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If Microsoft is to be believed, Windows Insiders cannot get enough AI, as the company is releasing AI-enhanced Photo upgrades for Windows 10 and 11.

AI photo editing has been around for a while. Since 2023, owners of Pixel phones and Google One have had access to the Magic Eraser feature, so it was only a matter of time until Microsoft added Generative Erasure to the Spot Fix tool.

It’s a useful tool, but mobile phones—which, let’s be honest, are typically the source of the photos that require editing—provide some fierce competition.

The move by Microsoft to include all of the AI editing capabilities that were previously exclusive to Windows 11 on Windows 10 is more intriguing, though.

For a few months now, Microsoft has been forcing AI features onto Windows 10, even though the operating system’s shelf life is rapidly approaching. The company confirmed that 2025 will still be the last year for Windows 10 and announced the launch of Copilot on the platform in November 2023.

Additionally, Microsoft has added artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to the well-known Paint program with Paint Cocreator, a feature that uses the Azure DALL-E service to create an image based on text input. It does, however, work on a credit-based system, requiring a Microsoft account; each image uses one credit.

Microsoft is probably going to keep introducing more AI-powered features to its operating system. This week, Copilot was given access to a few more parameters, and Notepad recently received an AI update.

Although Windows 10 does not have as strong of an influence over Copilot as Windows 11, it is not difficult to envision further AI technologies appearing in the previous operating system through Microsoft store program upgrades.

All Windows Insiders will receive the Photos app upgrade across all channels. Even though Windows 10 users would have preferred a few more months of support over additional AI functionality on their desktop, the arrival of an AI tool that has long been available on competing platforms will be welcomed by the faithful given Microsoft’s determination to be a leader in the AI field.

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Travel

A brand-new ultra-long-haul route is part of Delta Air Lines’ expansion into Australia.

Commencing on December 4, 2024, the Atlanta-based carrier will launch its inaugural flights from Los Angeles to Brisbane, Australia. This information was released on Friday.

By March 28, 2025, this new 7,161-mile route will begin seasonal service, running three times a week.

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With 32 Delta One Suites, 48 Premium Select recliners, 36 Comfort+ seats, and 190 regular economy seats, Delta will use an Airbus A350-900 on its new service.

In keeping with its recent South Pacific growth, Brisbane will become Delta’s second Australian destination.

The airline already operates daily flights between Los Angeles and Sydney; but, during the busiest winter months in the Northern Hemisphere, it has added a second daily frequency to this route. In addition, the airline began operating three times a week flights from Los Angeles to Tahiti in December 2022 and flights from Los Angeles to Auckland in October 2023.

With the opening of a new Sky Way terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) during the epidemic, Delta is looking to further develop its hub there, which is the reason for all of this expansion.

Residents in and around Brisbane who wish to have access to 40 one-stop itineraries across the United States via Los Angeles are the target market for Delta’s new route. It’s also intended for Americans who live in the United States and want to visit the Gold Coast, a well-liked resort region, and Brisbane’s attractions.

“Delta’s upcoming winter schedule will offer its customers up to 17 weekly flights to and from Australia, with the inclusion of Brisbane, ” Joe Esposito, Senior Vice President of Network Planning at Delta, stated in a statement, “This expansion marks our fourth destination in the South Pacific, establishing our most extensive schedule to date,”

This new route to Brisbane is part of Delta’s efforts to find destinations for its wide-body aircraft during the winter, when demand for transatlantic flights to Europe among leisure and business passengers declines dramatically.

As a matter of fact, United has made Delta’s move more well-known in recent years by expanding its network of South Pacific destinations and becoming the biggest American airline operating in the area.

It’s interesting to note that United added LA to its Brisbane service a year ago, and this new route was introduced barely two years after the airline began operating between San Francisco and Brisbane.

On its new route from LAX to Brisbane, Delta will compete with Australian flag carrier Qantas in addition to United.

But potential is not limited to United and Delta to Brisbane. American Airlines debuted several new long-haul routes earlier this month, the longest of which is a new route from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Brisbane.

This will be American’s maiden trip using its brand-new flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It will showcase its most recent onboard offerings, including improved premium economy chairs and fully enclosed Flagship Business rooms.

