Monthly Archives: October 2025

general

Google calls allegations of ‘secret code’ in international cloud services deal ‘absurd’

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**Google and Amazon’s $1.2 Billion Project Nimbus Cloud Deal with Israel Includes Controversial “Secret Code” Payments, Reports Say**

*C. Scott Brown / Android Authority*

In 2021, Google and Amazon entered into a $1.2 billion agreement with the Israeli government to provide cloud computing services to various government agencies and the military under a contract known as Project Nimbus. New reporting released today reveals that this lucrative deal reportedly includes some unusual and eyebrow-raising terms.

According to an investigation by The Guardian, based on leaked documents from Israel’s Ministry of Finance and collaborated with Hebrew-language publication Local Call and Israeli-Palestinian outlet +972 Magazine, Google and Amazon agreed to send “coded messages” to the Israeli government. These messages allegedly serve to covertly inform Israel when their cloud data has been accessed by foreign investigative bodies, while potentially circumventing Google’s and Amazon’s usual terms of service.

### The “Winking Mechanism” for Covert Communication

Cloud storage providers sometimes hand over customer data to law enforcement or investigative agencies, often under legal restrictions that prevent them from notifying customers. However, to secure the Project Nimbus deal, both Amazon and Google reportedly agreed to what The Guardian calls a “winking mechanism” — a roundabout way of communicating the transfer of data without explicit disclosure.

Here is how this system reportedly works:

– When a foreign authority requests access to Israeli data stored with Amazon or Google, the company sends Israel a payment coded according to the telephone country code of that requesting authority.
– For example, if U.S. authorities access the data, the company sends a payment of 1,000 shekels, referencing the U.S. country code +1.
– If the request comes from Denmark, which has the country code +45, the payment made would be 4,500 shekels.
– In cases where legal orders more explicitly forbid Google or Amazon from hinting at the origin of the data request, the companies are said to send a larger payment of 100,000 shekels.

### Restrictions on Service Withdrawal Amid Human Rights Concerns

The report further states that the Project Nimbus agreement contains clauses that prevent Google and Amazon from suspending or withdrawing their services, even if the Israeli government is found to be violating either company’s terms of service or human rights considerations.

This aspect of the agreement has drawn parallels with a recent case involving Microsoft. Last month, following investigative reporting by The Guardian, Microsoft terminated a cloud services contract with the Israeli military after discovering that civilian surveillance data — including recordings of Palestinian phone calls — had been stored on its Azure cloud platform against the company’s terms.

An unnamed Israeli official quoted in today’s report emphasized that under Project Nimbus, there are “no restrictions” on the types of information Israel may store within Google and Amazon’s cloud systems. Furthermore, either company attempting to withdraw from the contract on similar grounds would reportedly face financial and legal penalties.

### Google and Amazon Deny Wrongdoing

Both Google and Amazon have strongly denied the allegations.

A Google spokesperson told Android Authority:

> “The accusations in this reporting are false, and imply that we somehow were involved in illegal activity, which is absurd. As is common in public sector agreements, an RFP does not reflect a final contract. The idea that we would evade our legal obligations to the U.S. government as a U.S. company, or in any other country, is categorically wrong.
>
> We’ve been very clear about the Nimbus contract, what it’s directed to, and the Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy that govern it. Nothing has changed. This appears to be yet another attempt to falsely imply otherwise.”

An Amazon Web Services (AWS) spokesperson also responded to Android Authority, saying:

> “We have a rigorous global process for responding to lawful and binding orders for requests related to customer data. AWS carefully reviews each request to assess any non-disclosure obligations, and we maintain confidentiality in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. While AWS does not disclose customer information in response to government demands unless we’re absolutely required to do so, we recognize the legitimate needs of law enforcement agencies to investigate serious crimes. We do not have any processes in place to circumvent our confidentiality obligations on lawfully binding orders.”

As of this publication, the Israeli Ministry of Finance has not responded to requests for comment.

—

*Stay updated with the latest exclusive reports and expert analysis from Android Authority. Set us as a favorite source in Google Discover and preferred source in Google Search to never miss our stories.*
https://www.androidauthority.com/google-amazon-project-nimbus-israel-wink-3611415/

economy, technology

NVIDIA (NVDA) becomes first company to pass $5 trillion valuation

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NVIDIA Reaches Historic $5 Trillion Market Valuation

This week, NVIDIA made history by becoming the first-ever company to reach a $5 trillion market capitalization. Known as one of the most prolific chip makers and designers of hardware powering the AI market, NVIDIA’s growth continues to soar alongside the booming artificial intelligence sector. As tech giants increase their investments in AI, demand for NVIDIA’s products has surged.

