, a wave of new therapies have been used to cure millions of people around the world of the blood-borne virus. Today, 15 countries, including Egypt, Canada and Australia, are on track to eliminate hepatitis C during this decade, according to [...]</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/u-s-lags-behind-other-countries-in-hepatitis-c-treatment/">U.S. Lags Behind Other Countries in Hepatitis-C Treatment</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">In the 10 years since the drugmaker Gilead debuted a revolutionary treatment for hepatitis C, a wave of new therapies have been used to cure millions of people around the world of the blood-borne virus.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Today, 15 countries, including Egypt, Canada and Australia, are on track to eliminate hepatitis C during this decade, according to the Center for Disease Analysis Foundation, a nonprofit. Each has pursued a dogged national screening and treatment campaign.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">But the arsenal of drugs, which have generated tens of billions of dollars for pharmaceutical companies, has not brought the United States any closer to eradicating the disease.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Spread through the blood including IV drug use, hepatitis C causes liver inflammation, though people may not display symptoms for years. Only a fraction of Americans with the virus are aware of the infection, even as many develop the fatal disease.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">A course of medications lasting eight to 12 weeks is straightforward. But the most at-risk, including those who are incarcerated, uninsured or homeless, have difficulty navigating the American health system to get treatment.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Of those diagnosed in the United States since 2013, just 34 percent have been cured, according to a recent analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“We’re not making progress,” said Dr. Carolyn Wester, who heads the agency’s division of viral hepatitis. “We have models of care that are working, but it is a patchwork.”</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Dr. Francis Collins, who headed the National Institutes of Health for decades until retiring in 2021, has been spearheading a White House initiative aimed at eliminating the disease.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">In an interview, he said he was motivated by memories of his brother-in-law, Rick Boterf, who died of hepatitis C just before the introduction of the new cures. An outdoorsman, Mr. Boterf endured five years of liver failure waiting for a transplant, and even that procedure wasn’t enough to save him from the destructive virus.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“The more I looked at this, the more it just seemed impossible to walk away,” Dr. Collins said.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The initiative, which was included in President Biden’s latest budget proposal, calls for about $5 billion to establish a five-year “subscription” contract. The federal government would pay a flat fee and, in return, receive drugs for every patient it enrolled for treatment.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Several states already use similar subscription contracts, with limited success. Louisiana was the first to deploy such a scheme, in 2019, and reported a significant increase in people treated through Medicaid and in correctional facilities. But the state’s treatment numbers dwindled during the pandemic, and have not rebounded. Now, nearing the end of its five-year contract, Louisiana has treated barely half the people it had proposed to reach.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Dr. Collins acknowledged that on its own, a national drug-purchasing agreement like Louisiana’s would not be sufficient to turn the tide.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“Anybody who tries to say, ‘Oh, it’s just the cost of the drug, that’s the only thing that’s gotten in the way,’ hasn’t looked at those lessons carefully,” he said. To that end the proposal also calls for a $4.3 billion campaign to raise awareness, train clinicians and promote treatment at health centers, prisons and drug treatment programs.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Carl Schmid, who directs the H.I.V. and Hepatitis Policy Institute, a nonprofit, said he worried that the White House proposal was overly focused on drug prices. “The real problem is you have to get money for the outreach, the testing and the providers,” he said.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Advocates say some states have cobbled together robust efforts, like New Mexico, which has been connecting hard-to-reach populations with treatment, largely without federal support.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“New Mexico is one of our superstars,” said Boatemaa Ntiri-Reid, a health policy expert with the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Andrew Gans, who manages the state’s hepatitis C program, said an estimated 25,800 residents needed treatment, and that multiple strategies would be required to eradicate the disease by the end of this decade. “You can’t do that through just one door.”</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">In the village of Ruidoso, in southeastern New Mexico, Christie Haase, a nurse practitioner, had been working at a small private clinic for just two weeks when a patient with abnormal liver enzymes tested positive for hepatitis C.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Like many primary care providers, Ms. Haase had not been trained to treat hepatitis C and offered to refer the patient to a gastroenterologist. But none practiced in the town, and the patient balked at traveling to Albuquerque, three hours away.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“I didn’t know where to go from there,” Ms. Haase said.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">One of the biggest hurdles to eliminating hepatitis C is the specialists most qualified to treat the disease are often the least accessible to patients, especially those who lack insurance or stable shelter, both risk factors for infection.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Even when referrals are possible, they require follow-up visits that patients may miss and co-payments they may be unable to afford.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">So instead of handing off the patient, Ms. Haase joined a video conference with other rural providers, where she presented the case, and more experienced clinicians recommended further tests and medications. The meeting was part of a program called ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), which Dr. Sanjeev Arora, a gastroenterologist, developed in the early 2000s to connect primary care doctors in sparsely populated areas with specialists.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Dr. Arora, who later founded the nonprofit Project ECHO to promote the model around the world, estimated that the New Mexico program had provided hepatitis C treatment for more than 10,000 patients. “It really changed the game,” he said.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0"><strong class="css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10">Care behind bars</strong></p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Few people are at higher risk of hepatitis C infection than those who are incarcerated. A recent study estimated that over 90,000 people in U.S. state prisons are infected, 8.7 times the prevalence of people outside the correctional system.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">For many years, New Mexico’s prisons did a good job of screening for hepatitis C and a terrible job treating it. More than 40 percent of prisoners were infected, the highest prevalence of any state correctional system, but no funds were available for the needed treatment. Prisons then rationed the drugs, including by denying medication to inmates accused of disciplinary infractions. In 2018, of some 3,000 infected inmates, just 46 received treatment.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">That changed in 2020 when state lawmakers appropriated $22 million specifically for treating prisoners with hepatitis C. New Mexico’s corrections department also arranged to buy the medications at a steep discount through the 340 B federal drug pricing program.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">But some prisoners continued to decline treatment, so the state enlisted incarcerated people to win them over. Since 2009, the Peer Education Project, a collaboration between Project ECHO and the corrections department, has trained more than 800 people to counsel others about preventing infections and getting treated.