Elon Musk said Sunday that he plans to change the logo of Twitter to an “X” from the bird, marking what would be the latest big change since he bought the social media platform for $44 billion last year. In a series of posts on his Twitter account starting just after 12 a.m. ET, Twitter’s … continue reading -> “Musk Says Twitter to Change Logo to “X” From The Bird “
Associated Press photographer Matt York, who has covered Arizona for 23 years, recently was caught off guard by the heat wave that has shattered records in Phoenix. The 50-year-old York photographed life in the city for six of seven days as temperatures hovered above 110 Fahrenheit. On Tuesday, he went in for a medical procedure … continue reading -> “19 Straight Days Above 43.3 C: Arizona Photographer Shares His Story”
Sea lions and dolphins are being sickened by toxic algae off the coast of California, where hundreds of animals have washed ashore. Mike O’Sullivan visited the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California, where workers are rescuing and treating the ailing animals. …
The White House on Friday announced that the Biden administration had reached a voluntary agreement with seven companies building artificial intelligence products to establish guidelines meant to ensure the technology is developed safely. “These commitments are real, and they’re concrete,” President Joe Biden said in comments to reporters. “They’re going to help … the industry … continue reading -> “AI Firms Strike Deal With White House on Safety Guidelines “
Japan and India have signed an agreement for the joint development of semiconductors, in what appears to be another indication of how global businesses are reconfiguring post-pandemic supply chains as China loses its allure for foreign companies. India’s Ashwini Vaishnaw, minister for railways, communications, and electronics and information technology, and Japan’s minister of economy, trade … continue reading -> “Japan Signs Chip Development Deal With India “
The World Health Organization warns dengue fever is spreading to more regions and countries around the world due to the increased movement of people, urbanization, and climate-related issues. “About half of the world’s population is at risk of dengue,” Raman Velayudhan, a top official of the WHO’s global program on the control of neglected tropical … continue reading -> “Dengue Mosquitoes Spreading Widely to More Regions, Countries”
Environmental activists and experts are increasingly concerned about the impact that military activity by India, China and Pakistan is having on the unique biodiversity and pristine ecosystems of Ladakh, an Indian-administered region high in the Himalayas. Simmering tensions between India and China since a deadly border confrontation in 2020 have led to a surge in … continue reading -> “India-China Military Buildup Threatens Fragile Himalayan Ecosystems “
Every few years, the Pacific Ocean gets a fever, and the symptoms spread all the way around the world. It’s happening again. El Niño is back, and it looks like it’s going to be a big one. That raises the odds of droughts in Brazil and southern Africa, and floods in East Africa and the … continue reading -> “El Niño is Here; Get Ready for a Big One”
Intel Corp. has introduced a processor in China that is designed for AI deep-learning applications despite reports of the Biden administration considering additional restrictions on Chinese companies to address loopholes in chip export controls. The chip giant’s product launch on July 11 is part of an effort by U.S. technology companies to bypass or curb … continue reading -> “US Tech Leaders Aim for Fewer Export Curbs on AI Chips for China “
As the planet warms, mosquitoes are slowly migrating upward. The temperature range where malaria-carrying mosquitoes thrive is rising in elevation. Researchers have found evidence of the phenomenon from the tropical highlands of South America to the mountainous, populous regions of eastern Africa. Scientists now worry people living in areas once inhospitable to the insects, including … continue reading -> “Amid Climate Change, Mosquitoes Migrate; Will Malaria Follow? “
Artificial intelligence was the dominant topic at the United Nations Security Council this week. In his opening remarks at the session, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “AI will have an impact on every area of our lives” and advocated for the creation of a “new United Nations entity to support collective efforts to govern this … continue reading -> “UN Security Council Debates Virtues, Failings of Artificial Intelligence”
Italy put 23 cities on red alert as it reckoned with another day of scorching temperatures Wednesday, with no sign of relief from the wave of extreme heat, wildfires and flooding that has wreaked havoc from the United States to China. The heat wave has hit southern Europe during the peak summer tourist season, breaking … continue reading -> “Europe Battles Heat, Fires; Sweltering Temperatures Scorch China, US”
The U.S. has suspended funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the Chinese research laboratory at the center of the debate over the origins of the coronavirus that has killed nearly 7 million people worldwide. The lab has not received any U.S. funding since 2020, but for months the U.S. Department of Health and … continue reading -> “US Suspends Funding for China’s Wuhan Lab”
