Israelis should realize that for many in the region, the Israel of the past three years is different from all previous ones.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Doha this week. The moment seems to call for Arab leaders to grant a series of in-depth interviews to Israeli TV channels, says the writer.
(Photo credit: Amri Diwan/Reuters)
By NIMROD NOVIK
The gaming PC ecosystem is poised to benefit significantly from the forced transition to Windows 11, according to a report released Friday by analyst firm Jon Peddie Research (JPR). The firm forecasts a 35 percent increase in hardware sales during 2025 alone. However, despite this optimistic outlook, there are challenges ahead: millions of gamers are expected to leave PC gaming entirely over the next five years.
JPR, which has tracked the PC graphics market for decades, predicts that the global market for PC-based gaming hardware—including desktops, notebooks, DIY components, peripherals, and accessories—will grow 35 percent in 2025, reaching $44.5 billion.
The firm notes that actual consumer spending could be even higher. “JPR applies a purchase motivation model to the PC gaming hardware market, which calculates financial market magnitude based on customers’ intent to play video games with the hardware,” the company stated. “As a result, JPR’s data is conservative in relation to total PC hardware expenditure.”
JPR’s report comes just a day after market researcher Canalys predicted a 3.9 percent dip in U.S. consumer PC sales in 2025, falling to 25.284 million units before rebounding by 5.4 percent in 2026 to 26.651 million units. Rival firm IDC forecast flat U.S. PC sales for the second quarter, though it projects a 6.5 percent increase in the worldwide PC market.
The U.S. PC market has seen fluctuations influenced by tariffs, which have both boosted and lowered sales as they have come and gone. Still, retail PC sales in August showed a 0.6 percent increase—outperforming expectations.
Corie Barry, CEO of Best Buy, told Yahoo Finance that shoppers are increasingly value-conscious. “We see almost everyone looking for value now,” Barry said. “We actually are seeing a consumer… bifurcated a bit, [that’s] still willing to spend if they really feel like it’s a great value.”
### The Impact of Windows 11 Forced Upgrade
JPR’s outlook considers PC sales as well as DIY components and accessories, all influenced by the Windows 10-to-Windows 11 transition—a shift that extends beyond simple financial considerations.
“Never before in the history of the Microsoft Windows operating system has there been a forced hardware migration requirement,” said Ted Pollak, JPR’s senior analyst of game tech. “And this cannot be solved by swapping out a graphics card. It requires a CPU upgrade for over 100 million gamers, which, in turn, requires a motherboard upgrade and most likely RAM as well.”
Pollak noted that most PC gamers are opting for new prebuilt systems to meet Windows 11 requirements. However, those who prefer to build their own PCs are prepared for the transition, too.
“The DIY gamers are also prepared for this transition, and many have been building new computers alongside their existing Windows 10 PCs, instead of trying to Frankenstein their current systems,” Pollak explained. “This allows them to continue using their PC until their Windows 11 builds are complete.”
### Challenges Ahead for Entry-Level PC Gaming
Despite the optimistic growth forecast, JPR’s long-term outlook reveals some concerns. The company, which has monitored PC graphics for over 30 years, recently reported that Intel’s share in PC graphics had fallen to nearly zero.
Jon Peddie, president of JPR, warned of a “significant decrease in entry-level PC gaming” over the next five years, projecting a 13 percent drop in entry-level gamers.
“Included in this drop are over 10 million people leaving the PC platform entirely,” Peddie said. “Consoles, handhelds, and mobile devices all offer compelling value for the budget-limited gamer. However, a few million entry-level defectors are not actually leaving the PC platform but are migrating to the more expensive hardware tiers of midrange and high-end PC hardware.”
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The transition to Windows 11 presents both opportunities and challenges for the gaming PC market. While hardware sales are expected to surge, shifts within the gaming community may reshape the landscape in the years ahead.
https://www.pcworld.com/article/2915173/firm-predicts-wildly-optimistic-view-of-2025-pc-gaming-then-an-exodus.html
The Thrustmaster T98 provides one of the most affordable entry points into sim racing, making it an attractive option for new and younger gamers.
However, while its price is appealing, you might want to consider saving a bit longer to invest in a higher-quality setup. Doing so could help you avoid a few common headaches and ensure a smoother, more enjoyable sim racing experience.
https://www.techradar.com/gaming/thrustmaster-t98-review
Israelis should realize that for many in the region, the Israel of the past three years is different from all previous ones.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi recently met with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Doha this week. This significant moment seems to call for Arab leaders to grant a series of in-depth interviews to Israeli TV channels, suggests the writer.
