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IMF greenlights further $360 million in Ghana aid

13Apr

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Business

IMF greenlights further $360 million in Ghana aid

ACCRA: The International Monetary Fund on Saturday said it had validated a fresh tranche of aid of $360 million for Ghana as the country seeks to exit an economic crisis.The latest aid comes as part of a second review of the IMF's $3 billion assistance package to Accra, which was approved in May last year, to help Ghana shore up its public finances and better manage its heavy debt load."IMF staff and the Ghanaian authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on the second review of Ghana's economic programme under the Extended Credit Facility," said IMF mission head for Ghana Stephane Roudet, referring to an aid programme for political services and economic reforms.The latest package means total IMF financial support released under the agreement since May 2023 is worth about $1.5 billi...

Teenage Engineering TP-7 Field Recorder Review: Price, Specs, Availability, Features

7Apr

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Technology

Teenage Engineering TP-7 Field Recorder Review: Price, Specs, Availability, Features

Recorders, generally speaking, are meant to sit in the background, quietly absorbing sound without contributing to it. They’re a neutral, inconspicuous product type almost by necessity. If you’re recording field audio, like trying to capture the perfect loon call out in the wild, you’d be better served by a proper shotgun mic to pinpoint the sound. Audio recorded directly in a studio sounds great on the TP-7, but again, you can handle that with some far less expensive yet still really good microphones.The device can also be tricky to navigate, with some menu diving required to access certain features that won’t feel intuitive right away. There’s also some kinks you’ll find if you’re coming from another type of recorder.As one example, I tried to feed music from Spotify through the TP-7 to...

Ugmonk Analog Starter Kit Review: Go Analog to Be Productive

5Apr

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Technology

Ugmonk Analog Starter Kit Review: Go Analog to Be Productive

Many years ago, I asked my most accomplished, successful friend what his secret to success was. His answer was simple, but it also changed my life. He said, “I make a list of all the stuff I need to do, then I do it.” He happened to use 3x5 index cards for his lists, so I copied the idea.Over time, I took his simple system and worked it into my life, and decades on, I still start most days by pulling out an index card and working on whatever it says I need to do. At the end of the day, I glance at a longer list of projects (not on an index card) and a list of more strategic goals, along with my calendar, and decide what to put on the index card for tomorrow.I talked about this system in our Best Paper Planners guide, and a WIRED reader emailed me to ask whether I had ever heard of Analog,...

TCL QM8 Review: A TV That Scratches the Projector Itch

4Apr

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Technology

TCL QM8 Review: A TV That Scratches the Projector Itch

Since the beginning of broadcast, TV brands have been battling for technological supremacy. They were all expensive. From initial tube models to plasmas, LED, and now Mini LED and OLED, you used to have to pay an arm and a leg for a large screen that looked good. (Unless you wanted it in a Michael Scott dinner-party size, of course.)These days, you really don't have to pay that much. Enthusiasts can shell out for 8K resolution or OLED displays with perfect black levels at extreme sizes, but most people who are just streaming movies, sports, or video games can get a great viewing experience with a mid-tier option like this TCL QM8. Unless you're hoarding an epic 4K Blu-ray collection in the basement or hosting a massive server with lossless rips, you probably won't see much of a difference...

Guava Family Roam Stroller Review (2023): Convenient Jogging Stroller

23Dec

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Technology

Guava Family Roam Stroller Review (2023): Convenient Jogging Stroller

Once it's folded, the stroller is considerably smaller than any of the other joggers I've tested from Thule and Bob. It looks as small as a standard stroller while folded, but it stands up better than most strollers you'll find, thanks to the handlebar at the base.Pump the BrakesThe biggest downside of this jogger is clear: the lack of a hand brake.It's usually an included feature in any jogging stroller to better control your pace as you run, especially if you're running on hills or slopes of any kind. Otherwise, you have to manage the stroller as you run downhill, instead of being able to control the stroller's speed to match yours.Some have better hand brakes than others. Thule's discreet but easy-to-use brake is my personal favorite, which is one of the many reasons it's our top pick ...

