Harry and Meghan’s polo docuseries to highlight ‘grit behind the glamour’Goold's chat: If Cardinals trade closer Ryan Helsley, when's best time to maximize offer?The Falcons are sticking with Kirk Cousins and may get a break thanks to a soft scheduleNihon Hidankyo’s Nobel Prize: Voices for Peace / Previous Peace Prize Winner Says Desire to Eliminate N-Weapons Understood Worldwide; Young People are ‘Last Generation’ to Hear from Hibakusha, Kawasaki Says
Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister withdraws from President-elect Trump's DEA nominationKey Takeaways Nestled in the heart of St. Louis, Missouri, Maypop is a coffee and garden shop known for its cozy charm and abundant greenery. People from all walks of life gather here to reconnect with nature and each other. Julia Valleroy, Maypop's administrative coordinator, was once one of those customers seeking a garden escape and a good cup of coffee. Now part of the team, Valleroy says Maypop's dual business model still provides that warmth and magic for her and many others. "You really don't see [anything like Maypop] around here in the Midwest at all," she says. "How many places can you go where you can get coffee and also buy some flowers for your front porch or a tropical houseplant that you've been dreaming of having?" Many customers come to the shop to celebrate special occasions, like Yelp reviewer Angela P. , who brought her son's girlfriend to Maypop for her birthday. Both enthusiasts of coffee and gardening, Angela and her guest were thrilled to receive the best of both worlds — even in the summer heat. "Maypop was definitely popping, but the capacity did not affect our experience one bit," Angela wrote in her review. "It was a rather hot day, but the staff did not seem bothered. In fact, they were much more personable than I would have been had I been working in the heat. Kudos to all of the staff, both inside and out, for helping give one of the best birthday gifts that my girl has had." Customer service is a large part of what makes Maypop such a popular destination. The team provides expertise on everything from herbal tea to plant parenting, which Angela said greatly impacted her customer experience . "They're professional, so I trust they know what they're talking about," she says. "I wouldn't just take the word off of the street, but going there, I felt a little more educated. They gave ideas on things that they liked [from the cafe]. The hibiscus tea—I was hesitant on getting that, but it was delicious. It was very refreshing." A knowledgeable team is also an asset when it comes to social media content . For instance, Valleroy recently worked with the garden staff to create an Instagram reel on how to plant a cactus without pricking yourself. She says social media is an opportunity to educate customers while showcasing your brand's personality. "Just make it fun and make it light to start with," she says. "You're going to get better with time. You want to always have your face out there in front of them so you're not forgotten. I just envision whenever I'm typing up a post that I'm speaking to my friends." This strategy is successful online because Maypop's team has also worked to establish friendly relationships on the ground. Community building is always at the forefront of Maypop's mission, from its social media presence to its events strategy — for example, inviting vendors from across St. Louis to join its quarterly Maker's Market. "We thoughtfully select local artisans that like to create and share their passions," Valleroy says. "That is something that really brings the community together, and it lifts people up and brings awareness to small businesses in our area. It just feels good to help support people, support our community and support each other." Not only is Maypop's market a great way to build community, but it also promotes the brand locally . Valleroy creates digital fliers for the event and encourages vendors to share them, bolstering the brand's 22,000+ Instagram followers and proving that many great marketing activations are free. To further enhance community engagement, Valleroy regularly reads and responds to Maypop's reviews on Yelp. Engaging with feedback shows you appreciate both your customers and your team. For example, Valleroy displays reviews in the staff room to inspire and motivate the team to keep innovating and improving. "We like to switch things up," she says. "Every week whenever I come in on Monday, especially in the garden center, they've moved things around and their displays, making it so when you come in, it feels new and fresh. We always evolve around at Maypop, always trying to do better." Since its founding in 2018, Maypop has attributed its blooming business to these core principles: Listen to the episode below to hear directly from Valleroy and Angela, and subscribe to Behind the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Thursday. Editorial contributions by Erin Palmero and Emily Moon This article is part of our ongoing America's Favorite Mom & Pop ShopsTM series highlighting family-owned and operated businesses.