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Last May, incarcerated peer educators around the state tuned into a videoconference to discuss the reasons their fellow inmates were reluctant to seek treatment and to share their approaches for assuaging those concerns. </p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Daniel Rowan, who now manages the Prison Education Program, had himself formerly been incarcerated. He said the program had gone a long way toward improving the relationship between inmates and their medical providers, although it remains “a gauntlet of challenges, to say the least.”</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Between 2020 and 2022, the number of imprisoned people receiving treatment for hepatitis C quadrupled, to more than 600. Last year, the New Mexico State Legislature appropriated another $27 million to sustain the effort.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Another group it is crucial to reach are people with a history of IV drug use: Two-thirds of newly infected people had previously injected drugs, according to the C.D.C.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">In New Mexico, where opiate addiction is a generational scourge, harm reduction programs are deeply integrated into the state’s public health department. The state legalized needle exchanges more than 25 years ago, and was the first to allow the distribution of naloxone.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Early last year, a county public health clinic in Las Cruces paired treatment for hepatitis C with existing services including needle-exchange and prescriptions for buprenorphine, an opioid addiction treatment. Over the next year, a lower-than-expected share of patients in the buprenorphine program tested positive for hepatitis C, which health officer Dr. Michael Bell attributed, in part, to changes in drug use. People who once injected heroin now smoke fentanyl instead, limiting their exposure to unsanitary needles that could transmit the virus. The C.D.C. believes this shift also contributed to a slight decline in new hepatitis C infections nationwide, which fell 3.5 percent in 2022.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0"><strong class="css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10">Still not enough</strong></p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Despite statewide efforts, no tracking system exists to accurately measure the number of people cured. A little more than 2,200 people were treated in 2022 by the largest providers. The state estimated it needed to treat 4,000 people that year to stay on track.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">As in other states, clinicians in New Mexico also struggle to persuade patients to return and begin treatment. Some countries have approved a rapid test that makes it possible to diagnose and start treatment in one visit. The test is under accelerated review at the National Institutes of Health in the United States, with data expected to be ready this summer, an agency spokesperson said.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The president’s initiative was also in last year’s budget, but lawmakers have not yet introduced legislation to fund it, and there may be few opportunities to pass it before the election in November.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The Congressional Budget Office is evaluating a draft bill for its impact on the budget. Dr. Collins acknowledged that lawmakers in Congress might balk at the price tag, but contended that it would eventually save not just lives, but money.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">In a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, a group of scientists calculated that the initiative would prevent 24,000 deaths in the next decade and save $18.1 billion in medical costs for people with untreated hepatitis C.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“This is a deficit reduction program in the long term,” Dr. Collins said. “Just don’t expect it to be deficit reduction this year.”</p><hr class="css-7ad88g e1mu4ftr0"/></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/u-s-lags-behind-other-countries-in-hepatitis-c-treatment/">U.S. Lags Behind Other Countries in Hepatitis-C Treatment</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/u-s-lags-behind-other-countries-in-hepatitis-c-treatment/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Microsoft Warns Windows Users Of Ongoing Russian Hack Attack</title> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/microsoft-warns-windows-users-of-ongoing-russian-hack-attack/</link> <comments>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/microsoft-warns-windows-users-of-ongoing-russian-hack-attack/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Press Room]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 12:03:36 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Innovation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[APT28]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fancy Bear]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GooseEgg]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Hackers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft Windows Attack]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Russian Hackers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Threat Intelligence]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Windows Hacked By Russian Spies]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://alphaleaders.co.uk/microsoft-warns-windows-users-of-ongoing-russian-hack-attack/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Researchers at Microsoft Threat Intelligence have issued a warning that Russian state-sponsored hackers have been targeting Windows users with a custom tool used to steal credentials and even install backdoors. 04/28 update below. This article was originally published on April 26. APT28 Fancy Bear Hackers Behind Newly Reported Windows Attacks The hackers, more commonly identified [...]</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/microsoft-warns-windows-users-of-ongoing-russian-hack-attack/">Microsoft Warns Windows Users Of Ongoing Russian Hack Attack</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><p>Researchers at Microsoft Threat Intelligence have issued a warning that Russian state-sponsored hackers have been targeting Windows users with a custom tool used to steal credentials and even install backdoors.</p><p><em>04/28 update below. This article was originally published on April 26. </em></p><h2 class="subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align">APT28 Fancy Bear Hackers Behind Newly Reported Windows Attacks</h2><p>The hackers, more commonly identified as APT28 or Fancy Bear but tracked by Microsoft as Forest Blizzard, are known to be affiliated with Military Unit 26165, which is part of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency.</p><p>Microsoft said that it has seen Forest Blizzard/APT 28 using the post-exploitation tool, dubbed GooseEgg, against government, education and transport sector organizations in the U.S., Western Europe and Ukraine. “Forest Blizzard primarily focuses on strategic intelligence targets,” Microsoft said. It would appear, the Microsoft intelligence analysts said, that APT28 has been using GooseEgg since at least June 2020 and quite possibly as early as April 2019.</p><p><fbs-ad position="inread" progressive="" ad-id="article-0-inread" aria-hidden="true" role="presentation"></fbs-ad> </p><h2 class="subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align">Unpatched Windows Vulnerabilities Lay A Golden Exploit Egg</h2><p>What, in essence, appears to be a relatively simple launcher application, GooseEgg, is actually a very dangerous tool in the hands of attackers who are exploiting a long-since patched vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service. The vulnerability in question, CVE-2022-38028, was fixed as part of the October 2022 Patch Tuesday rollout, having been first reported by the National Security Agency. GooseEgg exploits an unpatched vulnerability by “modifying a JavaScript constraints file and executing it with SYSTEM-level permissions,” Microsoft said. The extent to which GooseEgg can aid the Russian hackers was laid bare by the Microsoft Threat Intelligence report: “GooseEgg is capable of spawning other applications specified at the command line with elevated permissions, allowing threat actors to support any follow-on objectives such as remote code execution, installing a backdoor, and moving laterally through compromised networks.”