Why key will not turn in ignition

US climate envoy John Kerry was the first official from the Biden administration to visit China. WASHINGTON: The United States and China are "committed to cooperating" on the pressing issue of climate change, the two sides said Saturday, issuing the pledge days ahead of a key summit hosted by President Joe Biden. The joint statement came after a trip to Shanghai by US climate envoy John Kerry, the first official from Biden's administration to visit China, signalling hopes the two sides could work together on the global challenge despite sky-high tensions on multiple other fronts. But to achieve the global climate goal, Kerry said words must be put into action and urged China to reduce its use of coal. "The United States and China are committed to cooperating with each other and with other countries to tackle the climate crisis, which must be addressed with the seriousness and urgency that it demands," said the statement from Kerry and China's special envoy for climate change … [Read more...] about US, China commit to climate cooperation ahead of key summit

advertisement advertisement advertisement There is quality sound, and there is noise. Sadly, in our day-to-day lives, we have way too much of the latter. Excessive noise can cause several short- and long-term health problems, such as sleep disturbance, cardiovascular effects, poorer work and school performance, and the most obvious risk: hearing impairment. Noise has emerged as a leading environmental nuisance in the World Health Organization’s European region, and the number of public complaints about excessive noise is growing. Some groups are more vulnerable to noise, like children and chronically ill patients. advertisement advertisement A new Bay Area startup called Spatial wants to help make the sound around us into a more rewarding experience. Last month, it announced a unique portfolio of products focused on creating immersive and dynamic audio experiences for public spaces. From creation to deployment, Spatial (not to … [Read more...] about This immersive technology turns hospitals into less stressful places

Some people wake up before the sun peeks above the horizon, go for a run and eat a hearty breakfast, all before many others roll out of bed. Waking up that early might sound exhausting to late risers, but can a night owl become an early bird? It is possible to make the switch, but it's not easy, said Michelle Drerup, director of behavioral sleep medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. "A true night owl doesn't really feel great first thing when they wake up, especially when they're starting to shift this." A person's tendency to be a night owl, early bird or some place in between is known as their chronotype. Depending on their chronotype, people are likely to be more awake and alert during certain times of the day and sleepier during others. Related: Why can't we remember our dreams? Chronotype is determined by a combination of nature and nurture, scientists have found. On the nature side, a number of genes are known to play roles in determining whether a person … [Read more...] about Can a night owl turn into an early bird?

“The Queen’s Gambit.” Image: Netflix LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) — “The Queen’s Gambit,” the story of a chess prodigy that was a streaming smash for Netflix, may become a musical. Level Forward, has acquired the theatrical stage rights to Walter Tevis’ novel “The Queen’s Gambit,” which served as the basis for the miniseries. Tevis also wrote “The Hustler” and “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” both of which became films and, in the case of “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” a stage show. “The Queen’s Gambit” centers on Beth Harmon, an orphan who discovers she has a preternatural ability to move the pieces around a chess board and dominate the competition. The novel, published in 1983, follows her journey from Kentucky to Paris to Moscow, while she battles addiction and the prejudices of a male-centered world. Now, that journey will involve music, dance and singing, in addition to pawns and rooks. The Netflix miniseries recently nabbed Golden Globes for Best Television Limited Series, … [Read more...] about ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ getting turned into stage musical

The current chip crisis sweeping the global auto industry is estimated to alleviate in the months to come, but carmakers in China are busy bracing themselves to prevent a similar scenario in the future. For, vehicles are becoming computers on wheels. The chip crunch first began to bite in late 2020. It was triggered primarily by surging demand for consumer electronics to use at home, and the unexpected rise in car sales to avoid public transport during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis was later aggravated by such accidents as a rare winter storm in Texas that cut chip production and a fire at a key Japan factory that would shut the facility for a month. A number of carmakers from Volkswagen and GM to Chinese startup Nio have been forced to adjust their production plans because they lack semiconductors for their electric stability programs, infotainment and driving assist functions. The silver lining to this industrywide problem is that Chinese carmakers are … [Read more...] about Chip shortage turns into wake-up call