ATLANTA (AP) — Even when grappling with a four-game losing streak and the uncertainty generated by quarterback Kirk Cousins’ eight interceptions and no touchdown passes in that span, there is some solace for the Atlanta Falcons. They play in the NFC South. There is more good news: The Falcons’ next two opponents, the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants, are tied for the NFL’s worst record at 2-11. Coach Raheem Morris says he is sticking with Cousins for next Monday night’s game at Las Vegas. Sunday’s at Minnesota dropped Atlanta to 6-7, one game behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South. The Falcons hold the tiebreaker advantage over the Buccaneers, so if they can take advantage of their cushy closing stretch of games that also includes Washington and Carolina, they could salvage their season. “We’re right in this thing,” right guard Chris Lindstrom said Monday before acknowledging he is “obviously not happy or satisfied with where we’re at.” Lindstrom said he maintains “the ultimate belief in what we’re doing and everything that we have going on and everything is still in front of us.” Cousins and the Falcons must solve their red-zone woes to maintain hopes of the team’s first playoff appearance since 2017. The Falcons rank eighth in the NFL with 371 yards per game but only 19th with their average of 21.4 points thanks to their persistent problems inside the 20. Even the forgiving NFC South can’t make up for the scoring problems caused by penalties, turnovers and other persistent breakdowns. “You can’t live with it at all,” Morris said Monday when asked about Cousins’ recent streak of interceptions. Even so, Cousins remains the starter as awaits his opportunity. “It’s for sure Kirk is our quarterback but I have no hesitations about what our young man has been doing and how he has been preparing and the things he is ready to do,” Morris said. “So if that time ever came I would have a lot of confidence in what Mike is able to do, but Kirk is our quarterback. Kirk is the guy who is going to lead us.” What’s working With four sacks against the Vikings, the Falcons may have finally solved their longtime pass-rush woes. Atlanta had five sacks in a to the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 1, giving the team back-to-back games with at least four sacks for the first time since 2019. Outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie had one of Sunday’s sacks, giving him four for the season. With nine sacks in the last two games, the Falcons have almost doubled their NFL-low total of 10 through their first 11 games. What needs help Even as the pass rush was productive, the Falcons’ defense showed a sudden inability to prevent big plays through the air. Atlanta allowed four completions of more than 40 yards as Vikings receivers Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson combined to catch five scoring passes from Sam Darnold, who did not throw an interception. Morris said the Vikings’ strategy was to avoid cornerback A.J. Terrell, “making other people make plays, and we didn’t go out there and make them.” Stock up Running back Tyler Allgeier had nine carries for 63 yards and a touchdown. Even while Bijan Robinson continued to produce with 22 carries for 92 yards and a score, Allgeier re-emerged as a strong complement with his second-highest rushing total of the season. Stock down Cousins has an unhealthy ratio of 17 touchdown passes to 15 interceptions. “Kirk was the guy who led us to the 6-3 record,” Morris said. “We’ve got to find a way to get out of the funk. ... For us, it’s going to be his opportunity to go out and right the ship and he has earned it.” Key number 142: Wide receiver Darnell Mooney set a career high with 142 yards on six catches. It was the third game this season Mooney has led the Falcons in receiving yards. Next steps Former Atlanta quarterback Desmond Ridder is expected to start for the Raiders on Monday night after Aidan O’Connell’s knee injury in Sunday’s at Tampa Bay. ___ AP NFL:
Luigi Mangione has been arrested in an investigation into UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killing. Mangione, an Ivy League graduate, left an online trail before his arrest at McDonald's. He founded an app, talked about Artificial Intelligence on X, and read The Unabomber Manifesto. Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, left a vast online trail before police in Pennsylvania picked him Monday as a "person of interest" in the Manhattan killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . He was arrested on local gun charges, but New York Police Department officials say he's expected to be extradited to New York, where he'll face additional charges. Here's what to know about Mangione: Mangione attended elite schools Mangione graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020. He achieved a Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a major in computer science and a minor in mathematics. He also received a Master of Science in Engineering the same year with a major in computer and information science, a university spokesperson told Business Insider. Before that, he attended Gilman School, an elite all-boys preparatory school based in Baltimore. His yearbook entry, obtained by BI, says he