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  • Scientists discover fossils of 3 new ancient carnivorous marsupials in Australia-Xinhua

    SYDNEY, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) — Scientists have uncovered fossils of three previously unknown carnivorous marsupials that lived millions of years ago in what is now the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia.

    These discoveries reveal that ancient Australia hosted far more carnivorous marsupials than once thought, according to a statement released Wednesday by Australia’s University of New South Wales (UNSW).

    The fossils belong to a group called malleodectids — marsupials with big, hammer-shaped rear premolars adapted to smash the hard shells of snails to eat their soft flesh, it said.

    These creatures lived around 25 million years ago during a time when the region was warm, humid and forested, according to the study published in Historical Biology, a peer-reviewed journal in Britain.

    Fossilized teeth suggest that snail-eating marsupials evolved slowly over millions of years alongside warmer, wetter climates and richer forests with diverse prey, like hard-bodied snails, the study said.

    Malleodectids thrived for at least 15 million years, filling diverse carnivorous roles, including specialized ones like snail-eating no longer seen in today’s Australian marsupials, said UNSW paleontologist Timothy Churchill, the study’s lead author.

    The three new carnivorous marsupials, weighing 110-250 grams, shared the forest with a broad range of other marsupials of various sizes that inhabited a wide range of ecological niches.

    These include medium-sized marsupials similar to the now extinct Tasmanian tiger, smaller predators around the size of modern quolls, and even marsupial lions ranging from cat- to leopard-sized.

    “The picture emerging is overturning old ideas that Australia was dominated by ‘simple’ marsupials while reptiles ruled the ecosystem,” Churchill said.

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  • Russell Martin future at Rangers after Champions League defeat

    Russell Martin future at Rangers after Champions League defeat

    Russell Bremner: Russell Martin needs to go before he is sacked.

    Michael Kearney: Too early into his tenure as Rangers manager for him to be sacked? Normally I would agree, however what we are seeing on a game-by-game basis is quite possibly the worst Rangers team we have ever seen. Nobody fears us. Nobody fears coming to Ibrox. It’s still early in the season – if we act now it’s possible we can recover… but not with Martin as manager. He has to go, and go now.

    Kevin Ord: Not sure Martin has anything to be proud of, another mountain to climb away from home again. Far too many players just not good enough.

    Michael Beck: Team selection all wrong. We needed energy in the middle of the park, which [Lyall] Cameron would have given. [Mikey] Moore should have started. Martin can talk up his philosophy until the cows come home but it just won’t work. The players don’t buy into it, therefore it’s dead in the water. Teams know how to play against Rangers. A high press forces the defence deeper and the mistake will come.

    Lorna Stenhouse: Russell Martin reverts back to “the way the club has been for many years” in nearly every interview as one of the reasons the club is not moving forward and this needs fixed. I’d like him to clarify what is he trying to fix? What has been going on?

    William MacFarlane: The manager has to go now. He is poor and not a Rangers manager – let him go. The team is poor but he has to go.

    Callum Carmichael: I never thought Martin was the right manager for us from day one but having appointed him I was prepared to back him until things went wrong. Things have now gone wrong in a dramatic way and the fact that he won’t change his style of play means that it’s the end for him. Please resign, Mr Martin.

    Kevin Sandison: Not even close to being good enough. A lack of tactical knowledge from the manager means he is already on very thin ice. Failure to beat St Mirren, get a better result in Belgium and then the Old Firm could see him out of work on 1 September.

    Peter Cooper White: All my years watching Rangers, it’s one of the craziest 20 minutes I’ve witnessed. Then after the game Martin said he was proud of his team. He is so deluded it beggars believe. The board must give him an ultimatum; improve quickly or you’re off.

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  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 Announced with Minor Upgrades

    Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 Announced with Minor Upgrades

    Qualcomm has introduced its latest mid-range chipset, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4. This new processor is the direct successor to last year’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. At first glance, the changes look minor, but there are still a few important improvements that will matter for performance and user experience.

    The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, also known as SM7635-AC, sticks with the same CPU design as its predecessor. It uses a 1+3+4 core architecture. This includes one powerful Prime Cortex-A720 core, three Cortex-A720 performance cores, and four Cortex-A520 efficiency cores. The biggest change is in clock speed. The Prime core now runs at 2.7 GHz, compared to 2.5 GHz on the Gen 3 model. The other cores remain the same, with three running at 2.4 GHz and four at 1.8 GHz.

    Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 Announced with Minor Upgrades

    According to Qualcomm, these small changes translate into about a 7% performance gain in CPU tasks. While this is not a huge jump, it still means smoother multitasking and slightly faster app performance for users.

    On the graphics side, Qualcomm has added a new Adreno GPU. This update also promises a 7% boost in performance. The GPU now supports Snapdragon Elite Gaming features. These include Adaptive Performance Engine 3.0 and Snapdragon Game Super Resolution. Both of these features are designed to give gamers smoother visuals and improved frame rates.

    Another highlight of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 is its improved display support. The chip now supports ultra-wide displays with a resolution of up to 1,300 x 2,900 pixels and refresh rates as high as 144Hz. This means mid-range smartphones with this chip will be able to deliver sharp and fluid visuals, which is good news for gamers and media lovers.

    Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4

    See Also: MediaTek Dimensity 9500 May Launch Before Snapdragon 8 Elite 2

    The camera capabilities have also received an upgrade. Qualcomm has added a new Spectra ISP, which can handle cameras up to 200MP. It also supports 4K video recording at 30 frames per second. Users can also enjoy advanced video formats such as Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG), HDR10, and HDR10+. This ensures better colours and more detail when recording or watching high-quality content.

    Artificial intelligence performance is also better on this chip. The updated Hexagon NPU now supports AI models such as Llama 1B and Qwen 1 B. It also allows features like real-time translation. This will improve AI-driven apps and smart features on phones using the chip.

    For memory and storage, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 supports LPDDR5 RAM running at 3,200 MHz and UFS 3.1 storage. This ensures fast app loading and smooth performance. Qualcomm has also included Quick Charge 4+ technology, which means faster charging for smartphones.

    In terms of connectivity, the chip offers 5G support (sub-6 GHz), Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.4. It also supports Qualcomm’s aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive audio codecs for high-quality wireless sound.

    So far, Qualcomm has not revealed which smartphone brand will launch the first device with this new chipset. But given its balance of efficiency and performance, it is likely to appear in upcoming mid-range smartphones soon.

    The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 may not be a revolutionary update, but it continues Qualcomm’s effort to provide reliable performance in the mid-tier category.

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  • Finally, Notion now works without an internet connection

    Finally, Notion now works without an internet connection

    For years, one of the most annoying issues with using Notion was that you couldn’t get much done offline because of its cloud-first architecture. The company has finally solved that problem, adding support for an offline mode to its apps.

    To absolutely nobody’s surprise, the company on Tuesday said in a post announcing the update that this is one of the most requested features from users.

    So users can now finally view, edit, and create notes without an internet connection across Notion’s desktop and mobile apps. The apps also let one download pages for offline access.

    Once you are back online, the app will sync any changes you’ve made to documents. However, some blocks like embeds, forms, or buttons won’t work without an internet connection.

    Image Credits:Notion

    And if you’re subscribed to Notion’s Plus, Business, or Enterprise plans, the app will automatically download your recently viewed and favorite pages.

    Users can turn off automatic downloads or manage downloads through a new “Offline” menu in the settings panel.

    Ivan Zhao, the company’s CEO, said in a thread on X that Notion couldn’t ship the feature all these years because the app uses a complex database to store different blocks, and the company had to build a conflict-resolution mechanism to manage instances where multiple people make changes to a document while they’re offline.

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  • Black Myth Zhong Kui announced as next project from Black Myth Wukong creators at Gamescom

    Black Myth Zhong Kui announced as next project from Black Myth Wukong creators at Gamescom

    Game Science has announced its next project, Black Myth: Zhong Kui, during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025. The studio, best known for Black Myth: Wukong, revealed the title as the closing announcement of the event.

    The new action RPG will once again be inspired by Chinese folklore, this time centred on Zhong Kui, a mythical ghost hunter.

    Much like its predecessor, the game is expected to feature a Souls-like combat style, though details on specific systems have not yet been confirmed.