</p><h2 class="subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align">How To Mitigate The GooseEgg Attacks</h2><p>Once again, this active cyber-espionage campaign by state-sponsored hackers highlights the importance of patching vulnerabilities as soon as possible. In addition to the CVE-2022-38028 Windows Print Spooler vulnerability, GooseEgg can also be used alongside exploits for PrintNightmare, which was first disclosed in 2021. Additional vulnerabilities known to have been targeted by the APT28 hackers include CVE-2023-23397, CVE-2021-34527 and CVE-2021-1675.</p><p>Microsoft urges organizations and users to apply the CVE-2022-38028 security update to mitigate this attack. It notes that Microsoft Defender Antivirus detects the specific Forest Blizzard capability as HackTool:Win64/GooseEgg.</p><p><em>04/28 update: Ivan Kosarev, a threat intelligence researcher at the Deep Instinct Threat Lab, has reported yet another old Microsoft vulnerability being exploited in attacks. This time, the vulnerability is a Microsoft Office one cataloged as </em><em data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-8570">CVE-2017-8570</em><em>, </em>a bypass to get to CVE-2017-0199 from 2017. <em>In the attacks analyzed by Kosarev, the vulnerability, which enables the attackers to execute arbitrary code, was seemingly wrapped up in a malicious PowerPoint Slideshow document. When you read of security issues that can be initiated by a user opening a specially crafted file, that’s what this is. The PowerPoint file in question was purporting to be a mine-clearance U.S. Army instruction manual. The reason that is important becomes clear when you realize the sample discovered and analyzed here was uploaded from Ukraine with the next stage of the compromise taking place on a site hosted in Russia. </em></p><p><em>“Without additional clues,” </em><em data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://www.deepinstinct.com/blog/uncorking-old-wine-zero-day-cobalt-strike-loader">Kosarev said</em><em>, “it’s hard to understand the exact purpose of the attack.” However, given the type of document used as bait, it’s a fair assumption that military personnel could be the target here. Especially as the ultimate payload is dropping a cracked version of the legitimate Cobalt Strike Beacon professional penetration testing tool. Mostly used by Red Teams whose brief allows them to use the same methods of potential attackers, Cobalt Strike would give a successful attacker the ability to elevate user privileges, steal sensitive data and distribute itself further across the compromised network.</em></p></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/microsoft-warns-windows-users-of-ongoing-russian-hack-attack/">Microsoft Warns Windows Users Of Ongoing Russian Hack Attack</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/microsoft-warns-windows-users-of-ongoing-russian-hack-attack/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Even With Gaza Under Siege, Some Are Imagining Its Reconstruction</title> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/even-with-gaza-under-siege-some-are-imagining-its-reconstruction/</link> <comments>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/even-with-gaza-under-siege-some-are-imagining-its-reconstruction/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Press Room]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 11:57:15 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://alphaleaders.co.uk/even-with-gaza-under-siege-some-are-imagining-its-reconstruction/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>On a December morning in central London, more than two dozen people drawn from influential institutions across the Middle East, Europe and the United States gathered in a conference room to pursue an aspiration that, at that moment, verged on preposterous. They were there to plan for the reconstruction and long-term economic development of Gaza. [...]</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/even-with-gaza-under-siege-some-are-imagining-its-reconstruction/">Even With Gaza Under Siege, Some Are Imagining Its Reconstruction</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">On a December morning in central London, more than two dozen people drawn from influential institutions across the Middle East, Europe and the United States gathered in a conference room to pursue an aspiration that, at that moment, verged on preposterous. They were there to plan for the reconstruction and long-term economic development of Gaza.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Gaza was under relentless bombardment by Israeli military forces in response to terrorist attacks launched by Hamas in October. Communities throughout the territory were being reduced to rubble, and tens of thousands of people had been killed. Families confronted the immediacy of hunger, fear and grief.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Yet at the meeting in London, members of the international establishment discussed how to eventually transform Gaza from a place defined by isolation and poverty into a Mediterranean commercial hub centered on trade, tourism and innovation, yielding a middle class.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The group included senior officials from American and European economic development agencies, executives from Middle Eastern finance and construction companies, two partners from the international consulting firm McKinsey & Company, and a managing director of the World Economic Forum. Officially, they were attending only as individuals, not as representatives of their institutions.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The plan they produced is far removed from the dire reality confronting Gaza today. Turning it into reality would require the end of a war that has left the territory devastated, to say nothing of tens of billions of dollars in investment. It would also demand resolution to the monumental and entirely uncertain political question of who eventually controls Gaza, and then the cooperation of that authority. All of that makes the plan well short of a blueprint for action.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Yet participants maintain that the mere exercise of mapping out a more prosperous future holds value because it can prepare the way for projects once conditions are suitable — a notion that has propelled such planning in conflict zones like Kuwait after it was invaded by Iraq and Ukraine.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“We are proposing to connect Gaza to the world over the long term,” said Chris Choa, founder and director of Outcomist, a London firm that designs large-scale urban development projects, and one of the initial conveners of the group, known as Palestine Emerging.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Among those involved are Hashim Shawa, chairman of the Bank of Palestine, a commercial bank; Samer Khoury, chief executive of Consolidated Contractors International, a construction company engaged in major projects across the Middle East; and Mohammed Abukhaizaran, a board member of the Arab Hospitals Group, a medical provider in the West Bank. All would potentially have a stake in the eventual work of rebuilding.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“As soon as the war started, my team and I started developing a plan to build a facility in Gaza as soon as the war ends,” Mr. Abukhaizaran said in an interview.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The group is clear that the most pressing work is the delivery of food, water, health care and emergency shelter to the residents of Gaza, who are now contending with catastrophe. But the primary focus of their plan is on the rebuilding that would unfold over the following decades.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“The Gaza war needs to end immediately, and there will be an incredible and immediate humanitarian effort,” said Mr. Abukhaizaran. “But we also need to think long term about building a better future for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.”</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The initiative, one of several under discussion, has gained the interest and advice of major international funding organizations including the World Bank, said a senior agency official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk publicly. The bank views the plan as a useful contribution toward a strategy that could generate jobs in Gaza by integrating the territory into the global economy.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Representatives for United States government agencies have attended Palestine Emerging workshops and offered counsel on the details of the plan, a senior American official said, also speaking on condition that they not be named. American engagement with the initiative has been driven by the assumption that greater economic opportunity in Gaza is necessary to undercut popular support for Hamas, the official added.