Daily Archives: March 11, 2022

How's winter coming along The Winds of Winter,that is?

It's the question fans can't stop asking George R.R. Martin, author of the booksGame of Thrones was based on, after waiting more than 10 years for the next novel. Martin has now provided an update on the long-awaited book,The Winds of Winter, writing on his bloghe made progress on it in 2021 but less than the year prior.

"Yes, of course I am still working on The Winds of Winter,"Martin wrote. "I have stated that a hundred times in a hundred venues, having to restate it endlessly is just wearisome. I made a lot of progress on Winds in 2020, and less in 2021 but 'less' is not 'none.'"

The lastA Song of Ice and Firenovel was published in July 2011, and Martin has said he has two more planned. Heintended to finish his series before HBO completed its adaptation, but the show was forced to cover material he hadn't yet published due to the sixth book's epic delay. The series concluded in 2019.

While Martin said he's still writingThe Winds of Winter, he also noted this is just one of his "enormous number of projects," which also include HBO'sGame of Thronesspinoffs.In fact, he highlighted that he's quite involved in these shows, such asthe upcomingHouse of the Dragon.

"Those have taken a ton of my time and attention this year," Martin said. "I have seen some comments out there questioning how much I am involved in these new series. The answer is: a lot."

Martin also outlined the other book projects on his plate that aren'tThe Winds of Winter, telling frustrated fans desperate for him to finally finish the sixth book, "I know, for many of you out there, only one of those projects matters. I am sorry for you. They ALL matter to me."

Originally posted here:

George R.R. Martin made less progress in 2021 on next Game of Thrones book - The Week

The Russian invasion of Ukraine throws into sharp focus many urgent global problems that have been neglected for decades, including cybersecurity, disinformation, trade disparities, and dependence on unreliable and environmentally damaging fossil fuels (Hey Congress, blue and yellow ribbons wont save Ukrainian lives, Editorial, March 4). They are all related and all need immediate attention.

An overarching concern that touches on all of these challenges: artificial intelligence technology. This technology can make positive contributions to health care, commerce, and communications. However, in the wrong hands, AI can be used to distort reality, invade individuals personal space, and undermine democracy.

Through the Boston Global Forum and the Dukakis Institute, a global effort is underway to create an international accord on AI and digital rights. This accord would establish guardrails for the use and abuse of personal information to drive policy decisions that generate positive pressure and counteract efforts by malignant governments and private entities.

Dozens of heads of state and other world leaders are sharing ideas and recommending solutions to address growing concerns about AI. Without such protections, we are at the mercy of technologically savvy actors who can cause significant damage to our world.

Michael S. Dukakis

Cofounder and chairman

Nguyen Anh Tuan

Cofounder and CEO

Boston Global Forum

Boston

Dukakis is the former governor of Massachusetts. Tuan is director of the Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation.

View original post here:

AI, a means of progress, can do harm if in the wrong hands - The Boston Globe

After eight embarrassing first-half minutes at Molineux, the game was gone. Watford had conspired to throw away any hope of a competitive encounter.

The slack marking that allowed Raul Jimenez to score Wolves first goal of the evening was repeated for their second, a clumsy Cucho Hernandez own goal, before a goalkeeping omnishambles from Ben Foster put the icing on the cake of calamity. Stick your GoPro up your arse, was one of the chants that a baying and quite frankly laughing Wolves crowd sang at the former West Brom keeper as their team cruised to a 4-0 win.

Put minutes 13 to 20 on YouTube under the title: Explained: How to lose a football match and people would think the examples given were too far-fetched. During the 2019-20 season, the 2-0 defeat to Wolves followed the 8-0 hammering at Manchester City, and at one stage Watford looked equally as shell-shocked. It was an unbridled nightmare.

There had been a hint of progress in Watfords home defeat against Arsenal, but not after Thursdays 4-0 drubbing. No redeeming traits, no positives to take. Perhaps the remarkable fact that the gap to the holy grail of 17th in the table is still only three points offers some solace, albeit

See the article here:

Calamitous first half dashes any hope that Watford are making real progress - The Athletic

There are conflicting reports about whether or not a new deal has been agreed regarding Iran's nuclear capabilities with Washington claiming an agreement will be signedwithin days.