On Tuesday, the company’s market cap hit an unprecedented $5.07 trillion, marking a significant milestone for both NVIDIA and the technology industry. This achievement was first reported by CNBC and was closely observed throughout the day’s trading.

Recently, NVIDIA announced the relocation of much of its Blackwell AI chip manufacturing to Arizona, United States, signaling a strategic move to enhance its production capabilities domestically.

NVIDIA’s rise in value is no surprise. The company has long been a leader in AI chip and hardware design, benefiting from the immense capital flowing into the AI sector as companies vie to outpace their competitors. Despite facing challenges, including pressure from both the Chinese and US governments that led to its exit from the Chinese market, NVIDIA has maintained strong momentum.

Part of the company’s recent success also comes from high-profile partnerships, such as its collaboration with Eli Lilly to develop a new supercomputer, further positioning NVIDIA at the forefront of AI innovation.

As AI technologies continue to evolve, NVIDIA’s role remains pivotal, and its market valuation reflects the confidence investors have in its future potential.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146567/nvidia-nvda-5-trillion-valuation

business, economy, finance

C.H. Robinson: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — C. H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. (CHRW) reported third-quarter net income of $163 million, the company announced Wednesday.

Based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, C. H. Robinson said it earned $1.34 per share for the quarter. Adjusted for one-time gains and costs, earnings were $1.40 per share.

The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of nine analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was $1.29 per share.

However, the trucking company posted revenue of $4.14 billion during the period, falling short of forecasts. Seven analysts surveyed by Zacks had expected revenue of $4.29 billion.

This story was generated by Automated Insights using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CHRW at [link].
https://wtop.com/news/2025/10/c-h-robinson-q3-earnings-snapshot/

health

Study finds women get more benefits from exercise than men

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**Women Benefit More from Exercise Than Men, Study Finds**

A new study published Monday in *Nature Cardiovascular Research* reveals that women experience significantly greater health benefits from exercise compared to men. Researchers found that, with the same amount of physical activity, women have a three-fold reduction in their risk of death from heart disease compared to men.

These findings challenge the traditional “one-size-fits-all” exercise guidelines, which assume that both sexes receive the same benefits from identical amounts of exercise. The research team, led by Jiajin Chen, a research associate at the Xiamen University Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in China, emphasized the need for sex-specific physical activity recommendations.

> “Compared with male individuals, females derive equivalent health benefits with only half the exercise time,” the team wrote. “The findings might have potential to encourage females to engage in physical activity.”

### Study Details

The study analyzed data from over 85,000 participants enrolled in the UK Biobank, a large-scale, long-term health research project in the United Kingdom. Each participant wore activity trackers on their wrists, providing objective measures of their physical activity levels.

The results showed that to reduce their risk of heart disease by 30%, men need about 530 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise each week. Women, on the other hand, need only 250 minutes—less than half the amount—to achieve similar benefits.

When looking at the current exercise guidelines, women who met the recommended target of 150 minutes of weekly exercise had a 22% lower risk of heart disease. Men who met the same target experienced a 17% reduction in risk.

### Why Might Women Respond Better to Exercise?

Researchers suggest several physiological reasons for the differences between men and women. One key factor is estrogen—circulating estrogen levels are much higher in females and can promote body fat loss during physical activity.

Additionally, crucial differences in muscle mass composition between men and women might contribute to why exercise provides better cardiovascular benefits among females.

### Addressing the Gender Gap in Physical Activity

These findings come at a time when women are generally less physically active than men and are also less likely to address their heart disease risk factors adequately.

Dr. Emily Lau, director of the Women’s Heart Health Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, commented on the study in an accompanying editorial:

> “This study provides strong evidence that a one-size-fits-all approach cannot and should not be used to guide physical activity recommendations for men and women.”

She added,

> “Despite this apparent female physical activity advantage, previous work has shown that women are consistently less physically active and less likely to achieve recommended activity targets, highlighting the need to more specifically tailor physical activity recommendations to women.”

### Additional Resources

For more information on the benefits of physical activity for women, visit the American Council on Exercise website.

—

This research underscores the importance of personalized exercise guidelines that account for differences between men and women to optimize heart health outcomes for all.
https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2025/10/29/exercise-benefits-women-men-study/6441761756213/

extraction, gaming, shooter

ARC Raiders’ scrappy looting & extraction makes for intense PvE & PvP

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Embark Studios is about to release its new rustic sci-fi extraction shooter, **ARC Raiders**, and recently invited journalists, including myself, to join a multiplayer session to get a firsthand look at what the game has to offer.