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The plan centers on a series of major projects, including a deepwater port, a desalination plant to provide drinking water, an online health care service and a transportation corridor connecting Gaza with the West Bank. A fund for reconstruction and development would oversee future undertakings.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The most forward-looking components, such as reducing customs barriers to trade and introducing a new currency in place of the Israeli shekel, assume the eventual establishment of Palestinian autonomy, a step that Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has vowed to resist. He has also brushed aside the prospect that the future governance of Gaza could include a role for the Palestinian Authority, the most obvious potential partner for the reconstruction initiative.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The enormous price tag of any rebuilding is another impediment. The toll of the damage to Gaza’s crucial infrastructure has reached $18.5 billion, according to a recent estimate by the World Bank and the United Nations. Half the population is on the verge of famine, and more than a million people lack homes.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Who might deliver such funding is among the largest variables. A previous development plan for the Palestinian territories advanced by the Trump administration in 2019 envisioned substantial investment from Persian Gulf countries like the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The new initiative has yet to engage with the Gulf countries, Mr. Choa said.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The imperative for development in Gaza predates the current war. The unemployment rate in the territory was more than 45 percent in 2022, according to the World Bank. More than half the population was living in poverty, according to the International Monetary Fund.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">While visions of modern transportation systems may now seem tangential to Gaza’s essential needs, the plan is governed by the assumption that even temporary structures like emergency housing and health care facilities must be thoughtfully placed to avoid squandering future possibilities.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“Temporary tends to become permanent very quickly,” Mr. Choa said. “Someone says, ‘We’re going to put this big refugee camp right here,’ but that could be exactly where you want to put a wastewater treatment plant or a transit line in the future. You then create an obstacle.”</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Mr. Choa, 64, has spent much of his international architectural career wrestling with such details. After the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, he took part in a commission tasked with sketching out the future of Lower Manhattan. He later lived and worked in China, where he oversaw master plans in major urban areas. After moving to London in 2006, he continued such work in Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">He first grappled with a detailed plan for Gaza in 2015 through work commissioned by Palestinian business interests. He led several missions to Gaza, meeting with the Palestinian Authority and the arm of the Israeli Defense Forces that administered the territory. But the pandemic and Israeli concerns about security halted the effort.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">In the wake of the Hamas attacks on Israel in October, he sought to revive the project, joining forces with Baron Frankal, chief executive of the Portland Trust, a London-based organization that pursues<span class="css-8l6xbc evw5hdy0"> </span>economic opportunities for Palestinians.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Following the December meeting in London, an expanded group of 58 gathered in Washington in early March. A meeting was held recently in Ramallah, a city in the West Bank. Another meeting is planned for Tel Aviv in early June.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The group has briefed the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Mr. Frankal said. One member of the initiative, Wael Zakout, a former World Bank official, recently joined the cabinet of the incoming Palestinian government.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The group has not engaged Hamas, which had overseen Gaza since 2007 and is widely condemned as a terrorist organization.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“If Hamas are still players, people are not going to invest tens of billions of dollars,” said Stephen Byers, a former British cabinet secretary in the government led by Tony Blair, who attended the London meeting.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The ideas that have emerged from the workshops extend into the next quarter-century. These include the erection of a cutting edge soccer stadium and the elevation of the existing soccer team to a more internationally competitive level, and the creation of a strategy to encourage a Palestinian film industry.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The deepwater port would be established on an artificial island built from the nearly 30 million tons of debris and rubble that are expected to cover the territory whenever the conflict is over, with removal anticipated to take as long as a decade.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The plan proposes the establishment of a degree-granting Technical University of Reconstruction in northern Gaza that would draw students from around the world. They would study strategies to dig out from disaster and spur development, using postwar Gaza as a living laboratory.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The destruction is so extensive that the usual means of administering aid and overseeing rebuilding will be inadequate, said the World Bank official.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">American government agencies face legal restrictions on working directly with the Palestinian Authority. Other institutions are reluctant to transact with the Palestinian Authority given its reputation for corruption. All of this makes private companies critical elements of the plan, even as they too will grapple with the risks of investing in a highly uncertain climate.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">While the largest projects require clarity over the future political administration of Gaza, other initiatives, such as those aimed at encouraging small businesses, could begin as soon as military activities cease.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“I want to focus on how we open the bread store, how we get factories up and running,” said Jim Pickup, chief executive of the Middle East Investment Initiative, a nonprofit that finances development projects. “Every truck that is going to remove rubble is a small business itself, supporting a family.”</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/even-with-gaza-under-siege-some-are-imagining-its-reconstruction/">Even With Gaza Under Siege, Some Are Imagining Its Reconstruction</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/even-with-gaza-under-siege-some-are-imagining-its-reconstruction/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>‘Escape From Tarkov’ Developer Apologises After Fan Outrage</title> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/escape-from-tarkov-developer-apologises-after-fan-outrage/</link> <comments>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/escape-from-tarkov-developer-apologises-after-fan-outrage/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Press Room]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 11:02:28 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Innovation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Escape From Tarkov]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nikita]]></category> <category><![CDATA[PvE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[SinglePlayer Tarkov]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tarkov]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Unheard Edtion]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://alphaleaders.co.uk/escape-from-tarkov-developer-apologises-after-fan-outrage/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Escape From Tarkov game director Nikita Buyanov has made another post on the game’s sub-Reddit, this time finally apologising for the actions that led to the community outrage over the past few days. The post starts out with an apology from Buyanov, before going on to detail what changes will be made to the Unheard [...]