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Both Oklahoma and Providence are hoping they'll have key pieces back in place when the two undefeated teams square off in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis on Wednesday in Paradise Island, Bahamas. The Friars (5-0) are expected to have Bryce Hopkins available, according to a report from Field of 68. Hopkins was averaging 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds last season before suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament Jan. 3. He returned to full-go practices last week, and Tuesday, Providence coach Kim English said Hopkins would be a "game-time decision" against the Sooners. "It's been a process," English said. "We're not rushing it." But English praised Hopkins' progress since the Friars' last game, Nov. 19, when Hopkins went through pregame warmups. "I thought he looked better than I remembered," English said. "He's been in our system for the past year. His patience, his understanding, his versatility on offense and defense ... it's been great to see him in practice." The Sooners (4-0) are hopeful that they'll get Brycen Goodine back. Goodine played for the Friars for two seasons from 2020-22 before transferring to Fairfield for two seasons and then to Oklahoma this offseason. Goodine suffered an ankle injury in the Sooners' opener Nov. 4 and has not played since. "He's a really tough kid and trying to push through it," Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said. "It will truly be one of those game-time decisions. He hasn't gone a full practice yet, just been pieces of practices." Playing with Goodine and Jadon Jones, expected to be two of the Sooners' top outside shooters, Moser said he's learned plenty about his team's offense. "When you're down those shooters, it's really a great weapon to know that a lot of other guys can knock down the open shot," Moser said. "It's been a huge takeaway." The Sooners have been led by Jalon Moore, who is averaging 18.8 points per game, and freshman Jeremiah Fears, who is averaging 15.5. Providence has been led by senior guard Bensley Joseph, who is averaging 11.8 points and 4.0 assists per game. Oklahoma has not played a game closer than 16 points yet this season, with an average margin of victory of 24 points. Providence has won its five games by an average of nearly 17 points per game. The teams will square off against either Davidson or No. 24 Arizona in the second round Thursday, with the winners playing each other in one semifinal while the losers play in a consolation semifinal. --Field Level MediaNew Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) India and the European Union (EU) have finalised an extensive roadmap for the green hydrogen sector that includes development of infrastructure, technology cooperation and boosting supply chains. The two sides deliberated on ways to enhance cooperation in the sector at the 10th meeting of the India-EU Energy Panel held on Thursday in Brussels. At the meeting, a "work plan" was adopted for the third phase of the India-EU Clean Energy and Climate Partnership 2025-28, which will focus on deeper cooperation in five priority areas, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The priority areas are green hydrogen, offshore wind energy, regional connectivity, electricity market integration and smart grids, energy efficiency, and energy and climate diplomacy. "The two sides have set out an extensive agenda for green hydrogen cooperation, which includes assessing infrastructure development feasibility, regulatory and technology cooperation, and strengthening of supply chains," the MEA said on Saturday. It said the energy panel focused on the energy transition priorities of the two sides and took stock of the achievements of the second phase of the India-EU Clean Energy and Climate Partnership 2021-2024. The two sides undertook and completed joint initiatives involving technical cooperation in 51 activities divided into nine sectors, it added. "The two sides have also charted out the framework for green hydrogen cooperation, which includes cooperation on green hydrogen policies of India and the EU," the MEA said. The EU and EU member states participated in the international conference on green hydrogen this year in India. On its part, India joined as an exclusive country partner of European Hydrogen Week 2024. "India and the EU also entered into long-term research commitments to jointly support research in clean energy projects as part of the India-EU trade and technology council working group on clean and green technologies, which was established in January 2023," the MEA said. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
Whilethe Davis Cup final readies with Jannik Sinner as the main protagonist, NovakDjokovic’s announcement stole the spotlight: he’s joining forces with AndyMurray as his coach for the 2025 season. Today in our Daily Dose of Social Media ,we review the reactions sparked by this news, which comes just a few monthsafter the retirement of the British former World No. 1. Elsewhere,Djokovic recently visited PSG’s new training facility, while Alexander Zverev and Daria Kasatkina shared updates from their holidays, and Alizé Cornetreflected on her historic argument with Sara Errani 10 years ago whilecongratulating her on the Billie Jean King Cup title. Safin,Azarenka, McEnroe: Social media erupts as Murray becomesDjokovic’s coach in surprising twist Social media eruptedafter Novak Djokovic ’s announcement that he had hired Andy Murray as his coachfor the off-season and the upcoming Australian Open. Just a few months afterthe Brit’s retirement, the Serbian star hopes to reignite his Grand Slam titlechase with one of his greatest rivals now part of his team. The tennis world wasstunned, with some X (formerly Twitter) users calling it one of the mostshocking developments in tennis—or even in sports. Djokovic surprised fans byposting on Instagram that Murray would be his new coach, sharing an emotionalvideo that revisited their rivalry. The post drew comments from several tennisstars, including Alejandro Davidovich Fokina , Fabio Fognini , Marcos Baghdatis, Elena Vesnina , Tomás Martín Etcheverry, Daniela Hantuchová, and others. He never liked retirement anyway. pic.twitter.com/Ga4UlV2kQW However,they were not the only ones to react, as several other colleagues also joinedin the praise. Two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka commented “Prettycool” on X, while Marat Safin praised: “I turned it down. ” On theother hand, figures like Alex Corretja , Brad Gilbert , Patrick McEnroe , and evenJudy Murray, Andy's mother, shared their reactions as well. Check out the restof the notable figures who praised the surprising partnership between two ofthe greatest rivals in sports history. With 36 matches (25-11 in favor ofDjokovic), their rivalry is the fifth-most played in the Open Era. I turned it down. https://t.co/QyZySmtsMR Pretty cool https://t.co/wonoAuyKQE One of the most interesting player/coach relationship of all times https://t.co/CjrrpTPoHK https://t.co/E9PNhQowpn So the ATP Tour really is a movie #djokovicxmurray good move Andy Murray to coach Novak Djokovic HELLO “Why do yousay ‘vamos’?”: Alizé Cornet laughs off memorable argument with Errani AlizéCornet sent her congratulations to Sara Errani after the Italian team won theBillie Jean King Cup title and reminisced about a memorable argument with theItalian several years ago. The former French player greeted the Spanish teamhumorously on social media, wearing a t-shirt as a reminder of the 2013 TorontoOpen dispute with Errani. During