On Sunday, February 25, customers will be able to purchase Delta’s new flights to Brisbane.

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Sports

At the Dubai Tennis Championships, qualifier Anna Kalinskaya overcame a setdown to defeat world No. 3 Coco Gauff 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 and set up an unexpected semifinal matchup with world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

No. 40 Kalinskaya will play World No. 1 Iga Swiatek on Friday in her maiden WTA 1000 semifinal in an attempt to advance to the championship match. In the final on Saturday, the victor will square off against either No. 22 Sorana Cirstea or No. 26 Jasmine Paolini.

In the first set, which lasted 46 minutes, Gauff broke Kalinskaya three times and appeared to be in complete control of the game. Playing in her sixth match in seven days, Kalinskaya experienced upper back pain at 5-1 and needed to take a medical timeout. She continued to receive treatment during the set break.

Gauff lost her first two service games of the set when play restarted, giving Kalinskaya a 2-1 lead. Before the American mounted a comeback to cut the deficit to 5-4, Kalinskaya had extended the lead to 5-2. Kalinskaya shut the door on a Gauff comeback with one more opportunity to serve out the set, forcing a decisive set.

A clumsy Gauff was unable to match her opponent in the pivotal third set as she swiftly took a 2-0 lead and displayed no symptoms of the early back pain. Instead, she played a variety of forceful baseline forehands combined with angled cross-court backhands that had her opponent on her heels. Kalinskaya maintained her composure while serving to win the match.

Swiatek defeated Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals to continue her winning streak through seven Middle East matches.

In their head-to-head match, the top seed and Doha champion defeated Zheng for the sixth time in a row and for the second time this year to advance to the WTA 1000 event semifinals in 86 minutes.

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Business

Today, the Board of Directors approved a contract for Metra to purchase battery-powered, zero-emission trainsets, propelling the company into a brighter future. Metra will use this cutting-edge technology among the first in the country.

“This purchase demonstrates Metra’s commitment to cleaner power, to quieter trains, and to thinking outside the box as we plan for our future,” Metra CEO/Executive Jim Derwinski stated. “We are excited to bring this technology, and its efficiency, flexibility, and reliability, to Chicago and to our riders.”

A trainset is a collection of permanently or semi-permanently connected railcars having operator controls at either end to enable rapid direction changes. The trainset is propelled by a single engine rather than by separate ones. Under the terms of the contract, Stadler U.S., of Salt Lake City, Utah, will provide eight two-car battery-powered trainsets for a base price of $154 million, including engineering, training, and spare parts. Up to eight additional trainsets and up to 32 trailer cars, which could be added to the two-car trainsets to create three- or four-car trainsets, will be available for an additional $181.4 million.

For the procurement of the trainset, Metra has been awarded a $169.3 million federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) grant. This amount will pay both the base order and a portion of the options. The twenty percent local contribution required for the grant will be covered by funds from the state PAYGO program.

To comply with ADA standards, the trainsets will feature lifts and low-level boarding. There will be 112 seats available in each two-car combination, and an extra 46 seats will be available in each trailer vehicle. Open gangways will let riders to travel freely from car to car on the single-level sets. They will have amenities including USB outlets, luggage racks, bike racks, and passenger information signs. If bought, half of the trailer cars would have ADA-compliant restrooms.

Metra thinks that using battery-powered trainsets, especially during off-peak hours, could be a more cost-effective and ecologically responsible method to deliver the same level of service or perhaps better. They might be crucial in assisting Metra in realizing its goal of offering more regular daily service, or “regional rail service.” It is anticipated that the first sets would be delivered in 2027–2028.

A 45–65 mile range is anticipated for a fully charged trainset. The amount of time needed to charge from 20% to 80%—enough to run the trainset—will vary, but it should take between 20 to 30 minutes. The precise infrastructure for charging and its price have not yet been decided.

Metra intends to install the trainsets on the 16.4-mile Beverly Branch of the Rock Island Line between LaSalle St. and Blue Island. That would have a direct positive impact on the quality of the air in low-income communities on Chicago’s South Side and in the nearby suburbs.