was involved in robotics and Model UN. He wrote on his LinkedIn account that he was the valedictorian of his high school class. A spokeswoman for Gilman didn't immediately return a voicemail from BI. He favorably reviewed The Unabomber Manifesto On Goodreads, Mangione reviewed Ted Kaczynski's "Industrial Society and Its Future" book, also known as The Unabomber Manifesto, in early 2024. He gave it four out of five stars. "He was a violent individual — rightfully imprisoned — who maimed innocent people," Mangione wrote. "While these actions tend to be characterized as those of a crazy luddite, however, they are more accurately seen as those of an extreme political revolutionary." Mangione's review of the manifesto also quoted another online comment about the book, which appears to have originated on Reddit, praising the use of violence "when all other forms of communication fail." "'Violence never solved anything' is a statement uttered by cowards and predators,'" Mangione quoted. Online breadcrumbs suggest he dealt with back pain At the top of Mangione's profile on X — formerly Twitter — was a triptych of three images: a photo of himself, smiling, shirtless on a mountain ridge; a Pokemon; and an x-ray with four pins or screws visible in the lower back. Related stories Some of the books reviewed on Mangione's Goodreads account related to health and healing back pain, including "Back Mechanic: The Secrets to a Healthy Spine Your Doctor Isn't Telling You" and "Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery." The Pokemon featured in his X cover image, next to an apparent spinal X-ray, is Breloom. In the Pokemon games, it has special healing abilities. He founded an app and worked in tech While still in high school, in 2015, Mangione founded a company called AppRoar Studios. AppRoar released an iPhone game called Pivot Plane that is no longer available, but a reviewer in 2015 called it "a fun little arcade game brought to you by 3 high school juniors." He lived in a coliving space in Hawaii as recently as 2023. He posed for photos indicating he participated in Greek life at the University of Pennsylvania. The fraternity chapter represented in his photos couldn't be reached for comment. He cofounded a video game design club at the University of Pennsylvania, according to a blog post on the University of Pennsylvania's website that was removed Monday. Stephen Lane, a professor of video game design at the Ivy League university, who did not advise the club, told BI that "the fact he took the initiative and started something from nothing, that means at least in the context of Penn, that's a pretty good thing." However, the shooting of Thompson, Lane added, was "obviously not a good thing." According to his LinkedIn page, Mangione worked as a data engineer at the vehicle shopping company TrueCar starting in 2020. A TrueCar spokesperson told BI that Mangione has not worked for the company since 2023. He was previously cited for trespassing Mangione had at least one encounter with the legal system before his Monday arrest. Hawaiian court records indicate that he was cited in 2023 for entering a forbidden area of a state park. Mangione appears to have paid a $100 fine to resolve the matter. Mangione was interested in AI On his X account, Mangione posted and amplified posts about technological advances like artificial intelligence. He also posted about fitness and healthy living. He frequently reposted posts by the writer Tim Urban and commentator Jonathan Haidt about the promise and perils of technology. He also appeared to be a fan of Michael Pollan, known for his writing about food and ethics, and lab-grown meat. On Goodreads, he praised Urban's book "What's Our Problem?: A Self-Help Book for Societies," describing it as "one of the most important philosophical texts of the early 21st century." Urban posted to X on Monday: "Very much not the point of the book."Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), has spearheaded a relentless crusade against oil thieves, revolutionizing Nigeria’s maritime security landscape. Since assuming office in June 2023, Admiral Ogalla has leveraged cutting-edge technology, strategic partnerships, and innovative tactics to combat maritime crimes, protect Nigeria’s economic interests, and ensure regional stability. The dynamic and seasoned navigator has embarked upon various instant reforms aimed at not just repositioning the Nigerian Navy but re-writing the narratives, especially with consolidation on the deployment of technology which will be aimed at safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime interests, promoting economic growth, and enhancing regional stability. The transformative blueprint was encapsulated in an ambitious, Nigeria’s Maritime Security and Blue Economy Comprehensive Strategy Agenda; namely, the Total Spectrum Maritime Strategy (TSMS), which is intended to tackle maritime crimes and promote economic growth, and involves the designation of Special Courts for Maritime Crimes, Advocacy Campaigns to enlist community support, and Socioeconomic Crime Prevention Strategies. Also, the TSMS will enhance naval capabilities through fleet renewal, operational readiness, and physical and social infrastructural development, with a premium on human capital