thematch, Cornet was celebrating points with the cry of "Vamos," whichgreatly annoyed Errani. Having trained in Valencia for years, Cornet speaksSpanish fluently. "Why do you say 'vamos'? Say 'allez, allez.' You neversay 'vamos,' but today you can't stop saying it?" Errani said to heropponent. The Italian's irritated reaction left Cornet stunned, and with anawkward laugh, she didn't know how to respond. The chair umpire had to step into diffuse the tension from Errani. The34-year-old Frenchwoman recently retired in 2024 after her last participationat the French Open, where she lost in the first round to the 7th seed ZhengQinwen (2-6, 1-6). However, Cornet is still keeping an eye on tennis andcongratulated the Italian team for winning the Billie Jean King Cup, a titleshe herself won in 2019 with France. I had thisidea in mind for a little while now, but after Italia's victory at the @BJKCuptwo days ago, I thought it was the right time to make myself this little gift ” Cornetposted. “Should I orderone for you @SaraErrani ?” I had this idea in mind for a little while now, but after Italia's victory at the @BJKCup two days ago, I thought it was the right time to make myself this little gift Should I order one for you @SaraErrani ? #whyyousayvamos #legend pic.twitter.com/htpPoCioa2 MadisonKeys and Bjorn Fratangelo's wedding: A celebration with tennis stars WTA starsgather to celebrate Madison Keys and Bjorn Fratangelo’s wedding this Saturday,after being in a relationship since 2017. The American tennis couple announcedin January 2023 that they would get married, and this Saturday, the couple tiedthe knot, with several well-known stars from the WTA tour in attendance. In a photoposted by Desirae Krawczyk, Keys is seen in a white dress alongside her, withher colleagues, former Australian Open runner-up Jennifer Brady , and world No.7 Jessica Pegula . In another Instagram story, doubles French Open champion Taylor Townsend is seen celebrating at the wedding, and Olympic silver medalist Laura Robson also shared pictures of her outfit for the party. I will add to this thread any photos I find from the pre-wedding/wedding. From Laura Robson’s instagram story. pic.twitter.com/wq9tLubdxm Laura Robson is ready for the wedding. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/DGjcXbhfKZ From Taylor Townsend’s instagram story. Aww they all look beautiful. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/b0e4l8uOkF Djokovictours PSG’s new training facilities The recent announcementthat Andy Murray will be Novak Djokovic's new coach grabbed attention today.However, just one day before, the 24-time Grand Slam champion made headlinesduring his visit to Paris, where he met with Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, president ofParis Saint-Germain, and toured the new PSG Campus in Poissy. It’s worth notingthat the Qatari sports executive, who was also a tennis player, represented hiscountry in 43 Davis Cup matches between 1992 and 2002 (with a 12-16 record indoubles). PSG invested nearly 300million euros in building the new headquarters and had Djokovic as one of theirspecial guests. The visit also included former club players such as Pauleta andJavier Pastore, as well as the recently retired French basketball player,Nikola Karabatic. Una publicación compartida de Paris Saint-Germain (@psg) Zverev andMelo enjoy vacation in Maldives AlexanderZverev and Marcelo Melo are enjoying their vacation on the beach. The Germandecided to skip the Davis Cup Finals after a busy season and is spending hisdays off with his regular doubles partner, Brazilian specialist Melo, in theMaldives. ‘Sascha’ ended his season just a week ago after being eliminated inthe semifinals of the ATP Finals by Taylor Fritz, closing a remarkable seasonas world No. 2 with a 69-21 record. On theother hand, Melo played his last match of the season at the Paris Masters,teaming up with his friend Zverev, who rarely joins the doubles draw. Now,they’ve teamed up for a fun game of spikeball on a sunny beach in the Maldives. Una publicación compartida de Marcelo Melo (@marcelomelo83) This article first appeared on TennisUpToDate.com and was syndicated with permission.
Houston Astros welcome 1B Christian Walker to team; say negotiations with Bregman stalledHe is not yet in power but President-elect Donald Trump rattled much of the world with an off-hours warning of stiff tariffs on close allies and China -- a loud hint that Trump-style government by social media post is coming back. With word of these levies against goods imported from Mexico, Canada and China, Trump sent auto industry stocks plummeting, raised fears for global supply chains and unnerved the world's major economies.By Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald (TNS) MIAMI — As her students finished their online exam, Arlet Lara got up to make a cafe con leche . Her 16-year-old son found her on the kitchen floor. First, he called Dad in a panic. Then 911. “I had a stroke and my life made a 180-degree turn,” Lara told the Miami Herald, recalling the medical scare she experienced in May 2020 in the early months of the COVID pandemic. “The stroke affected my left side of the body,” the North Miami woman and former high school math teacher said. Lara, an avid runner and gym goer, couldn’t even walk. “It was hard,” the 50-year-old mom said. After years of rehabilitation therapy and a foot surgery, Lara can walk again. But she still struggles with moving. This summer, she became the first patient in South Florida to get an implant of a new and only FDA-approved nerve stimulation device designed to help ischemic stroke survivors regain movement in their arms and hands. This first procedure was at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Lara’s rehab was at at the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, part of a partnership between Jackson Health System and UHealth. Every year, thousands in the United States have a stroke , with one occurring every 40 seconds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of strokes are ischemic, often caused by blood clots that obstruct blood flow to the brain. For survivors, most of whom are left with some level of disability, the Vivistim Paired VNS System, the device implanted in Lara’s chest, could be a game changer in recovery, said Dr. Robert Starke, a UHealth neurosurgeon and interventional neuroradiologist. He also serves as co-director of endovascular neurosurgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, part of Miami-Dade’s public hospital system. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms, goes through exercises while her therapist activates the device during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA- approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) The Vivistim Paired VNS System is a small pacemaker-like device implanted in the upper chest and neck area. Patients can go home the same day. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the stroke rehabilitation system in 2021 to be used alongside post-ischemic stroke rehabilitation therapy to treat moderate to severe mobility issues in hands and arms. Lara’s occupational therapist can activate the device during rehabilitation sessions to electrically stimulate the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain down to the abdomen and regulates various parts of the body’s nervous system. The electrical stimulation rewires the brain to improve a stroke survivor’s ability to move their arms and hands. Lara also has a magnet she can use to activate the device when she wants to practice at home. Her therapy consists of repetitive tasks, including coloring, pinching cubes and grabbing and releasing cylindrical shapes. After several weeks of rehabilitation therapy with the device, Lara has seen improvement. “Little by little, I’m noticing that my hand is getting stronger. I am already able to brush my teeth with the left hand,” she told the Miami Herald in September. Since then, Lara has finished the initial six-week Vivitism therapy program, and is continuing to use the device in her rehabilitation therapy. She continues to improve and can now eat better with her left hand and can brush her hair with less difficulty, according to her occupational therapist, Neil Batungbakal. Lara learned about the device through an online group for stroke survivors and contacted the company to inquire. She then connected them with her Jackson medical team. Now a year later, the device is available to Jackson patients. So far, four patients have received the implant at Jackson. Related Articles Starke sees the device as an opportunity to help bring survivors one step closer to regaining full mobility. Strokes are a leading cause of disability worldwide. While most stroke survivors can usually recover some function through treatment and rehabilitation, they tend to hit a “major plateau” after the first six months of recovery, he said. Vivistim, when paired with rehabilitation therapy, could change that. Jackson Health said results of a clinical trial published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet in 2021 showed that the device, “when paired with high-repetition, task-specific occupational or physical therapy, helps generate two to three times more hand and arm function for stroke survivors than rehabilitation therapy alone.” The device has even shown to benefit patients 20 years from their original stroke, according to Starke. “So now a lot of these patients that had strokes 10-15 years ago that thought that they would never be able to use their arm in any sort of real functional way are now able to have a real meaningful function, which is pretty tremendous,” Starke said. Vivistim’s vagus-nerve stimulation technology was developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas’ Texas Biomedical Device Center and is being sold commercially by Austin-based MicroTransponder, a company started by university graduates. Similar devices are used to treat epilepsy and depression . For Lara, the device is a new tool to help her recovery journey. “Everything becomes a challenge so we are working with small things every day because I want to get back as many functions as possible,” Lara said. Patients interested in Vivistim should speak with their doctor to check their eligibility. The FDA said patients should make sure to discuss any prior medical history, including concurrent forms of brain stimulation, current diathermy treatment, previous brain surgery, depression, respiratory diseases and disorders such as asthma, and cardiac abnormalities. “Adverse events included but were not limited to dysphonia (difficulty speaking), bruising, falling, general hoarseness, general pain, hoarseness after surgery, low mood, muscle pain, fracture, headache, rash, dizziness, throat irritation, urinary tract infection and fatigue,” the FDA said. MicroTransponder says the device is “covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance with prior authorization on a case-by-case basis.” To learn more about the device, visit vivistim.com. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Who Is Katharine H. Parker? Luigi Mangione's Pre-Trial Judge Draws Attention For Marriage To Ex-Pfizer Exec
SAN FRANCISCO — The parents of a on the company’s business practices are questioning the circumstances of their son’s death last month. In an interview this week, Suchir Balaji’s mother and father expressed confusion and shock over his sudden passing, expressing doubt their son could have died by suicide, as determined by the county medical examiner. The family hired an expert to perform an independent autopsy but has yet to release the report’s findings. “We’re demanding a thorough investigation — that’s our call,” said Balaji’s mother, Poornima Ramarao. San Francisco police found Balaji dead in his Lower Haight apartment on Nov. 26, less than a week after his 26th birthday. The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office later told this news agency his death was ruled a suicide, though a final autopsy report has yet to be released while the office completes toxicology tests. Earlier this month, San Francisco police officials said there is “currently, no evidence of foul play.” Balaji’s death sent shockwaves throughout Silicon Valley and the artificial intelligence industry. He garnered a national spotlight in late October when he accused his former employer, OpenAI, of breaking federal copyright law by siphoning data from across the internet to train its blockbuster chatbot, ChatGPT. His concerns backed up allegations aired in recent years by authors, screenwriters and computer programmers who say OpenAI stole their content without permission, in violation of U.S. “fair use” laws governing how people can use previously published work. Media companies have been among those to sue the company, including The Mercury News and seven of its affiliated newspapers, and, separately, The New York Times. In an interview with The New York Times published in October 2024, Balaji described his decision to leave the generative artificial intelligence company in August while suggesting that its data collection practices are “not a sustainable model for the internet ecosystem as a whole. “If you believe what I believe, you have to just leave the company,” he told the newspaper. By Nov. 18, Balaji had been named in court filings as someone who had “unique and relevant documents” that would support the case against OpenAI. He was among at least 12 people — many of them past or present OpenAI employees — to be named by the newspaper in court filings as having material helpful to their case. His death a week later has left Balaji’s parents reeling. In an interview at their Alameda County home this week, his mother said her only child “was an amazing human being, from childhood.” “No one believes that he could do that,” Ramarao said about his taking his own life. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment but in a statement to Business Insider said it was “devastated” to learn of Balaji’s death and said they had been in touch with his parents “to offer our full support during this difficult time.” “Our priority is to continue to do everything we can to assist them,” the company’s statement read. “We first became aware of his concerns when The New York Times published his comments and we have no record of any further interaction with him. “We respect his, and others’, right to share views freely,” the statement added. “Our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones, and we extend our deepest condolences to all who are mourning his loss.” Born in Florida and raised in the Bay Area, Balaji was a prodigy from an early age, his mother told this news agency. He spoke her name at 3 months old; at 18-months he would ask “me to light a lamp to cheer me up” and could recognize words at 20 months, she said. Balaji appeared to have a knack for technology, math and computing, taking home trophies and earning renown, including in the 2016 United States of America Computing Olympiad. In 2020, he went to work for OpenAI — viewing the company’s then-commitment to operating as a nonprofit as admirable, his mother said. His opinion of the company soured in 2022 while he was assigned to gather data from the internet for the company’s GPT-4 program, the New York Times reported. The program analyzed text from nearly the entire internet to train its artificial intelligence program, the outlet reported. Ramarao said she wasn’t aware of her son’s decision to go public with his concerns about OpenAI until the paper ran his interview. While she immediately harbored anxiety about his decision — going so far as to implore him to speak with a copyright attorney — Ramarao also expressed pride in her son’s bravery. ‘He kept assuring me, ‘Mom, I’m not doing anything wrong — go see the article. I’m just saying, my opinion, there’s nothing wrong in it,” said Ramarao, herself a former employee of Microsoft who worked on its Azure cloud computing program. “I supported him. I didn’t criticize him. I told him, ‘I’m proud of you, because you have your own opinions and you know what’s right, what’s wrong.’ He was very ethical.” After leaving the company, Balaji settled on plans to create a nonprofit, one centering on the machine learning and neurosciences fields, Ramarao said. He had already spoken to at least one venture capitalist for seed funding, she said. “I’m asking, like, ”How will you manage your living?’ ” Ramarao said. She recalled how her son repeatedly tried to assuage any concerns about his finances, suggesting that “money is not important to me — I want to offer a service to humanity.” Balaji also appeared to be keeping a busy schedule. He turned 26 while on a backpacking trip in the Catalina Islands with several friends from high school. Such trips were commonplace for him — in April he went with several friends to Patagonia and South America. Balaji last spoke to his parents on Nov. 22, a 10-minute phone call that centered around his recent trip and that ended with his talking about getting dinner. “He was very happy,” Ramarao said. “He had a blast. He had one of the best times of his life.” Ramarao remembers calling her son shortly after noon on Nov. 23 but said it rang once and went to voicemail. Figuring that he was busy with friends, she didn’t try visiting his apartment until Nov. 25, when she knocked but got no answer. She said she called authorities that evening but was allegedly told by a police dispatch center that little could be done that day. She followed up Nov. 26, and San Francisco police later found Balaji’s body inside his apartment. Ramarao said she wasn’t told of her son’s death until a stretcher appeared in front of Balaji’s apartment. She was not allowed inside until the following day. “I can never forget that tragedy,” Ramarao said. “My heart broke.” Ramarao questioned authorities’ investigation of her son’s death, claiming that San Francisco police closed their case and turned it over to the county medical examiner’s office within an hour of discovering Balaji’s body. Ramarao said she and her husband have since commissioned a second autopsy of Balaji’s body. She declined to release any documents from that examination. Her attorney, Phil Kearney, declined to comment on the results of the family’s independent autopsy. Last week, San Francisco police spokesman Evan Sernoffsky referred questions about the case to the medical examiner’s office. David Serrano Sewell, executive director of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, declined to comment. Sitting on her living room couch, Ramarao shook her head and expressed frustration at authorities’ investigative efforts so far. “As grieving parents, we have the right to know what happened to our son,” Ramarao said. “He was so happy. He was so brave.”
NEW YORK — Cam Johnson has been a powerful offensive force for the Nets in December. The 28-year-old forward has averaged 23.4 points per game in his first nine appearances this month while shooting 50% from the field, 44.3% from 3-point range and 87.7% from the free-throw line. That includes four games with at least 20 points and one 33-point eruption in a 101-94 defeat of the Toronto Raptors last week. Johnson has been the difference for Brooklyn in close games, for better or worse, depending on how you measure team success. Few wings on the open market have matched his recent production. And as he continues to surge, so does the price tag for any contending team looking to acquire him. “He’s our movement guy. He creates a lot of attention,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said. “He’s running miles and miles and miles and a lot of the time he’s not the one taking the shot. But he’s definitely brought that composure to the group that has helped us in big-time moments where we were able to take the lead and close the game.” One of those moments came in Thursday’s 111-105 defeat of the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. An 82-76 game entering the fourth quarter, the Nets stormed back behind Johnson and Shake Milton to take a 99-97 lead with 3:40 left. The Nets were up three with 1:06 left when the Bucks suffered their worst mental lapse of the night. For whatever reason, they doubled Ben Simmons on a ball screen at the 3-point line and left Johnson wide open. The forward knocked down the trey despite getting fouled by Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins on the attempt. He completed the four-point play at the free-throw line moments later, which gave Brooklyn a seven-point edge with 47.9 seconds left. Johnson scored 10 of his game-high 29 points in the final frame. Trade speculation has followed Johnson since the offseason, but he continues to stay in the moment and fight for his current team. Some fans may not appreciate it, given the Nets’ rebuilding situation. But Johnson and company pay no attention to the noise. “When we believe we can win the game, which we did the entire game, we give ourselves a chance,” Johnson said. “So, it kind of starts with that belief. ... And then that kind of empowers guys to go out there and make plays, like Shake did, like Keon [Johnson] did, Noah [Clowney] hitting threes. So, it’s just that belief that we have to have across our roster that showed up in the second half for us today.” ©2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Copy link Copied Copy link Copied Subscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Already a subscriber? Login The Australian sharemarket extended its rebound this week, taking a strong lead from Wall Street where the world’s largest technology companies powered all three major benchmarks higher. The benchmark S & P/ASX 200 Index opened the shortened Christmas Eve session 6 points higher at 8207.6, extending its rally from Monday when the benchmark surged 1.7 per cent in its best single session in six months . The sharemarket will close on Tuesday at 2.10pm Sydney time. Copy link Copied Copy link Copied Subscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Already a subscriber? Login Introducing your Newsfeed Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. Latest In Equity markets Fetching latest articles Most Viewed In Markets