Purchasing the trainsets would free Metra from tons of carbon emissions and enable it to retire some of its oldest and most polluting diesel locomotives, which are well past their useful lives. Additionally, Metra would be able to retire a few of its oldest railcars.

The final assembly of the purchase will take place at Stadler’s Salt Lake City plant, in compliance with Buy America regulations. For three other U.S. transit agencies, Stadler has constructed and is now constructing FLIRT (Fast, Light, Innovative, Regional, Train) trainsets; however, these are not battery-powered, but rather run on diesel engine gensets or hydrogen fuel cells. Electric, diesel/electric hybrid, and battery-powered models have been produced throughout Europe.

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Science

A dazzling fireball entered the earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday night, lighting up the evening skies over a large portion of the eastern United States and parts of Canada before it quickly burned up. Data gathered by the American Meteor Society shows that over 200 ground observers in 11 U.S. states plus Ontario reported seeing the brilliant show.

According to the statistics, most observers of the meteor on Wednesday night claimed to have seen it between 6:45 and 7 p.m. EST, and the majority of individual sightings lasted between 1 and 7 1/2 seconds. However, a few reports from Augusta, West Virginia, and Front Royal, Virginia, said that the fireball was seen for up to 20 seconds before it vanished. These accounts suggested that the falling space rock lasted for a considerable amount longer than that.

Even if some sightings were fleeting, they were especially colorful. Donald Bradner, a homeowner in Lyndon, Virginia, posted ring camera footage online that appeared to show a brilliant flash of light shooting across the skies over neighboring Maryland. CBS affiliate WUSA-TV was able to secure the clip. According to the TV station, there were more sightings on Wednesday night in Pennsylvania and the Midwest, with at least one reported in Westlake, Ohio, and another in Southfield, Michigan.

“Meteors are harmless and never hit the surface of the earth. Meteorites, on the other hand, do hit the earth before they burn up,”  according to Topper Shutt, a meteorologist with WUSA, who reported on the most recent occurrences late on Wednesday.

NASA estimates that every day, approximately 48 1/2 tons of meteoritic debris fall upon Earth. A meteor, often known as a shooting star, is a space rock that burns up as it spontaneously hits the atmosphere. A fireball is a particularly brilliant one that can occasionally appear even brighter than Venus.

The space rocks are called meteoroids before descending down toward earth, and they can vary greatly in size. Some are as small as a grain of dust, while others are as large as an asteroid. Most of them are pieces that broke off of larger objects in space, like comets or even the moon and other planets, NASA states that meteoroids can be metallic, rocky, or a mix of the two.

In September of last year, hundreds of people in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States witnessed one particularly bright fireball. Scientists discovered that the initial meteoroid from which the fireball originated was a tiny piece of an asteroid, despite NASA’s claim that the fireball was as brilliant as a quarter moon at the time. They stated that the asteroid might have originated in the asteroid belt that lies between Mars and Jupiter.

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Science

On Thursday night (Feb. 22), SpaceX tied its record for the most rocket reuses.

At 11:11 p.m. EST (8:11 p.m. local California time; 04:11 GMT on February 23), a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 of SpaceX’s Starlink broadband satellites took out from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Thursday.

According to a SpaceX mission description, it was the 19th mission for this Falcon 9’s first stage, matching a record the company set on a Starlink launch this past December.

About 8.5 minutes after takeoff, the first stage of the Falcon 9 returned to Earth to land on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You, which was positioned in the Pacific Ocean.

The booster will be hauled back to Earth by the ship for examination, repair, and—quite possibly—an further trip.

The 22 Starlink satellites were supposed to be sent into low Earth orbit (LEO) by the Falcon 9’s upper stage approximately 62 minutes after liftoff.

Customers from all over the world can access the internet with Starlink. There are currently over 5,400 operating spacecraft in the LEO megaconstellation, and that figure is constantly rising.

SpaceX’s launch tonight will occur on January 17, 2024. On Tuesday, February 20, Flight 16 launched an Indonesian communications satellite on a historic mission for SpaceX: it was the company’s 300th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch.

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Business

With the introduction of the 2024 Kawasaki Z900 to the Indian motorcycle market, the prestigious Japanese manufacturer has achieved yet another victory. The most recent Z900 model, which is priced at Rs 9.29 lakh (Rs. 9000 more) ex-showroom, is proof of Kawasaki’s constant dedication to producing great performance and cutting-edge design.

