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One of the key concerns surrounding this situation is the financial burden it places on the individual and their family. With the annual premiums for the multiple insurance policies amounting to a significant portion of their retirement savings, there is a growing fear that the family's finances may be stretched thin, or worse, face a crisis if unexpected expenses arise.Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad fled to Moscow on Sunday, Russian media reported, hours after a stunning rebel advance took over the capital of Damascus and ended the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule. The Russian agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source on Mr. Assad and his family being given asylum in Moscow, his longtime ally and protector. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but contacted the Kremlin for comment. RIA also said Moscow had received guarantees from Syrian insurgents of the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. Mr. Assad reportedly left Syria early Sunday, and Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule. The swiftly moving events have raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Russia has requested an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council discuss the situation in Syria, Russia's first deputy permanent representative to the U.N., Dmitry Polyansky, posted on Telegram. Joyful crowds gathered in squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and residence after Mr. Assad and other top officials vanished. Abu Mohammed al-Golani, a former al-Qaeda commander who cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country's future. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, Mr. al-Golani visited the sprawling Umayyad Mosque and called Mr. Assad's fall "a victory to the Islamic nation." Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he told hundreds of people that Mr. Assad had made Syria "a farm for Iran's greed." The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and still split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in some remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement early Sunday saying Mr. Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. They called on people to preserve the institutions of "the free Syrian state." The rebels later announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. The rebels said they freed people held at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed. A video circulating online purported to show rebels breaking open cell doors and freeing dozens of female prisoners, many of whom appeared shocked. At least one small child was seen among them. "This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he," said one relative, Bassam Masr. "I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years." Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi later appeared on state TV and sought to reassure Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, saying: "Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects." "We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. Celebrations in the capital Damascus residents prayed in mosques and celebrated in squares, calling, "God is great." People chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Revelers filled Umayyad Square, where the Defense Ministry is located. Some waved the three-starred Syrian flag that predates the Assad government and was adopted by the revolutionaries. Elsewhere, many parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. Soldiers and police left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Videos showed families wandering the presidential palace, some carrying stacks of plates and other household items. "It's like a dream. I need someone to wake me up," said opposition fighter Abu Laith, adding the rebels were welcomed in Damascus with "love." At the Justice Ministry, where rebels stood guard, Judge Khitam Haddad said they were protecting documents from the chaos. Outside, some residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Mr. Assad. The rebels "have felt the pain of the people," said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria's al-Watan newspaper, which was historically pro-government, wrote: "We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood." It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements, saying it "only carried out the instructions." A statement from the Alawite sect that has formed the core of Mr. Assad's base called on young Syrians to be "calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country." The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to "extend its hand" to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office and to the Four Seasons hotel on Sunday. Anwar Gargash said Mr. Assad's destination at this point is a "footnote in history," comparing it to the long exile of German Kaiser Wilhelm II after World War I. Calls for an orderly transition The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which provided crucial support to Mr. Assad throughout the uprising, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Mr. Assad's rule was a major blow to Iran and its allies, already weakened by conflict with Israel. Iran, which had strongly backed him throughout the civil war, said Syrians should decide their future "without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention." The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said Israeli troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Israel's military later warned residents of five southern Syria communities to stay home for their safety, and didn't respond to questions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied, and the Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called Israel's efforts to take advantage of Mr. Assad's downfall occupy more territory. The rebels are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, which has its origins in al-Qaeda and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Al-Golani, has sought to recast the group as a moderate and tolerant force. "Golani has made history and sparked hope among millions of Syrians," said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group. "But he and the rebels now face a formidable challenge ahead." The U.N.'s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an "orderly political transition." The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. They included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need "to engage all parties on the ground," including the HTS, and that the main concern is "stability and safe transition." This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Abby Sewell reported from Beirut. Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, contributed.