If you’re kind of judgmental when it comes to plants, you might describe the chamise plant as “meh.” Technically it’s a shrub, which in the hierarchy of plant types barely outranks a weed. Chamise grows up to a dozen feet tall and sprouts needle-like leaves less than a half-inch long, making it look like overgrown rosemary. Only it doesn’t really smell, even though it’s a member of the rose family . Appearances and scents aside, chamise turns out to be a fascinating plant, one critical not only to the California landscape but to the safety of its human residents. When fire scientists want to know how flammable the state’s vegetation might be, they don’t rely on some newfangled gadget. They rely on chamise. “It's a really pretty and kind of understated shrub,” says Bryant Baker, conservation director of the Los Padres ForestWatch , which advocates for the protection of California’s habitats. “And I think because it's so common, it's often taken for granted.” But Californians … [Read more...] about The humble shrub that’s predicting a terrible fire season

SPRINGDALE, Pa. (KDKA) — For about four hours Sunday morning, several crews, including the Murrysville Medical and Dive team, worked to get this car out of the Allegheny River. (Photo Credit: Chris Hoffman/KDKA) It was about 200 yards downriver from the Springdale Borough boat ramp. “Depending on well the vehicle is sealed. It will float for awhile so depending on when it went in and what the current was like. It can actually push it a good ways,” diver Darrick Gerano said. It is believed to have been in the water for a few months to a year. According to the Springdale Borough Police Chief George Polnar, the Army Corp of Engineers found it three weeks ago. Dive teams were called in to check it out. Due to the murky water, they couldn’t tell if there was a body inside or not. They decided to get the car out and check. “The divers were afraid, rightfully so, to go in the vehicle in case there was any evidence. They couldn’t really tell if there was anybody in there or … [Read more...] about Crews Spend Hours Recovering Car Found In The Allegheny River

The growing economic and political influence of China has challenged the powerful nations of the West, particularly the United States, to respond in new ways. As Beijing develops closer economic and political partnerships with countries from Africa to Central and Southeast Asia, Washington has been compelled to re-examine its entire approach to foreign policy and diplomacy, say experts. Under the administration of former president Donald Trump, the relationship between the US and China turned rocky, marked by a protracted trade war, with threats and bluster from both sides substituting for diplomacy. When Joe Biden took office this year, observers expected the relationship to be repaired -- up to a point. They pointed to his choice of Kurt Campbell, an architect of Barack Obama's "pivot" to Asia, as the new "Indo-Pacific coordinator". However, Mr Biden is under no illusions about the challenges his country faces. Addressing a group of US senators after speaking with President … [Read more...] about Riding the dragon

By James Griffiths , CNN Updated 2259 GMT (0659 HKT) April 17, 2021 Hong Kong (CNN) China's Foreign Ministry this month issued the most forceful defense of its policies in Xinjiang to date, calling allegations of "genocide" in the region the "lie of the century." The statement -- made in response to ongoing calls for a possible boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics -- represents the culmination of a long evolution of China's official narrative regarding its treatment of Uyghurs. This evolving strategy, from outright denial to hardened public defense, is closely tied to the Chinese government's own increased sense of confidence on the world stage, and its willingness to confront its critics in the West head on, be it over Xinjiang, the South China Sea or Hong Kong, a CNN analysis shows. In recent months, Xinjiang has become something of a patriotic litmus test, in which those wishing to do business with China must pick a side -- either stand with Beijing in implicit … [Read more...] about From cover-up to propaganda blitz: China’s attempts to control the narrative on Xinjiang

Adobe ’s products are used billions of times a day around the world. More than usual these days, as people stuck at home unleash their creativity in various ways. The company’s software is used to make documents, create art, ads and 3D designs, and Photoshop faces, bodies and banana bread. Over a decade ago, Adobe was a familiar name but as a corporate brand it had a long way to go. It was Ann Lewnes ’s job to transform the maker of digital media and marketing software into a brand when she joined the software company in 2011. It was not an unfamiliar challenge to Lewnes who was part of the team responsible for the ‘ Intel Inside ’ campaign for the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer. Lewnes who is Adobe’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, talks about the changes 2020 brought in the marketing ecosystem and the makings of a future-ready marketer. Edited excerpts... What are your thoughts on the fast-evolving marketing ecosystem? … [Read more...] about The Future-Ready CMO: ‘Modern brands are defined by the experiences people have with them’, Adobe’s Ann Lewnes