The Riyadh Metro network, the worlds longest driverless transit system, opens its first lines, connecting key districts and cultural landmarks across the citySource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+Crow1/12show captionThe Riyadh Metro, the worlds longest driverless transit system, officially commenced operations in December, with the opening of its Blue, Yellow, and Purple lines (Lines 1, 4, and 6).The King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), serves as a primary interchange on the new network. It links the KAFD terminus with King Khalid International Airport and provides access to the skybridge for the local KAFD monorail.The station also integrates bus and park-and-ride services, forming a multi-modal transport hub for Riyadh.Spread over four levels, the station accommodates six rail platforms and features new public plazas for the financial district.The stations anticipated rail, car, and pedestrian movements have been analysed and organised to ensure smooth internal circulation and minimise congestion. This analysis informed a three-dimensional lattice design, shaped by a series of opposing sinewaves that reflect the patterns and variations of daily traffic flows, forming the core of the buildings circulation system.The lattice extends to an exterior faade composed of perforated concrete panels. These perforations are designed to reduce solar gain and, according to ZHA, echo elements of traditional Saudi vernacular architecture. The overall form also draws inspiration from patterns created by wind on sand.Source: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+CrowSource: Hufton+Crow1/8show captionPassive design features are combined with a high-efficiency cooling system powered by renewables, which adjusts to varying passenger volumes. Sliding door panels on platforms help retain cool air, enhancing energy efficiency.The station has achieved LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council.Spanning over 176 kilometres across six lines and 85 stations, the automated rapid transport system aims to encourage the use of sustainable transport in Saudi Arabias capital.The network, planned by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), has a projected capacity of 3.6 million daily passengers. It connects key districts, business hubs, and cultural landmarks, seeking to improve mobility and quality of life for Riyadhs expanding population.

Looking forthe most recentMini Crossword answer?Click here for today's Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands and Connections puzzles.I usually hate it when a crossword puzzle offers a clue whose only hint is something like, "partner of 1 Across." Look, editors, if I haven't answered 1 Across yet, there's now no way I can get the new answer. But in the NYT Mini Crossword today, the two paired answers, 1 Across and 1 Down, were pretty easy. Still, if you need some help with today's Mini Crossword, read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times' games collection. If you're looking for today's Wordle, Connections and Strands answers, you can visitCNET's NYT puzzle hints page.Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini CrosswordLet's get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers. The completed NYT Mini Crossword puzzle for Jan. 14, 2025. NYT/Screenshot by CNETMini across clues and answers1A clue: "Vertically challenged"Answer: SHORT6A clue: "I am ___, hear me roar!"Answer: WOMAN7A clue: Vote into officeAnswer: ELECT8A clue: Like a bold haircut or piercingAnswer: EDGY9A clue: Org. that might make you take your laptop out of your suitcaseAnswer: TSAMini down clues and answers1D clue: Partner of 1-AcrossAnswer: SWEET2D clue: Half nelson and cobra clutch, in wrestlingAnswer: HOLDS3D clue: Lowest-ranking member of the wolfpackAnswer: ALPHA4D clue: RisquAnswer: RACY5D clue: Explosive that was originally used as a yellow dyeAnswer: TNTHow to play more Mini CrosswordsThe New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day's Mini Crossword for free, but you'll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

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Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube792kFollowing last week's supposed 'Switch 2' hardware leaks, more hints about the software lineup are now circulating online.Apart from "more than a dozen Ubisoft games" expected, Nate the Hate has claimed on his latest podcast Nintendo's new system could also be getting Konami's next Metal Gear Solid game. Here's what he had to say:"Some other third-party games I have heard include Metal Gear Solid: Delta, which is coming out in 2025...I'm hopeful that maybe it is a day and date release, when it does come to Switch 2."The source adds how Square Enix is also gearing up to release Final Fantasy VII Remake on the new Nintendo system in 2025, with Rebirth to apparently follow in 2026. As for the newest entry, it seems less likely:"I've had some people ask me will Final Fantasy 16 come to Switch 2 and to my knowledge, right now 16 is not planned for Switch 2 - Square Enix is prioritising Remake and Rebirth, because those are more iconic games, Cloud is a very iconic character versus Final Fantasy 16, while a good game, just hasn't really clicked with a lot of people."At the end of this, he mentions how all "major third-party developers" are considering an "array of ports" for the Switch 2 right now and suggests looking towards developers who have partnered with "Nvidia to showcase DLSS on their games or even Ray tracing" to provide an idea of what else could end up on Nintendo's new platform.As always this is a rumour, so take everything here with a grain of salt. The Switch reveal is scheduled to take place in the current fiscal year and could be taking place very soon. An Assassin's Creed "port" could lead the chargeMicrosoft, Electronic Arts, Epic Games and more...Everything about the "Switch successor"Would you be interested in playing any of the above-mentioned games on Switch's successor? Let us know in the comments.[source youtu.be]See AlsoShare:00 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo Breaks Silence On 'Switch 2' Image And Video LeaksThe "official" announcement will take place this fiscal yearIs This Our Best Look Yet At 'Switch 2'?Update: Genki had a visit from Nintendo's lawyers, it's claimedRumour: 'Switch 2' Will Reportedly Be Officially Revealed This ThursdayThough software won't be the focusRumour: New 'Switch 2' Leak Suggests Console Will Require A 60W ChargerOG Switch dock requires 39W