Overall, the signing and launching ceremony of the Chinese barter trade service platform in Beijing was a resounding success, highlighting the growing momentum behind alternative trading methods in the country. As businesses and stakeholders embrace this new paradigm in commerce, the platform is poised to become a catalyst for transformative change in the way trade is conducted, paving the way for a more dynamic and resilient economy.For game developers and publishers, the release of a major title like "GTA 6" can have a significant impact on their own projects. A collision with the launch of a highly-anticipated game like this one could potentially overshadow their own releases, resulting in diminished sales and visibility. As such, many in the industry are actively monitoring any news or updates regarding the release date of "GTA 6" to strategically plan around it.Stock futures are little changed after S&P 500 posts third-straight winning week: Live updates
TSMC's ability to adapt to changing market dynamics, innovate with new technologies, and meet the evolving needs of its customers has been key to its success. By continuously investing in research and development, expanding its production capacity, and maintaining high standards of quality and reliability, TSMC has established itself as a trusted partner for companies looking to develop cutting-edge semiconductor solutions.A police case has been filed against poll strategist-turned political leader Prashant Kishor, leaders of his Jan Suraaj party, a few coaching centre owners and 700 unknown protesters over the student protests in Bihar held on Sunday. Kishor and others have been been accused of " unauthorisedly" gatherin g people, instigating them and creating a law and order problem, according to reports. Kishore joined the students protesting against the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination, and slammed the treatment of students by the Bihar government on December 29. He accused the Bihar government of turning democracy into "lathi-tantra," and emphasised the right to protest of the students in public spaces. Protest at Gandhi Maidan turns violent Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party, the police said, held a protest march without permission and led the crowd near Patna's Gandhi Maidan, which turned violent, breaking police loudspeakers and clashing with magistrates and police officers on duty. "Despite repeated requests by the administration, these people violated the guidelines of the administration and disrupted public order," the police said. Police were seen using batons and water cannons to disperse the crowd of students gathered to protest against BPSC aspirants. The protesting students in Patna are demanding the cancellation of the Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on December 13 The students gathered at Gandhi Maidan before marching towards JP Golambar, intending to proceed to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence. They wanted to meet him and discuss the issue. Kishor extends support Kishor expressed his support for the students and participated in their march to JP Golambar. He announced that a students' delegation would meet the Chief Secretary. But the students refused to meet anyone but the Chief Minister and their insistence led to the police action. "We are not going for a protest. Students are sitting there, we are going to meet them. Gandhi Maidan is a public place, people go there every day. If the students do not have any place, they will go to a public place. I don't know why the government has made it a question of its prestige, somewhere they are harming themselves," Kishor had said. Jan Suraaj, became a political party in October this year and is expected to contest in all seats of Bihar in the next year's assembly election. (With PTI inputs)Former U.S. presidents joined world leaders and others in mourning former President Jimmy Carter after his death Sunday at age 100, recalling him as a humble humanitarian and global statesman who fought for peace and democracy during his four years in the White House and in his long and active postpresidency. As news of Carter’s death at his home in Plains, Georgia, spread across the world, others who have occupied the Oval Office paid tribute to his life, saying he had been guided by his Christian faith and his dedication to charity and kindness. They remembered him not only for accomplishments in office but for his work through The Carter Center, which he and his wife, Rosalynn, founded after his presidency to promote peace, fight disease and combat social inequality. President Joe Biden, who was a first-term senator from Delaware when Carter was elected president in 1976, called Carter a “dear friend” who “saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.” “He worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us,” Biden said in a statement. He added that young Americans and “anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning” should look to Jimmy Carter. Former President Bill Clinton, who had a complicated relationship with