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For more than a decade, the United States has sought to keep out of Syria's political debacle, seeing no viable partner. Islamist rebels' toppling of strongman Bashar al-Assad has forced a change of tune -- and a debate over just what US interests are. Donald Trump, who returns to the White House in little more than a month, on the eve of Assad's fall called Syria "a mess" and stated in his plain-speaking style that the United States should not be involved. Joe Biden's administration, after putting Syria on the backburner in a turbulent region, has offered a tacit rebuttal by stating that clear US interests are at stake -- including preventing Syria from fragmenting and avoiding a resurgence of the Islamic State extremist group. Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump's and Biden's statements could be combined and "together they make a kind of decent policy." The United States needs to address real concerns about the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda but "as far as getting involved in arranging the politics of Syria, I think that no good can come from it," Cook said. Since the presidency of Barack Obama, the United States has walked a fine line on Syria that critics often derided as a non-policy. The United States questioned the legitimacy of Assad, demanding accountability for brutality in one of the 21st century's deadliest wars, but stopped short of prioritizing his departure due to suspicions about the main rebels. The Islamist movement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has now led Assad's ouster, traces its roots to Syria's Al-Qaeda branch and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States. Since Obama's time, the United States instead has allied itself in Syria with a smaller fighting force of the Kurdish minority -- over strenuous objections of neighboring Turkey, which backs HTS -- with a narrow mission to counter the Islamic State group. Some 900 US troops remain in Syria. Assad fell in a lighting surprise offensive as his protector Russia is bogged down in its invasion of Ukraine and after Israel's military heavily degraded Assad's other key supporters -- Iran and Lebanese militia Hezbollah. Robert Ford, the last US ambassador to Syria, helped spearhead the terrorist designation of HTS in 2012 but said that the group since then has not attacked US or Western targets and has instead fought Al-Qaeda and Islamic State forces. Ford also pointed with hope to post-victory statements by rebel chief Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, including welcoming international monitoring of any chemical weapons that are discovered. "Can you imagine Osama bin Laden saying that?" said Ford, now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. "I'm not saying 'trust Jolani.' He's obviously authoritarian. He's obviously an Islamist who doesn't believe that Christians have an equal right to power as Muslims. But I sure as hell want to test him on some of these things," Ford said. He said that the United States should encourage HTS, as well as other Syrian actors, to reach out and reassure the country's diverse communities including Christians, Kurds and Alawites -- the sect of the secular-oriented Assad. Beyond that, Washington should take a back-seat and let Syrians sort out their future, he said. "We should learn from the experience in Iraq that trying to impose exiles on a population traumatized by a brutal dictatorship and war is not a recipe for success," Ford said. Outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday offered US recognition to a future government that is "credible, inclusive and non-sectarian." Trump in his first term, at the urging of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, abruptly said he would pull troops out of Syria. He backtracked after intense criticism at home and appeals from French President Emmanuel Macron, who pointed to the risk of Islamic State filling the vacuum. Trump has not indicated how he would change Syria policy this time. But he has shown no reluctance in the past to negotiate with foreign adversaries on the US blacklist, from Afghanistan's Taliban to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said there was no legal restriction on US contact with designated terrorists, although he indicated there was no direct dialogue with HTS. Natasha Hall, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Syria could face "devastating economic and humanitarian consequences" unless the United States reconsiders the terrorist designation of HTS, which impedes aid groups. "That said," she said, "if there isn't sort of an established framework for negotiations and good behavior now, before that designation is lifted, that could potentially also be a major mistake down the line for Syria's future." sct/smsSINGAPORE: China 's emissions of carbon dioxide are on course to rise slightly this year, despite rapid progress on renewables and electric vehicles, putting a key 2025 climate target further out of reach, researchers said on Wednesday. China wants to cut the amount of CO2 it produces per unit of economic growth by 18% over the 2021-2025 period, but it fell further behind this year as a result of rising energy demand, said the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air ( CREA ) in its annual assessment. China needs to cut emissions by 6% over 2024-2025 to catch up, but they are expected to inch up by a further 0.4% in 2024, according to CREA calculations, and radical measures will be required to meet the target next year. Progress has been made in curbing new steel and coal-fired power capacity, and a rapid decline in cement production has also slowed emissions growth, but CO2 from a rapidly expanding coal-to-chemicals industry increased 12.5% this year, CREA said. China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment did not immediately respond to a Reuters for comment. 