The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center on Thursday issued an El Nino watch for the next six months, a climate pattern that is likely to play a role in this year’s Atlantic hurricane season. In a statement, NOAA said the indications are favorable — a 62% chance — for an … continue reading -> “US Weather Agency Issues El Nino Watch”
Ghana has become the first country to approve a new malaria vaccine described as a “world changer” by scientists who developed it at the University of Oxford. The mosquito-spread parasitic disease kills more than 600,000 people every year. The majority are children in sub-Saharan Africa. A statement issued Wednesday by Oxford University says its new … continue reading -> “Ghana First to Approve Oxford’s ‘World Changer’ Malaria Vaccine”
The first image of a black hole captured four years ago revealed a fuzzy, fiery doughnut-shaped object. Now, researchers have used artificial intelligence to give that cosmic beauty shot a touch-up. The updated picture, published Thursday in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, keeps the original shape, but with a skinnier ring and a sharper resolution. The … continue reading -> “First Image of Black Hole Gets Makeover With AI “
ChatGPT could return to Italy soon if its maker, OpenAI, complies with measures to satisfy regulators who had imposed a temporary ban on the artificial intelligence software over privacy worries. The Italian data protection authority on Wednesday outlined a raft of requirements that OpenAI will have to satisfy by April 30 for the ban on … continue reading -> “ChatGPT Could Return to Italy if OpenAI Complies With Rules”
A Biden administration proposal would force U.S. automakers to sharply increase their production of electric cars and trucks over the next decade, lending greater urgency to the effort to build raw material supply chains that reduce the industry’s dependence on China. The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced a proposed rule that would place stricter … continue reading -> “New US Electric Vehicle Rule Would Speed Supply Chain Changes”
A plan to legalize irrigation around the Donana wildlife reserve in southern Spain, one of Europe’s largest wetlands and a wintering location for migratory birds, has sparked an outcry during a prolonged drought. Andalusia’s conservative regional government wants to allow agricultural irrigation in five municipalities around Donana, saying the move poses no risk to the … continue reading -> “Plan to Allow Irrigation at Spanish Wildlife Sanctuary Sparks Outcry”
Electronic cigarette-maker Juul Labs will pay $462 million to six states and the District of Columbia, marking the largest settlement the company has reached so far for its role in the youth vaping surge, New York Attorney General Letitia James said Wednesday. The agreement with New York, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico and Washington, … continue reading -> “Juul Agrees to Pay $462 Million Settlement to 6 US States, DC”
Broadcaster National Public Radio said Wednesday it would no longer post its news content on 52 official Twitter accounts in protest of the social media site labeling the independent U.S. news agency as “government-funded media.” NPR is the first major news organization to go silent on Twitter. The social media platform owned by entrepreneur Elon … continue reading -> “In US, National Public Radio Abandons Twitter”
Hospitals in Cameroon are reporting an increase in cases of river blindness, a parasitic disease caused by bites from infected blackflies. Hundreds of aid workers have been dispatched to remote, riverside villages to encourage those infected to seek treatment. In Sa’a district, 74 kilometers north of Cameroon’s capital of Yaounde, 45-year-old Jean Christophe Onana says … continue reading -> “Cameroon Says River Blindness Still a Major Health Issue”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday proposed sweeping emissions cuts for new cars and trucks through 2032, a move it says could mean two out of every three new vehicles automakers sell will be electric within a decade. The proposal, if finalized, represents the most aggressive U.S. vehicle emissions reduction plan to date, … continue reading -> “US Proposes 56% Vehicle Emissions Cut by 2032, Requiring Big EV Jump”
Billionaire Elon Musk has told the BBC that running Twitter has been “quite painful” but that the social media company is now roughly breaking even after he acquired it late last year. In an interview also streamed live late Tuesday on Twitter Spaces, Musk discussed his ownership of the online platform, including layoffs, misinformation and … continue reading -> “Musk Says Owning Twitter ‘Painful’ But Needed To Be Done”
U.S. health officials released data Tuesday showing how chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases have been accelerating, but doctors are hoping an old drug will help fight the sexually transmitted infections. Experts believe STDs have been rising because of declining condom use, inadequate sex education, and reduced testing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of Americans are … continue reading -> “Morning-After-Style Pill May Help Stem Sexually Transmitted Infections”