Work Louder Creator Board Review: An Ortholinear Keyboard

17Dec

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Technology

Work Louder Creator Board Review: An Ortholinear Keyboard

There are two solutions to this. A keycap's width is measured in “u," so the letters and numbers on your keyboard are all typically “1u.” Since the spacebar on the Creator Board is a 2u, I replaced the keycap with a 1u key, leaving 0.5u gaps on either side. This doesn’t fix anything, but it does make it easier for my thumb to know where to press, since there isn’t any dead space.The second solution is a testament to this keyboard’s customizability, but could also be seen as a representation of its greatest flaw. If you want, you can desolder the singular spacebar switch and replace it with two regular keys, which can then function as a split spacebar. It’s a great solution, but it feels like it’s solving a problem of its own creation. For what it's worth, Work Louder says it's considering...

Tom Bihn Trinity Bag Review: Convertible Travel Briefcase

7Dec

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Technology

Tom Bihn Trinity Bag Review: Convertible Travel Briefcase

When I was a child, shuttling back and forth between the United States and summers with relatives in the Philippines, I carried two months’ worth of clothes in a small duffel so that I could use my checked suitcase to bring gifts back and forth across the Pacific. Back then, being a light packer meant traveling with only a carry-on. If you had told me that even overhead bin space would someday be at a steep premium, I’m not sure I would’ve believed you.That was a long time ago, when airlines gave you complimentary fresh baguettes with tongs and little bottles of wine (not to children) on international flights. Now many affordable airlines, including Spirit and Allegiant, charge you extra even for carry-ons. In addition to saving you money, traveling with only a personal item means that yo...

Technics SU-GX70 Network Amplifier Review: Classic Looks, Modern Sound

21Nov

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Technology

Technics SU-GX70 Network Amplifier Review: Classic Looks, Modern Sound

Within the app, you’ll find a relatively intuitive interface that lets you futz with tons of settings, choose inputs, and stream audio via services like Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, and others. You can add Favorites for quick access to a wide array of local and global radio stations or play directly from Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, or Bluetooth. You can also stream hi-res audio files from a local server at up to 384 kHz/32-bit resolution or DSD up to 11.2 MHz.The GX70’s spread of connection options is impressive and includes three digital inputs (two optical and one Coax), USB-B and USB-A, and good ol’ FM radio. Outputs include a front-facing headphone output, stereo speaker outs, and a preamp output for connecting a second amp or a powered sub. So yeah, you won’t run out of ways t...

Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum Review: Time’s Up for ICE Trucks

17Nov

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Technology

Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum Review: Time’s Up for ICE Trucks

I come from a long line of F-150s. One of my earliest vehicular memories is bouncing around in the back of a red, late-90s step-side that my grandpa trucked around his cattle ranch in the Sierra Nevadas. That truck eventually gave way to a silver 2004 model that got passed down to me in 2014, then a blue-green 2015 model that I inherited when Gammy and Papa (as I still call them) sold the ranch a few years later. And I've been driving them hard around the Pacific Northwest ever since.For myself and Papa Hall, now in his mid-eighties, trucks are tools. Despite the fact that he did shell out for extras like an extra-large tank (“so that I wouldn't have to pay for gas in California”), they were for hauling firewood, towing trailers, and driving a series of black and brown labs to go duck hun...

Focal Theva No. 1 Speakers Review: Smooth and Creamy

6Nov

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Technology

Focal Theva No. 1 Speakers Review: Smooth and Creamy

I spent a couple of weeks with the speakers, swapping them in after the B&W 606 S3. While they didn’t immediately wow me as I focused on evaluating TVs and other gear, they stepped in pretty seamlessly for my usual KEF LSX 2.1 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) reference system that includes SVS’s 3000 Micro subwoofer, which in itself says a lot about the Thevas’ sonic skills. They don’t offer the same thunderous bass, but the 6.5-inch drivers held their own down low across content.I spent most of my listening powering the speakers with a Naim Uniti Atom (8/10, WIRED Recommends) amplifier, which as it happens is owned by the same company as Focal. As you may guess, it makes for a fabulous pairing, though few would call it an affordable one. The Theva still sounded quite good with the cheaper Te...