White HousespokeswomanJen Psaki said at a press briefing:"Our view is that we are close," theWashington Timesreported.

She indicated the possibility of reaching an agreement on the nuclear deal with Tehranin the coming days.

Psaki added:"We have been close forsometime now. We also know from having been through these negotiations before that the end of the negotiations is always when the difficult and challenging parts of the conversation typically take place."

Her statement, however,contradicted Tehran's position, as the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani,announcedearlier yesterday that negotiations to revive the nuclear agreement with major powers"are gettingknottier by the hour."

READ: Iran suggests new obstacles hinder nuclear deal after Russian interruption

Diplomats from Iran, the US,and five other countries have been negotiating for months in Vienna a deal to reimpose restrictions on Tehran's nuclear programme in exchange for liftingtheeconomic sanctionsthat former US President Donald Trump placed after Washingtonwithdrewfrom the 2015nuclear deal.

Last Saturday, theAtomic Energy Organisation of Iran announcedthat it had reached an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to resolve issues related to the nuclear programme, as part oftheefforts to revivethe 2015 agreement.

The head of the organisation, MohammadEslami, said in a joint press conference with the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, in Tehran thatIran has agreed to provide the agency with documents related to outstanding issues by mid-June.

The nuclear agreement signed by Iran with the US, France, Britain, China, Russia and Germany in 2015, imposed restrictions on Tehran's nuclear programme to prevent the production of nuclear weapons, in return for lifting international sanctions.

View original post here:

US, Iran give conflicting updates progress of nuclear talks - Middle East Monitor

Since the currency dispute with shipping companies is causing problems in the delivery of goods passing through customs, Turkey should actively work to develop a mechanism to facilitate trade with Russia in rubles, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) head ekib Avdagi said Friday.

Avdagi stated that the companies working with Russia see the withdrawal of Western countries from Moscow as a new opportunity and emphasized that it is important to enable the use of the national currency of Russia.

The issue was also brought up during President Recep Tayyip Erdoans phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, he reiterated.

Erdoan told Putin that, apart from the euro and dollar, trade between the two countries can be carried out using the Russian ruble and Chinese yuan.

We can do it with gold, he was quoted as suggesting.

Stating that they also expect air transport to be made more competitive so they are able to deliver ongoing orders, Avdagi said, The brutality of the war is showing itself once again, and the humanitarian and geopolitical consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine overshadow its economic effects. The war, so to speak, has added yet another global humanitarian catastrophe. We share the approach put forward by our president, and we find it unacceptable that an independent country is occupied by another power.

He further noted that the measures taken by Turkeys government to mitigate the effects of geopolitical risks on the economy are very important, saying: We are following with appreciation the efforts put forward in this framework. The close monitoring mechanisms established by the economic administration during this period and the close dialogue it developed with all producers provided significant gains in the solution of problems and contributed significantly to the formation of appropriate policies.

Stating that Turkeys economic model is being implemented and the financial instruments developed within this framework have largely eliminated the volatility in the markets and played an important role in stabilizing the Turkish lira, Avdagi said, As the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and the Istanbul business world, they have made all efforts towards these goals.

Drawing attention to the developments in the marketplace of the Laleli district of Istanbul, which has huge trade ties with Russia, Avdagi said in the trade with Russia and Ukraine, extending the legal period for closing the export receivables will be very useful.

Almost all of the Laleli market produces for Russia, along with Eastern European countries and Caucasian countries, he said.

Some measures need to be taken to minimize losses and enable businesses to continue trade, the ITO head said, emphasizing that to find alternative export routes, countries such as Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Belarus and Tajikistan must be exempted from tax, which would decrease export costs.

The Daily Sabah Newsletter

Keep up to date with whats happening in Turkey, its region and the world.

SIGN ME UP

You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Here is the original post:

Turkish businesses expect progress on using rubles in trade with Russia | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah

Over the course of the past few months, the news on Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez has been sporadic at best, with little pieces of news sprinkled here and there.

