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Israel has agreed to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon that will take effect at 4 a.m. Wednesday. Moments after U.S. President Joe Biden announced the ceasefire deal , which Israel's Cabinet approved late Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike slammed into the Lebanese capital. Residents of Beirut and its southern suburbs have endured the most intense day of Israeli strikes since the war began nearly 14 months ago, as Israel's nationwide onslaught of bombings signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold. At least 42 people have been killed by Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Tuesday, according to local authorities. Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel on Tuesday, triggering air raid sirens in the country’s north. An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza. Hezbollah began attacking Israel a day after Hamas’ attack. The fighting in Lebanon escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes across the country and an Israeli ground invasion of the south. In Gaza, more than 44,000 people have been killed and more than 104,000 wounded in the nearly 14-month war between Israel and Hamas, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Here's the Latest: PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah marked a “new page” for Lebanon and called on its leaders to elect a president “without delay.” In a video message on X, Macron said restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty depends on ending the presidential vacuum. “It is the responsibility of Lebanese authorities and all those in senior political roles,” he said. BEIRUT — Ahmad Khateeb, a musician and artist who performs in a renowned theater in Beirut’s Hamra neighborhood, fled to the city’s seaside promenade with seven members of his family after the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings for four targets in central Beirut, including one close to his area. “This is the first time this area in Ras Beirut, Hamra, has received such a threat. This neighborhood has historically been a refuge for everyone,” Khateeb told The Associated Press. Outside the American University of Beirut Medical Center in Hamra, dozens of people sought refuge, hoping the hospital would not be targeted. Among them was Rima Abdkhaluk, who sat on a sidewalk with a backpack at her side. “I was at home having lunch when I received a call from (relatives) in Syria telling me they were about to hit Hamra,” she said. She quickly packed her belongings and left with her mother. She convinced the hospital’s staff to allow her mother inside while she waited outside on a piece of cardboard. Israeli jets struck Beirut’s Mar Elias neighborhood as Abdkhaluk was speaking to The Associated Press. She held her hands tightly together and prayed. “I just need to see where they hit,” she started saying frantically. Asked about the expected ceasefire, Abdkhaluk was skeptical. “I don’t believe it. Israel can’t be trusted.” BEIRUT — The Health Ministry in Lebanon says 18 more people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes across the country, bringing the total death toll on Tuesday to at least 42 people. Eleven people were killed by Israeli bombing in eastern Lebanon, four were killed by strikes on border crossings between northern Lebanon and Syria, and three people were killed in southern Lebanon, the Health Ministry said early Wednesday. In the hours before a ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel launched its most intense wave of strikes on the capital Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict. Strikes have targeted what Israel said were Hezbollah-related targets in several other parts of the country as well. Israel’s military issued a record number of evacuation warnings in Beirut, sending people fleeing from their homes. Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel on Tuesday, triggering air raid sirens across the country’s north. UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations chief welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, and hopes it can end the violence and suffering of people in both countries, the U.N. spokesman says. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel and Hezbollah to swiftly implement all commitments under the agreement, and take immediate steps toward fully implementing the 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution that ended the last Israel-Hezbollah war, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said late Tuesday. Resolution 1701 called for the deployment of Lebanese forces throughout the south, which borders Israel and is now mainly controlled by Hezbollah, and it calls for all armed groups including Hezbollah to be disarmed. Neither has happened in the past 17 years. Dujarric said U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon “both stand ready to support the implementation of this agreement, in line with their respective mandates.” WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s senior national security team was briefed by the Biden administration as negotiations unfolded, according to the senior U.S. official. The official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity in a White House-organized call, added that the incoming Trump administration officials were not directly involved in the talks, but that it was important that the incoming administration knew “what we were negotiating and what the commitments were.” The official said “all fire will stop from all parties” at 4 a.m. local time. The next step would be what the official described as a “phased withdrawal” by the Israeli military. As the Israelis pull back, Lebanese national forces will occupy the territories. The process is slated to finish within 60 days. Lebanese forces is supposed to patrol the area and remove Hezbollah weaponry and infrastructure there. “Hezbollah is incredibly weak at this moment, both militarily and politically,” the official said. “And this is the opportunity for Lebanon to re-establish its sovereignty over its territory.” The official said the ceasefire agreement will strengthen what’s known as the “tripartite mechanism” by including the United States and France. The goal is to address violations of the ceasefire without a return to hostilities. UNITED NATIONS – The top U.N. envoy for Lebanon welcomed the ceasefire announcement and urged Israel and Hezbollah militants to take concrete actions to fully implement the 2006 agreement that ended their last war. U.N. Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said the agreement “marks the starting point of a critical process” that must see both sides fully implement U.N. Security Council resolution 1701. It called for the deployment of Lebanese armed forces in the south bordering Israel and the disarmament of all armed groups including Hezbollah – neither of which has happened in the past 17 years. “Nothing less than the full and unwavering commitment of both parties is required,” Hennis-Plasschaert said. “Neither side can afford another period of disingenuous implementation under the guise of ostensible calm.” She commended the parties for “seizing the opportunity to close this devastating chapter,” stressing that “Now is the time to deliver, through concrete actions, to consolidate today’s achievement.” UNITED NATIONS — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is calling for urgent international intervention to stop what he described as “an ongoing genocidal war” in Gaza. Abbas heads the Palestinian Authority which has limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, but not Gaza, which has been controlled by Hamas. The U.S. and others want a reinvigorated Palestinian Authority to run Gaza when the war ends. In a speech on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Abbas accused Israel of repeating what happened to the Palestinians in 1948 and 1967 – displacing them and seizing their land and resources. Abbas demanded to know how long the world will remain silent and refuse to compel Israel to abide by international law. The speech to U.N. member nations was read by Palestinian U.N. ambassador Riyad Mansour. “The only way to halt the halt the dangerous escalation we are witnessing in the region, and maintain regional and international stability, security and peace, is to resolve the question of Palestine,” Abbas' speech said. This must be done in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolutions which call for a two-state solution, he said. BEIRUT -- Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hezbollah, describing it as a crucial step toward stability, the return of displaced people to their homes and regional calm. Mikati made these comments in a statement issued just after U.S. President Joe announced the truce deal. Mikati said he discussed the ceasefire agreement with Biden by phone earlier Tuesday. The prime minister reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to implementing U.N. resolution 1701, strengthening the Lebanese army’s presence in the south, and cooperating with the U.N. peacekeeping force. He also called on Israel to fully comply with the ceasefire and withdraw from southern Lebanon in accordance the U.N. resolution. JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security Cabinet has approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, clearing the way for the truce to take effect. Netanyahu’s office said the plan was approved by a 10-1 margin. The late-night vote came shortly before President Joe Biden was expected to announced details of the deal in Washington. Earlier, Netanyahu defended the ceasefire, saying Israel has inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah and could now focus its efforts on Hamas militants in Gaza and his top security concern, Iran. Netanyahu vowed to strike Hezbollah hard if it violates the expected deal. WASHINGTON — Rep. Mike Waltz, President-elect Donald Trump’s designate to be national security adviser, credited Trump’s victory with helping bring the parties together toward a ceasefire in Lebanon. “Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump,” he said in a post on X on Tuesday. “His resounding victory sent a clear message to the rest of the world that chaos won’t be tolerated. I’m glad to see concrete steps towards deescalation in the Middle East.” He added: “But let’s be clear: The Iran Regime is the root cause of the chaos & terror that has been unleashed across the region. We will not tolerate the status quo of their support for terrorism.” BEIRUT — Israeli jets targeted a building in a bustling commercial area of Beirut for the first time since the start of the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel. The strike on Hamra is around 400 meters (yards) from the country’s central bank. A separate strike hit the Mar Elias neighborhood in the country’s capital Tuesday. There was no immediate word on casualties from either strike, part of the biggest wave of attacks on the capital since the war started. Residents in central Beirut were seen fleeing after the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings for four targets in the city. Meanwhile, the Israeli army carried out airstrikes on at least 30 targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including two strikes in the Jnah neighborhood near the Kuwaiti Embassy. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that 13 people were injured in the strikes on the southern suburbs. BEIRUT — Hezbollah has said it accepts the ceasefire proposal with Israel, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state.” of Lebanon, he said. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Among the issues that may remain is an Israeli demand to reserve the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. The deal seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he would recommend his Cabinet adopt a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, as Israeli warplanes struck across Lebanon, killing at least 23 people. The Israeli military also issued a flurry of evacuation warnings — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah down to the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. For the first time in the conflict, Israeli ground troops reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River, a focal point of the emerging deal. In a televised statement, Netanyahu said he would present the ceasefire to Cabinet ministers later on Tuesday, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting. Netanyahu said the vote was expected later Tuesday. It was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect, and the exact terms of the deal were not released. The deal does not affect Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which shows no signs of ending. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state media said Israeli strikes on Tuesday killed at least 10 people in Baalbek province the country’s east. At least three people were killed in the southern city of Tyre when Israel bombed a Palestinian refugee camp, said Mohammed Bikai, a representative of the Fatah group in the area. He said several more people were missing and at least three children were among the wounded. He said the sites struck inside the camp were “completely civilian places” and included a kitchen that was being used to cook food for displaced people. JERUSALEM — Dozens of Israeli protesters took to a major highway in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening to call for the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as the country awaited news of a potential ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Protesters chanted “We are all hostages,” and “Deal now!” waving signs with faces of some of the roughly 100 hostages believed to be still held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are thought to be dead. Most of the other hostages Hamas captured in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack were released during a ceasefire last year. The prospect of a ceasefire deal in Lebanon has raised desperation among the relatives of captives still held in Gaza, who once hoped that the release of hostages from Gaza would be included. Instead of a comprehensive deal, the ceasefire on the table is instead narrowly confined to Lebanon. Dozens of Israelis were also demonstrating against the expected cease-fire, gathering outside Israel’s military headquarters in central Tel Aviv. One of the protesters, Yair Ansbacher, says the deal is merely a return to the failed 2006 U.N. resolution that was meant to uproot Hezbollah from the area. “Of course that didn’t happen,” he says. “This agreement is not worth the paper it is written on.” FIUGGI, Italy — Foreign ministers from the world’s industrialized countries said Tuesday they strongly supported an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and insisted that Israel comply with international law in its ongoing military operations in the region. At the end of their two-day summit, the ministers didn’t refer directly to the International Criminal