</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/escape-from-tarkov-developer-apologises-after-fan-outrage/">‘Escape From Tarkov’ Developer Apologises After Fan Outrage</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><p><em>Escape From Tarkov </em>game director Nikita Buyanov has made another post on the game’s sub-Reddit, this time finally apologising for the actions that led to the community outrage over the past few days.</p><p>The post starts out with an apology from Buyanov, before going on to detail what changes will be made to the Unheard Edition that caused so much outrage over the past few days with its $250 price tag and DLC that was not available to those who previously purchased the season pass.</p><p>“First of all, I would like to say that I am very sorry that fans and the game community in general are experiencing these feelings,” said Buyanov on Reddit. “Unfortunately, I somehow did not foresee the fact of such a reaction and now I have drawn conclusions for my future decisions.”</p><p>Those conclusions include a further backtrack on the decision from yesterday to give access to the new PvE mode to all owners of the Edge of Darkness edition when <em>Tarkov</em> launches in the future. This was itself a backtrack from the announcement EoD owners would get access for six months. Now EoD owners will start to get access to the PvE mode in waves starting as soon as Battlestate Games can add more server capacity to support it.</p><p><fbs-ad position="inread" progressive="" ad-id="article-0-inread" aria-hidden="true" role="presentation"></fbs-ad></p><p>Nikita also announced that they will allow mod support for the PvE mode once <em>Tarkov </em>launches. This is likely in reaction to the rise in popularity of SinglePlayer <em>Tarkov</em> a community mod, that was previously outlawed by Battelstate Games. The mod was effectively the new PvE mode but with further customisation options to modify the game. Since the controversy started many top streamers have been playing the mod, making it more popular than ever.</p><p>It was also announced that the controversial priority matchmaking that was announced for Edge of Darkness owners will not be implemented after fans complained this would make the game significantly worse for anyone who did not have it.</p><p>Despite the backlash, it was also confirmed that the new Unheard Edition will not be removed from sale, however the perks it gives will be rebalanced.</p><p>“About the Unheard edition – we will not remove it, we want to keep the option for those who want to support the game more,” said Buyanov. “But we will balance items, perks in this edition, as well as we will provide more rewards for those, who upgraded with the old price.”</p><p>Nikita ended the statement by confirming that the team will continue to work on the game and that they are still heading towards a full release. There is still no exact word when that will happen, but it could be as soon as this year.</p></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/escape-from-tarkov-developer-apologises-after-fan-outrage/">‘Escape From Tarkov’ Developer Apologises After Fan Outrage</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/escape-from-tarkov-developer-apologises-after-fan-outrage/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>After Period of Chastity, Hollywood Movies Embrace Sex Again</title> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/after-period-of-chastity-hollywood-movies-embrace-sex-again/</link> <comments>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/after-period-of-chastity-hollywood-movies-embrace-sex-again/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Press Room]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 10:56:39 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://alphaleaders.co.uk/after-period-of-chastity-hollywood-movies-embrace-sex-again/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Zendaya, clad in a skintight dress, gyrates on a dance floor in “Challengers,” a $56 million sports drama that arrived in multiplexes on Friday. “It’s getting hot in here,” the hip-hop soundtrack intones, as she closes her eyes and runs her hands through her hair, lost in fantasy. “So take off all your clothes.” The [...]</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/after-period-of-chastity-hollywood-movies-embrace-sex-again/">After Period of Chastity, Hollywood Movies Embrace Sex Again</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Zendaya, clad in a skintight dress, gyrates on a dance floor in “Challengers,” a $56 million sports drama that arrived in multiplexes on Friday. “It’s getting hot in here,” the hip-hop soundtrack intones, as she closes her eyes and runs her hands through her hair, lost in fantasy. “So take off all your clothes.”</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The story continues at a motel, where Zendaya, playing a tennis prodigy, begins a ménage à trois with two guys; it fizzles after they become more interested in each other. The plot moves on — to sultry interplay on the hood of a car, in a dorm room, in the back seat of a car, on the wooden slats of a sauna. There is erotic churro eating.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“Sex is back!” shouted an apparently elated man at the conclusion of a prerelease “Challengers” screening in West Hollywood, Calif., this month.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Trend spotting in cinema is a hazardous pursuit. Think about how many times the rom-com has been declared dead — and alive — and dead. (No, wait, alive.) But this much can be said with surety: Hollywood is hornier than it has been in years.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“It absolutely feels like the pendulum has swung back toward filmmakers exploring adult relationships and sexuality in their projects,” said Amy Pascal, the former chairwoman of Sony Pictures and producing force behind “Challengers.”</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“I welcome that,” she added.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Eroticism used to be common in studio movies like “Challengers,” which was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. “Body Heat,” “Basic Instinct,” “An Officer and a Gentleman,” “Fatal Attraction,” “Disclosure,” “Cruel Intentions” and “Eyes Wide Shut” are among the many examples from the 1980s and ’90s.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">In the 2000s, however, film companies started to obsessively focus on PG-13 franchises and animation — genres that could play to a global audience and sell merchandise. Studios also wanted to expand into China, where censors do not allow sex scenes. As a result, steamy storytelling began to dwindle on the big screen (except at art house theaters). Premium television picked up the slack.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Sex in mainstream movies was “pretty much gone” by 2019, as Ann Hornaday, chief film critic for The Washington Post, wrote in a column that year. A few months later, Kate Hagen, writing in Playboy magazine, found that only about 1.2 percent of films released between 2010 and 2020 contained an overt sex scene, the lowest decade total since the 1960s. (It peaked in the 1990s. Coincidentally or not, that was the decade when pornography started to become available online.)</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Now, some filmmakers are pushing back.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Awards season brought “Saltburn,” with its arousing-disturbing bathtub scene and Barry Keoghan’s twirling, full-frontal finale. “Poor Things” found an insatiable Emma Stone romping through a Paris brothel. Christopher Nolan filmed the first sex scenes of his 35-year career for “Oppenheimer.” (“More interested in the joys of sex than any recent season I can remember,” as Kyle Buchanan, awards columnist for The New York Times, described the crop of contenders in February.)</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Over the past year, the trickle of R-rated sex comedies in theaters turned into a relative torrent. “Anyone but You” found Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell going at it. “No Hard Feelings” starred Jennifer Lawrence as a kinda-sorta prostitute on a mission to deflower an awkward student. The libidinous “Bottoms,” “Back on the Strip” and “Joy Ride” also tried mixing sex with laughs.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">In late May, Mr. Powell will return to theaters in the comedic “Hit Man,” about an undercover agent who begins a smoking-hot affair with a suspect, played by Adria Arjona. In addition to acting in the R-rated film, he co-wrote the screenplay with Richard Linklater and served as a producer. (It will arrive on Netflix in June.)</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“‘Body Heat’ was one of the inspirations,” Mr. Powell said in January, when “Hit Man” debuted to rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival. “There aren’t many sex scenes in movies anymore, and certainly not many that are done well.”