Even before he has dipped his toes into the murky waters of Paris ‘ famous but forbidden River Seine, French triathlete Thibaut Rigaudeau is already fielding questions from disbelieving friends. “Are you scared of swimming in the Seine?” he says they ask him. “It looks disgusting.’” For decades, it was. Though immortalized in art, literature … continue reading -> “Paris’ Toxic River Seine Gets Olympic Reboot”
China’s internet regulator has unveiled a proposed law that will require makers of new artificial intelligence, or AI, products to submit to security assessments before public release. The draft law released Tuesday by the Cyberspace Administration of China says that content generated by future AI products must reflect the country’s “core socialist values” and not … continue reading -> “China Unveils Proposed New Law Overseeing Artificial Intelligence Products”
The Australian government is asking major banks and other institutions to take part in ‘wargaming’ exercises to test how they would respond to cyber-attacks. It follows recent mass data theft attacks on several large companies, which compromised the data of millions of Australians. Australia is preparing for potential cyberattacks on critical services including hospitals, … continue reading -> “Australia Aims to Make Industry More Resilient Against Cyberattacks”
The U.S. national emergency to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic ended Monday as President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan congressional resolution to bring it to a close after three years — weeks before it was set to expire alongside a separate public health emergency. The national emergency allowed the government to take sweeping steps to … continue reading -> “Biden Ends COVID-19 National Emergency After Congress Acts”
A Kuwaiti media outlet has unveiled a virtual news presenter generated using artificial intelligence, with plans for it to read online bulletins. “Fedha” appeared on the Twitter account of the Kuwait News website Saturday as an image of a woman, her light-colored hair uncovered, wearing a black jacket and white T-shirt. “I’m Fedha, the first … continue reading -> “News Presenter Generated with AI Appears in Kuwait”
An international team of scientists is rushing to save West Africa’s Atlantic humpback dolphin, which environmental groups say has been pushed to the brink of extinction. In 1987, Senegal banned nylon monofilament fishing nets that threaten dolphins and other marine life, but critics say the government has failed to enforce the law. Annika Hammerschlag reports … continue reading -> “Senegal: Critically Endangered Dolphin Threatened by Illegal Fishing Nets”
The Iowa Attorney General’s Office has paused its practice of paying for emergency contraception — and in rare cases, abortions — for victims of sexual assault, a move that drew criticism from some victim advocates. Federal regulations and state law require Iowa to pay many of the expenses for sexual assault victims who seek medical … continue reading -> “Iowa Won’t Pay for Rape Victims’ Abortions or Contraceptives”
Climate change, deforestation, and urbanization are some of the major risk factors behind the increasing number of outbreaks of viruses such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya around the world, warns a study by the World Health Organization. The study says the incidence of infections caused by these mosquito-borne illnesses, which thrive in tropical and subtropical … continue reading -> “WHO Warns Climate Change Causing Surge in Mosquito-Borne Diseases”
A 17-meter-long said Sunday, making it the third whale that beached itself on the Indonesian island in just a little over a week. The male sperm whale was found stranded on Yeh Leh beach in west Bali’s Jembrana district Saturday afternoon. “We are currently trying to pull the carcass to the shore to make it … continue reading -> “Third Whale in a Month Beaches Itself, Dies in Bali”
Electric car maker Tesla Inc. plans to build a factory in Shanghai to produce power-storage devices for sale worldwide, state media reported Sunday. Plans call for annual production of 10,000 Megapack units, according to the Xinhua News Agency and state television. They said the company made the announcement at a signing ceremony in Shanghai, where … continue reading -> “Reports: Tesla Plans Shanghai Factory for Power Storage”
Qamar Ali Haji has been using skin-lightening products for four years. Initially she liked the change in her appearance but now the exposure to the chemicals in the products is taking a toll. She says she regrets it. “I can’t sit too long in the school, I cannot bear the heat, my cheeks turn red, … continue reading -> “Activist Puts Spotlight on Potential Dangers of Skin-Whitening Products”
A mayor in Australia’s Victoria state said Friday he may sue the artificial intelligence writing tool ChatGPT after it falsely claimed he’d served time in prison for bribery. Hepburn Shire Council Mayor Brian Hood was incorrectly identified as the guilty party in a corruption case in the early 2000s. Brian Hood was the whistleblower in … continue reading -> “Mayor in Australia Ready to Sue over Alleged AI Chatbot Defamation”
During the coronavirus pandemic, telemedicine became a virtual phenomenon. As people remained in their homes during the pandemic, they began chatting with their doctors over the phone or video platforms on subjects such as chronic disease management, ongoing medical support, mental health issues and specialty care. To reach their patients, many health professionals had to … continue reading -> “Telemedicine Still Going Strong as US COVID Fears Fade”