Court and its recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over crimes against humanity . Italy had put the ICC warrants on the official meeting agenda, even though the G7 was split on the issue. The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, isn’t a signatory to the court and has called the warrants “outrageous.” However, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said all the other G7 countries were signatories and therefore obliged to respect the warrants. In the end, the final statement adopted by the ministers said Israel, in exercising its right to defend itself, “must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including international humanitarian law.” And it said all G7 members — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – “reiterate our commitment to international humanitarian law and will comply with our respective obligations.” It stressed that “there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel.” The ICC warrants say there's reason to believe Netanyahu used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny. BEIRUT — An Israeli strike on Tuesday levelled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded in Beirut, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. It was not immediately clear if anyone in particular was targeted, though Israel says its airstrikes target Hezbollah officials and assets. The Israeli military spokesman issued a flurry of evacuation warnings for many areas, including areas in Beirut that have not been targeted throughout the war, like the capital’s commercial Hamra district, where many people displaced by the war have been staying. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks in Lebanon during the final hours before a ceasefire is reached, sparked panic and sent residents fleeing in their cars to safer areas. In areas close to Hamra, families including women and children were seen running away toward the Mediterranean Sea’s beaches carrying their belongings. Traffic was completely gridlocked as people tried to get away, honking their car horns as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. The Israeli military also issued warnings for 20 more buildings in Beirut’s suburbs to evacuate before they too were struck — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah in the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. TEL AVIV, Israel — The independent civilian commission of inquiry into the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel has found Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly responsible for the failures leading up to the attack, alongside former defense ministers, the army chief and the heads of the security services. The civil commission presented its findings today after a four-month probe in which it heard some 120 witnesses. It was set up by relatives of victims of the Hamas attack, in response to the absence of any state probe. The commission determined that the Israeli government, its army and security services “failed in their primary mission of protecting the citizens of Israel.” It said Netanyahu was responsible for ignoring “repeated warnings” ahead of Oct. 7, 2023 for what it described as his appeasing approach over the years toward Hamas, and for “undermining all decision-making centers, including the cabinet and the National Security Council, in a way that prevented any serious discussion” on security issues. The commission further determined that the military and defense leaders bear blame for ignoring warnings from within the army, and for reducing the army’s presence along the Gaza border while relying excessively on technological means. On the day of the Hamas attack, the report says, the army’s response was both slow and lacking. The civil commission called for the immediate establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack. Netanyahu has opposed launching a state commission of inquiry, arguing that such an investigation should begin only once the war is over. JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military says its ground troops have reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River — a focal point of the emerging ceasefire. In a statement Tuesday, the army said it had reached the Wadi Slouqi area in southern Lebanon and clashed with Hezbollah forces. Under a proposed ceasefire, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Israeli border. The military says the clashes with Hezbollah took place on the eastern end of the Litani, just a few kilometers (miles) from the border. It is one of the deepest places Israeli forces have reached in a nearly two-month ground operation. The military says soldiers destroyed rocket launchers and missiles and engaged in “close-quarters combat” with Hezbollah forces. The announcement came hours before Israel’s security Cabinet is expected to approve a ceasefire that would end nearly 14 months of fighting. BEIRUT — Israeli jets Tuesday struck at least six buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including one that slammed near the country’s only airport. Large plumes of smoke could be seen around the airport near the Mediterranean coast, which has continued to function despite its location beside the densely populated suburbs where many of Hezbollah’s operations are based. The strikes come hours before Israel’s cabinet was scheduled to meet to discuss a proposal to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The proposal calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. There were no immediate reports of casualties from Tuesday’s airstrikes. FIUGGI, Italy — EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. (edited)Chief ‘disappointed’ to see clean water used as a political ‘tactic’ by Conservatives

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Building the current crop of artificial intelligence chatbots has relied on specialized computer chips pioneered by Nvidia, which dominates the market and made itself the poster child of the AI boom. But the same qualities that make those graphics processor chips, or GPUs, so effective at creating powerful AI systems from scratch make them less efficient at putting AI products to work. That’s opened up the AI chip industry to rivals who think they can compete with Nvidia in selling so-called AI inference chips that are more attuned to the day-to-day running of AI tools and designed to reduce some of the huge computing costs of generative AI. “These companies are seeing opportunity for that kind of specialized hardware,” said Jacob Feldgoise, an analyst at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology. “The broader the adoption of these models, the more compute will be needed for inference and the more demand there will be for inference chips.” It takes a lot of computing power to make an AI chatbot. It starts with a process called training or pretraining — the “P” in ChatGPT — that involves AI systems “learning” from the patterns of huge troves of data. GPUs are good at doing that work because they can run many calculations at a time on a network of devices in communication with each other. However, once trained, a generative AI tool still needs chips to do the work — such as when you ask a chatbot to compose a document or generate an image. That’s where inferencing comes in. A trained AI model must take in new information and make inferences from what it already knows to produce a response. GPUs can do that work, too. But it can be a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. “With training, you’re doing a lot heavier, a lot more work. With