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Gas Detection Equipment Market in 2024: Integration Of IOT And AI Technologies Driving Advancements Of MarketSAN FRANCISCO — The parents of a former OpenAI researcher known for recently blowing the whistle on the company’s business practices are questioning the circumstances of their son’s death last month. In an interview this week, Suchir Balaji’s mother and father expressed confusion and shock over his sudden passing, expressing doubt their son could have died by suicide, as determined by the county medical examiner. The family hired an expert to perform an independent autopsy but has yet to release the report’s findings. “We’re demanding a thorough investigation — that’s our call,” said Balaji’s mother, Poornima Ramarao. San Francisco police found Balaji dead in his Lower Haight apartment on Nov. 26, less than a week after his 26th birthday. The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office later told this news agency his death was ruled a suicide, though a final autopsy report has yet to be released while the office completes toxicology tests. Earlier this month, San Francisco police officials said there is “currently, no evidence of foul play.” Balaji’s death sent shockwaves throughout Silicon Valley and the artificial intelligence industry. He garnered a national spotlight in late October when he accused his former employer, OpenAI, of breaking federal copyright law by siphoning data from across the internet to train its blockbuster chatbot, ChatGPT. His concerns backed up allegations aired in recent years by authors, screenwriters and computer programmers who say OpenAI stole their content without permission, in violation of U.S. “fair use” laws governing how people can use previously published work. Media companies have been among those to sue the company, including The Mercury News and seven of its affiliated newspapers, and, separately, The New York Times. In an interview with The New York Times published in October 2024, Balaji described his decision to leave the generative artificial intelligence company in August while suggesting that its data collection practices are “not a sustainable model for the internet ecosystem as a whole. “If you believe what I believe, you have to just leave the company,” he told the newspaper. By Nov. 18, Balaji had been named in court filings as someone who had “unique and relevant documents” that would support the case against OpenAI. He was among at least 12 people — many of them past or present OpenAI employees — to be named by the newspaper in court filings as having material helpful to their case. His death a week later has left Balaji’s parents reeling. In an interview at their Alameda County home this week, his mother said her only child “was an amazing human being, from childhood.” “No one believes that he could do that,” Ramarao said about his taking his own life. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment but in a statement to Business Insider said it was “devastated” to learn of Balaji’s death and said they had been in touch with his parents “to offer our full support during this difficult time.” “Our priority is to continue to do everything we can to assist them,” the company’s statement read. “We first became aware of his concerns when The New York Times published his comments and we have no record of any further interaction with him. “We respect his, and others’, right to share views freely,” the statement added. “Our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones, and we extend our deepest condolences to all who are mourning his loss.” Related Articles National News | What is the Native American Church and why is peyote sacred to members? National News | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National News | 4 people found dead in N.H. home in suspected carbon monoxide poisoning National News | All 6 victims hurt by yellow taxi van driver outside Manhattan Macy’s are tourists National News | Powerful thunderstorms threaten Texas and Louisiana, delaying holiday travel Born in Florida and raised in the Bay Area, Balaji was a prodigy from an early age, his mother told this news agency. He spoke her name at 3 months old; at 18-months he would ask “me to light a lamp to cheer me up” and could recognize words at 20 months, she said. Balaji appeared to have a knack for technology, math and computing, taking home trophies and earning renown, including in the 2016 United States of America Computing Olympiad. In 2020, he went to work for OpenAI — viewing the company’s then-commitment to operating as a nonprofit as admirable, his mother said. His opinion of the company soured in 2022 while he was assigned to gather data from the internet for the company’s GPT-4 program, the New York Times reported. The program analyzed text from nearly the entire internet to train its artificial intelligence program, the outlet reported. Ramarao said she wasn’t aware of her son’s decision to go public with his concerns about OpenAI until the paper ran his interview. While she immediately harbored anxiety about his decision — going so far as to implore him to speak with a copyright attorney — Ramarao also expressed pride in her son’s bravery. ‘He kept assuring me, ‘Mom, I’m not doing anything wrong — go see the article. I’m just saying, my opinion, there’s nothing wrong in it,” said Ramarao, herself a former employee of Microsoft who worked on its Azure cloud computing program. “I supported him. I didn’t criticize him. I told him, ‘I’m proud of you, because you have your own opinions and you know what’s right, what’s wrong.’ He was very ethical.” After leaving the company, Balaji settled on plans to create a nonprofit, one centering on the machine learning and neurosciences fields, Ramarao said. He had already spoken to at least one venture capitalist for seed funding, she said. “I’m asking, like, ”How will you manage your living?’ ” Ramarao said. She recalled how her son repeatedly tried to assuage any concerns about his finances, suggesting that “money is not important to me — I want to offer a service to humanity.” Balaji also appeared to be keeping a busy schedule. He turned 26 while on a backpacking trip in the Catalina Islands with several friends from high school. Such trips were commonplace for him — in April he went with several friends to Patagonia and South America. Balaji last spoke to his parents on Nov. 22, a 10-minute phone call that centered around his recent trip and that ended with his talking about getting dinner. “He was very happy,” Ramarao said. “He had a blast. He had one of the best times of his life.” Ramarao remembers calling her son shortly after noon on Nov. 23 but said it rang once and went to voicemail. Figuring that he was busy with friends, she didn’t try visiting his apartment until Nov. 25, when she knocked but got no answer. She said she called authorities that evening but was allegedly told by a police dispatch center that little could be done that day. She followed up Nov. 26, and San Francisco police later found Balaji’s body inside his apartment. Ramarao said she wasn’t told of her son’s death until a stretcher appeared in front of Balaji’s apartment. She was not allowed inside until the following day. “I can never forget that tragedy,” Ramarao said. “My heart broke.” Ramarao questioned authorities’ investigation of her son’s death, claiming that San Francisco police closed their case and turned it over to the county medical examiner’s office within an hour of discovering Balaji’s body. Ramarao said she and her husband have since commissioned a second autopsy of Balaji’s body. She declined to release any documents from that examination. Her attorney, Phil Kearney, declined to comment on the results of the family’s independent autopsy. Last week, San Francisco police spokesman Evan Sernoffsky referred questions about the case to the medical examiner’s office. David Serrano Sewell, executive director of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, declined to comment. Sitting on her living room couch, Ramarao shook her head and expressed frustration at authorities’ investigative efforts so far. “As grieving parents, we have the right to know what happened to our son,” Ramarao said. “He was so happy. He was so brave.” If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Call or text the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where chat is available.AP News Summary at 6:33 p.m. EST