In BriefPosted:2:57 PM PST January 13, 2025Image Credits:Omar Marques/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesRobinhood agrees to pay $45M in SEC settlementRobinhood has agreed to fork out $45 million to settle an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission over several alleged violations, reported the Wall Street Journal on Monday.The settlement is being made via two of Robinhoods brokerage units. One of the violations relates to Robinhoods November 2021 confirmation that it was hacked with more than five million customer email addresses and two million customer names taken, as well as a much smaller set of more specific customer data.The SEC alleged that the two units covered by the settlement Robinhood Securities and Robinhood Financial did not adopt sufficient policies and procedures to protect customer information, reported the WSJ.The Robinhood units also did not put a program in place to sufficiently protect customers against identity theft, the SEC also charged.Topics

This Kuro Kara Kuri Optimus Prime toy is unlike anything else out there.Ollie BarderOne of the newer toy companies to make a splash in recent years is Flame Toys, and their take on Optimus Prime from classic Transformers is impressive.To give a bit of a history lesson, Optimus Prime was originally known as Convoy from the Takara toy line, Diaclone. Diaclone and Microman would eventually be merged into Transformers, and Convoy was renamed Optimus Prime as a result.Its important to know this as one of the original mecha designers behind Convoy, and consequently, Optimus Prime was Shoji Kawamori.Kawamori has made a name for himself over the years with his various transforming mecha designs, such as the variable fighters in the long-running Macross series. That means that when Optimus Prime is rendered in more detailed toy form, he tends to be more styled towards the Kawamori style of design.However, in this instance, Optimus Prime has been given a more athletic design, closer to something Masami Obari would create. Thats because, unlike other Transformers toys, this one doesnt transform.MORE FOR YOUOver the years, Ive often joked about why anyone would want a Transformers toy that doesnt transform. I mean, whats the point of doing a toy like that? Well, Flame Toys have a very solid answer to this.Put simply, this is a straight-up action figure of Optimus Prime. It has epic articulation, diecast parts throughout, and a wide array of accessories and gimmicks.The big change is that the Obari-infused styling makes regular transformation impossible, and the emphasis has subsequently been placed on making Optimus Prime look as cool as robotically possible.You also get an array of lights, from the eyes to the Matrix of Leadership in the chest and on the knees (with batteries included). So its a very comprehensive figure.This Kuro Kara Kuri Optimus Prime toys comes with a lot of accessories and light gimmicks.Ollie BarderIts also pretty chunky and has a nice heft, which is mostly due to the inordinate amount of metal used in its construction.The styling is really king here, and the detail and paintwork are very fine. To be honest, I collect a lot of mecha toys, and to date, Ive not seen one as detailed as this.So, does the loss of transformation make up for all these changes? In short, its a surprising yes. I never thought a straight-up Transformers action figure would win me over so completely, but this is so well done.I had been hesitant about prior Flame Toys releases, but this one is excellent and fun to play with. Despite all the detailing and intricate sculpting, it is still a solid toy with beefy articulation throughout.As for the Jet Power Armor, thats something else entirely.The Jet Power Armor, sold separately, affixes to the outside of the Optimus Prime figure. It, too, comes with all sorts of lights (again, with batteries included), but unlike the base figure, it is much more delicate. Once assembled, it is still astonishing and definitely an imposing piece, but there are many parts involved.That means the playability is noticeably reduced over the base figure. Its also quite fiddly to get the armor parts to attach properly, but once affixed, they stay in place very solidly.Overall, if you want a really cool non-transformable action figure of Optimus Prime, this is clearly the one to get. The use of diecast throughout means the figure is suitably weighty and strong enough to handle its wide-range of articulated motion. The Jet Power Armor is also very impressive but meant more as a display piece. Both still come highly recommended.The Karo Kara Kuri Optimus Prime is available from BigBadToyStore for $399.99 and the the Kuro Kara Kuri Jet Power Armor is priced around $299.Kuro Kara Kuri Optimus PrimeOllie BarderKuro Kara Kuri Optimus Prime GalleryManufacturer: Flame ToysRelease Date: January 2025Price: $399.99Disclosure: Hasbro sent me this toy for the purposes of this review.Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.