inferencing, that’s a lighter weight,” said Forrester analyst Alvin Nguyen. That’s led startups like Cerebras, Groq and d-Matrix as well as Nvidia’s traditional chipmaking rivals — such as AMD and Intel — to pitch more inference-friendly chips as Nvidia focuses on meeting the huge demand from bigger tech companies for its higher-end hardware. D-Matrix was founded in 2019 — a bit late to the AI chip game, as CEO Sid Sheth explained during a recent interview at the company’s headquarters in Santa Clara, California, the same Silicon Valley city that’s also home to AMD, Intel and Nvidia. “There were already 100-plus companies. So when we went out there, the first reaction we got was ‘you’re too late,’” he said. The pandemic’s arrival six months later didn’t help as the tech industry pivoted to focus on software to serve remote work. Now, however, Sheth sees a big market in AI inferencing, comparing that later stage of machine learning to how human beings apply the knowledge they acquired in school. “We spent the first 20 years of our lives going to school, educating ourselves. That’s training, right?” he said. “And then the next 40 years of your life, you kind of go out there and apply that knowledge — and then you get rewarded for being efficient.” The product, called Corsair, consists of two chips with four chiplets each, made by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. — the same manufacturer of most of Nvidia’s chips — and packaged together in a way that helps to keep them cool. The chips are designed in Santa Clara, assembled in Taiwan and then tested back in California. Testing is a long process and can take six months — if anything is off, it can be sent back to Taiwan. D-Matrix workers were doing final testing on the chips during a recent visit to a laboratory with blue metal desks covered with cables, motherboards and computers, with a cold server room next door. While tech giants like Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft have been gobbling up the supply of costly GPUs in a race to outdo each other in AI development, makers of AI inference chips are aiming for a broader clientele. Forrester’s Nguyen said that could include Fortune 500 companies that want to make use of new generative AI technology without having to build their own AI infrastructure. Sheth said he expects a strong interest in AI video generation. “The dream of AI for a lot of these enterprise companies is you can use your own enterprise data,” Nguyen said. “Buying (AI inference chips) should be cheaper than buying the ultimate GPUs from Nvidia and others. But I think there’s going to be a learning curve in terms of integrating it.” Feldgoise said that, unlike training-focused chips, AI inference work prioritizes how fast a person will get a chatbot’s response. He said another whole set of companies is developing AI hardware for inference that can run not just in big data centers but locally on desktop computers, laptops and phones. Better-designed chips could bring down the huge costs of running AI to businesses. That could also affect the environmental and energy costs for everyone else. Sheth says the big concern right now is, “are we going to burn the planet down in our quest for what people call AGI — human-like intelligence?” It’s still fuzzy when AI might get to the point of artificial general intelligence — predictions range from a few years to decades. But, Sheth notes, only a handful of tech giants are on that quest. “But then what about the rest?” he said. “They cannot be put on the same path.”

ATLANTA — Holidays are a time for families and friends to gather, but for older people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, it can cause so much stress and confusion that they could be in danger of what experts calls wandering. “I would say around the holiday time is the biggest challenge for people with dementia,” said Kim Franklin, senior manager of programs and services at the Georgia chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. “Schedules are changing, people are traveling, families are coming together and friends are coming over. There’s a lot of chaos going on and that can cause a person to wander. They want to get away. It’s hard for them to process what’s happening.” The Alzheimer’s Association reports 72 percent of dementia patients who wander are found alive by the next day. Alerting 911 as soon as the person goes missing is critical. The odds of survival decrease as more time passes. Angel Alonso, president of Georgia Emergency Search and Recovery based in Gwinnett County, said the vast majority — between 60 and 70 percent — of the 30 to 40 calls the nonprofit received last year involved people with the disease. “We get so many Alzheimer’s calls,” said Vice President John Clark, who is also volunteer instructor with the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. For caregivers and loved ones, a relative who goes missing is devastating. Two of Clark’s grandparents had dementia, so he gravitated to search and rescue to help other families and caregivers keep their loved ones safe. He’s consulted with police departments across metro Atlanta on the best ways to find people with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias can cause people to lose their ability to recognize people and places that are familiar. According to the Alzheimer’s Association there are often warning signs that a person might wander. Six in 10 people with dementia will wander during the course of the disease. That includes people returning from a regular walk or drive later than usual. Or they may talk about fulfilling former obligations, such as going to work or talk about going home even when they’re at home. Sometimes they become restless and pace or make repetitive movements. Clark recounted one call for help when a family reported a missing relative, but they insisted she couldn’t have gone far because of a bad knee that limited her to walking no further than the mailbox. Searchers found the missing woman 7 miles from home. Even those who have never shown an interest in wandering might start without warning. Dan Goerke is fortunate. His late wife, Diane, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2012, once went missing from the car of a caregiver. The caregiver had stopped for an errand. Diane had waited alone in cars as people ran errands before. But this time, when the caregiver returned, Diane was gone but her seat belt was still fastened. “It was like she disappeared into thin air,” said Goerke, who said he doesn’t blame the caregiver. Fortunately, she was found uninjured and nearby a short time later that same day. Goerke said it’s hard for caregivers to always be on guard for wandering. “We have so many things to juggle that’s not necessarily at the top of our minds. We have to manage medications, take them to doctor’s appointments, cook meals and taking care of things day to day,” he said. Clark said when searching for someone with dementia, one of the keys is to know what the person was like before their diagnosis. Often their long-term memories are still strong. They once found a woman who walked out of her home and went to where she used to shop and to her old job, although it had closed. Recently, GESAR unveiled a new tool to search for missing people: Maverick. An 8-month-old chocolate Labrador retriever, Maverick is in training to be part of the GESAR search and research team that will track missing people, including wandering dementia patients in metro Atlanta. In cases involving children and people with dementia, a dog’s personality can also be an asset. Labs