Photo credit: Amri Diwan/Reuters
By Nimrod Novik
Haryana Steelers delivered a strong all-round performance to secure a well-earned victory over Puneri Paltan at the SMS Indoor Stadium in Jaipur on Friday. The Steelers showed composure in key moments and maintained control for most parts of the match, eventually sealing the win with a solid defensive display and timely raids.
Haryana Steelers got off to a strong start, opening the match with a well-executed tackle by Rahul in the very first minute. They quickly doubled their lead when Vinay produced a successful raid, making it 2-0. Building on the early momentum, the Steelers maintained pressure and extended their lead with another solid tackle from Rahul. Their defence looked sharp and well-organised during the opening ten minutes.
The early dominance paid off as they inflicted an ALL OUT on their opponents, racing to a 14-4 lead before the first-half Time Out was called. Puneri Paltan resumed the match with a successful raid from Pankaj Mohite, but the Steelers responded swiftly as Vinay added another point to their tally. Maintaining their momentum, the Steelers continued to dominate and stretched their lead to 17-9 with just over five minutes left in the first half.
Staying composed and in control, they closed out the half strongly, heading into the break with a commanding 19-10 advantage.
The Paltan started the second half with a quick point, but the Steelers maintained control through a solid all-round performance. The key moment came when Vinay produced a Super Raid, pushing the Steelers’ lead to 10 points. By the time the Time Out was taken, the Steelers were ahead 25-16.
After the restart, the momentum stayed with the Steelers as Vinay, who went on to complete his Super 10, added another raid point. However, Puneri Paltan began to fight back, led by Pankaj Mohite, who also completed his Super 10 and reduced the deficit to 21-26.
The Paltan then inflicted an ALL OUT, earning four crucial points and closing the gap to 25-27. A successful raid from Pankaj Mohite made it 26-27, but the Steelers responded with two points from another Vinay raid. Stuwart Singh kept the Paltan in the contest with a successful raid to make it 29-30.
In the final minute, a crucial tackle from the Steelers extended their lead to 32-29, and Shivam Patare sealed the game with a two-point raid, making it 34-30. Haryana Steelers held on to secure a 34-30 win.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/pro-kabaddi-league-season-12-vinay-shines-in-haryana-steelers-victory
**Hyundai Confirms First India-Specific EV: Here’s When It Will Launch**
*By Mudit Dube | Sep 19, 2025, 06:24 PM*
**Hyundai Announces India-Specific Electric Vehicle**
Hyundai has revealed plans to launch an electric vehicle (EV) specifically designed for the Indian market. This upcoming model will be tailored to suit local driving conditions and customer preferences, ensuring a more relevant and user-friendly experience for Indian consumers.
In addition, the EV will benefit from a localized supply chain, aimed at making EV ownership more accessible and affordable in India. Although detailed specifications are yet to be disclosed, the new model is expected to debut in the coming years.
**Global Electrification Strategy**
As part of its aggressive electrification roadmap, Hyundai is set to introduce over 18 hybrid models globally. The company is also working on region-specific EVs, including the IONIQ 3 for Europe and a mid-size pickup truck for the North American market.
Alongside these global launches, Hyundai is focusing on developing a vehicle tailored specifically for Indian conditions and buyers, highlighting the strategic importance of the Indian market in its global plans.
**India’s Role in Hyundai’s Production Strategy**
India is poised to play a crucial role in Hyundai’s global production network. The Pune manufacturing facility is expected to produce 2.5 lakh units by 2030, as part of the company’s broader goal to increase worldwide production capacity by 12 lakh units.
Hyundai aims to achieve global vehicle sales of 55.5 lakh by 2030, with electrified models accounting for approximately 60% of total sales—around 33 lakh vehicles. This ambitious target underscores Hyundai’s commitment to electrification and market-specific innovation.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/auto/hyundai-to-develop-india-specific-ev-for-local-conditions/story
The PlayStation Portable was an iconic homestead for niche RPGs, cementing the likes of Nippon Ichi Software as small but permanent fixtures in the world of video games. It was on this platform that *Cladun* began, a series that combined retro gaming aesthetics with the enduring features of contemporary, premium handheld gaming.
*Cladun* struggled a bit to survive the PlayStation Vita’s relative floundering, but now, with the Nintendo Switch (and the upcoming Switch 2), it’s the perfect time for a comeback. *Cladun X3* is a curious entry for a few reasons. In a world saturated with dungeon-crawling RPGs, there isn’t much else quite like it.