</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">He continued, “‘Body Heat’ has a lot of foreplay, which is one reason it feels so intense — steamy, carnal.” (“Body Heat,” released in 1981, starred Kathleen Turner as a wealthy woman who plots the murder of her husband while having a torrid affair with a sleazy lawyer, played by William Hurt.)</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The multiplex lineup for this summer includes “Deadpool & Wolverine,” from Disney-owned Marvel Studios; a trailer included a joke about an intimate act involving a sex toy. (The activity “isn’t new for me,” Ryan Reynolds jokes as the mischievous Deadpool, “but it is for Disney.”) “Blink Twice,” a twisted thriller starring Channing Tatum as a mogul who lures women to a private retreat, is scheduled for release in August. </p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The upturn may simply be a scheduling quirk. “Challengers” was supposed to come out last year, but it was delayed because of union strikes. Its arrival now — sandwiched between “Poor Things” and “Hit Man” — could be creating the false appearance of a film industry turn.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">But there are signs that suggest a genuine shift. One involves intimacy coordinators, or experts who help performers navigate the awkwardness of filming sex scenes. Their inclusion on sets, once a rarity, became common after the #MeToo movement of the late 2010s. Film producers say stars have become more willing to participate in simulated intimacy as a result.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Young screenwriters and directors also seem to be rediscovering movies like “American Gigolo” (1980) and “9½ Weeks” (1986) and drawing inspiration. Some studio executives say filmmakers like Luca Guadagnino, who directed “Challengers,” are interested in exploring changing attitudes about sex — as seen in the rise of OnlyFans and the shame-free embrace of sexual fluidity by younger millennials and Gen Z. (One counterpoint: In a study last year by the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at the University of California, Los Angeles, about 52 percent of respondents ages 13 to 24 said they wanted movies and TV shows to focus more on friendships and platonic relationships.)</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Perhaps contributing a degree of sexual liberation: Studios have stopped chasing China, where ticket buyers have turned against Hollywood movies en masse.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">So far, results at the box office have been mixed. “Anyone but You,” made by Sony for $25 million, collected a hefty $219 million this year, while “Poor Things,” which cost Searchlight Pictures $35 million, took in a solid $117 million. Other attempts (“Joy Ride,” “No Hard Feelings”) have disappointed or fizzled entirely.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Reviews for “Challengers” have been extremely positive. Box office analysts expect it to collect roughly $15 million in its debut weekend in the United States and Canada, where it is playing in 3,400 theaters, enough for No. 1.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/after-period-of-chastity-hollywood-movies-embrace-sex-again/">After Period of Chastity, Hollywood Movies Embrace Sex Again</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/after-period-of-chastity-hollywood-movies-embrace-sex-again/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>The Apollo Solo Audio Interface Is A Professional Studio Anywhere</title> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/the-apollo-solo-audio-interface-is-a-professional-studio-anywhere/</link> <comments>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/the-apollo-solo-audio-interface-is-a-professional-studio-anywhere/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Press Room]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 10:01:27 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Innovation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Apollo Solo]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Apollo X]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Audio Interface]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Bill Putnum]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LUNA]]></category> <category><![CDATA[macos]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Universal Audio]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://alphaleaders.co.uk/the-apollo-solo-audio-interface-is-a-professional-studio-anywhere/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Universal Audio makes some of the most revered audio equipment for musicians and recording engineers. The company was originally founded in 1958 by Bill Putnam Sr and the products that the company made were probably instrumental in recording some of the biggest selling music ever recorded. Putnam invented the modern recording console, the multi-band audio [...]</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/the-apollo-solo-audio-interface-is-a-professional-studio-anywhere/">The Apollo Solo Audio Interface Is A Professional Studio Anywhere</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><p>Universal Audio makes some of the most revered audio equipment for musicians and recording engineers. The company was originally founded in 1958 by Bill Putnam Sr and the products that the company made were probably instrumental in recording some of the biggest selling music ever recorded.</p><p>Putnam invented the modern recording console, the multi-band audio equalizer and the vocal booth. He was the first engineer to use artificial reverberation in commercial recording and, alongside his friend Les Paul, Putnam was also involved in the early development of stereophonic recording.</p><p>When Bill Putnam Sr died in 1989, so did the company. To be accurate, the brand entered a period of suspended animation until Bill Putnam Jr brought it back to life in 1999 and re-established Universal Audio as a leading force in the field of recording equipment.</p><p><fbs-ad position="inread" progressive="" ad-id="article-0-inread" aria-hidden="true" role="presentation"></fbs-ad></p><p>As well as resurrecting some of the company’s most iconic products, Bill Putnum Jr also saw that the music industry was heading with digital technology and now the company is at the forefront of modern digital recording technology. Today the company employs 200 people and has offices in Los Angeles, Colorado, and Amsterdam, with headquarters in Scotts Valley, California. A few miles away, in Santa Cruz, the Universal Audio Custom Shop still hand-builds classic analog gear one unit at a time.</p><p>One of Universal Audio’s strongest product lines is the Apollo X range of audio interfaces designed to deliver an authentic big studio sound in real-time using plug-ins from Neve,<sup> </sup>Moog, Lexicon,<sup> </sup>Capitol Studios and more. The Apollo range is large but I thought I’d look at the entry-level Apollo Solo, probably the most affordable high-end interface ever designed for serious musicians who want to record sound anywhere and match the quality of high-end studio production.</p><p>The Apollo Solo is a Thunderbolt audio interface rather than the more usual USB. There is a USB version made for Windows only, but the Thunderbolt model will appeal to most because it’s designed primarily for macOS users, which is a popular platform for everything from home studios to professional outfits. The Apollo Solo features two mic/line inputs that can work with UA’s Unison modeling technology using the UA Console software.</p><p>The unit also features a pair of line outputs using quarter-inch TRS jacks. The first input channel also has the option of a front-mounted Hi-Z jack for plugging in a guitar or keyboard. A second jack on the front supplies the monitor feed to headphones so the user can hear a backing track from the computer as well as themselves singing or playing in real-time.</p><p>On the top plate of the stylish Apollo Solo are the controls and level meters for adjusting all the settings. The design is dominated by a large rotary knob surrounded by segmented colored LEDs. The control can be used on Preamp or Monitor mode, depending on the settings being adjusted. There is a row of six preamp option buttons for selecting the input channels, high-pass filter, Phantom Power, padding, polarity reversal and Link, which lashes the two input channels together to make a stereo pair so that adjustments apply equally to both channels.</p><p>The vibrantly colored display panel marks the Apollo Solo out from many other interfaces with a high-quality feel about it. There are meters for checking both input channels as well as separate meters for the two output channels. Meanwhile, the segmented LED display surrounding the control knob makes it easy to see the level setting, even from some distance away.