Carter but seemed to cement his friendship with him when he awarded the Carters the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999, said in a statement that Jimmy Carter was a leader “guided by faith” who “worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world.” Clinton applauded Carter for reaching a peace deal between Egypt and Israel, and for his advancement of environmental protections. He also praised Carter for his charitable works, including as a volunteer for more than 30 years for Habitat for Humanity, which builds affordable housing. Even as a frail figure in his later years, Carter swung a hammer and wielded a drill on the group’s homebuilding projects, solidifying his image as a man who put his beliefs into action. Carter Dignified the Presidential Office: Bush Former President George W. Bush mentioned this work in a statement Sunday, noting that “his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency.” Bush said Carter “was a man of deeply held convictions” and “dignified” the presidential office. Former President Barack Obama recalled Carter not only for his accomplishments in diplomacy and domestic affairs but for his fundamental integrity, respect and compassion. “Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values,” Obama said in a post on the social platform Medium. “He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice and service.” Obama said hundreds of people would come to hear Carter speak on the occasional Sunday morning at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. While many came to hear an accomplished former president preach, Obama said many showed up because of “President Carter’s decency.” President-elect Donald Trump noted the “enormous responsibility” that American presidents carry and said it was a burden that only the members of the “very exclusive club” of former presidents could relate to. “The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, his social media platform. “For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.” In October, Trump was the only living president or former president who did not contribute a video message to Carter for his 100th birthday. Instead, on a campaign stop in Wisconsin, Trump said Carter was happy because his presidency was successful compared with that of Biden, whom Trump deemed “the worst.” Trump and other members of the “exclusive club” that is the presidency will have a chance to gather early in the new year, when Carter’s funeral is expected to take place. This article originally appeared in .
Price fall in large-cap drives stocks further down
As South Korea braces itself for the potential repercussions of the impeachment process, the military's commitment to upholding the rule of law and maintaining operational readiness is paramount. Defense Minister Suh Wook's assurance that the chain of command remains intact provides a sense of reassurance to the public and underscores the importance of a strong and unified defense establishment.Nobel recipient Geoffrey Hinton wishes he thought of AI safety sooner Geoffrey Hinton says he doesn’t regret the work he did that laid the foundations of artificial intelligence, but wishes he thought of safety sooner. Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press Dec 8, 2024 10:42 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Nobel laureate in physics Geoffrey Hinton gives a Nobel Prize lecture in physics in Aula Magna, Stockholm University, Sweden, on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS//TT News Agency-Pontus Lundahl via AP Geoffrey Hinton says he doesn’t regret the work he did that laid the foundations of artificial intelligence, but wishes he thought of safety sooner. The British-Canadian computer scientist often called the godfather of AI said over the weekend that he doesn’t have any guilty regret, which he said is when someone has done something when they know they shouldn’t have at the time. “In the same circumstances, I would do the same again,” he said of his research, which dates back to the 1980s and has formed the underpinnings of AI. “However, I think it might have been unfortunate in that we're going to get superintelligence faster than I thought, and I wish I'd thought about safety earlier.” Superintelligence surpasses the abilities of even the smartest humans. Hinton thinks it could arrive in the next five to 20 years and humanity may have to “worry seriously about how we stay in control.” Hinton made his prediction during a press conference in Stockholm, where he is due to a receive the Nobel Prize in physics on Tuesday. Hinton, a University of Toronto professor emeritus, and co-laureate John Hopfield, a Princeton University professor, are being given the prize because they developed some of the foundations of machine learning, a computer science that helps AI mimic how humans learn. Hinton kicked off his Nobel week on Saturday with the press conference, where he appeared with laureates in chemistry and economics and was asked about AI safety and regulation. Hinton left a job at Google last year to speak more freely about the technology's