### What is Cladun X3 About?
Am I a baddie? Probably. *Cladun X3* revolves around a death game—but not in the style of something like *Danganronpa*. Instead, you play as an immortal jellyfish person running a mysterious island called Arcanus Cella, where villains have been summoned from across time and space. The idea is to force these villains to fight each other, keeping them from becoming menaces to society.
You are one such villain, apparently waking up on the island with no memories of your past. Still, while you’re here, you might as well power up and participate in the ensuing violence. Your options for powering up? Dungeons—lots and lots of dungeons.
### Gameplay and Dungeons
There are story dungeons, random dungeons, map dungeons—you get the picture. The basic gameplay loop is fun and simple, designed for fast and furious, bite-sized sessions. Cladun’s dungeons only last a few seconds; the goal is to run through as fast as possible, blasting enemies and avoiding traps in search of the exit.
You can explore more thoroughly to find treasures and hidden goodies, but you’re generally discouraged unless you need to grind.
### Sphere Grids for Spreadsheet Nerds!
Grinding is absolutely necessary, as it’s easy to hit walls in *Cladun*. Progression isn’t just about leveling up—though that’s part of it—but centers more around Magic Circles. These are progression maps where you assign sub-characters to tracks fueled by mana points. On these tracks, you place stat-boosting artifacts that all lead to your main character.
If this sounds complicated, that’s because it is! The sub-characters act as shields, taking damage before your main character does. But if they get knocked out, you lose all benefits from their lanes on the equipped Magic Circle, potentially derailing your offensive or defensive abilities for the rest of the dungeon.
As you play, you’ll gain more mana, stronger artifacts, and new Magic Circles to experiment with. Managing all this can be a real pain, though. The gains are incremental: for example, one point of ATK costs three mana, but two points cost seven. Since you typically gain only one or two mana per level, progression feels slow—(in theory) offset when you unlock more complex Magic Circles with more character slots.
Each time you try a new Magic Circle, you start over with artifact placement, meaning you’ll spend a lot of time poking through menus, doing mana math, and desperately trying to optimize your build as best as you can.
### Increasing Challenge and Frustrations
Meanwhile, enemies get tougher, with deeper HP pools and harder hits as you progress through the story. Unless you’re lucky with item drops, there’s only so much your equipment stats can carry you. Eventually, taking just a few hits will knock out a sub-character (your defense is halved when you run, by the way), nullifying your hard-earned gains in seconds.
This can be incredibly frustrating, especially since later dungeons fill the screen with enemies wielding massive area-of-effect attacks. Combat slows down considerably as you’re forced to play more cautiously against faster, stronger, and more numerous foes.
### Grinding in Bonus Dungeons
Ran-geons and map-geons should serve as great places for grinding. After all, they’re bonus dungeons with randomized elements that appear early, providing opportunities to level up.
However, you can easily end up in tough situations with no chance of victory and no way out but to escape. Normal escape exits are random, so if one doesn’t appear, you must run for gates until an exit spawns, give up, or die. The penalties for dying are harsh—you lose all your items and most of the experience and money you’ve earned.
It’s often more productive to replay a recent story dungeon over and over to grind levels. Yuck.
### Making Cladun Your Own
Grinding can be a drag, but there’s an under-the-radar aspect of *Cladun X3* that creative players might love.
The main and sub-characters aren’t scripted story participants—you create custom recruits, Dragon Quest III style. The customization options are frankly wild. Nearly every element of *Cladun X3* is editable. You can design your own sprites, starting from scratch or using templates. You can customize equipment, flavor text, and even design your own hub map.
There’s even a fully-fledged music composition tool included, allowing you to write and assign your own background music tracks across the game. It’s absurd—in a great way.
If you’re a creative type who enjoys grinding levels in a laid-back environment, you can craft your own little retro RPG world. It feels like an Animal Crossing for RPG fans, stopping just short of becoming a full RPG Maker-style experience.
And if customization isn’t your thing, you can ignore it entirely and play through the story without missing anything.
### Final Thoughts
If *Cladun X3* were tuned just a little differently, it could be the perfect time-killing grindfest. Picking characters, customizing them, and running bite-sized dungeons for numbers-driven dopamine sounds like a recipe for good times.
But having to tinker endlessly with the Magic Circles for gains that feel disproportionately small compared to the time invested, while rapidly being outpaced by scaling dungeons, makes the progression pace feel slow and arduous.