</p><p>As already mentioned, the Apollo Solo is a Thunderbolt interface which means you will need to connect it with a Mac or PC that has a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 interface. Earlier versions of Thunderbolt are not supported because due to power reasons. The power for the Solo is drawn directly from the Thunderbolt port so there’s no need for an external power supply. However, you will need to buy a Thunderbolt cable for connecting to the host computer as there isn’t one in the box.</p><p>At the rear of the Solo are a couple of XLR connectors with quarter-inch jacks for Line Level inputs. These can handle two microphones and there’s 48V of phantom power for driving condenser mics. The whole package is beautifully put together and the all-metal construction is sufficiently robust for life on the road.</p><p>Although it’s fine for a home studio use, the Apollo Solo will probably find favor with musicians on the move, carrying little more than a mic, laptop and instrument. This is the kit needed to lay down pristine tracks almost anywhere that can be taken back to the studio or sent on to someone else. For those who need more inputs, the Apollo X range has many more models which can handle professional projects of almost any size.</p><p>The Apollo Solo houses a high-quality analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters. The DAC quality becomes obvious when streaming a high-resolution digital source. The smooth sound and depth of detail are astonishing. The Solo also has a DSP chip that works with Universal Audio’s plug-ins and has enough power to handle a couple of Unison plug-ins at a time. By handling the plug-ins onboard, the processing is handled in real-time without any latency issues.</p><p>To get the most out of the Apollo Solo there’s a downloadable version of the user manual which runs to a staggering 278 pages. There’s a lot to absorb and learn in order to get the best from the Solo and the superb UA Console and LUNA recording software. LUNA is Mac‑only for now but it’s so extensive that it can turn the Apollo Solo into a substantial recording studio wherever you are.</p><p>Worthy of special mention is the Solo’s headphone output which is second to none, mostly thanks to its special headphone stage that has an amplifier with exceptionally low noise and a near-flat frequency response that lets the user hear exactly what is being recorded without any coloration. It’s that sort of attention to detail and quality that makes the Apollo Solo a solid piece of kit. This is superb tool for musicians and producers alike.</p><p><strong>Verdict: </strong>For anyone who uses plug-ins and already has enough knowledge of how to record great music, the Apollo Solo is a perfect tool for laying down vocal or instrument tracks on the move. All it needs is a Mac or PC with a Thunderbolt port. The input preamps are whisper quiet and have enough gain to run a Shure SM7B microphone without the need for a Cloudlifter. If you already have an Apollo X rig in your home studio, then the Apollo Solo is a great way of extending its power to almost any location. With the Solo, you can use Unison-modelled preamps and amplifiers in real-time and at the highest quality levels. There’s a lot of power on offer here. For that reason, the Apollo Solo isn’t the best interface for beginners and it will be overkill for some people, but for those already familiar with the Apollo X range, the Solo lets them harness that awesome power almost anywhere. Highly Recommended.</p><p><strong>Pricing & Availability: </strong>The Universal Audio Apollo Solo Thunderbolt audio interface is available now and costs $499 / £495 / €509.</p><p><strong>More info:</strong> uaudio.com</p></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/the-apollo-solo-audio-interface-is-a-professional-studio-anywhere/">The Apollo Solo Audio Interface Is A Professional Studio Anywhere</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/the-apollo-solo-audio-interface-is-a-professional-studio-anywhere/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>A new law will ban TikTok unless China sells most of it. An expert says it’s ‘unconstitutional’ and backed by no evidence</title> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-new-law-will-ban-tiktok-unless-china-sells-most-of-it-an-expert-says-its-unconstitutional-and-backed-by-no-evidence/</link> <comments>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-new-law-will-ban-tiktok-unless-china-sells-most-of-it-an-expert-says-its-unconstitutional-and-backed-by-no-evidence/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Press Room]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 09:57:25 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ban]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Consumer Privacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[data privacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Digital]]></category> <category><![CDATA[digital privacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[First Amendment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[internet privacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Law]]></category> <category><![CDATA[privacy law]]></category> <category><![CDATA[privacy rights]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category> <category><![CDATA[social media networks]]></category> <category><![CDATA[TikTok]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-new-law-will-ban-tiktok-unless-china-sells-most-of-it-an-expert-says-its-unconstitutional-and-backed-by-no-evidence/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>A bill that would ban TikTok in the U.S.—unless its Chinese owner sells most of it—was passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Biden on Wednesday. Soon after Biden signed the bill, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew posted a video urging viewers to “rest assured, we aren’t going anywhere,” adding he is [...]</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-new-law-will-ban-tiktok-unless-china-sells-most-of-it-an-expert-says-its-unconstitutional-and-backed-by-no-evidence/">A new law will ban TikTok unless China sells most of it. An expert says it’s ‘unconstitutional’ and backed by no evidence</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>A bill that would ban TikTok in the U.S.—unless its Chinese owner sells most of it—was passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Biden on Wednesday. </p><div><p>Soon after Biden signed the bill, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew posted a video urging viewers to “rest assured, we aren’t going anywhere,” adding he is confident TikTok would win in a court challenge. ByteDance said Thursday on Toutiao, a Chinese social-media service it owns, that it “has no plans to sell TikTok.” </p><p>The new law comes after years of attempts to ban the hugely popular short-video platform, including by former President Trump, over national-security concerns. But a digital-law expert said the U.S. has provided no evidence to back its claims, and believes the ban is unconstitutional.</p><p><strong><strong>Why the ban is unconstitutional</strong></strong></p><p>The legislation requires TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell the majority of the company within nine months, with three more months possible if a sale is in the works. If it doesn’t, the app will be banned. But as legal challenges loom, the timeframe could stretch for years.</p><p>In addition to being a major annoyance to its 170 million American users, a TikTok ban could be considered unconstitutional and a violation of free speech of both its users and the platform’s owner, according to Anupam Chander, a professor on global regulation of new technologies at Georgetown University. </p><p>That’s because “the clear intrusion upon free expression has not been justified on national-security grounds,” he told Fortune. While the U.S. has claimed China will use the app to surveil Americans and has blamed TikTok for cultivating propaganda, he said the government has not provided any public evidence of that.</p><p>In court, most of the debate will likely focus on whether the ban would infringe on Americans’ and TikTok’s First Amendment rights, Chander said. As a Chinese company incorporated in the U.S., he explained, TikTok has the same rights as a U.S. person “and certainly has Constitutional rights.” </p><p>TikTok is likely to argue that its right to communicate to the public is being targeted by this law, as if the U.S. government ordered new ownership for the <em>New York Times</em>, he added. It could also argue the law represents “viewpoint discrimination” by targeting their specific views, which Chander said is especially problematic under the First Amendment and is frowned upon by courts.