dangers, which he has said could include job losses, bias and discrimination, echo chambers, fake news, battle robots and even the end of humanity. On Saturday, he said he considers lethal autonomous weapons to be a short-term danger. "There isn't going to be any regulation there," he said, pointing out that European regulations have a specific clause exempting military use of AI from restrictions. "Governments are unwilling to regulate themselves, when it comes to lethal autonomous weapon, and there is an arms race going on between all the major arms suppliers like the United States, China, Russia, Britain, Israel and possibly even Sweden, though I don't know." A day later, Hinton put his concerns about AI aside to deliver a lecture with Hopfield explaining the research that earned them their Nobel. "Today I am going to do something very foolish." Hinton said in introducing his portion of the pair's hour-long speech. "I am going to try and describe a complicated technical idea for a general audience without using any equations." The audience chuckled. The talk began with Hopfield describing a network he invented that could store and reconstruct images in data. It led Hinton to later create the Boltzmann machine, which learns from examples, rather than instructions, and when trained, can recognize familiar characteristics in information, even if it has not seen that data before. Hinton said students in his lab and others run by fellow AI pioneers Yoshua Bengio and Yann LeCun were using Boltzmann machines to pre-train neural networks — machine learning models that make decisions in a manner similar to the human brain — between 2006 and 2011. By 2009, two of Hinton's students had showed the technique "worked a little bit better than the best existing techniques for recognizing fragments of phonemes in speech and that then changed the speech recognition community," Hinton said. Phonemes are small units of sound that can change the meaning of a word. Google later began working on technology based on Hinton's discoveries and "suddenly the speech recognition on the Android got a lot better." Even though the kind of Boltzmann machines Hinton was working with back then are no longer used in the same ways as he used them, he said "they allowed us to make the transition from thinking that deep neural networks would never work to seeing that deep neural networks actually could be made to work." Nobel Week will continue Monday with a discussion about the future of health before an awards ceremony and banquet is held Tuesday. Hinton has said he will donate a portion of the prize money — equivalent to about C$1.45 million — he and Hopfield will be given to Water First, which is working to boost Indigenous access to water, and a charity supporting neurodiverse young adults. He is also reportedly due to donate an early Boltzmann chip to the Nobel Prize Museum. The Nobel is not the only prize Hinton scooped up this month. On Friday, he, Bengio, LeCun, Chinese-American computer scientist Fei-Fei Li and Nvidia founder Jensen Huang, were awarded the Vin Future Prize, a US$3 million prize for science breakthroughs in a ceremony in Vietnam. Hinton, Bengio and LeCun previously won the A.M. Turing Award, known as the Nobel Prize of computing, together in 2018. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Dec. 8, 2024. Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National News Border control and tariffs: Quebec Premier François Legault meets Trump in Paris Dec 8, 2024 10:23 AM Updated advisory urges Canadians to avoid all travel to Syria, leave if possible Dec 8, 2024 8:14 AM Understanding the science behind Hinton and Hopfield's Nobel Prize in physics Dec 8, 2024 8:12 AM Featured FlyerBy JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. What happened at Enron? Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. Is Enron coming back? On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. What do former Enron employees think of the company’s return? Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70
Thompson-Herro fight leads to ejections of multiple players and coaches in Heat's victory in HoustonUS President Joe Biden on Sunday said deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad should be "held accountable" but called the nation's political upheaval a "historic opportunity" for Syrians to rebuild their country. In the first full US reaction to Assad's overthrow by an Islamist-led coalition of rebel factions, Biden also warned that Washington will "remain vigilant" against the emergence of terrorist groups, announcing that US forces had just conducted fresh strikes against militants from the Islamic State organization. "The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice," Biden said, speaking from the White House. "It's a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria." Asked by reporters what should happen to the deposed president, who reportedly has fled to Moscow, Biden said that "Assad should be held accountable." Biden -- set to step down in January and make way for Republican Donald Trump's return to power -- said Washington will assist Syrians in rebuilding. "We will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations, to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward independent, sovereign" Syria "with a new constitution," he said. However, Biden cautioned that hardline Islamist groups within the victorious rebel alliance will be under scrutiny. "Some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human right abuses," Biden said. The United States had "taken note" of recent statements by rebels suggesting they had since moderated, he said, but cautioned: "We will assess not just their words, but their actions." Biden said Washington is "clear eyed" that the Islamic State extremist group, often known as ISIS, "will try to take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish" itself in Syria. "We will not let that happen," he said, adding that on Sunday alone, US forces had conducted strikes against ISIS inside Syria. The US military said the strikes were conducted by warplanes against Islamic State operatives and camps. More from this section Strikes were carried out against "over 75 targets using multiple US Air Force assets, including B-52s, F-15s, and A-10s," the US Central Command said on social media. Earlier, Biden met with his national security team at the White House to discuss the crisis. Assad's reported departure comes less than two weeks after the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group challenged more than five decades of Assad family rule with a lightning rebel offensive that broke long-frozen frontlines in Syria's civil war. They announced Sunday they had taken the capital Damascus and that Assad had fled, prompting celebrations nationwide and a ransacking of Assad's luxurious home. A Kremlin source told Russian news agencies that the deposed leader was now in Moscow, along with his family. The US military has around 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as part of the international coalition established in 2014 to help combat the Islamic State jihadist group. It has regularly struck targets in the country including those linked to Iranian-backed militias. Tehran was a major backer of Assad's government. Biden also confirmed US authorities believe the American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria in 2012, still lives. "We believe he's alive," Biden said, but the US has yet "to identify where he is." bur-sms/mlm
The use of 3D printed guns in criminal activities has been a growing concern for law enforcement agencies worldwide. These weapons, created using readily available technology and materials, present a unique challenge for authorities in terms of detection and regulation. The shooting of the insurance CEO serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers posed by such firearms in the wrong hands.Nasdaq, S&P 500 post record closing highs; investors await more dataIn addition to their technical prowess, The Holy Altar Duo is also known for their sportsmanship and grace both on and off the court. They exhibit the true spirit of badminton, showcasing respect for their opponents and a deep appreciation for the sport. Their professionalism and humility have earned them respect and admiration from fans and fellow players alike, further solidifying their reputation as not just exceptional athletes, but also role models in the world of badminton.On the other side of the pitch, Lazio will be looking to cause an upset and secure a vital victory against Inter Milan. The Biancocelesti have been impressive in both Serie A and the Champions League this season, with star players like Ciro Immobile and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic shining on the big stage. Lazio's attacking prowess and defensive solidity make them a formidable opponent for any team, and Inter Milan will have to be at their best to secure a positive result.
The Vinland Blue Skin, obtained through completing a series of in-game challenges, features a design that pays homage to the Vinland expedition led by Norse explorer Leif Erikson. The skin, predominantly blue in color with a stylized Viking longship motif, has been praised for its attention to detail and nod to the game's Viking theme. However, it is the additional details on the skin that have raised eyebrows among some players.The community has rallied together in support of Samantha and her family during this challenging time. Friends, classmates, and concerned citizens have volunteered to distribute flyers, organize search parties, and provide emotional support to the distraught family. The outpouring of solidarity and compassion has been heartwarming, demonstrating the power of unity and community resilience in times of crisis.In recent news, Tencent Video has announced a new policy that limits the number of devices on which a member can be logged in simultaneously. This move is aimed at cracking down on account sharing and ensuring fair usage of their premium content. Following Tencent's footsteps, Aiyou Teng, another popular video streaming platform, is also implementing measures to tackle the same issue.