After the Bucks announced that Lopez had surgery on his back, the news of what the injury actually was had not been revealed until months afterwards. Lopez says he had surgery to repair a bulging disk in his lower back, which has caused him to not play since the first game of the regular season.

However, the news as of late has been positive as it appears that Lopez is starting to ramp up his basketball activities.

It was reported last Friday by Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Lopez is cleared to play 5-on-5 scrimmages and will start contact drills in practice. Coach Mike Budenholzer also said that Lopez might go to the Wisconsin Herd for extra work when needed.

It is also worth noting that Lopez appears to be getting shots up on the court before games now, something that seems to have just started recently.

The return of Lopez will be an important day for the Milwaukee Bucks for a couple of reasons. To start, although he will most likely not be a starter immediately, when Lopez does eventually return to the starting lineup it will push Bobby Portis to the bench.

This would be a great improvement as the Bucks are currently ranked 29th in the league in bench points per game. Having Portis return to the bench will give a huge jolt to the Bucks second unit that has struggled to produce points for much of the year.

The next reason that Lopez returning is so important to the Bucks is that he is the anchor of Milwaukees interior defense. His absence on the defensive side has been notable.

Last year, the Bucks allowed opponents to shoot 57.6% from the field within 6 feet of the basket, which was first in the league by nearly two percent. This year, that number has gone up to 62.4%, which is 15th in the league.Having Lopez to take up space in the paint will allow Giannis Antetokounmpo to resort to more of a help side defender role in the paint, which he excels at.

While there is still no timetable for his return, it does appear that Lopez could potentially return with enough time in the regular season to get prepared for the playoffs.

There is no telling how Lopez will look when he returnswhether he plays like the Brook Lopez of the last couple years or if he plays like a 7-footer who just had back surgery is yet to be seen. But just having Lopez return to the lineup will be a huge boost for this Milwaukee Bucks team.

View post:

Milwaukee Bucks: Brook Lopez Continuing to Progress - Dairyland Express

Progress empowers organizations in Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway to manage their businesses safely and securely with MOVEit and WhatsUp Gold

BEDFORD, Mass., March 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Progress(Nasdaq: PRGS), the trusted provider ofinfrastructure software, today announced that it has expanded its partnership agreement with Ingram Micro, a global leader in technology supply chain services, to extend the coverage of Progress leading application experience products in Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway. Through this expansion, channel partners and resellers will have increased access to customer-valued Progress MOVEit file transfer and Progress WhatsUp Gold network monitoring software.

Through this partnership, Progress aims to significantly expand its partner network with existing and new Ingram Micro partners as well as reaffirm its commitment to the Nordic region.

The hybrid work environment, the use of multiple connected devices and increased cloud usage have brought along new challenges that go beyond traditional infrastructure and operations management," said Gary Quinn, EVP, Enterprise Application Experience Field Organization, Progress. "Organizations are facing an increasing number of unknown security threats. These require a trusted and reliable partner to guarantee optimal performance, security and comprehensive infrastructure visibility. Our partnership with Ingram Micro opens another door for businesses in the Nordics for a holistic way of securely managing file transfer and network monitoring that will help them mitigate any mishaps before they occur.

The Progress portfolio offered through Ingram Micro includes the following products:

"We are happy to add another world-leading brand to our Advanced Solutions portfolio in our aim to be the preeminent cyber security distributor in the Nordics. Growing our partnership in the Nordics after achieving success together in other regions makes Progress and Ingram Micro a powerful team, said Torbjorn Schon, Director New Business Development, Ingram Micro. Combining our deep market knowledge with Progress best-in-class application and digital experience technology enables our partners and end users to bring their infrastructure management and data transfer processes to a whole new level. They now have access to products built to address the most pressing challenges securely, with no downtime.

About Ingram MicroIngram Micro is the worlds number one technology distributor and the market leader in Sweden. A modern, business enabling, and value-add focused technology distributor that is at the center of the technology industry. Our vision is to change the world around us through the distribution of technology. To achieve this, we make opportunities come alive for people and businesses every single day by realizing the promise of technology. Our Nordic core values are Passion for Business, "Trustworthy and Positivity.