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It has pledged to bring total emissions to a peak before 2030 but the United States and others have been pushing it to commit to substantial cuts by 2035. While 44% of experts polled by CREA believe China's emissions have peaked already, there was still room for further increases before 2030, with a new package of economic stimulus measures launched in September likely to spur growth in carbon-intensive sectors, CREA said. China has revealed no details about its new pledges, but an influential state-run think tank said in October that it would encourage the government to set its first ever absolute carbon emission reduction target for 2035. "The concern is that the current thinking on emission targets for the next decade is very conservative," said Lauri Myllyvirta, CREA's lead analyst. "Setting an absolute target isn't progress per se. It's the level of the target that matters." Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is November 30, 2024. 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CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — AJ Clayton scored 34 points as Ohio beat Portland 85-73 on Friday. Clayton added 12 rebounds for the Bobcats (2-4). Aidan Hadaway scored 13 points while going 5 of 12 from the floor, including 1 for 6 from 3-point range, and 2 for 3 from the line and added eight rebounds. Victor Searls had 11 points and finished 5 of 8 from the field. The Pilots (2-4) were led by Vukasin Masic, who posted 17 points. Portland also got 13 points and seven rebounds from A.Rapp. Max Mackinnon also recorded 10 points and seven rebounds. Clayton scored 14 points in the first half to help Ohio up 46-30 at the break. Ohio pulled away with a 7-0 run in the second half to extend its lead to 19 points. Clayton led the way with a team-high 20 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation's top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. But Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sharply refuted that perception after Mangione's arrest on Monday when a customer at a McDonald's restaurant in Pennsylvania spotted Mangione eating and noticed he resembled the shooting suspect in security-camera photos released by New York police. “In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this, he is no hero,” Shapiro said. “The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this morning.” Mangione's family and upbringing Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather, Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. The Mangione family also purchased Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore in 1986. On Monday, Baltimore County police officers blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to Luigi Mangione’s parents. Reporters and photographers gathered outside the entrance. The father of 10 children, Nick Mangione prepared his five sons — including Luigi Mangione’s father, Louis Mangione — to help manage the family business, according to a 2003 Washington Post report. Nick Mangione had 37 grandchildren, including Luigi, according to the grandfather's obituary. Luigi Mangione’s grandparents donated to charities through the Mangione Family Foundation, according to a statement from Loyola University commemorating Nick Mangione’s wife’s death in 2023. They donated to various causes, including Catholic organizations, colleges and the arts. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media by Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” Mangione's education and work history Mangione, who was valedictorian of his elite Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press. He learned to code in high school and helped start a club at Penn for people interested in gaming and game design, according to a 2018 story in Penn Today, a campus publication. His social media posts suggest he belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. They also show him taking part in a 2019 program at Stanford University, and in photos with family and friends at the Jersey Shore and in Hawaii, San Diego, Puerto Rico, and other destinations. The Gilman School, from which Mangione graduated in 2016, is one of Baltimore’s elite prep schools. The children of some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent residents, including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., have attended the school. Its alumni include sportswriter Frank Deford and former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In his valedictory speech, Luigi Mangione described his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” Mangione took a software programming internship after high school at Maryland-based video game studio Firaxis, where he fixed bugs on the hit strategy game Civilization 6, according to a LinkedIn profile. Firaxis' parent company, Take-Two Interactive, said it would not comment on former employees. He more recently worked at the car-buying website TrueCar, but has not worked there since 2023, the head of the Santa Monica, California-based company confirmed to the AP. Time in Hawaii and reports of back pain From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, including surfing, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back,” Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. An image posted to a social media account linked to Mangione showed what appeared to be an X-ray of a metal rod and multiple screws inserted into someone's lower spine. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. An X account linked to Mangione includes recent posts about the negative impact of smartphones on children; healthy eating and exercise habits; psychological theories; and a quote from Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti about the dangers of becoming “well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” Police report a darker turn Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by AP. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; and Michael Kunzelman in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
Published 5:19 pm Tuesday, November 26, 2024 By Associated Press Associated Press EAGAN — The game had suddenly gone sideways for the Minnesota Vikings, their 11-point lead on the Chicago Bears having evaporated in the closing seconds. They straightened it out in overtime, no sweat, because Sam Darnold simply hasn’t been fazed. Save for his occasional rash of turnovers, in games the Vikings still managed to win, Darnold proved again on Sunday in defeating the Bears that he’s directing a passing attack with the potential to be one of the NFL’s most potent. “I think he’s a mentally tough guy. I think he’s a physically tough guy. I think he’s confident in the guys around him, and I think he’s confident in our system,” coach Kevin O’Connell said after the 30-27 victory. “I think when he just continues to play quarterback at a high level, I think we’re a tough team.” After the defense forced the Bears to punt on the opening possession of overtime, Darnold led the Vikings on a 68-yard drive to set up the game-ending field goal while overcoming a 7-yard sack on the first play and two subsequent setbacks with a false start and a holding penalty. On third-and-10 from the 21, he hit Jordan Addison near the sideline for 13 yards. On first-and-15 from the 29, Darnold threaded a throw to Justin Jefferson for 20 yards after he’d muscled his way through Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson on a post route for the clutch catch after he’d been all but silenced all afternoon by a defense determined to constantly bracket him with double coverage. On second-and-11 from the 48, Darnold connected with a wide-open T.J. Hockenson underneath for 12 yards. Then two plays later off a second-and-8 play-action fake, he found Hockenson again on a deep corner route for 29 yards to put Parker Romo in prime position for the walk-off winner. “Just execute. It’s as simple as that. Just one play at a time,” said Darnold, who went 22 for 34 for 330 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. “I think I tell the guys that every single time in the huddle, but that’s my mindset every single time I’m out there on the field, especially in that situation.” Even when Jefferson continues to draw an extraordinary amount of coverage, the Vikings with Addison, Hockenson, Aaron Jones and the rest of their crew running O’Connell’s system have proven they have an offense that can go win a game when it’s required. That wouldn’t be possible without Darnold, whose career rebirth has helped spark the Vikings (9-2) become one of the league’s biggest surprises in what’s now its most difficult division. “He’s cool, calm, collected,” Hockenson said. “That’s what you want as the leader of the huddle.” What’s working The Vikings’ defense ranks ninth in the league on third downs, allowing a conversion rate of 34.5% after limiting the Bears to a 6-for-17 performance. The Vikings are tied for first on fourth downs with an allowance of 36.4% after the Bears went 2 for 3. Both conversions came in the fourth quarter during touchdown drives. The Vikings also rank fourth in the NFL in opponent points per drive (1.52). What needs help The Vikings had seven possessions that crossed the 20-yard line in Chicago, but only three of them yielded touchdowns. Their lone turnover was the type of game-altering giveaways they’ve struggled to eliminate this month, a fumble by Aaron Jones at the 1-yard line that ruined a promising first drive. The Vikings are tied for 20th in the league in red zone touchdown rate (53.9%) and are 17th in goal-to-go touchdowns (72%). Stock up Addison had eight catches for 162 yards, both career highs, and a touchdown on nine throws from Darnold. The second-year wide receiver has had a quieter season than his rookie year, but he stepped up in a significant way on an afternoon when Jefferson was as smothered by the opposing secondary as ever. Stock down TE Johnny Mundt had the onside kick glance off his shin as he charged toward the coverage, and the first kicking team recovery in the NFL this season helped the Bears extend the game. Mundt also had the false start on the overtime drive. His lone catch was a 7-yard gain when he was stopped short of the goal line, one play before the lost fumble. Mundt played 33 of 71 snaps and Hockenson took 48 snaps with Oliver out. Injuries The Vikings lost LT Cam Robinson (foot) and LB Ivan Pace (hamstring) to injuries in the first quarter against the Bears, and O’Connell said on Monday those players were still in “evaluation mode.” Oliver (ankle) will have an opportunity to return after being sidelined last week. Key number 101.7 — Darnold’s passer rating, which ranks ninth in the NFL. Darnold has posted a 100-plus passer rating in nine of 11 games this season. He had only 12 such performances in 56 career starts before joining the Vikings. Up next The Vikings have four of their next five games at home, starting with Arizona (6-5) this week, Atlanta (6-5) on Dec. 8 and a rematch with Chicago (4-7) in a Monday night game on Dec. 16.