Three of these images are fake. Can you spot the real image? Some images generated by artificial intelligence have become so convincingly real that there is no surefire way to spot the fakes. But experts say there are still things we can try to detect fakes. "Media literacy is super awesome," said Matt Groh, assistant professor at Northwestern University. "But it needs to extend to AI literacy. Like the classic kind of things that you want to teach in media literacy, we still need to teach those same things. We just need to add the AI portion to it now." RELATED STORY | Nobel Prize in physics awarded to 2 scientists for discoveries that enabled artificial intelligence Groh's team at Northwestern released a guide on how to spot AI generated images. The full preprint paper was released in June. "So what we've done is we've articulated 5 different categories of artifacts, implausibilities," Groh said. "Ways to tell AI-generated image apart from a real photograph." The academic preprint guide offers detailed tips, tricks and examples on spotting AI-generated images. It also teaches important questions to consider when consuming media. Anatomical implausibilities The first and easiest telltale signs: anatomical implausibilities. Ask yourself: Are the fingers, eyes, and bodies off? Are there extra limbs or do they bend strangely? Are there too many teeth? Stylistic implausibilities Ask yourself: Do images seem plastic, glossy, shiny or cartoonish? Are there overly dramatic or cinematic? Functional implausibilities Ask yourself: Is text garbled? Is clothing strange? Are objects not physically correct, like how this backpack strap merges into clothing? Violation of physics Ask yourself: Are light and shadows off? Are there impossible reflections? Sociocultural implausibilities Ask yourself: Are there images that are just too unbelievable or historically inaccurate? RELATED STORY | AI voice cloning: How programs are learning to pick up on pitch and tone "What we're trying to do is give you a snapshot of what it looks like in 2024 and how we can help people move their attention as effectively as possible," Groh said. "Education is really the biggest thing. There's education on the tools," said Cole Whitecotton, senior professional research associate at the National Center for Media Forensics. Whitecotton encourages the public to educate themselves and try AI tools to know their capabilities and limits. "I think everybody should go out and use it. And look at how these things do what they do and understand a bit of it," he said. "Everyone should interact with ChatGPT. In some way. Everyone should interact with Midjourney. And look at how these things do what they do and understand a bit of it." Whitecotton suggests being inquisitive and curious when scrolling through social media. "If you interacted with every piece of content in that way, then there you would be a lot less likely to be duped and to be sort of sucked into that sort of stuff, right?" he said. "How do you interact with Facebook and with Twitter and all these things? How do you consume the media?" Whitecotton added. RELATED STORY | Biden's AI advisor speaks on AI policy, deepfakes, and the use of AI in war While AI-generated images and videos continue to evolve, Groh and his team offer a realistic approach to a changing technological landscape where tips and tricks may become outdated quickly. "I think a real, good, useful thing is we build this. We update this every year. Okay, some of these things work. Some of these things don't. And I think once we have a base, we're able to update it," Groh said. "I think one of the problems is we didn't have a base. And so one of the things we're really excited about is even sharing our framework, because I think our framework is going to help people just navigate that conversation." So were you able to guess which image is real? If you guessed the image of the girl in the bottom left corner, you are correct! "It sucks that there's this misinformation in the world. But it's also possible to navigate this new problem," Groh said. If you want to test yourself even more, the Northwestern University research team has released this site that gives you a series of real and AI-generated images to differentiate.Farmers’ Protest: Kisans Call for ‘Punjab Bandh’ Today; Roads and Railway Services Likely To Be Disrupted, Emergency Services Will Remain Open
Is Enron back? If it’s a joke, some former employees aren’t laughing
In a shocking turn of events, a highly anticipated PlayStation 4 exclusive game has been cancelled due to what developers have described as poor management practices at Ubisoft. The news has sent shockwaves through the gaming community, with many expressing their disappointment and frustration at the decision.Beam Therapeutics Presents New Non-human Primate (NHP) Data Demonstrating Proof-of-concept for ESCAPE, a Non-genotoxic, Antibody-based Conditioning Approach to Treating Sickle Cell Disease, at American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting
NoneWhen asked about his favorite aspect of the "MonZuo" hairstyle, Zuo's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "I love how the 'MonZuo' hairstyle can evoke a wide range of emotions in just one glance. From joy to mystery, from elegance to rebellion, each expression tells a unique story. It's like painting a canvas with hair, using 800 brushstrokes of creativity."
Apple might finally stop embarrassing iPhone owners by boosting iPhone 17 refresh rate