### A Thrilling Looting System

Playing a pre-release version of ARC Raiders on PC, I was genuinely impressed by the game’s compelling looting mechanics. The system encourages you to loot just enough while weighing your odds and risks. You must choose whether to engage with other players or the environment and then make a daring escape with as much loot as you can carry.

—

### Setting the Scene: A Ruined World

ARC Raiders is set in a world where the very robots humanity built have turned on their creators, forcing people to live underground. The surface has been decimated and is heavily patrolled by deadly machines programmed to eliminate humans on sight. Yet, despite the danger, the surface holds vital scrap and parts that those living underground desperately need to survive.

To gather these resources, brave scavengers known as Raiders venture to the surface, risking their lives to collect any useful materials and bring them back. But beware—it’s every Raider for themselves. Sharing is rare, and ambushing a greedy stranger could net you better rewards.

—

### Gameplay Overview

For the preview, I experienced both solo and group play. ARC Raiders is a third-person shooter that drops you into a map populated with loot zones of varying tiers—low, medium, and high. Your mission is to grab the highest-value loot your backpack can hold and race to the escape point.

Standing in your way are hostile humans, robotic enemies, and other Raiders, all competing for the same resources. The game features an in-game proximity voice chat, allowing players to negotiate alliances or betray one another at a moment’s notice. Trust is a risky gamble when anyone can shoot you in the back.

—

### Intense and Varied Enemies

Robots come in many forms, from small drones scanning the area to formidable foes that appear if you make too much noise. We encountered spider-like, automobile-sized hoppers that could leap great distances, as well as larger floating drones armed with rocket launchers—engaging these was always a last resort.

—

### Teamwork Options and Escape Routes

If solo play isn’t your style, ARC Raiders supports group play. I joined a trio round where we coordinated our search across multiple regions and gathered some impressive loot before making our escape.

Maps are diverse and offer multiple extraction methods. The standard escape involves activating an elevator that takes about ten seconds to open, during which loud noises attract enemies and rival Raiders alike. Some maps feature keys hidden around the area that unlock alternate exit hatches, providing different tactical options.

Exploring derelict towns, factory districts, and wilderness areas made the maps enjoyable and encouraged strategic looting decisions based on risk versus reward.

—

### Progression, Crafting, and Risk

Ultimately, loot is the core of ARC Raiders. Regardless of your success, you earn experience points that let you level up and improve your Raider with upgrades to health, looting speed, weapon handling, and more through a robust skill tree.

Back at the hub, you can use gathered loot to progress quests, advance storylines, and improve your crafting and supply lines. However, death in the field means losing everything you carried.

Luckily, crafting lets you quickly replenish your gear with new weapons and personal shield devices. Additionally, there’s a “Free Gun Kit” option that equips you with a random set of gun, shield, and backpack upon respawn, so you can jump back into the fight without worry.

—

### The High-Stakes Thrill of Extraction

Guns can be upgraded by finding higher-tier weapons and attachments, but losing them due to an untimely death adds a layer of tension. During one run, I amassed a sizable haul only to be ambushed just moments before confirming my escape—a frustrating but exhilarating experience. Of course, successfully pulling off an ambush yourself brings its own rush of excitement.

—

### Final Impressions

ARC Raiders impressed me with many elements I look for in an extraction shooter. Embark Studios has crafted a solid ecosystem that supports a variety of playstyles. Whether you’re stealthy and cautious or bold and aggressive, the game rewards your approach in meaningful ways.

Good gunplay, diverse maps, and the intense thrill of escaping with valuable loot combine to create an engaging third-person shooter experience. If ARC Raiders resonates with players upon launch, Embark Studios may have a true contender on their hands.

—

### Release Information

These impressions are based on an early PC build provided by the publisher. ARC Raiders is scheduled for release on **October 30, 2025**, for **PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC**. Keep an eye out for this exciting new extraction shooter.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146564/arc-raiders-hands-on-multiplayer-preview

general

Riassunto: Hercle raccoglie 60 milioni di dollari per scalare l'infrastruttura di grado istituzionale per il movimento del denaro a livello globale

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MILANO – Hercle, una piattaforma di infrastrutture istituzionali che connette stablecoin, beni digitali e liquidazioni internazionali, ha annunciato oggi un nuovo capitale di 60 milioni di dollari.