development through personnel welfare and motivation, manpower training, and youth and sports development. This aims at maintaining and equipping a professionally competent and ethical naval force, capable of leveraging on all the elements of national powers to effectively defend Nigeria’s maritime area against all forms of threat to deliver the imperatives of national security. To accomplish the agenda, Ogalla engaged strategic stakeholders and other security agencies in a robust confidence-building, partnership and interagency relationship dialogue, drumming the necessity for shaping the security outcomes within Nigeria’s maritime domain and the littorals, including land-based engagements in fulfilment of national interest. This has led to synergy and intelligence sharing amongst various agencies such as NIMASA, NPA, NDLEA, NOSDRA, and NEMA, as well as many foreign bilateral meetings and talks with the American Chief of Naval Service, Operation (CNO), and also enhanced trust, confidence building, synergy and operational successes. The re-equipping of the Naval Shipyard Limited to construct and fabricate small boats, big vessels and other facilities of the Navy, has eliminated capital flight and encouraged the training and development of skilled manpower not just within the Navy but as a means of livelihood afterwards. To have firsthand knowledge of his officers and men, the CNS conducts frequent inspection and supervisory tours of the various Naval ships as part of his avowed commitment to the welfare of the personnel and also to have personal knowledge of their war readiness. The visit has been adjudged to greatly increase the morale of the officers and men, as well as a forum for a one-on-one with the CNS. An efficient and effective strategically pragmatic leader, the CNS deploys both men and materials in the most suitable manner such as to ensure economic utilization. The novel and innovative deployment of technology in combating oil thieves has led to landmark breakthroughs including, the deployment of drones and satellite images. For instance, the intense operation of Operation DELTA SANITY recorded the seizure of 95 wooden boats, the deactivation of 119 storage tank refining ovens, and the deactivation of 447 dugout pits. Other achievements include the deactivation of 120 illegal refining sites and the seizure of 13 fibre boats, the seizure of 9 vehicles and the arrest of 14 vessels and 74 criminal suspects, with the arrest of various vessels including; MT KALI, MT HABOUR SPIRIT, MT SAISNIL, MV TOKITO, MT VINILLARIS, and MT SWEET MIRI. These operations have also effective implications for climate change as they mitigate hazardous air pollution as well as curb sooth. The CNS’s deliberate human capacity development has led to a highly improved professional and well-motivated workforce, that is ethical and with the required competencies to defend the Country’s maritime space against threats of any kind. The Total Spectrum Strategy has led to the Zero Piracy Rating Status of Nigeria by the International Maritime Bureau. The Nigeria Navy through the Maritime Domain Awareness Capacity, has both ensured the compliance of its personnel to civility and also activated deterrent measures to curb negligence and unprofessional conduct of personnel as well as provide all year-round situation awareness of Nigeria’s maritime domain extending to the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone. Through the use of its Maritime Domain Awareness Facilities, Drones and other technological tools, the Navy has enhanced early detection and swift response to incidences within the maritime environment. Instead of using responders which has proved to be costly both in terms of the responders’ psychology and otherwise, the introduction and integration of drones and AI, by the CNS has achieved tremendous benefits, in areas of surveillance, monitoring and rapid response. Presently, the deployment of technology has assisted in attaining real-time aerial surveillance. Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors can provide continuous aerial surveillance of pipelines, oil facilities, and surrounding areas, capturing real-time data and visual feeds. Drones can capture detailed images and videos, allowing for the identification of unauthorized activities, potential threats, and illegal taps on pipelines, all of these enhance rapid response. Also, Drones can be swiftly deployed to areas of interest, significantly reducing response times and allowing for immediate assessment of potential theft activities. In remote areas in particular, drones can access hard-to-reach or dangerous areas, providing critical information without exposing responders to potential risks. In the area of criminal detection, prevention and deterrence, with detection being the key reason for the deployment of the technology, early detection and deterrence can be easily and promptly achieved. Early detection, advanced sensors and AI algorithms are now effectively and efficiently used to detect anomalies such as leaks, illegal taps, and unauthorized movements along pipelines thereby preventing wastages and the dangers of scooping and its potential risk. Thermal imaging by drones equipped with thermal cameras is also used to identify heat signatures