I enjoy grinding to an extent, but *Cladun X3*’s demands feel a bit excessive. I respect the wild creativity on offer, but the way the game requires your time in exchange for flimsy rewards weakens its ability to truly capture my attention.
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*Cladun X3* launches on September 26, 2025, for the Nintendo Switch, PC, and PlayStation 4 and 5. A Switch review code was provided by the publisher.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146007/cladun-x3-review-score
**India’s First Trillion-Parameter AI Model to Power Next-Gen Applications**
*By Mudit Dube | Sep 19, 2025, 05:18 PM*
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In a major stride for India’s artificial intelligence landscape, BharatGen—a government-backed consortium led by IIT Bombay—has been awarded over ₹900 crore under the IndiaAI Mission. This substantial funding will support the creation of India’s first trillion-parameter large language model (LLM), designed to fuel next-generation AI applications across multiple sectors.
### Building a Trillion-Parameter Model for India
The ambitious project aims to develop a massive AI model tailored specifically for Indian contexts. However, this colossal “mother” model is not intended for direct consumer use. Instead, it will be distilled into smaller, domain-specific models suited for industries such as law, agriculture, and finance.
Rishi Bal, Executive Vice President at BharatGen, explained that these distilled models could serve practical uses—like agricultural advisory tools available in various regional languages or legal assistants trained on Indian case law—making AI more accessible and useful across diverse fields.
### Creating a Sovereign Indian Dataset
To ensure that the LLM accurately reflects India’s unique languages and cultures, BharatGen is heavily investing in building a sovereign dataset. The consortium is collaborating with publishers to license archival content and is providing free OCR services to digitize regional texts.
Furthermore, crowdsourced annotation efforts are underway to capture the linguistic nuances and cultural specificities of Indian languages. This indigenous data collection strategy is aimed at reducing reliance on foreign datasets and better aligning AI outputs with Indian realities.
### Overcoming GPU Supply and Funding Challenges
Training a trillion-parameter AI model requires thousands of GPUs working in parallel, and hardware availability remains a key challenge. Bal noted that, like many in the field, BharatGen must navigate GPU supply constraints.
The ₹900 crore government funding will partially subsidize GPU acquisition, supporting the computational backbone of this mammoth training effort. Under the IndiaAI Mission, nearly 40,000 GPUs have been allocated across various initiatives, including BharatGen’s sovereign LLM project.
### Focus on Reliability and Real-World Impact
BharatGen CEO Ganesh Ramakrishnan emphasized that the focus is on building models grounded in Indian data and languages rather than simply scaling up parameters. He highlighted the importance of reliability for real-world applications.
The consortium plans to release distilled models to developers, enabling startups and enterprises to build AI-powered solutions without needing to train massive models from scratch. This approach is expected to accelerate innovation and democratize access to cutting-edge AI technology.
### Collaborative, Efficient Operations
Operating on a hub-and-spoke model with teams spread across India, BharatGen brings together engineers, data scientists, and domain experts while maintaining lean operations. This distributed structure fosters collaboration and specialization.
Looking ahead, BharatGen is exploring public-private partnerships and sustainable revenue models such as licensing distilled AI models — ensuring continuous growth and broader adoption of Indian AI technologies.
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With this landmark project, BharatGen is paving the way for AI systems that are not only powerful but also deeply rooted in India’s linguistic and cultural landscape, promising impactful and reliable applications across the nation’s key sectors.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/iit-bombay-s-bharatgen-to-build-1t-parameter-ai-model/story
By Isha Sharma | Sep 19, 2025 | 06:12 PM
**What’s the story?**
Your car breaks down, you quickly rent one, you drive to a wedding, you meet a gorgeous woman, and sparks fly instantly. What can go wrong? *A Big Bold Beautiful Journey* plays with this unique premise, and this imaginative, lush fantasy drama expands upon our dreams, desires, and vulnerabilities. The execution, though, is helter-skelter, and the film demands utmost patience and commitment from you.
### Plot: Two strangers go on a long journey
The film stars Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie as David and Sarah, two strangers whose lives are intertwined by an inexplicable connection. They embark on a journey in David’s rented car, where an enigmatic GPS takes them to mysterious doors. On the other side are several important (mostly melancholic) moments of their lives, which Sarah and David are now forced to re-live.
### 1. Director Kogonada invites you into a beautiful, surreal world
From the very first frame, a beautiful sense of mystery dominates the film, and this feeling of surreality never abandons it. The movie is loaded with philosophy and metaphors, offering plenty to unpack in each conversation. The project is essentially a series of stunning images, one after the other, with several scenes resembling paintings you’d want to admire for minutes on end.