The 2024 Kawasaki Z900 maintains the recognisable sculpted tank and tiny headlight that have come to be associated with the Z series, while yet maintaining its strong profile. Its athletic yet laid-back riding stance is still there, giving riders the ideal mix of comfort and quickness. Constructed using the same trellis frame architecture, the bike exudes power and dynamism on the road with its side-slung exhaust and flat handlebar.

The 2024 Z900 is filled with improvements and enhancements to take riding to new levels, even with its classic look. It keeps the front USD fork setup and the rear monoshock setup, which guarantees excellent suspension performance and accurate handling. Ample stopping power is provided by the front twin disc brakes and the rear single disc brakes, and the dual-channel ABS adds safety and confidence on a variety of road conditions. The Z900 has 17-inch wheels and Dunlop Sportmax GPR-300 tyres for improved stability and traction.

The cutting-edge features of the 2024 Kawasaki Z900 demonstrate its technological superiority. The bike’s performance and safety are further improved with dual-channel ABS and traction control with adjustable settings, as well as a TFT dash with smartphone connectivity that keeps riders informed and connected while they’re out and about.

The Z900’s powerful 948cc in-line four-cylinder engine, which produces an impressive 123.6bhp and 98.6Nm of torque, is housed beneath its svelte exterior. The engine, when coupled with a six-speed gearbox, provides smooth power delivery and fast throttle response, guaranteeing an exhilarating ride each and every time.

The Kawasaki Z900 has a long history of enthralling riders in the Indian motorcycle market with its unique combination of performance, flair, and dependability. The Z900, one of Kawasaki’s flagship models, has a devoted fan base and has won praise for its superb handling and performance.

In India, Kawasaki offers a broad choice of bikes to suit different riding styles and lifestyles, in addition to the Z900. With options ranging from the agile Ninja series to the adventure-ready Versys lineup, Kawasaki caters to the demands and tastes of all riders.

Reiterating its leadership in the Indian motorcycle market, Kawasaki is pushing the limits of two-wheeled performance with the introduction of the 2024 Z900. With riders eagerly anticipating the chance to feel the exhilaration of the Z900 on Indian roads, Kawasaki’s heritage of innovation and quality is more evident than ever.

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Business

It was only a matter of time until someone compared the two most well-liked electric sedans on the market, the Volkswagen ID.7 and the upcoming 2024 Tesla Model 3.

Here is a real-world range test comparing the new Tesla Model 3 LR with the ID.7 Pro, courtesy of the YouTube channel Battery Life. On the surface, the ID.7 appears to be the underdog because of its single 286 horsepower electric motor and additional 340 kg to tote around, while the Tesla is noticeably more powerful and smaller with a comparable battery capacity.

The underdog performed rather well; both cars consumed almost the same amount of energy during the 120 km/h test run, and their predicted maximum range was 413.3 km. That is remarkable on VW’s part—much bigger, heavier, and less potent—and it justifies all the additional effort the business put into the aerodynamics.

It’s interesting to note that both the Model 3 and the ID.7 used roughly the same amount of energy, using 175 Wh/km (or nearly 282 Wh/mile), despite the Model 7’s heating being set at a little higher 23.5ºC (74.3ºF) and the ID.7 lacking a heat pump.

Yes, the twin-motor, 498-hp Model 3 powertrain makes the Model 3 substantially faster than the ID.7, but it is also much cheaper (€5,000 less in Germany). The total capacity of the Tesla’s larger trunk and additional 88 litres surpasses that of the ID.7 by 150 litres, which is equivalent to two sizable suitcases.

Thus, the underdog. The ID.7 shows unexpected findings from this test. Larger, slower, and just as economical as a significantly smaller Model 3. If only the price was the same. One drawback to purchasing ID.7 in Germany is that the leasing choices seem to be significantly less expensive than those offered by Tesla. With the same 24-month term and no deposit, Battery Life claims that the ID.7 is available for around €400 less per month—a savings of almost €10,000 over the course of the two-year lease.

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Science

Tuesday saw the launch of SpaceX’s 16th Falcon 9 rocket of the year, carrying a potent Indonesian communications satellite into orbit.