from illegal activities or equipment tampering, even in low visibility conditions such as nighttime or dense vegetation, this has become a potent tool for deterrence, while the physical visible presence of drones also acts as a deterrent to potential thieves, reducing the likelihood of thefts. While in flight, drones programmed to send automated alerts can automatically alert security personnel and local authorities upon detecting suspicious activities, enabling rapid intervention. It is necessary to note that the innovative mandatory deployment of the technology has led to an unprecedented high level of safety for all, ensuring personnel safety and minimizing the need for personnel to enter hazardous areas, significantly reducing the risk of injury or exposure to toxic substances and dangerous situations including armed attacks by oil thieves. Instead Naval personnel can now monitor and respond to incidents from a safe distance, enhancing overall safety and minimizing direct human involvement. All these leads also to overall cost efficiency, the strengthening of the operational capacity of the Navy and the enhancement of its capability to keep personnel abreast of global trends relating to evolving technological advancements in the maritime industry, as well as maintain a competitive edge during operations. Aside, the use of AI has greatly improved the Nigerian Navy’s decision-making processes, such as predicting the most fuel-efficient way to operate a vessel and has also affected the ship’s navigation system, radar operations or threat-detection systems to help operators process information faster. Part of the achievements of the automatic mode is that the CMS can detect a target and identify, classify and prioritize targets before deploying weapons, although people are involved in decisions about when and how to use weapons. Accordingly, harnessing AI and other technologies has helped the Nigerian Navy more effectively respond to a range of maritime threats such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU); drug smuggling; and piracy, eliminating the loss in revenue suffered annually by Nigeria of about $70 million to IUU fishing perpetrated by a host of foreign fleets, mostly Chinese. Aside from the use of drones and other technological tools, the use of the surveillance facility of the Nigerian Navy known as the FALCON Eye system for the security of the Nigerian Maritime space has also engendered economic prosperity. With the C4i system and the FALCON eye which are platforms that massively complement each other, there is effective intra-agency communication synergy and improved security of the maritime space devoid of security challenges, thereby boosting the courage of both local and foreign investors in the sector. The effective synchronization of the NIMASA C4i and the FALCON Eye of the Nigerian Navy has added to the strides of the FG in reaping the benefits of the blue economy. It is instructive to note that the FALCON eye system of the Nigerian Navy is a state-of-the-art surveillance facility that incorporates various sensors located along the nation’s enormous coastline, such as Radars, long-range Electro Optic Systems with thermal or night vision capability, Automatic Identification System receivers, Weather Stations and marine Very High-Frequency Radios for communication. The integration of these sensors into the Falcon Eye system generates a real-time situational awareness of the activities of vessels in the Nigerian maritime domain and some selected parts in the Gulf of Guinea. The device consists of over-the-horizon radars with a range of 200 miles, long-range electro-optical systems with a range of 30 miles, and automatic identification system (AIS) receivers. These are linked to three regional control centres and a network operations centre to provide real-time situational awareness of the country’s waters. As part of another landmark breakthrough, the CNS has also inaugurated an overarching control facility at Naval Headquarters in Abuja. The Command-and-Control Centre is filled with television screens on one wall, directly faced by at least a dozen individual workstations for monitoring the sensors. The Command-and-Control Centre is to enable the Nigerian Navy to generate a comprehensive intelligence picture of activities within the maritime environment. This will be further analyzed in appropriate cases, dispatching a Nigerian Navy ship for interdiction, investigation, and/or subsequent arrest of erring vessels. Falcon Eye had already facilitated the seizure of hundreds of tankers carrying stolen oil valued at USD10 billion and 1990 vessels engaged in illegal fishing, as well as 100 pirates and 5000 suspected smugglers. The CNS has achieved numerous exploits in the war against oil thieves. His deployment of technology to keep international thieves away from our territorial waters stands as a clear and eloquent testimony of his relentless effort to bring to an end the activities of oil thieves and criminal elements along the maritime corridor. The effective and collaborative utilization of the FALCON Eye has helped to record tremendous progress for the Nigerian Navy, and all these achievements for our country in less than no time. Adeh is a public affairs analyst based in Gbaramatu.