Dear Eric: My husband and I live on a lake and love hosting our grandnieces and grandnephews on school breaks and the entire family on vacations. We have no children. Our nieces’ families are dear to us. Our 11-year-old grandnephew has been gaming now for about a year. When he comes to visit, instead of reading or playing cards or board games with us, like in the past, he wants to disappear with his video games. We feel vacated. How do we navigate this with his parents, who think his being on a video gaming team at school is awesome (I think it is a bad omen)? What is a fair place of compromise and balance? – Game Off Dear Game Off : Let his parents parent their child. The other night I rewatched the movie “Network” from 1977 (stay with me here; it relates). In it, a character in his 60s dismisses a character played by a mid-30s Faye Dunaway by saying, “She’s the television generation. She learned life from Bugs Bunny. The only reality she knows is what comes to her over her TV set.” Every generation has anxieties about the ways that technology is changing social interactions or altering the minds of the generations below. While some of those concerns are valid, those of Faye Dunaway’s generation (now in their 70s and 80s) would argue that they’ve managed to stay quite well-rounded, despite (and often with the aid of) TV. In moderation, video games have been shown to improve a child’s cognitive function and working memory. While your grandnephew’s gaming might not be your choice, it’s important that you not seek to undermine the research and thinking that his parents have done about it. What you’re really yearning for is a sense of togetherness as a family, so try talking to your niece and her spouse about group activities you can plan to meet your grandnephew where he is. And don’t be afraid to pick up a controller and ask him to show you the ropes. Dear Eric : I eat at one restaurant a couple times a week and tend to get one of three meals. This one waitress asks me what I want to eat, but then interrupts me to make guesses or tell me my choice. I just put my head down and nod yes or no to the guesses. It’s frustrating, but not life-threatening. She enjoys it. I hate it. If I were to object, it would force her to make the choice of being herself — doing something she likes doing — or appeasing me so I can order the way I want to order. I don’t know if this is a big enough problem to have a “high road.” The answer will not change my life. She can easily change, and I can easily suffer. The question is who gets to be themselves? – Speaking Up Dear Speaking Up : I worked in the service industry for more than a decade. I loved it. I loved seeing regulars, meeting new people and carrying a lot of beverages in my hands at one time. The whole bit. Related Articles I also loved knowing what people wanted, but I would always ask and confirm. That’s part of the job. Your server may think you’re a regular who likes to be known in this way. So, informing her that that’s not the case won’t be keeping her from being herself. It will be helping her to do her job better. You may not have the kind of temperament that easily or comfortably course-corrects in social situations. That’s just fine. But know you won’t be causing her suffering by saying something like “I’ve already decided on my meal. Let’s skip the guessing today and I’ll just tell you.” This also clears the path for the two of you to talk about something else, if you want. Ideally, it’s a conversation that you’ll both enjoy. Dear Eric : I’m not sure if the letter from “Invisible Dad” about his wife buying trinkets for their adult kids and having more close conversations with them is related to my better half and myself. I think it could be, but I can’t be sure so don’t want to ask him. I never really thought about it all the time but assumed kids knew that gifts were from both of us. Related Articles If this question does relate to us, and even if it doesn’t, I will be mindful of what I haven’t been mindful of. My heart is melting if he does really care that much about the kids. Thank you for listening. – Daily Reader Dear Reader : Thanks for your thoughtful note and your openness. Please also reconsider talking to your husband about the ways you interact with your kids. It could be really healing and productive. Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has identified what he sees as an all-purpose fix for what ails America: Slap huge new tariffs on foreign goods entering the United States. On Monday, Trump sent shockwaves across the nation's northern and southern borders, vowing sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada , as well as China, as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. In a pair of posts on his Truth Social site Trump railed against an influx of immigrants lacking permanent legal status, even though southern border apprehensions have been hovering near four-year lows. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders. He said the new tariffs would remain in place “until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” The president-elect asserts that tariffs — basically import taxes — will create more factory jobs, shrink the federal deficit, lower food prices and allow the government to subsidize childcare. Economists are generally skeptical, considering tariffs to be a mostly inefficient way for governments to raise money. They are especially alarmed by Trump’s latest proposed tariffs. Carl B. Weinberg and Rubeela Farooqi, economists with High Frequency Economics said Tuesday that energy, automobiles and food supplies will be particularly hit hard. “Imposing tariffs on trade flows into the United States without first preparing alternative sources for the goods and services affected will raise the price of imported items at once," Weinberg and Farooqi wrote. "Since many of these goods are consumer goods, households will be made poorer.” High Frequency Economics believes the threats are not meant to support new trade policy and are instead a tool to elicit some changes along the borders and for imports from Canada, Mexico and China. Though Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Trump’s tariff threats as unserious during her failed bid for the presidency, the Biden-Harris administration retained the taxes the Trump administration imposed on $360 billion in Chinese goods. And it imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles. Indeed, the United States in recent years has gradually retreated from its post-World War II role of promoting global free trade and lower tariffs. That shift has been a response to the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs, widely attributed to unfettered trade and an increasingly aggressive China. They are typically charged as a percentage of the price a buyer pays a foreign seller. In the United States, tariffs are collected by Customs and Border Protection agents at 328 ports of entry across the country. The tariff rates range from passenger cars (2.5%) to golf shoes (6%). Tariffs can be lower for countries with which the United States has trade agreements. For example, most goods can move among the United States, Mexico and Canada tariff-free because of Trump’s US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Trump insists that tariffs are paid for by foreign countries. In fact, its is importers — American companies — that pay tariffs, and the money goes to