like Maverick are friendly and affectionate, not imposing or threatening like some other breeds — and less likely to scare the person who is lost. Canines can be used in searches in both rural and urban areas. “He’s an asset,” said Maverick’s handler, Carmen Alonso. “His nose can pick up odors and track where a person has been that we might not think to go that direction.” At the Cobb County Police Department, Public Information Officer Sgt. Eric Smith said if dogs are needed to search for a wanderer they call the sheriff’s department, which has bloodhounds. “They’re not apprehension dogs so there’s little or no likelihood of a bite,” he said. Technology can also help, Smith said. Searchers can use drones and families can install technology on a person’s car to help locate it or use other kinds of trackable devices including on their phone. “We get so many Alzheimer’s calls,” said Clark, who is also a volunteer instructor with the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Most cases they’ve worked on have had favorable results, according to the Georgia Emergency Search and Recovery organization. No two searches are the same, said Sgt. Jeremy Blake of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office. “When responding to calls for a missing person, the response is different than that of a fleeing suspect,” he wrote in an email. “The K-9s that are used to track missing persons are not trained in the apprehension of suspects. ... Often times, if the K-9 cannot locate the missing person, they can provide officers with a more accurate direction of travel than they may previously had.” Nearly 7 million U.S. residents age 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s according to the most recent Facts & Figures report. Of those, more than 188,000 Georgians ages 65 and older also have been diagnosed with the disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association Georgia Chapter. Facts on wandering: There is a better chance of being found in urban environments because of a higher probability of a “good Samaritan” stepping in. Wanderers may give no forewarning. Often those with memory issues wander away during activities they’ve done safely in the past, such as shopping or sitting on a front porch. Some people who still drive can become disoriented and drive for miles away from home. According to the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, on average, half the calls for missing persons involve the elderly or someone with disabilities. If a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia disappears: Call 911 as soon as possible. Have a photograph available for first responders and an article of clothing to provide a scent for search dogs. Sharing what the missing person liked to do in prior years can be a key: Did they have a job they went to every day? Did they like to fish or go to a certain spot? Searchers will need to know the last time the person was seen to help determine how far a person might have wandered. Source: Alzheimer’s Association and Cobb County Police Department.

The 2023-24 school year saw more international students in the United States than ever before — setting a new record largely driven by graduate students and recent graduates in internship-type programs. Over 1.1 million international students were in the U.S. during the last academic year, according to a survey of nearly 3,000 colleges and universities by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and sponsored by the U.S. State Department. The new figures mark a full rebound from the start of the pandemic, when international enrollment dropped by 15%. But experts say those increases could once again be threatened under the incoming Trump administration, which upended the lives of many international students and workers in its first term. Already, a few schools have recommended that their international students traveling overseas for winter break consider returning to the U.S. before President-elect Trump takes office on Jan. 20. That includes the University of Massachusetts Amherst , Wesleyan University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . International students have made up around 5% of all college and university students in recent years. In the last school year, they injected about $44 billion into the U.S. economy, while also supporting about 378,000 jobs across the country, according to the group NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Mirka Martel, who led the IIE survey, said while there is uncertainty, historically there has been bipartisan support to continue to welcome international students. "We've seen numbers go up and down in the past, but overall, we've seen that there has been support, because of how much international students bring through economy and through culture to our states," she said. For the first time in 15 years, Indian students outnumber Chinese students The new record in international students is largely fueled by graduate students and those in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows foreign students to briefly work in the U.S. after completing their studies. While the number of undergraduate students stayed about the same compared to the previous year, the graduate cohort and OPT program grew by about 8% and 22% respectively — reaching historic highs. Meanwhile, India and China together accounted for over half of all international students in the U.S., according to the IIE. But for the first time since 2009, more students came from India than China, with over 331,000 students from India present during the 2023-24 school year. The number of international Indian students has been rising since 2021, in particular due to an increase in the number of Indian graduate students coming to the U.S. Meanwhile, the number of international Chinese students has been waning since the pandemic. But China remains the top-sending country for undergraduates, with 87,000 students. "What we're seeing is that the number of undergraduate students in some countries has been taking longer to rebound than the graduate numbers," Martel from IIE said. California, New York and Texas continue to be the most popular states for international students, but Missouri saw the biggest growth last school year, followed by Michigan and Illinois. STEM fields remained a favorite, drawing over half of all international students. Trump imposed restrictions affecting some international students in his first term Before Trump took office in 2017, the number of newly arrived international students in the U.S. had been rising for nearly a decade. During his first term, those numbers fell every year. But experts say international enrollment has fluctuated throughout the years, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact cause for the change in numbers. One of Trump's first initiatives upon taking office in 2017 was ordering a travel ban for nearly all travelers from several majority-Muslim countries. It was challenged in courts, but led to students being detained at airports or forced to return to their home countries. (It was later reversed by President Biden on his first day in office.) Students from China also faced heightened scrutiny when it came to their visas amid an increase in U.S.