Steven Soderbergh is a filmmaker who continues to innovate, as evidenced by his next film, Presence, an atmospheric horror set in a haunted house.You have a presence here, a woman says to a family in the final trailer. After moving into a new home, a family of four Rebekah (Lucy Liu), Chris (Chris Sullivan), Tyler (Eddy Maday), and Chloe (Callina Liang) quickly realize they are not alone. The family believes their house is being occupied by a supernatural presence that pays close attention to their every move, especially those by Chloe. The presence needs something from the family, and how it conveys its request becomes the movies central mystery.Recommended VideosPresenceis no ordinary haunted house movie. Soderbergh shoots the film from the POV of the presence, meaning the filmmakers subjective camera takes the audience through every nook and cranny in the house to observe the family. If Im the presence, what do I see? is how Soderbergh described the movies unique POV in a press release.Please enable Javascript to view this contentPresencesensemble also features Julia Fox, Lucas Papaelias, and West Mulholland.PRESENCE - Official Trailer #2 - In Theaters January 24Soderbergh directs Presencefrom a screenplay by David Koepp. Presencemarks the second collaboration between Soderbergh and Koepp behind 2022sKimi. Soderbergh and Koepps third collaboration is Black Bag, a spy thriller starring Michael Fassbender, opening on March 14, 2025.Presencepremiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival to a positive reception. The film holds an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 78 on Metacritic. Soon after its premiere, Neon acquired distribution rights to Presencefor $5 million.Presenceopens in theaters on January 24, 2025.Editors Recommendations

New York's Affordable Broadband Act New York starts enforcing $15 broadband law that ISPs tried to kill Fresh off court victory, NY says low-income plans must be available Wednesday. Jon Brodkin Jan 13, 2025 2:27 pm | 33 Credit: Getty Images | Yuichiro Chino Credit: Getty Images | Yuichiro Chino Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreThe New York law requiring Internet providers to offer cheap plans to people with low incomes will take effect on Wednesday this week following a multi-year court battle in which the state defeated broadband industry lobby groups.A US appeals court upheld the law in April 2024, reversing the ruling of a district judge who blocked it in 2021. The Supreme Court last month decided not to hear the broadband industry's challenge, leaving the appeals court ruling in place. The state law requires Internet providers to offer $15- or $20-per-month service to people with low incomes.As we've written, the battle between New York and ISPs was an important test case for how states can regulate broadband providers when the Federal Communications Commission isn't doing so. The Biden-era FCC's attempt to reinstate net neutrality rules and regulate broadband providers as common carriers was blocked in court, but ISPs lost the fight against the New York affordability law and an earlier fight against California's net neutrality law.New York-based ISPs can comply by offering $15 broadband plans with download speeds of at least 25Mbps, or $20-per-month service with 200Mbps speeds. The price must include "any recurring taxes and fees such as recurring rental fees for service provider equipment required to obtain broadband service and usage fees." Price increases are to be capped at 2 percent per year, and state officials will periodically review whether minimum required speeds should be raised.New York Public Service Commission Chair Rory Christian last week issued an order stating that the law will take effect on January 15. "On December 16, 2024, the United States Supreme Court denied the Plaintiff's request for further review," the order said. "As part of the litigation, the [New York attorney general] agreed not to enforce the ABA [Affordable Broadband Act] until 30 days after the date when the US Supreme Court decided the writ of Certiorari. Thus, the ABA will once again take effect and may be enforced in New York on January 15, 2025."1.7 million New York households lost FCC discountThe order said quick implementation of the law is important because of "developments at the federal level impacting the affordability of broadband service." About 1.7 million New York households, and 23 million nationwide, used to receive a monthly discount through an FCC program that expired in mid-2024 after Congress failed to provide more funding."For this reason, consumer benefit programs assisting low-income householdssuch as the ABAare even more critical to ensure that the digital divide for low-income New Yorkers is being addressed," the New York order said.New York ISPs can obtain an exemption from the low-cost broadband law if they "provide service to no more than 20,000 households and the Commission determines that compliance with such requirements would result in 'unreasonable or unsustainable financial impact on the broadband service provider,'" the order said.Over 40 small ISPs filed for exemptions in 2021 before the law was blocked by a judge. Those ISPs and potentially others will be given one-month exemptions if they file paperwork by Wednesday stating that they meet the subscriber threshold. ISPs must submit detailed financial information by February 15 to obtain longer-term exemptions."All other ISPs (i.e., those with more than 20,000 subscribers) must comply with the ABA by January 15, 2025," the order said. Failure to comply can be punished with civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation. The law applies to wireline, fixed wireless, and satellite providers.Charter Spectrum currently advertises a $25-per-month plan with 50Mbps speeds for low-income households. Comcast and Optimum have $15 plans. Verizon has a low-income program reducing the cost of some home Internet plans to as low as $20 a month.Disclosure: The Advance/Newhouse Partnership, which owns 12.3 percent of Charter, is part of Advance Publications, which also owns Ars Technica parent Cond Nast.Jon BrodkinSenior IT ReporterJon BrodkinSenior IT Reporter Jon is a Senior IT Reporter for Ars Technica. He covers the telecom industry, Federal Communications Commission rulemakings, broadband consumer affairs, court cases, and government regulation of the tech industry. 33 Comments