    A first trailer was shown at Gamescom, offering a brief look at the world and introducing a tiger companion that appears to accompany Zhong Kui throughout the story.

    No gameplay was revealed, and the studio confirmed that development has only just begun. As a result, no release date or window was provided.

    On the developer’s official website, it was confirmed that Black Myth: Zhong Kui will launch on PC and “mainstream console platforms.” This suggests that, unlike Black Myth: Wukong, which initially released on PlayStation and PC, the sequel could arrive on Xbox consoles at launch.

    For those less familiar with the source material, Zhong Kui is a well-known deity in Chinese mythology, traditionally depicted as a vanquisher of ghosts and demons.

    According to Game Science, the game will portray him journeying “between hell and earth,” drawing inspiration from classic literature, much like Black Myth: Wukong adapted the tale of Sun Wukong from Journey to the West.

    Black Myth: Wukong was released in 2024 and received widespread acclaim. Publications such as Dexerto described it as a “beautiful stepping stone,” praising its presentation and combat systems.

    Host Geoff Keighley concluded the Gamescom showcase by stating that “the Westward Journey won’t end here,” suggesting a third game may also be in development.

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  • Host selection process for 2028 World Athletics Ultimate Championship opens – worldathletics.org

    1. Host selection process for 2028 World Athletics Ultimate Championship opens  worldathletics.org
    2. Armand Duplantis Takes Center Stage in Ultimate Championship  Devdiscourse
    3. Pole vaulter Duplantis is first Ultimate Star of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship  Mid-day
    4. Pole vault legend Duplantis named ‘Star Athlete’ for World Athletics Ultimate Championship  Sportstar
    5. World Athletics Ultimate Championship  FutureBrand

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  • Swedish central bank keeps key rate on hold, could still cut this year – Reuters

    1. Swedish central bank keeps key rate on hold, could still cut this year  Reuters
    2. Will Sweden’s central bank cut interest rates next week?  The Local Sweden
    3. Riksbank: Unchanged at 2.0% as expected, keeping downside bias  FXStreet
    4. Sweden’s Inflation Steady: What It Means for Stocks  TipRanks
    5. Swedish Riksbank Holds Rate at 2%  TradingView

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  • Pakistan's financial capital Karachi hit by torrential rain and flooding – Reuters

    1. Pakistan’s financial capital Karachi hit by torrential rain and flooding  Reuters
    2. Public holiday today as Karachi declares emergency in the wake of heavy rain  Dawn
    3. At least 12 dead in rain-related incidents in Karachi  Business Recorder
    4. PM telephones CM Sindh, assures full support amid heavy rains  Dunya News
    5. Chief Secretary directs all DCs to be in fields to deal with monsoon rains  The Nation (Pakistan )

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  • Marvel Rivals Introduces New Resource Rumble Game Mode, New Map and Event for Season 3: The Abyss Awakens

    Guangzhou, China and Los Angeles, California, United States, August 19, 2025 – Today, Marvel Games and NetEase Games have unveiled new details for Season 3: The Abyss Awaken for Marvel Rivals, the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter that lets players assemble an ever-evolving all-star squad of Super Heroes and Super Villains battling with unique powers across a dynamic lineup of destructible maps from across the Marvel Multiverse. The game’s third season continues with the introduction of a new game mode, Resource Rumble, a new Klyntar: Throne of Knull map, an upcoming Ancient Powers Awaken event along with improvements to the game’s matchmaking and ranking systems and more.

     


    Watch [Marvel Rivals | Resource Rumble Trailer]

     


    In the new game mode Resource Rumble, players must unlock three resource points in a random order. Players will control the points, gather resources, and rumble their foes. The first team to hit the target score claims victory. Resource Rumble will be available starting August 21st at 09:00:00(UTC).

     


    Watch [Marvel Rivals | Klyntar: Throne of Krull Trailer]

     


    Klyntar: Throne of Knull is located underground and is only connected to the Surface through the Venom Spire that pierces through the Core and penetrates to the planet’s core. After the Phoenix rejoined the battlefield, Knull fully awakened. However, because of the lingering Phoenix Force still restraining him, Knull must temporarily stay on the throne to until the Queen in Black can extinguish the Phoenix flames…

     


    The Marvel Rivals team is dedicated to listening to its community and player feedback. The Matchmaking Video will give players a look into how the Marvel Rivals matchmaking system and ranking system work and what the team is doing to improve these systems. Check the Marvel Rivals official channels on August 21 for the Matchmaking Video.