Millions of residents across NSW have suffered blackouts as the heatwave continues to grip the nation, with temperatures expected to tip as high as 39C across parts of Sydney on Wednesday, while sheets of rain and thunderstorms continues to blanket areas of Victoria. Over the span of five days, eastern NSW has been subjected to a relentless heat spell, with residents experiencing temperatures of 35C, marking it the hottest spring in four years. The Bureau of Meteorology has maintained its three-day severe heatwave warning for eastern NSW, including Sydney, Hunter, Illawarra, Mid North Coast, South Coast and Southern Tablelands Regions, with temperatures anticipated to soar 12C above seasonal averages on Wednesday. Batemans Bay, Camden, Campbelltown, Hornsby, Liverpool Nowra, Penrith, Parramatta, Richmond and Wollongong are set to feel the brunt of the heat, with conditions in Sydney’s western suburbs expected to reach between 39-40C by 3pm on Wednesday. Millions of people have also been warned of possible power outages across the state, as the oppressive heatwave continue its chokehold, forcing people to stay inside and increase their energy supply to stay cool. The blackouts began on Tuesday afternoon in several areas of Sydney, including the CBD, where Pitt St, Sussex St and King St were plunged into darkness. Early on Wednesday morning, the blackouts continued, with more than 6000 residents in Wagga Wagga and other areas of the Riverina region waking up to power outages. Although energy distributer Ausgrid confirmed that Tuesday’s outages were caused by a faulty underground cable and weren’t heat-related, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) warned that energy supplies might be at “risk” as the sweltering heat continued into Wednesday. “We are experiencing some quite unseasonably hot weather ... and effectively that is a summer heatwave while we are still here in spring,” AEMO chief executive Daniel Westerman said. Combined with scheduled maintenance works on three of the state’s four coal-fired power stations in Bayswater, Vales Point and Eraring, the AEMO warned residents of a “tightness in electricity supply”. “It is pretty normal both generation and transmission to use periods in autumn and spring to undertake maintenance activities that do need to happen,” he continued. Residents can expect hot weather to stick around for a coupe of days before rain washes the heat away on Friday and Saturday. The heat is also targeting parts of northern Western Australia, northern and eastern Queensland, with maximum temperatures expected to soar to the mid-to-high 30s, with severe conditions holding strong until the weekend. Locations likely to be most impacted in Queensland include Weipa and Thursday Island, with temperatures tipped to reach 38C by 3pm on Wednesday. Blackout warnings have also been issued for Queensland, with the heatwave putting a strain on energy supplies. Across Victoria, bouts of heavy fog and rain have blanketed the skies, and the humidity is expected to reach levels of 100 per cent on Wednesday. Overnight, severe thunderstorms impacted parts of northern Victoria and western, inland and southern NSW, delivering strong and damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall, which led to flash flooding in some areas. While rain has battered Melbourne overnight, warmer conditions can be expected to seep into the state in the next two days, with the chance of showers decreasing into the weekend. A severe weather warning for damaging winds has been issued for people in parts of the northeast, East Gippsland and West and South Gippsland districts. Wind speeds exceeding 110km/h are anticipated to travel across the mountain peaks nut are expected to ease by the mid-afternoon. On Wednesday, Sydney will reach a top of 34C, and while conditions will be mostly sunny, people can expect cloudy skies and a chance of rain in the evening. Melbourne will be wet and humid, with a top of 28C and an 80 per cent chance of showers in the early morning and afternoon as well as the chance of a severe thunderstorm. Brisbane residents can expect a wet and warm day, with partly cloudy skies, a maximum temperature of 25C and a medium chance of a shower or two in the evening. Perth will be bright and sunny on Wednesday, with a maximum temperature of 29C and top wind speeds of 35km/h. It will be a wet day in Adelaide, with a high chance of showers in the morning and early afternoon and temperatures reaching a top of 23C. Hobart residents will also need to grab their umbrellas, starting with a foggy morning and heading into the afternoon with a 90 per cent chance of rain and a potential thunderstorm. Canberra will reach a maximum temperature of 29C, with a very high chance of rain and a thunderstorm. Winds will increase to 35km/h in the morning, easing off into the afternoon and evening. People in Darwin can expect a hot and wet day, with a high likelihood of showers in the late morning and afternoon and a chance of a thunderstorm, reaching a top of 32C.Caterpillar Inc. Maintains Dividend
