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news·NewsbyXatolos

Trump administration’s blockchain plan for USAID is a real head-scratcher

AI Summary:

  1. Renaming and Restructuring: The Trump administration plans to rename the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as the US International Humanitarian Assistance (IHA) and place it under the Secretary of State.

  2. Use of Blockchain: A memo suggests leveraging blockchain technology in USAID's procurement process, aiming to enhance security, transparency, and traceability in aid distribution.

  3. Criticisms of Blockchain Use:

    • Experts argue blockchain often doesn't offer significant advantages over existing tools for humanitarian work.
    • Concerns exist about added burdens and costs for small NGOs using new systems.
  4. Examples of Blockchain in Humanitarian Efforts:

    • Past projects, such as UNHCR's pilot for cash assistance in stablecoins, showed some success.
    • Critics note limited large-scale use in the sector and question its necessity.
  5. Budget and Operational Changes: The proposal emphasizes tying funding to outcomes and results, prompting debates about its feasibility and fairness in dynamic environments like disaster zones.

  6. Broader Context: The plan follows prior workforce cuts and criticisms of inefficiency within USAID, drawing mixed reactions from staff and experts.

Trump administration’s blockchain plan for USAID is a real head-scratcherhttps://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/03/trump-administrations-blockchain-plan-for-usaid-is-a-real-head-scratcher/Open linkView original on reddthat.com
technology·TechnologybyXatolos

Leaked Apple meeting shows how dire the Siri situation really is

  • Apple's progress with Siri and artificial intelligence has been slow, and features promised in June remain delayed.
  • At a Siri team meeting, senior director Robby Walker acknowledged the frustration within the team, describing the delays as "ugly."
  • Features like Siri understanding personal context and taking action based on a user’s screen are still not ready and may not make it into iOS 19.
  • Challenges include quality issues that caused these features to malfunction up to a third of the time and conflicts with Apple's marketing division over showcasing incomplete features.
  • Apple has withdrawn related advertisements and added disclaimers on its website, citing extended development times.
  • Senior executives, including Craig Federighi and John Giannandrea, are reportedly taking personal accountability for the delays.
  • Walker emphasized that the team’s work is impressive and that the delayed features will be released once they meet Apple’s standards.
Leaked Apple meeting shows how dire the Siri situation really ishttps://www.theverge.com/news/629940/apple-siri-robby-walker-delayed-ai-featuresOpen linkView original on reddthat.com
news·NewsbyXatolos

Trump says he was being a ‘bit sarcastic’ when he promised to end Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours

President Donald Trump said Friday that he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he repeatedly claimed as a candidate that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours — and even before he even took office.

Trump was asked about the vow he repeatedly made on the campaign trail during an interview for the “Full Measure” television program as his administration is still trying to broker a solution 54 days into his second term.

“Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that,” Trump said in a clip released ahead of the episode airing Sunday. “What I really mean is I’d like to get it settled and, I’ll, I think, I think I’ll be successful.”

Trump says he was being a ‘bit sarcastic’ when he promised to end Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hourshttps://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-solved-f51b96e4e690341caee65358bcbab1faOpen linkView original on reddthat.com
games·GamesbyXatolos

Full Xbox 360 recompilation for PC debuts with Sonic Unleashed Recompiled

cross-posted from: https://reddthat.com/post/36332291

AI Summary:

After many years, fans have successfully created a native PC port of Sonic Unleashed, called Unleashed Recompiled. This allows the game to run on modern PCs. The project utilized tools like XenonRecomp and XenosRecomp, which convert PowerPC code and Xenos shaders into x86 PC-compatible C++ and HLSL code, respectively. This means that, in theory, any Xbox 360 game can be recompiled for PC. The PC port supports modding, allowing players to enhance the game with new features and customizations, such as Music Attenuation and raising the FPS cap above 60 FPS. Users who want to play with Unleashed Recompiled or create their own Xbox 360 recompilations must legally obtain their copies of the Xbox 360 titles and DLC.

Full Xbox 360 recompilation for PC debuts with Sonic Unleashed Recompiledhttps://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/xbox/full-xbox-360-decompilation-for-pc-debuts-with-sonic-unleashed-recompiledOpen linkView original on reddthat.com
technology·TechnologybyXatolos

Full Xbox 360 recompilation for PC debuts with Sonic Unleashed Recompiled

AI Summary:

After many years, fans have successfully created a native PC port of Sonic Unleashed, called Unleashed Recompiled. This allows the game to run on modern PCs. The project utilized tools like XenonRecomp and XenosRecomp, which convert PowerPC code and Xenos shaders into x86 PC-compatible C++ and HLSL code, respectively. This means that, in theory, any Xbox 360 game can be recompiled for PC. The PC port supports modding, allowing players to enhance the game with new features and customizations, such as Music Attenuation and raising the FPS cap above 60 FPS. Users who want to play with Unleashed Recompiled or create their own Xbox 360 recompilations must legally obtain their copies of the Xbox 360 titles and DLC.

Full Xbox 360 recompilation for PC debuts with Sonic Unleashed Recompiledhttps://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/xbox/full-xbox-360-decompilation-for-pc-debuts-with-sonic-unleashed-recompiledOpen linkView original on reddthat.com