Il round di finanziamento comprende un investimento di 10 milioni di dollari in capitale, guidato da F-Prime, con la partecipazione di Fulgur Ventures ed Exponential Science, assieme a una linea di credito di 50 milioni di dollari.

Questi fondi saranno utilizzati per sostenere l’espansione dei servizi istituzionali e le iniziative di crescita della piattaforma.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251029423682/it/?feedref=JjAwJuNHiystnCoBq_hl-Q-tiwWZwkcswR1UZtV7eGe24xL9TZOyQUMS3J72mJlQ7fxFuNFTHSunhvli30RlBNXya2izy9YOgHlBiZQk2LOzmn6JePCpHPCiYGaEx4DL1Rq8pNwkf3AarimpDzQGuQ==

general

Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake review: A curious combo

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Around this time last year, I was thinking a lot about remakes and their value, especially in the context of Dragon Quest. With the HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest 3, I was happy to revisit a classic but not so excited to do so, as that particular well has been pulled from so many times. This time, with the Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake, my approach was more fueled by curiosity.

Here’s another set of games we’ve seen several versions of over the years, but with a much more aggressive promise that they’re full of new stuff. What would that “new stuff” entail exactly, and to what extent would it reform what these games are in my mind? How the heck, in particular, do you expand the original Dragon Quest without overdoing it? Does Dragon Quest 2, one of my least favorites, benefit from meddling, or does my stubborn respect for history and authenticity form too strong a barrier?

My questions were answered—that much is certain.

### The First Quest

Dragon Quest 1 is an odd duck of an early RPG in Current Year because it’s so simple. You’re one man on a mission to rescue the princess, defeat the bad guy, and go back home to live well and have kids and stuff. It’s a simple loop around a mostly uncomplicated world map, during which you pick up a couple key items to open some “gates.” That’s about it.

Much of the charm comes from Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama’s brilliant monster designs, strong music from aspiring war criminal Koichi Sugiyama, and the simple novelty of a digitized, accessible Dungeons & Dragons campaign. As I said in our series ranking list, the original Dragon Quest is best played “on a Nintendo, on a CRT, in a dark room, under a blanket, between eight and 15-years-old.”

This version yanks the blanket off, kicks you in the ass, dumps a book in your hands, and tells you to get to work. It’s probably the least fun I’ve ever had playing Dragon Quest 1, a game I hold in my heart next to the original Final Fantasy as replay-friendly RPG comfort food.

It throws off the loop with lots of extra, largely uninteresting padding and absurdly cranked-up difficulty that serves no observable purpose beyond making the runtime a lot longer. It feels like the developers were afraid to simply let Dragon Quest 1 be Dragon Quest 1, as if the audience that showed up for DQ 3 last year would turn their noses up at something so “bare bones” in comparison.

This is not a story or structure that benefits from moving pieces around and adding things.

To give credit where it’s due, there’s a fascinating effort in retrofitting modern DQ’s abilities and spells into this, and making them matter. Enemy weaknesses and resistances are super pronounced, and since fights are no longer one-on-one, you have to be on your toes at every moment after the first few hours or so.

But things get gnarly when most bosses and enemies get to take multiple actions on their turn about halfway through, while you’re still stuck as just the one guy who didn’t get the memo that cheating was allowed this time. Enemies getting extra turns isn’t a new concept in this series, but the frequency at which it happens and your lack of options as a solo character makes it feel egregious almost every time.

Many boss fights become more about prayer and RNG than strategy, as getting blown up faster than you can keep up with healing (and unable to return damage) is an easy corner to get backed into no matter how much level grinding you do (I’m exaggerating a little, mind).

It’s no coincidence that difficulty settings even let you toggle invincibility, as I doubt curious parties or Dragon Quest newbies will stick around on the default settings long enough to appreciate the effort here, and walk away thinking less of the game as a result—the very thing these changes were ostensibly made to avoid.

### Part Two Is a Different Story

While the first Dragon Quest remake left a bad taste in my mouth, Dragon Quest 2 benefits a lot from some of the same adjustments I’ve just been complaining about.

If Dragon Quest 1 is a fun, little, fledgling RPG adventure, the second game is more of a hardcore dungeon-crawler—just friendly enough it avoids direct comparisons to the likes of Wizardry. It’s often seen as a tedious grind, and while the story starts strong with its novel (at the time) party structure, the narrative quickly takes a back seat to unending combat gauntlets.

In this case, the “padding” is quite welcome, as it fleshes out the bigger world and busier pool of characters in a productive way. Contemporary Dragon Quest games are well known for anthology-like storytelling, as each new location you come across has its own little vignette in addition to the main plot.