U.S. Treasury. Those companies, in turn, typically pass their higher costs on to their customers in the form of higher prices. That's why economists say consumers usually end up footing the bill for tariffs. Still, tariffs can hurt foreign countries by making their products pricier and harder to sell abroad. Yang Zhou, an economist at Shanghai’s Fudan University, concluded in a study that Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods inflicted more than three times as much damage to the Chinese economy as they did to the U.S. economy By raising the price of imports, tariffs can protect home-grown manufacturers. They may also serve to punish foreign countries for committing unfair trade practices, like subsidizing their exporters or dumping products at unfairly low prices. Before the federal income tax was established in 1913, tariffs were a major revenue driver for the government. From 1790 to 1860, tariffs accounted for 90% of federal revenue, according to Douglas Irwin, a Dartmouth College economist who has studied the history of trade policy. Tariffs fell out of favor as global trade grew after World War II. The government needed vastly bigger revenue streams to finance its operations. In the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the government is expected to collect $81.4 billion in tariffs and fees. That's a trifle next to the $2.5 trillion that's expected to come from individual income taxes and the $1.7 trillion from Social Security and Medicare taxes. Still, Trump wants to enact a budget policy that resembles what was in place in the 19th century. He has argued that tariffs on farm imports could lower food prices by aiding America’s farmers. In fact, tariffs on imported food products would almost certainly send grocery prices up by reducing choices for consumers and competition for American producers. Tariffs can also be used to pressure other countries on issues that may or may not be related to trade. In 2019, for example, Trump used the threat of tariffs as leverage to persuade Mexico to crack down on waves of Central American migrants crossing Mexican territory on their way to the United States. Trump even sees tariffs as a way to prevent wars. “I can do it with a phone call,’’ he said at an August rally in North Carolina. If another country tries to start a war, he said he’d issue a threat: “We’re going to charge you 100% tariffs. And all of a sudden, the president or prime minister or dictator or whoever the hell is running the country says to me, ‘Sir, we won’t go to war.’ ” Tariffs raise costs for companies and consumers that rely on imports. They're also likely to provoke retaliation. The European Union, for example, punched back against Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum by taxing U.S. products, from bourbon to Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Likewise, China responded to Trump’s trade war by slapping tariffs on American goods, including soybeans and pork in a calculated drive to hurt his supporters in farm country. A study by economists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Zurich, Harvard and the World Bank concluded that Trump’s tariffs failed to restore jobs to the American heartland. The tariffs “neither raised nor lowered U.S. employment’’ where they were supposed to protect jobs, the study found. Despite Trump’s 2018 taxes on imported steel, for example, the number of jobs at U.S. steel plants barely budged: They remained right around 140,000. By comparison, Walmart alone employs 1.6 million people in the United States. Worse, the retaliatory taxes imposed by China and other nations on U.S. goods had “negative employment impacts,’’ especially for farmers, the study found. These retaliatory tariffs were only partly offset by billions in government aid that Trump doled out to farmers. The Trump tariffs also damaged companies that relied on targeted imports. If Trump’s trade war fizzled as policy, though, it succeeded as politics. The study found that support for Trump and Republican congressional candidates rose in areas most exposed to the import tariffs — the industrial Midwest and manufacturing-heavy Southern states like North Carolina and Tennessee.
Editor in Chief Dann Sullivan pulls up a pew to discuss the previous year It's been a year of extremes, which we tend to say every year The highs of this year show that the future isn't as bleak as it might seem Well, we're now at the end of the (Gregorian) year, so now's as good a time as any to look back over 2024, which happens to have been one of the most eventful years in the gaming industry's history. I've decided that this year's retrospective should go beyond covering the state of the industry to also include the website and what current trends and moves mean for the future of mobile gaming. If you're looking for something lighter, like a list of our favourite games throughout the year (as, perhaps, teased by the header), then check out our . Back when I started writing about games I did so on a site that myself and a few buddies had launched. It was 2011, and at the time I was still working in retail (GAME, the main video game retailer in the UK). I'd been working there for several years and had always got a kick out of people coming back and sharing their happiness at my recommendations. With the shift to digital (and the joyful spread of indie) as well as more and more independent publishers and media outlets showing up online, my group of pals decided that we'd give it a shot. It's impossible to talk about 2024 without talking about industry layoffs, which surpassed 2023 back at the start of the year and continued at full speed throughout. For a glimpse at the numbers and damage, check out . I've seen sites that I idolised change hands several times before turning to dust, and there's not much left of the earlier generations of independent media either. That said, there's now a renaissance of smaller, independent, fan-funded media popping up - so there's some hope that tastemaker, recommendation-driven and critical media will persist, it's just that it won't be under the same names as before. We've also been blessed with a lot of support from a great sales team, technical team and central operations team - as well as benefited from our amazing Pocket Gamer Connects events and all of the access and fringe events they bring. The site has seen some tweaks too, as many of our regular readers will have noticed. We've had some tweaks made to how and where we write things, which has resulted in tidier URLs and titles as well as the addition of the highlights sections (where I refer to myself in the third person above). Our layout has also changed slightly, making our homepage more of a curated destination. We date back to the magazine days, so why shouldn't we be able to represent that on short notice? Pocket Gamer, through our parent company, Steel Media, has always thrived due to its ability to pivot toward (and invite discussions on) the next big thing. At times that's been Touchscreen, The AppStores, Subscriptions, Battle Passes, Microtransactions, Webstores, XR as well as slightly more controversial recent topics like NFTs, Blockchain and AI. AI has always been a core part of how video games innovate (Intelligence is, of course, in the eye of the beholder and 'pathfinding', 'adaptive programming' and 'procedural generation' are all AI, to gaming's original definition). However, as the world's major search provider (as well as some more questionable entities) attempts to replace the human-written word with generated content it's made things trickier for outlets. AI slop ( ) is making it tougher