Schieffelin has 18 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists as Clemson hands Penn State first loss 75-67Holiday cheer often sparks the urge to get dolled up for our year-end celebrations. Entertainment and beauty icon Gabrielle Union and celebrity hair stylist Larry Sims want to make this desire is as accessible to achieve as possible. The celebrity-stylist duo, and c o-founders of hair care line, came together with JCPenney for a nationwide partnership that’s sure to help us usher in the holidays in style. Starting November 18th, select in-store throughout the Los Angeles and San Diego, California areas will offer the “SimStyled” experience, giving patrons the opportunity to experience accessible, red-carpet worthy hair for the holidays. This partnership provides clients the choice of eight curated styles, executed by professional JCPenney hair stylists all trained by using the Flawless line. Commemorating the launch at the Glendale Galleria location, JCPenney’s team, along with Sims and , hosted an opening reception showcasing the styles the experience will soon offer. Transforming the JCPenney salon into a communal atmosphere was easy enough. Located at the rear of the first floor, the salon boasted a gorgeous space decorated in white, black, and gold hues. A spacious layout with a plethora of well-lit styling and washing stations made for a welcoming environment for event attendees to socialize and observe the style demonstrations on display. A convening of loved ones and newfound supporters alike filled the space with joyful chatter as guests mingled over holiday themed refreshments, replicating the familiar salon atmosphere many grew up around. Making your way around the salon, one can see the eight styles unfolding at the hands of the skilled JCP stylists, all of whom traveled from various JCPenney salon locations. Styles ranging from naturally curly to heat-styled ‘dos all saw Flawless products incorporated into their routines. Notably, a handful of models receiving heat-styled or straightened treatments shared that they often wear their hair natural, and love the haircare line for its versatility in treating both curly and heat-styled hair. Repeat favorites from both stylists and hair models include the Five Butter Miracle Masque and Leave-In, Hydrating Detangling Shampoo, and the Flawless 3-Minute Restoring Conditioner. As stylists performed their assorted looks, guests could walk around, speak with them about methods, and vote for their favorite styles (the bantu knots, wash-n-go, and wavy curls were front runners). Notable attendees included , , , celebrity hair stylists and barbers and , and Miss Gloria, the mother of one of Sims’ models and lifelong friends. Ranging from all walks of life, each individual present shared a love for quality hair care and intentional community. Sharing a few words to kick off the event, Union and Sims underscored their gratitude for all in attendance as well as for each other, demonstrating what a decades-long friendship and working relationship looks like. Union stated three values that guided her decisions as well as the shaping of this salon experience: family, money, and time. “I do what makes me happy, what allows me to maintain and expand my peace, joy, and what keeps me looking good.” As for Sims? “When it comes to creating, it comes from the core of my soul. I don’t do it for the money,” he tells ESSENCE. “I do it for the way that it makes me feel and for the way that I know that it makes others feel,” he—who grew up in Chicago, being surrounded by so many expressions and stewards of Black beauty—adds. As for what makes work so well and stand out amongst a crowd of others? Partnership. The full line of products, sold at JCPenney, is a joint creation by both Sims and Union. The actress expresses how integral it was to ensure she and Sims were on equal footing in all areas of the business, respecting Sims’ expertise in the area rather than allowing her name alone to take the lead. In return, Sims discusses how committed Union is to every step of the process from formulation to user experience. “We are sold in places that are actually in the community, and in locations that are not going to demonize or criminalize our consumer,” Union begins. “They actually work, and they’re not going to break the bank. We’re also humble. We listen, we read the comments. We can’t get defensive, we just get better.” And no matter what the two do, they deeply understand the impact beauty can have on confidence and presence, and point to the sacred relationship between beauty professionals and their clients. For this reason, Sims affirms that clients will walk away from the SimStyled experience feeling beautiful and “respected for your time and your hair, and beautiful in the style that you have chosen.”Article content Canada’s privacy commissioner says LinkedIn has paused training its artificial intelligence models on data from Canadian users. Recommended Videos Philippe Dufresne says his office was informed of the pause by the tech platform, which he had reached out to after media reports suggested LinkedIn was training AI models with data from Canadian users it had not informed of the practice first. Dufresne says he has requested information from LinkedIn about the company’s training practices as well as how it obtains consent from its members. He says LinkedIn believed it had taken a “privacy protective” approach to training its AI models but will now work to ensure