Ingram Micro AB in Sweden is part of Ingram Micro Nordic organization with six offices in four countries, 350 employees and an annual revenue exceeding $1.3B. Business areas include Advanced Solutions, Speciality, Cloud, Core IT and Mobility. More at http://www.ingrammicro.com.

About ProgressDedicated to propelling business forward in a technology-driven world, Progress (Nasdaq: PRGS) helps businesses drive faster cycles of innovation, fuel momentum and accelerate their path to success. As the trusted provider ofthe bestproducts to develop, deploy and manage high-impact applications, Progress enables customers to build the applications and experiences they need, deploy where and how they want andmanage it all safely and securely.Hundreds of thousands of enterprises, including 1,700 software companies and 3.5 milliondevelopers, depend on Progress to achieve their goalswith confidence.Learn more atwww.progress.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Progress, MOVEit, and WhatsUp Gold are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress Software Corporation and/or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates in the US and other countries. Any other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Press Contacts: Kim Baker Progress +1-781-280-4000 pr@progress.com

Source: Progress Software Corporation

Read more:

Progress Expands Partnership with Ingram Micro to Strengthen Application Experience in the Nordics | Progress Software Corporation - Progress Investor...

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a news conference following talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart Ruslan Kazakbayev in Moscow, Russia March 5, 2022. Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool via REUTERS

Register

March 5 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's attempt to secure direct NATO help in the conflict between their countries was not helping talks between the two sides. read more

"Constant angry statements from Mr Zelenskiy do not increase optimism," Lavrov told reporters on Saturday.

In particular, he mentioned Zelenskiy's strong criticism of the Western military alliance on Friday for refusing to intervene in the conflict by preventing Russian missiles and warplanes using Ukrainian airspace.

Register

"My question is: If he is so upset that NATO has not intervened on his behalf as he hoped, then he expects to resolve the conflict by involving NATO in all this, and not through talks?" Lavrov said.

Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he was open to talks with Lavrov, but only if they were "meaningful".

Russia invaded Ukraine by land, sea and air on Feb. 24, in what it calls a "special military operation".

Wary of being dragged into Moscow's war on its neighbour, NATO on Friday turned down Zelenskiy's appeal to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine, prompting the Ukrainian president to say that the alliance had given Russia the green light to continue its bombing campaign. read more

Russian and Ukrainian delegations from Moscow and Kyiv have held two rounds of talks, the latest on Thursday, after which they said they had agreed on the need to create humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians, but not much else.

Lavrov said Moscow was ready for a third round, but had not received new dates from the Ukrainian side, which he said was inventing pretexts to delay the process.

The Kremlin said on Friday that progress in the negotiations would depend on Kyiv's reaction to Moscow's position on how to end the war, which had been conveyed to Ukraine on Thursday.

Register

Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Louise Heavens and Kevin Liffey

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

More:

Russia says Ukraine thwarting progress by seeking to involve NATO - Reuters

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is returning to New Orleans after spending time in Portland for his foot rehab and is cleared to progress in basketball activities, sources tell The Athletic.

This update comes after the Pelicans announced Wednesday that imaging on Williamson's right foot showed improved bone healing and that he would gradually progress to full weight-bearing exercise and basketball activities. They added the power forward still remains out indefinitely.

Williamson, 21, has been recovering from surgery for a fractured foot suffered prior to summer league, Pelicans vice president of basketball operations David Griffin has previously stated. Williamson hasn't yet played a game during the 2021-22 NBA season and has suffered setbacks during his rehabbing progress.

The one-time All-Star has played just 85 NBA games since being drafted the 2019 No. 1 pick. Williamson boasts averages of 25.7 points, seven rebounds and 3.2 assists on 60.4 percent shooting from the field.

New Orleans (27-36) has won four in a row, currently sitting at 10th in the Western Conference and eyeing the Play-In tournament.

(Photo: Layne Murdoch Jr. / NBAE via Getty Images)

See the original post:

Pelicans star Zion Williamson cleared to progress in basketball activities: Sources - The Athletic