     


    A new in-game event called Ancient Powers Awaken will launch on August 21st at 09:00:00(UTC). Players will complete matches to earn EXP and level up to claim epic rewards including a free costume – Doctor Strange: Old Man Strange and more. Check the Marvel Rivals official channels on August 20 for the full event reveal trailer.

     


    Also, Marvel Rivals has implemented Discord’s Social SDK integration, adding features such as unified friends list, cross-platform-chat, Rich Presence, and more to enhance player social experience. More information is available here.

     


    In addition to the above, players can continue to get all the latest information from the Game Update featuring full Patch Notes and Hero Balance adjustments.

     


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    About Marvel Rivals


    In Marvel Rivals, players can look forward to choosing heroes split into three distinct roles based on their unique power inclinations: Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist. They’ll be free to pick their preferred role and hero, teaming up with allies to create a versatile and dynamic lineup for battle. But that’s not all, as they’ll be able to reach a whole new level of team play collaboration with Team-Up Abilities, unleashing joint superpowers with their allies, tearing down the battlefield to win in exciting fights! Marvel Rivals is in development by a NetEase team composed of global talent that share a profound love for the Marvel universe and characters who previously worked on hit shooter franchises played by millions of players worldwide.


    For more information about Marvel Rivals please visit www.marvelrivals.com. Follow Marvel Rivals on Discord | X | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok


    About Marvel


    Marvel is one of the world’s most prominent entertainment brands, built on an unparalleled library of iconic characters and stories that have shaped pop culture for 85 years. The Marvel brand spans entertainment, including film, television, publishing, licensing, games, live events, digital media, and more.


    For more information, visit marvel.com. © 2025 MARVEL


    About NetEase Games


    NetEase Games, the online games division of NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES and HKEX: 9999), is a leading global developer and publisher of video game IP across a variety of genres and platforms. NetEase Games’ development and publishing slate include titles such as Marvel Rivals, Knives Out, and Naraka: Bladepoint, and partnerships with major entertainment brands such as Warner Bros and Mojang AB (a Microsoft subsidiary). NetEase Games also supports the growth and development of its innovative global studios in Canada, Europe, Japan and the United States. For more information, please visit https://www.neteasegames.com/


    Follow Us on Social Media: 


    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NetEaseOfficial 


    Twitter: https://twitter.com/NetEaseGames_EN


    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7fPAi77lcCWFUc94UHyfGg 


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  • Google Ads Ends Manual Language Targeting in Search Campaigns, Adopts AI

    Google Ads Ends Manual Language Targeting in Search Campaigns, Adopts AI

    Google Ads is set to make a major transition in Search campaign settings by the end of 2025. Advertisers will no longer manually select target languages. Instead, Google’s AI will automatically detect user language based on signals such as search behavior, browser settings, query terms, and historical activity.

    Currently, advertisers often specify languages like English, Spanish, or French manually to reach the right audience. With this update, such precision will be replaced by AI interpretation, which promises streamlined campaigns but introduces concerns over message mismatches, particularly in multilingual or regionally nuanced markets.

    This change is limited to Search campaigns. Display, YouTube, and Shopping formats will still allow manual language targeting, giving advertisers a measure of continued control in other channels.

    Google’s update brings both opportunities and challenges for advertisers. On one hand, campaign setup will be simplified since there will be no need for manual language selections, making it especially useful for small businesses and low-budget advertisers. On the other hand, diminished granularity could affect brands that target niche or localized segments, such as French speakers in Canada or multilingual urban areas, where precision is critical.

    To balance this, Google’s AI will analyze signals like user search patterns, device language, ad language, landing page text, and more to automatically assign language targeting, promising efficiency but raising concerns over accuracy in complex markets.

    Reliance on AI is seeing a rapid increase in Google tools as a shift toward full automation, similar to AI-enabled bidding, Performance Max dashboards, and Smart Campaigns. However, experts caution about over-reliance on AI, especially in culturally sensitive or bilingual markets.

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