it has met the requirements of privacy laws before restarting the practice. Dufresne says even when personal information is publicly accessible, it is subject to privacy laws and must be adequately protected. LinkedIn suspended using U.K. user data to train its artificial intelligence models in September, after Britain’s information commissioner raised similar concerns.CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — AJ Clayton scored 34 points as Ohio beat Portland 85-73 on Friday. Clayton added 12 rebounds for the Bobcats (2-4). Aidan Hadaway scored 13 points while going 5 of 12 from the floor, including 1 for 6 from 3-point range, and 2 for 3 from the line and added eight rebounds. Victor Searls had 11 points and finished 5 of 8 from the field. The Pilots (2-4) were led by Vukasin Masic, who posted 17 points. Portland also got 13 points and seven rebounds from A.Rapp. Max Mackinnon also recorded 10 points and seven rebounds. Clayton scored 14 points in the first half to help Ohio up 46-30 at the break. Ohio pulled away with a 7-0 run in the second half to extend its lead to 19 points. Clayton led the way with a team-high 20 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Drones for commercial and recreational use have grown rapidly in popularity, despite restrictions on who can operate them and where they can be flown. No-fly zones are enforced around airports, military installations, nuclear plants, certain landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, and sports stadiums during games. Not everybody follows the rules. Sightings at airports have shut down flights in a few instances. Reported sightings of flying over New Jersey at night in recent weeks have created anxiety among some residents, in part because it is not clear who is operating them or why. Some state and local officials have called for stricter rules to govern drones. After receiving reports of drone activity last month near Morris County, New Jersey, the Federal Aviation Administration issued temporary bans on drone flights over a , New Jersey, that is owned by President-elect Donald Trump, and over . The FAA says the bans are in response to requests from “federal security partners.” Who regulates drones? The FAA is responsible for the , and Congress has written some requirements into law. Who enforces the rules? With a 2018 law, the Preventing Emerging Threats Act, Congress gave certain agencies in the Homeland Security and Justice departments authority to counter threats from unmanned aircraft to protect the safety of certain facilities. New drones must be outfitted with equipment allowing law enforcement to identify the operator, and Congress gave the agencies the power to detect and take down unmanned aircraft that they consider dangerous. The law spells out where the counter-drone measures can be used, including “national special security events” such as presidential inaugurations and other large gatherings of people. What does it take to become a drone pilot? To get a “remote pilot certificate,” you must be at least 16 years old, be proficient in English, pass an aeronautics exam, and not suffer from a ”mental condition that would interfere with the safe operation of a small unmanned aircraft system.” Are drones allowed to fly at night? Yes, but the FAA imposes restrictions on nighttime operations. Most drones are not allowed to fly at night unless they are equipped with anti-collision lights that are visible for at least 3 miles (4.8 kilometers). Are drones a hazard? Over the past decade, pilots have reported hundreds of close calls between drones and airplanes including airline jets. In some cases, airplane pilots have had to take evasive action to avoid collisions. Drones buzzing over a runway at London’s Gatwick Airport during the Christmas travel rush in 2018 and . Police dismissed the idea of shooting down the drones, fearing that stray bullets could kill someone. Advances in drone technology have made it harder for law enforcement to find rogue drone operators — bigger drones in particular have more range and power. Will drone rules get tougher? Some state and local officials in New Jersey are calling for stronger restrictions because of the recent sightings, and that has the drone industry worried. Scott Shtofman, director of government affairs at the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, said putting more limits on drones could have a “chilling effect” on “a growing economic engine for the United States.” “We would definitely oppose anything that is blindly pushing for new regulation of what are right now legal drone operations,” he said. AirSight, a company that sells software against “drone threats,” says more than 20 states have enacted laws against privacy invasion by drones, including Peeping Toms. Will Austin, president of Warren County Community College in New Jersey, and founder of its drone program, says it’s up to users to reduce public concern about the machines. He said operators must explain why they are flying when confronted by people worried about privacy or safety. “It’s a brand new technology that’s not really understood real well, so it will raise fear and anxiety in a lot of people,” Austin said. “We want to be good professional aviators and alleviate that.” ___ Associated Press reporter Rebecca Santana in Washington, D.C., contributed. David Koenig, The Associated PressSmall, luxury foods are great as stocking stuffers or other gifts. Ideas for under $50
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