That has been injected here, and the material is more substantive than the dull subplot grafted onto the first game. The main party has also been given life and personality (minus the silent guy you control, of course), which gives more human energy to the quest you’re on in the first place.

There’s even a fourth character introduced to help you get through the earlier solo hours easier and balance out the encounter difficulty later (after a sizable chunk of normal DQ 2 with the group of three you’d expect).

A weird juxtaposition from the “you’re gonna get your ass beat by yourself and enjoy it, loser” energy in DQ 1 HD-2D, but we’ll take a dub for DQ 2.

### A Tale of Two Entries

I’ve been greatly enjoying this expanded, longer, and frankly effectively rebalanced take on Dragon Quest 2 a lot more than I expected to, and that’s great. DQ 2 is on the bottom of my list, after all, so it had the least to lose in my eyes—and the team at Square Enix exceeded my expectations and then some.

It’s a tremendous bummer, then, that I was more stressed, unhappy, and unenthused than I ever thought I would be playing the original Dragon Quest.

I wouldn’t be surprised if anyone out there calling it breezy or short simply cranked the difficulty down and blew through the main objectives before moving on, barely taking in what I was hoping to pleasantly experience in HD-2D—that being the totality of taking my time on the adventure, gathering all the Erdrick gear, and finding new secrets such as mini medals and other gimmicks (like the new scrolls, which is another weird padding endeavor I’m not sure what to think of, to be honest).

Instead, it was arduous, frustrating, and a harsh contradiction of what I used to love about that original adventure.

### Final Thoughts

My questions at the beginning were answered pretty clearly. Dragon Quest 1 is a game that’s hard to mess with too much, as its simplicity holds most of its lasting appeal. Adding too much makes it top-heavy, although it doesn’t help when what is added feels shallow and poorly balanced.

Perhaps there’s another version of this project that’s simply better in my eyes that pulls the effort off more cleanly. In fact, I can see the vision in Dragon Quest 2, which is a more robust, thoughtful, and gracefully implemented set of updates to what is at heart a Famicom game from the earliest days of RPG history.

The end result of this package is strangely funny: two sides of a coin I never would have expected. It’s the worst time I’ve ever had with Dragon Quest 1, and the best time I’ve ever had with Dragon Quest 2.

If this is your first time with this pair of historically powerful journeys, I almost don’t know what to tell you. But if you enjoyed your time with DQ 3 last year, you owe it to yourself to see the story through to the end. These are classics in every sense of the word, warts and all.

—

**Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake** is available on October 30, 2025, for the PC, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

*A Switch 2 code was provided by the publisher for this review.*
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146558/dragon-quest-1-2-hd-2d-remake-review-score

general

Fact Check: Did Democrats Vote Against Funding SNAP Benefits?

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**Senate Democrats Vote 12 Times Against Funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program**

*By Andrew Stanton | Newsweek | October 28, 2025*

Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

—

**Community Reactions**

A user named DallasBiff commented on the situation, highlighting the ongoing political debates surrounding SNAP funding.

Another commenter, SaveFerris, referenced a biblical passage, Luke 17:28:
*”As it was in the days of Lot; They did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold…”* — drawing parallels to current socio-political circumstances.

—

**Disclaimer:**
Opinions expressed on Free Republic are those of individual posters and do not necessarily represent the views of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted are protected accordingly.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4349444/posts

general

Verano Holdings Corp. (VRNO:CA) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript

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Operator: Good day, and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Verano Holdings Corp. Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call.

[Operator Instructions]

Please be advised that today’s conference is being recorded.

[Operator Instructions]

I would now like to hand the conference over to your speaker today, Steve Mazeika, VP, Communications.

—

**Steve Mazeika**
*Vice President of Corporate Communications*

Thank you, and good morning, everyone. Welcome to Verano’s Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call.

I’m joined today by George Archos, Founder and Chief Executive Officer; Rich Tarapchak, Chief Financial Officer; and Aaron Miles, Chief Investment Officer.

During this call, we will discuss our business outlook and make forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable U.S. and Canadian securities laws. These statements are based on management’s current assumptions and expectations.

Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, and achievements of the business or developments in the company’s industry to differ materially from those implied by such statements.

Actual events or results could differ considerably due to risks and uncertainties mentioned in our filings on EDGAR and SEDAR, including our financial statements for the quarter ended September 30, 2025.
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4834901-verano-holdings-corp-vrno-ca-q3-2025-earnings-call-transcript?source=feed_all_articles