Starbucks is reversing its open-door policy, which lets non-paying guests sit around or use its loo.This means you'll have to make a purchase or accompany someone who does to use Starbucks facilities.The chain told BI that the change was made to prioritize paying customers.You'll have to buy a cuppa to sit around at Starbucks or use its loos.The coffee chain said on Monday that it would be reversing its open-door policy, which allows non-paying guests to use its restrooms or hang around in its stores. It will now reserve its cafs, patios, and restrooms for its customers and staff."Implementing a Coffeehouse Code of Conduct is something most retailers already have and is a practical step that helps us prioritize our paying customers who want to sit and enjoy our cafes or need to use the restroom during their visit," Starbucks' representative, Jaci Anderson, told BI in an emailed statement.Anderson said the change will go into effect on January 27 in all its North American stores. She clarified that a customer is anyone making a purchase or accompanying someone making a purchase.She also shared a company memo, which said that signs with the new code of conduct will be displayed in every store, which "makes clear that our spaces, including our cafes, patios, and restrooms, are for use by paying customers and our partners."Anderson said its staff will be trained to enforce the code of conduct and ask anyone violating it to leave. She said they may also get support from local law enforcement if the situation calls for it.The change reverses the company's open-door policy, which it implemented in 2018 after a controversy in one of its stores in Philadelphia. Two Black men who had been sitting at the store were arrested after one of them asked to use the restroom. He had not purchased a drink and was denied entry by the store staff, who called the police.The reversal of the open-door policy comes after CEO Brian Niccol in September announced his vision for the chain to become a third space for people to hang out in."Our stores will be inviting places to linger, with comfortable seating, thoughtful design, and a clear distinction between 'to-go' and 'for-here' service," he said in an open letter in September.

By Isaac Schultz Published January 13, 2025 | Comments (0) | A supermassive black hole surrounded by gas and dust as seen in infrared light (top left), visible light (top right), and low- and high-energy X-rays (bottom left, right). Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech There are likely more supermassive black holes lurking in the universe than we can see, according to a team of scientists that just ascertained a new estimate for the number of giants concealed from view. The finding could help scientists understand how supermassive black holes become so largebillions of times the mass of our Sunand clarify the crucial role that black holes play in galactic evolution. Black holes have such intense gravitational fields that not even light can escape their vicinity behind a certain pointthe black holes event horizon. But outside the event horizon, the black holes surrounding environment is extremely bright, as it is crowded with a pancake of superheated gas and dust known as an accretion disk. That material sometimes blocks out light that astronomical observatories would otherwise see. The team found that about 35% of the supermassive black holes they studied are obscured by their surrounding gas and dust. That finding indicates that the number of hidden black holes is larger than previously believed, as earlier searches indicated that around 15% of supermassive black holes were so obscured. The teams research was published last month in The Astrophysical Journal.The team reached its conclusions based on data from NASAs Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) X-ray observatory. IRAS takes in infrared light (as its name suggests), and the infrared emissions from black hole accretion disks reveal whether the black hole is facing the satellite directly, or if its edge is pointed towards the instrument. After identifying a group of hundreds of initial targets using IRAS, the research team used NuSTAR to confirm edge-onwhich is to say obscuredblack holes based on its X-ray emissions.An artists illustration of NASAs NuSTAR X-ray telescope in space. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech If we didnt have black holes, galaxies would be much larger, said study co-author Poshak Gandhi, an astrophysicist at the University of Southampton, in a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory release. So if we didnt have a supermassive black hole in our Milky Way galaxy, there might be many more stars in the sky. Thats just one example of how black holes can influence a galaxys evolution. Furthermore, black holes influence can extend far beyond the galaxies in which they reside. Last year, a team of astrophysicists identified the largest-known black hole jetsstreams of particles issuing from the object at nearly the speed of light. The jets are dubbed Porphyrion, after a giant of Greek mythology, and are at least 140 times as long as the Milky Way galaxy is wide.Black holes are crucial engines for galactic evolution, but even these extremely massive objects can evade human detection. The recent research showed how these hidden black holes stay out of sightand indicates that there are even more of the cosmic juggernauts than we know about.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Passant Rabie Published January 9, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published January 8, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published January 7, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published January 6, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published January 6, 2025 Isaac Schultz and Passant Rabie Published January 4, 2025