People who have a particular genetic variant are twice as likely to never feel sick when they contract COVID-19, researchers said Wednesday, offering the first potential explanation for the lucky group dubbed the “super dodgers.” Those who have two copies of the variant are eight times more likely to never get any symptoms from COVID-19, … continue reading -> “Why Do Some People Not Get Sick From Covid? Genetics Provide a Clue”
Tayba Hatimy studied and practiced dentistry for seven years before she realized her real passion was caring for the environment. Since then, she has founded a garbage collection app that helps people in Mombasa, Kenya reduce garbage along the coast. Saida Swaleh has the story. (Camera: Moses Baya ) …
Childhood immunization has rebounded following a significant decline during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, but at an uneven rate with too many children in low-income countries still missing out on the life-saving products, according to a joint World Health Organization-UNICEF report. The agencies say that four million more children were immunized against killer … continue reading -> “Childhood Immunization Rebounds after COVID-19 Pandemic Setback”
Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of our social media world on our cellphones and computers. Text, images, audio and video are becoming easier for anyone to create using new generative AI tools. As AI-generated materials become more pervasive, it’s getting harder to tell the difference between what is real and what has been manipulated. … continue reading -> “Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Social Media “
Chinese livestreamers have set their sights on TikTok shoppers in the U.S. and Europe, hawking everything from bags and apparel to crystals with their eyes on a potentially lucrative market, despite uncertainties over the platform’s future in the U.S. and elsewhere. In China, where livestreaming ecommerce is forecast to reach 4.9 trillion yuan ($676 billion) … continue reading -> “Chinese Livestreamers Set Sights on TikTok Sales to Shoppers in US and Europe “
Climate change is a “universal threat” that should be handled separately from broader diplomatic issues, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry told Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng on Wednesday after two days of what he called constructive but complex talks. Acknowledging the diplomatic difficulties between the two sides in recent years, Kerry said climate should be treated … continue reading -> “US Envoy John Kerry Tells China to Separate Climate From Politics”
Does generative artificial intelligence pose a risk to humanity that could lead to our extinction? That was among the questions put to experts by the head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission at a workshop hosted with the National Science Foundation. FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said she is more hopeful about artificial intelligence than pessimistic. … continue reading -> “US Communications Commission Hopeful About Artificial Intelligence ”
As global warming intensifies and deadly heatwaves spread across the world, becoming the “new normal,” the World Meteorological Organization is calling on governments to adopt heat action plans to protect “hundreds of thousands of people dying from preventable heat-related causes each year.” WMO’s protective policies incorporate early warning and response systems for urban and nonurban … continue reading -> “Hundreds of Thousands of People Dying From Preventable Heat-Related Causes”
The heatwave engulfing the northern hemisphere is set to intensify this week, causing overnight temperatures to surge and leading to an increased risk of heart attacks and deaths, the World Meteorological Organization said Tuesday. “Temperatures in North America, Asia, and across North Africa and the Mediterranean will be above 40°C for a prolonged number of … continue reading -> “WMO Warns of Risk of Heart Attacks, Deaths as Heatwave Intensifies “
The White House on Tuesday along with companies such as Amazon.com Inc, Alphabet’s Google and Best Buy will announce an initiative that allows Americans to identify devices that are less vulnerable to cyberattacks. A new certification and labeling program would raise the bar for cybersecurity across smart devices such as refrigerators, microwaves, televisions, climate control … continue reading -> “White House Partners With Amazon, Google, Best Buy To Secure Devices From Cyberattacks”
The United Nations said Tuesday vaccinations for children have generally rebounded since a drop during the COVID-19 pandemic but warned that vaccination rates in many smaller and poorer countries are not experiencing the same progress. The U.N. said 20.5 million children missed one or more routine vaccinations in 2022, an improvement from 24.4 million the … continue reading -> “UN Says Childhood Vaccination Rates Improving, But Trail Pre-Pandemic Levels”
The excavator tore into the remnants of the damaged building in southeast Turkey, bringing it crashing down into a cloud of dust — the latest menace facing survivors of the deadly February quake that ravaged the region. Extending to the horizon, a cocoon of fine grey dust envelops the city of Samandag in the south … continue reading -> “Turkey Quake Survivors’ Latest Menace: Dust”