-China tensions. That meant extra screenings, shorter stays, or even cancellations for at least hundreds of students. And in 2020, the Trump administration temporarily barred international college students from being in the U.S. if their classes were entirely online. The move was met with swift backlash and quickly reversed . Students and schools remain wary of incoming Trump administration During this year's presidential campaign, Trump said it was important to retain international student talent. "What I will do is, you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the All-In Podcast in June. But some schools and international students in the U.S. have remained wary of the incoming Trump administration, given the president-elect's first term. At the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Yewon You from South Korea and Rachel Syuen from Malaysia told NPR they felt a lot of uncertainty going into the new presidency. Both are in the U.S. as participants in the Sony Music Group Global Scholars scholarship program. You, who is a senior, said she has been closely monitoring the news on visas, foreign workers and immigration. She added that she adjusted her winter break plans to return to the U.S. before the inauguration as a precaution. You's biggest concern is about securing a job in the U.S. after college. Her big dream is to work in Hollywood and produce film scores, specifically for sci-fi movies. But she knows it can be difficult to obtain a work visa , and that visa policies change frequently. "I'm a senior and with a new president, there's overlap on the pressure and uncertainty in finding a job after I graduate," You said. Syuen, also a senior, was initially excited by Trump's promise of green cards for international students, but now questions if he will follow through due to a lack of details. Syuen said opportunities to study music in Malaysia were limited. She hopes to stay in the U.S. to produce music that blends her experiences, like incorporating traditional Chinese instruments into pop. "I am equally nervous about everything, but I am also doing my part just to be a better version of myself each and every single day so that I remain competitive," Syuen said. Copyright 2024 NPR

Running back Jace Clarizio flipped his commitment from his local team, Michigan State, to Alabama. The decision, announced by Clarizio on social media Tuesday, comes after the East Lansing (Mich.) High standout visited head coach Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide on Nov. 16. "Great program," Clarizio told On3. "Playing on the biggest level. ... All the people and coaches I met and interacted with were all great people. The atmosphere was crazy." The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is ranked as the No. 33 running back by On3 and tabbed No. 35 in their industry ranking. In May, he had verbally committed to the Spartans, where his father, Craig Johnson, was a running back and defensive back who was a member of the 1987 Rose Bowl-winning squad under coach George Perles. --Field Level MediaBrazilian police formally accuse former President Bolsonaro and aides of alleged 2022 coup attempt

AP Business SummaryBrief at 5:14 p.m. ESTThe PGA Tour announced its schedule of seven post-season tournaments for the fall of 2025 on Tuesday with no Las Vegas event on the calendar for the first time since 1983. The lineup is one fewer than this year and tees off with the Procore Championship in Napa, California, on September 11-14, two weeks after the 2025 Tour Championship. Absent from the schedule is the Shriners Children's Open in Las Vegas. After the Ryder Cup next September at Bethpage Black, the PGA Tour events resume with the Sanderson Farms Championship on October 2-5. The PGA Tour's Japan stop, the Baycurrent Classic, will be October 9-12 at Yokohama Country Club followed by the Black Desert Championship on October 23-26 in Utah. The World Wide Technology Championship at Los Cabos, Mexico, will be November 6-9 followed the next week by the Bermuda Championship and the RSM Classic on November 20-23 at Sea Island, Georgia. "With events in four US states, Japan, Mexico and Bermuda, the conclusion to the 2025 golf calendar promises to be exciting for our fans worldwide," said Tyler Dennis, PGA Tour chief competitions officer. Under tighter qualifying rules for the 2026 PGA Tour approved by the Player Advisory Council last month, only the top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings will secure exempt status with the 50 who reach next year's BMW Championship being exempt into signature events for 2026. Those ranked 51st and beyond will take FedEx Cup points into the fall to try and accumulate eligibility points for the 2026 campaign. Three PGA Tour Challenge season events will be played next December -- the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas hosted by Tiger Woods, the LPGA-PGA mixed-team Grant Thornton Invitational and the PNC Championship parent-child event. Tour commissioner Jay Monahan also announced Tuesday that the PGA is searching for a new chief executive officer whose job would be to grow the business side of the operation in light of the $1.5 billion investment in PGA Tour Enterprises by Strategic Sports Group, a set of team sports owners. js/bbMembership of UK's anti-immigration Reform party surpasses ConservativesHurricanes, Rangers on different paths entering rematch of playoff bout

ProTuningLab Unveils Cutting-Edge Summer Collection of Automotive Lighting Solutions 11-26-2024 09:28 PM CET | Associations & Organizations Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: Economical Click Enhancing Style, Safety, and Visibility with Innovative Headlight and Taillight Designs ProTuningLab, a leader in aftermarket automotive parts and accessories, has announced the launch of its exclusive summer collection of automotive lighting solutions. This cutting-edge lineup features state-of-the-art projector headlights, LED taillights, and unique designs such as Angel Eye Halo rings and sequential turn signals, redefining both style and functionality for vehicles of all makes and models. The new collection focuses on blending advanced technology with sleek aesthetics, offering drivers unparalleled visibility, safety, and customization options. Designed to enhance nighttime driving and increase on-road safety, these lighting upgrades include features like improved light projection, energy-efficient LEDs, and stylish enhancements that add a modern touch to any vehicle. "ProTuningLab has always been committed to delivering top-tier automotive innovations that meet the needs of our customers," said Philip Lam, spokesperson for ProTuningLab. "With our new summer lighting collection, drivers can elevate their vehicles' performance and style while ensuring safer journeys. Whether you're upgrading for aesthetics or functionality, this collection has something for everyone." Free ground shipping is also available for orders within the U.S., ensuring customers can enjoy these upgrades at unbeatable value. About ProTuningLab ProTuningLab, Inc. is a premier online retailer of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories. Headquartered in the City of Industry, CA, the company specializes in lighting, engine upgrades, and exterior modifications for a wide range of vehicles. With a commitment to quality, affordability, and innovation, ProTuningLab empowers car enthusiasts to customize their rides with confidence. For more information about the summer collection or to browse ProTuningLab's extensive product catalog, visit www.protuninglab.com [ https://www.protuninglab.com/ ]. Media Contact Company Name: Pro Tuning Lab Contact Person: Philip Lam Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=protuninglab-unveils-cuttingedge-summer-collection-of-automotive-lighting-solutions ] Phone: 1-909-253-0026 Country: United States Website: http://www.protuninglab.com This release was published on openPR.