and tougher, and that's why so many outlets are moving to deliberately making 'more human' content rather than trying to content against both the slop, and the churn of larger guide sites. We're there with them. We saw Apple's privacy sandbox completely shake up how advertising worked (as it turns out, people WILL opt out of sharing data when given the choice), which changed how targeted ads work and shook up the hypercasual landscape. We also had Epic's war on the Duopoly continue, and it broke ground too, with them triggering the EU's lust for regulation and moderation as well as their (pretty respectful in 2024) dislike of monopolies. However, it's increasingly clear that Epic's war to open up the ecosystem is going to cost them (and their Tencent backers) a lot over time, and is going to be years of gruelling, trench-warfare battles. Apple opening up in the EU is a success, but other regional and national governments aren't as particular as the EU. That said, just two weeks back Epic landed a massive goal that only a few outlets covered: (o2, Movistar, Vivo). While it's not Epic's clear ultimate goal - the ability to be freely downloaded and used on all mobile devices, without any restrictions or charges - it does skip that step by having it preinstalled on phones. For us here in the UK, (and subsequently Epic's) sphere of influence to Virgin Media, Vodafone and Three - all major players. While a Telefónica deal doesn't instantly prep paper for that preinstall situation to spread further, it certainly opens doors, and I know we'll see more on that in 2025. A few years on we had Apple and Google's own App Stores. The internet was flourishing and phone technology had rocketed forward - we had full web browsers and easy interfacing with our smartphones. Then came the APK stores, and eventually alternative webstores. However, sideloading aside, we also recently started to see streaming and subscriptions on the rise. In 2025 we'll have titles like Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero and Infinity Nikki out and on the market, all of them having players who freely strafe between mobile and PC. At the same time, games that cut their teeth on mobile - like Clash of Clans and Subway Surfers - are now available on PC through . I played Netease's Badlanders and Lilith's Rise of Kingdoms both on my PC and phone. Next year we'll see Microsoft's store launch after its delay , the giant took , not long before launching their , which posited that everything from phone to PC (anything with a browser) will be able to access the Xbox ecosystem. This happened while Nintendo kept playing with mobile, Sega doubled down into the space (they Rovio) and most major publishers keep expanding into the space. That and, let's not forget, Microsoft now have not only Activision & Blizzard, but King. A lot of this isn't new, of course. We've been talking about big names getting into mobile for years, but people haven't really put their finger on the why. It's not just because mobile is often the battleground for new mechanics and monetisation techniques, but it's because you can scale mobile up to console, to PC and beyond... scaling PC or console down though... that's harder. So, now that everything (Discord, Netflix, Telegram, The New York Times... even LinkedIn) is a platform, and - through Microsoft and friends - is back, and Instant Games are on the rise, and subscriptions are more relevant than ever. Mobile gaming going to change, but it's going to be those inside the ecosystem that are going to be leading it, using these other technologies. If you look at popular 2018 turn-based strategy (and a personal favourite of our COO) Into the Breach you can see the single-screen singularity that we're entering into. You can play it on Switch, you can play it on iOS and Android and you can play it on Xbox, Playstation and PC too. This is facilitated by self-publishing and a string of partnerships, but critically, through casting from your phone, you can play it on everything from your phone to a cinema (or, probably bigger if you have a nice projector). You can, of course, run it natively through one of the other devices. As that little device in your hand gets smarter and more powerful, it's likely to wedge out most other, slower-moving gaming mediums like consoles - although I don't think 2025 is going to be the year for that. I do think that something that we'll be watching closely here at Pocket Gamer is how the Steam Deck encourages 'high tech, big budget' publishers to adopt a generational 'minimum' spec similar to console generations, and what that'll mean for wider adoption of 'mobile' teams and philosophies for 'mainstream' development. Anyway, 2024 is coming to a close and we've had a bumpy year, but the future is looking bright and exciting. Maybe we never left the creative 'wild west' in this industry, and it's time to fully embrace that again, especially here in the wild world of mobile.El Salvador's Congress on Monday approved a bill promoted by President Nayib Bukele to roll back a ban on the mining of gold and other metals, dismaying environmentalists. The small Central American nation became the world's first country to outlaw metal mining in 2017, warning of the harmful effects of the chemicals used, like cyanide and mercury. The move by Bukele's predecessor, former left-wing rebel Salvador Sanchez Ceren, reflected a growing rejection of mining by rural communities in the region. But last month, Bukele, who is popular at home for his crackdown on street gangs, signaled that he wanted to change course. The bill to bring back metal mining was approved by 57 deputies out of a total of 60, said Ernesto Castro, head of the legislature -- which is dominated by the ruling party -- as environmental campaigners protested nearby. Critics fear that mining will pollute the Lempa River, which runs through a potential mining zone proposed by Bukele and supplies water to 70 percent of the inhabitants of the capital and surrounding areas. "This wretched mining will punish the people, it will contaminate our waters and rivers and that's an attack on life," activist Vidalina Morales told reporters. Bukele said last month that El Salvador, a country of 6.6 million people, had "potentially" the largest gold deposits per square kilometer in the world. "God placed a gigantic treasure underneath our feet," he wrote on social media, arguing that the mining ban was "absurd." "If we make responsible use of our natural resources, we can change the economy of El Salvador overnight," he said. The new law stipulates that the state will be the only entity authorized to search for, extract and process mined metals. However, the government may do so through companies in which it is a shareholder. The bill prohibits the use of mercury in mining operations, which may not be carried out in protected natural areas or places with important water sources. A survey by Central American University published on Monday revealed that 59 percent of respondents do not consider El Salvador "an appropriate country for metal mining." Since El Salvador dollarized its remittances-reliant economy in 2001, it has registered average annual growth of 2.1 percent. Twenty-seven percent of Salvadorans live in poverty, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and 70 percent of the workforce operates in the informal sector. Elsewhere in the region, Costa Rica and Honduras have banned open-pit mining, and Panama declared a moratorium on new mining concessions last year after mass protests over plans for a huge copper mine. ob/fj/dr/jgcOJ Awa-Ibraheem expands luxury business frontiers