At 3:11 p.m. EST, the Falcon 9 rocket launched from launch complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, using a first stage on its 17th flight.

Eight and a half minutes after launch, the first stage successfully launched the rocket out of the dense lower atmosphere and disintegrated, allowing it to land on an offshore landing barge. After 25 minutes, the second stage of the mission completed its ascent into orbit, freeing the Merah Putih 2 satellite to fly by itself.

“Red and white” in reference to the Indonesian flag, the $240 million Merah Putih satellite is operated by the state-owned Telkomsat. Thales Alenia Space manufactured the satellite. It is intended to use Ku-band and C-band transponders to cover the entirety of Indonesia, enabling data rates of up to 32 terabytes per second.

SpaceX has launched the second Telkomsat data relay station, with a 15-year design life.

Tuesday’s launch was SpaceX’s sixteenth Falcon 9 launch of the year and its thirty-first since the rocket’s launch in 2010. As of right now, the business has completed 275 first-stage recoveries successfully, the last 201 consecutively. If the weather and hardware cooperate, SpaceX plans to launch over 140 rockets this year.

Before the end of the month, the business plans to launch two more Starlink flights, bringing the total number of broadband data relay stations launched to date to around 5,900.

This will prepare the way for the March 1 launch of Crew-8, a Russian crew and three NASA astronauts, to the International Space Station. The fifth mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule “Endeavour” is scheduled, setting a new record for the company’s fleet of ferry ships.

Crew-7 commander Jasmin Moghbeli, astronaut Andreas Mogensen of the European Space Agency, astronaut Satoshi Furukawa of Japan, and cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov will be replaced by Matthew Dominick, Crew-8 commander, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. In August of last year, they were sent to the outpost.

In order to facilitate the launch of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying experienced cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, guest flier Marina Vasilevskaya from Belarus, and NASA veteran Tracy Dyson, Moghbeli and her crewmates intend to return to Earth around March 8.

On April 2, Novitskiy, Vasilevskaya, and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara will all return to Earth. The Soyuz MS-24/70S spacecraft that transported O’Hara, Oleg Kononenko, and Nikolai Chub to the station in September of last year will be utilized by them.

After spending a full year in orbit, Kononenko, Chub, and Dyson will return to Earth in September on a Novitskiy-supplied Soyuz MS-25/71S spacecraft.

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Entertainment

The much awaited third studio album by Billie Eilish might be on the horizon.

The “TV” singer gave her fans an update on her upcoming album on social media on Wednesday.

“My album is mastered,” 22-year-old Eilish posted on Instagram next to pictures of herself donning a star-studded ninja mask.

Although Eilish has not yet disclosed any additional information regarding the next album, the mastering of an album is often the last stage of the recording process.

The album will be released after When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? in 2019 and Happier Than Ever in 2021. In 2022, Eilish released two EPs under the moniker Guitar Songs and the Grammy-winning single “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie soundtrack.

During a December visit on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the “Lovely” singer revealed that she was “almost done” with her third album.

“We are almost done with this new album. So, at some point, you will know more, but I’m not gonna say anything right now,” Eilish stated at the time.

She gave a sneak peek at the upcoming record in an interview with The Cookout in September. At the time, Eilish told the site, “There is a lot of music coming.” “There is a whole album of music coming. We’re in the final stages of making it, so that doesn’t mean it’s about to come out, but it is getting there, and it’s very exciting.”

Before writing “What Was I Made For?”, the “Bad Guy” singer admitted she was having creative difficulties in a roundtable interview with The Hollywood Reporter in November.

In a songwriter roundtable with Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, Jon Batiste, Cynthia Erivo, and Julia Michaels, Eilish said, “I honestly was concerned that it was over for me.” “We’d been trying and it wasn’t doing what it usually would do in me. I was honestly like, ‘Damn, maybe I hit my peak and I don’t know how to write anymore?’

However, everything changed when she received a call from director Greta Gerwig asking her to compose a song for the Barbie soundtrack.

The musical sensation told the publication, “Really, honestly, Greta saved me.” “It brought us out of it and immediately we were inspired and wrote so much more after that.”

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