( MENAFN - PR Newswire) eMemory's Michael Ho discusses how the company is addressing the memory and security challenges in high-performance computing applications. TAIPEI, Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In today's era of the Internet of Everything (IoE), especially with the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI), which in turn has ushered in the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) trend, chip design demands have further intensified. Not only do advanced, high-end applications require powerful CPU cores for processing, but also an increased demand for memory-modern chips need the capability to store critical information, even when powered off. "With the push toward higher performance and power efficiency, devices like mobile phones, laptops, and cloud data centers increasingly rely on advanced process chips," says Michael Ho, President of eMemory Technology Inc., during an interview with EE Times Asia. "Today's applications, especially in HPC (high-performance computing] and AI, demand powerful chips capable of processing large volumes of data and images with enhanced speed and efficiency." eMemory is one of the leading providers of non-volatile memory (NVM) IP. "At eMemory, we focus on multimemory development. Our product line includes OTP [one-time programmable], which includes a floating-gate type NeoBit and the antifuse type NeoFuse; MTP [multiple-time programmable], where we have NeoEE and NeoMTP; and we are also providing a PUF-based security solution and our own embedded flash, NeoFlash," explains Ho. However, Ho notes that as process shrinks, challenges arise in both process and chip architecture, requiring adjustments to maintain performance, such as controlling electron flow and preventing leakage, which can impact power efficiency and reliability. " To meet the demands of advanced applications, it is essential to extend our NVM capabilities to advanced processes. However, these processes are highly complex, making it impractical to tailor them to perfectly align with the design of every individual component." explains Ho. "Our engineers have to find different kind of ways-from device level to design level-to achieve a very reliable and robust NVM technology in those advanced process nodes." NeoFuse, eMemory's advanced anti-fuse OTP solution and a recipient of the Best IP/Processor of the Year award at EE Awards Asia 2024, solves a key industry challenge: scaling with advanced nodes without increasing cost or design complexity. "As advanced processes develop to 5nm, the rated supply voltage of a component lows from 1.8V to 1.2V. NeoFuse's design needed to overcome the challenge of lower power supply while maintaining high programming voltage and performance. NeoFuse uses an innovative circuit that boosts the internal voltage three to four times higher while maintaining reliability of devices. Its new architecture also achieves high temperature tolerance, supporting up to 150°C in sub-5nm processes," explains Ho. Additionally, to fulfill the new demand of the advanced applications, eMemory's NeoFuse reserves parity bits in each word as a standard design, enabling clients to implement Error Correction Code (ECC) schemes to ensure data integrity. This makes it an ideal solution for high-reliability SoC applications, including automotive systems and beyond. "NeoFuse aims to support all kinds of cutting-edge applications' advancements," Ho says. But what also makes NeoFuse a recipient of an EE Awards is its uniqueness. Compared to eFuse, NeoFuse's mechanism makes the physical differences between programmed and unprogrammed cells invisible, making it a safer option than eFuse. In addition, when there is a large capacity requirement, the required area (footprint) of NeoFuse is also relatively economical. "Compared to other OTP, NeoFuse's patented 3T structure adds a regulating transistor to improve yield, reliability, and programming success compared to traditional 2T designs, which reduces testing time and costs," says Ho. "Compatible with standard logic processes, NeoFuse supports fast time-to-market, quality, and cost efficiency for leading-edge applications. As an OTP that always passes advanced processes-from 16nm to 3nm-at the first cut, NeoFuse is ideal for demanding applications such as AI, HPC, data centers and automotive fields." Meanwhile, when it comes to high-end applications, all chips that require a large amount of computing faces the challenge of a sudden increase in SRAM demand and a decline in yield. To address this issue, eMemory recently cooperated with Siemens on an SRAM repair toolset, which integrates the NeoFuse OTP into Siemens' Tessent MemoryBIST (Built-in Self-Test) tool, and coupled with the interface design jointly developed by eMemory subsidiary PUFsecurity Corp. to makes the SRAM repair tool easier to use. "Siemens' Tessent MemoryBIST has a market share of more than 90%, so, cooperating with Siemens on SRAM Repair is an OTP application trend that we value very much," says Ho. Addressing Chip Security Issues Apart from the increasing complexity of chip designs to address the high-performance requirements and interconnectedness of the latest applications in almost every sector, another critical challenge that designers are intensely focusing on is security . In the automotive sector, fintech, industrial automation, or even personal devices such as smartphones and portables, chip security has never been more critical amid the increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. In fact, threat actors can even leverage the use of advanced AI, especially generative AI, to create malicious content to harm devices. These trends-the need to secure interconnected devices, protect sensitive data across a wide range of applications, the growing urgency to combat cyber risks-bode well for the embedded