</p><p><strong>Other data-privacy solutions</strong></p><p>Alternative mechanisms, like creating a national standard of data privacy laws that apply to all companies operating in the U.S., could better protect Americans, he suggested. </p><p>While it’s impossible to be entirely free of foreign-surveillance risks on the internet, Chander said a national standard for privacy rules would help minimize the risk of breaches, which is present in several American companies, more broadly. However, crafting and passing such a law would be complicated. </p><p>“It’s much easier politically to pass a law that targets TikTok than a privacy law,” he quipped. </p><p>The lack of a national standard in privacy laws has garnered substantial concern from several different sectors, but there’s no agreement about whether it should be more strict or less, Chander noted.</p><p>Without a national standard, ensuring consent on the internet becomes cumbersome as websites need to ensure each user agrees to information exchanges via cookies and advertising. But each state has different rules, complicating efforts to design platforms with inter-state audiences, like news publishers, he pointed out. </p><p>California has passed legislation like the Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, which gives consumers more control over the personal information businesses collect from them through. And since then, the state has passed propositions that give consumers the right to correct inaccurate personal information a business has about them as well as the right to limit the use and disclosure of that data. </p><p><strong>Ripple effects on Elon Musk’s X?</strong></p><p>If a U.S. ban on TikTok materializes, it could be used as a model in other parts of the world, especially in countries that have criticized American apps for violating their domestic laws, Chander warned. Governments could claim that the U.S now recognizes the “dangers of foreign apps,” and call for their own demands in mandating ownership of American apps. </p><p>As a potential example, he cited the Brazilian Supreme Court, which is investigating Elon Musk over the dissemination of fake news on his social platform X as well as for alleged obstruction and criminal organization. If the Brazilian judge were to order a ban on X, “he could cite this TikTok law as support.”</p></div><p><script async src="//www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-new-law-will-ban-tiktok-unless-china-sells-most-of-it-an-expert-says-its-unconstitutional-and-backed-by-no-evidence/">A new law will ban TikTok unless China sells most of it. An expert says it’s ‘unconstitutional’ and backed by no evidence</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-new-law-will-ban-tiktok-unless-china-sells-most-of-it-an-expert-says-its-unconstitutional-and-backed-by-no-evidence/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>A $275 Bus Ticket to the Hamptons</title> <link>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-275-bus-ticket-to-the-hamptons/</link> <comments>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-275-bus-ticket-to-the-hamptons/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Press Room]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2024 09:55:38 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-275-bus-ticket-to-the-hamptons/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Blade, the helicopter charter company, was founded 10 years ago as a way for commuters going between New York and the Hamptons to avoid vehicle traffic. This May it is introducing a new service, the Hamptons Streamliner, that, starting at $195 a ticket, will take passengers to destinations on eastern Long Island aboard … a [...]</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-275-bus-ticket-to-the-hamptons/">A $275 Bus Ticket to the Hamptons</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Blade, the helicopter charter company, was founded 10 years ago as a way for commuters going between New York and the Hamptons to avoid vehicle traffic.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">This May it is introducing a new service, the Hamptons Streamliner, that, starting at $195 a ticket, will take passengers to destinations on eastern Long Island aboard … a bus.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Like Blade’s helicopters, seats on which start at $1,025, its buses are marketed as a luxurious option for Hamptons-goers. Seats can recline up to 45 degrees and passengers will be offered free refreshments like espresso martinis, PopUp Bagels and Sweetgreen salads as they make their way from Manhattan to stops in Southampton, Bridgehampton and East Hampton via the Long Island Expressway.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Other amenities include a call button at each seat to get the attention of an attendant who can bring riders a snack, a drink, a hot towel or a cashmere blanket. Those who spring for one of seven premium seats, which cost $275, can also ride with a pet (for an additional fee).</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The 19-passenger coaches, of course, will be subject to the same gridlock and hourslong traffic delays any vehicle can encounter on the expressway — making the onboard perks a main draw, said Roisin Branch, Blade’s chief marketing officer. “This level of service is commensurate to what you would see in private aviation,” she said.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Ms. Branch said that Blade leaders saw a space in the market between more affordable Hamptons bus services like the 54-seat Jitney or 30-seat Ambassador — tickets for which start at $41 and $64 — and pricier modes of transportation like helicopters, which have drawn mounting complaints from residents of New York City and the Hamptons about noise and other disruptions.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The Hamptons Streamliner is a partnership between Blade and the Jet, a high-end coach service between New York and Washington, D.C., which supplied the two buses being used for the new transit service. (Each bus cost about a million dollars to buy and outfit, said Chad Scarborough, the founder of the Jet.) Operations will start just before Memorial Day weekend and run into the fall.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Hamptons-bound buses will pick up passengers at only one location in Manhattan: Hudson Yards, the neighborhood of luxury apartment buildings, stores and office towers occupied by technology companies like Meta and financial firms like BlackRock and Point 72. Buses returning to Manhattan will stop at an East Side location before ending their route at Hudson Yards.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“We wanted to make it an express,” Ms. Branch said. “The less stops, the more premium it is for the community that we’re serving.”</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">She added that Hudson Yards was chosen as the Streamliner’s starting point with the hope that some Hamptons-bound people who work there will opt for a bus ride instead of driving or booking a chauffeured car.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Bianca D’Alessio, 31, a real estate broker in New York, has taken both Blade helicopters and Jitney buses to the Hamptons. Ms. D’Alessio, who appears in “Selling the Hamptons,” a real-estate-focused reality TV show on the streaming service Max, described the Jitney as “no frills” and said “a smaller bus experience” offering more luxury could appeal to certain riders.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">But other commuters like Chloe Hechter, 23, who lives in New York and whose parents have a home in the Hamptons, saw less value in splurging on a more luxurious way to sit in traffic.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Ms. Hechter, a recent graduate of Syracuse University, has occasionally taken Ambassador buses, which offer passengers free wine and coffee, but said she preferred taking Jitney buses because they are less expensive.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><div><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“If I want to spend a summer weekend out there, I would just rather the cheapest, easiest way to get out,” she said.</p></div><aside class="css-ew4tgv" aria-label="companion column"/></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-275-bus-ticket-to-the-hamptons/">A $275 Bus Ticket to the Hamptons</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://alphaleaders.co.uk">Alpha Leaders</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://alphaleaders.co.uk/a-275-bus-ticket-to-the-hamptons/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel></rss> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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