### 2. Can you hit rewind on life?
Kogonada directs the film with a strong aesthetic sense—each frame tells a story. Extremely visually pleasing and shot with sharp precision, the film plays out like an intriguing fantasy novel (similar to *Before the Coffee Gets Cold*). While there are no do-overs in life, Kogonada asks: What if there were? The film builds upon this theme, asking if you would go back and fill some cracks with love.
### 3. But these aspects aren’t enough to save the film
Unfortunately, the film begins to lose the audience quickly. While it aims to be a philosophical meditation on life, it fails to translate its stellar ideas into an exciting execution. The lethargic screenplay keeps the movie from blossoming into an engaging, gripping affair. If slow-paced dramas work for you, then you might let the film simmer slowly; otherwise, it can really wear you down.
### 4. There’s little chemistry between the lead actors
One major problem is the lack of chemistry between Robbie and Farrell. At times, it feels like they’re in different movies—she in a rom-com, he in a somber drama. Sarah and David remain emotionally distant, and we don’t care enough about them to stay invested in their story. Due to a lack of surprises, this journey faces several bumps along the way.
### Verdict
A stirring premise, but uninspired execution; 2.5/5 stars
*A Big Bold Beautiful Journey* sounds stunning on paper, but the execution tells a different story altogether. Its breathtaking production design and warmth are significant draws, but with a lackadaisical script, the movie fails to reach its full potential. The scattered and fragmented plot harms the overall experience, making it tough to stay engaged.
**Rating: 2.5/5 stars**
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/entertainment/margot-robbie-colin-farrell-s-big-bold-beautiful-journey-review/story
**India’s First Trillion-Parameter Model to Power Next-Gen AI Apps**
*By Mudit Dube | Sep 19, 2025, 05:18 PM*
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**BharatGen Consortium Awarded ₹900 Crore to Build India’s Largest AI Model**
A government-backed consortium led by IIT Bombay, BharatGen, has been granted over ₹900 crore under the IndiaAI Mission to develop India’s first trillion-parameter large language model (LLM). This ambitious project aims to create a massive AI system that will serve as the foundation for building smaller, domain-specific models tailored for sectors such as law, agriculture, and finance.
—
**From a ‘Mother Model’ to Specialized AI Solutions**
Rishi Bal, Executive Vice President at BharatGen, explained that the trillion-parameter model is not intended for direct use by consumers. Instead, it will act as a “mother system” from which smaller, more efficient AI models can be distilled. These specialized models could include agricultural advisory tools available in regional languages or legal assistants trained on Indian case law, designed to meet the unique needs of various industries.
—
**Building a Sovereign Indian Dataset**
To ensure the AI reflects authentic Indian contexts, BharatGen is heavily investing in creating a sovereign dataset by aggregating diverse Indian content. The consortium is collaborating with publishers to license their archives and create comprehensive digital corpora. Additionally, they are providing free OCR (Optical Character Recognition) services to digitize regional texts and are employing crowdsourced annotation to capture the nuances of Indian languages and culture.
—
**Hardware Challenges and GPU Availability**
Training a trillion-parameter model requires thousands of GPUs running in parallel. Bal acknowledged the challenges in securing sufficient hardware and noted that BharatGen must wait for GPU supply like others in the field. The ₹900 crore government funding will act as a subsidy to help procure the necessary GPUs. Under the IndiaAI mission, around 40,000 GPUs have been allocated to various projects, including building India’s sovereign LLM models.
—
**Focus on Reliability and Real-World Applications**
Ganesh Ramakrishnan, CEO of BharatGen, emphasized that their priority is creating AI models grounded in Indian data and languages with a strong focus on reliability for real-world applications—not just raw scale. BharatGen plans to release distilled versions of the model to developers, enabling startups and enterprises to build AI-powered applications without the need to train colossal systems from scratch.
—
**Operational Structure and Future Plans**
BharatGen operates on a hub-and-spoke model with teams distributed across multiple locations in India. According to Bal, this approach helps bring together engineers, data scientists, and domain experts efficiently while keeping operations lean. Ramakrishnan also noted that BharatGen is exploring public-private partnerships and revenue models such as licensing smaller distilled models to sustain and expand the initiative.
—
This pioneering project marks a significant step toward India’s technological sovereignty in AI, promising customized and reliable solutions tailored for the country’s diverse sectors and languages.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/iit-bombay-s-bharatgen-to-build-1t-parameter-ai-model/story