security industry and its ecosystem. According to research firm MarketsandMarkets, the embedded security market is expected to grow from $7.4 billion in 2023 to around $9.8 billion by 2028-growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7% from 2023 to 2028. And leading this front is eMemory subsidiary PUFsecurity Corp. eMemory has further invented NeoPUF with nearly ideal PUF performance through NeoFuse technology. Based on its NeoFuse and NeoPUF technologies and industry resources, eMemory established PUFsecurity in 2019, focusing on developing secure storage and key technologies into different levels of hardware security solutions, including the Hardware Root of Trust (PUFrt) and Crypto Coprocessor (PUFcc). In PUFrt, PUF serves as the core for generating a unique password for each chip, enabling the creation of root keys or unique identification codes (UID), and securely stored in NeoFuse OTP. The True Random Number Generator (TRNG) within PUFrt seamlessly integrates PUF values to produce high-quality random numbers, meeting diverse and stringent security operation needs. The overall design of PUFrt is interlocked to form a robust anti-attack protective shell, establishing a solid foundation for building a trust and security chain from each IoT endpoint chip. On top of PUFrt, PUFcc incorporates a comprehensive suite of encryption algorithms certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), supporting advanced security functions such as secure boot, secure updates, and secure debugging. By 2023, the company introduced the One-Stop Shop Security Platform to demonstrate a more comprehensive, market-ready secure IP platform with upgraded controllers and interface designs, such as Memory Mapping, Behavioral Models, and Regression Test Methodology support smoother adoption and verification. "As a group, eMemory and PUFsecurity integrate all security elements to deliver a comprehensive solution for our customers. This unique strength is difficult to replicate, especially since very few companies excel in both hardware and software IP design." says Ho. One of the recent developments from PUFsecurity is the recently launched PUFcc7, an upgraded version that meets TLS 1.3's security requirements, particularly in new cryptos. Also, PUFsecurity and Arm joined forces to demonstrate a powerful security framework combining PUFcc and Arm Corstone-300 and achieved SESIP and PSA Certified Level 3 RoT Component certification in the fourth quarter of this year. "Many customers have already used our PUFrt with Arm architecture to enhance hardware security. On the other hand, the adoption of PUFcc has also picked up rapidly. Customers have taken the advantage of complete integration and CAVP-certified crypto engines to accelerate products' time-to-market and certification process," says Ho. In fact, as demand for data centers and the cloud has been exploding exponentially, the industry has established Caliptra, an open standard for silicon root of trust targeted at chips designed for data center applications, including CPUs, GPUs, and DPUs. "For customers who require data center services, their terminal equipment must also comply with Caliptra's specifications," explains Ho. "Our root of trust solution-PUFrt-is the security required by data center applications. In fact, more and more customers are requesting PUFrt. According to Caliptra documentation, the goal is to first adopt Caliptra in confidential computing, with plans to expand to all chip types. The demand for security solutions driven by relevant regulations is also an opportunity we are quite optimistic about." Ho adds that PUFsecurity will keep upgrading and completing its entire security portfolio to offer the industry a one-stop-shop service and innovative solutions, whether the designs, availabilities (150nm–3nm), security framework references, and certifications. And it is for these reasons that PUFsecurity is a recipient of this year's Best Security Technology Platform at the EE Awards Asia. "EE Times is an influential technology media in the industry. It is an honor for us to be the recipient of these awards together with many semiconductor giants. With this kind of affirmation, we will go further. We also hope that through the EE Awards, people who are unfamiliar with eMemory and PUFsecurity will get to know us, and lead to more potential cooperation opportunities," says Ho. Next Step Forward Ho says they will continue to actively expand the roadmap of eMemory IP in process nodes. "We expect that NeoFuse will complete the qualification of 3nm next year, and 2nm will always be included in the plan. In addition, several new technologies are also under development." Meanwhile, PUFsecurity is about to launch a brand-new solution, PUFhsm, which is born to fulfil the automotive vertical and enable eight security goals with a CPU-integrated architecture-secure boot, secure update, secure deployment, key management, lifecycle management, secure debugging, secure monitoring, and compliant with the EVITA Full. " Overall, because our products continue to improve and have been successfully expanded to various technology platforms and advanced process nodes, coupled with the cooperation and promotion with industrial giants, which will accelerate our progress in the advanced application market, we are optimistic about future growth," Ho concludes. eMemory and PUFsecurity showcase their collective strengths in R&D and technical expertise as a unified group. Learn More: [Product Intro] NeoFuse [Product Intro] PUF-based Security Products [Related News] Collaboration with Siemens on Memory Repair Tool Set [Related News] PUFcc with PSA Certified Level 3 RoT Component SOURCE EE Times Taiwan MENAFN17122024003732001241ID1109005023 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. 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