Adewale 4-5 1-2 9, Klaczek 2-4 0-0 6, Joshua 4-4 2-2 13, Langford 5-9 1-2 11, Marshall 6-9 2-2 17, Reddish 4-7 2-3 12, Taylor 1-2 0-1 2, Neely 3-4 0-0 6, Briggs 1-4 0-0 3, Strand 2-6 0-0 6, Topuz 2-6 0-0 6, Adnan 0-1 0-0 0, Lindsey 0-0 2-2 2, Giralt 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 34-61 10-16 93. Perez 1-3 0-0 2, Gonzalez 2-4 1-2 5, Saavedra 1-5 0-0 2, Uselis 1-6 3-4 5, Zayas 2-4 0-2 4, Guilfu 0-5 0-1 0, Pagan 0-2 0-4 0, Bargas 1-4 3-4 6, Maldonado 6-10 2-3 16, Alicea 3-7 2-3 10. Totals 17-50 11-23 50. Halftime_Albany (NY) 49-26. 3-Point Goals_Albany (NY) 15-28 (Joshua 3-3, Marshall 3-5, Klaczek 2-3, Reddish 2-3, Strand 2-4, Topuz 2-5, Briggs 1-3, Langford 0-1, Taylor 0-1), Tarzans 5-19 (Alicea 2-3, Maldonado 2-6, Bargas 1-3, Pagan 0-1, Gonzalez 0-2, Saavedra 0-2, Uselis 0-2). Rebounds_Albany (NY) 42 (Klaczek 7), Tarzans 19 (Zayas 5). Assists_Albany (NY) 20 (Joshua, Marshall 5), Tarzans 4 (Perez 2). Total Fouls_Albany (NY) 25, Tarzans 13. A_20 (12,000).
Nvidia’s stock dips after China opens probe of the AI chip company for violating anti-monopoly laws( MENAFN - EIN Presswire) Crystal Pullers Market Crystal Pullers market Driving Precision and Efficiency in Semiconductor Crystal Growth Technologies. Atil Chaudhari Transparency Market Research Inc. +1 518-618-1030 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "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. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above. MENAFN15122024003118003196ID1108995381 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. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Ashland rings opening bell at NYSE recognizes 100-year anniversaryThanks brooooo. A dream has come true!” replied my Syrian friend, just hours after the collapse of the Assad regime. A medical doctor who had helped countless refugees throughout the years under the auspices of the United Nations, he had spent years behind bars and had been subjected to unspeakable torture by the former regime. Throughout his 20s, he witnessed more horror and tragedy than most humans throughout their entire lives. But he is also a young and newlywed man brimming with hope for a better future—for his once-beautiful country can, if given the chance, become great again. The fall of the Assad regime has, predictably, generated mixed reactions. After all, the half-a-century-old Assad dynasty had generated a degree of stability and prosperity until the 2010 to 2011 Arab uprisings and, in more recent years, was the ”known devil” for regional actors. The new supremo of Syria, however, is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, a jihadist who spent time in the inner circles of al-Qaida before ”moderating” his image and ”nationalizing” his mission as the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces. Born as Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia to Syrian parents, he formerly led the al-Nusra front, the Syrian branch of al-Qaida, and displayed his independent streak by defying calls to be merged into what would later become the “Islamic State” under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. After years of frozen conflict, with both Russia and Iran effectively bailing out the Assad dynasty, the Syrian regime instantaneously crumbled in the face of al-Golani’s blitzkrieg offensive. With the Assad regime cut off from its bailiwick in Lattakia and Alawite coastal regions following the fall of Homs, the fall of Damascus became an inevitability. In just over a week, al-Golani beat even Taliban’s lightning record in toppling a foreign-backed regime. “Syria deserves a governing system that is institutional, no one where a single ruler makes arbitrary decisions,” the former al-Qaida-affiliate leader told CNN last week. During his appearance at the landmark Umayyad Mosque in Damascus hours into the downfall of the Assad regime, al-Golani declared: “Our message to all the sects of Syria is that ... Syria is for everyone.” As astute observers such as Charles Lister have argued, however, both al-Golani’s military victory and ”moderated” image invite scrutiny. To begin with, the Assad regime—notorious for its corruption, brutality, and narco-politics—was thoroughly hollowed out after a decade of brutal civil war. It had little chance of long-term survival once its chief patrons, Russia and Iran, shifted their focus to other strategic fronts amid the ongoing conflicts from Ukraine to Gaza. Meanwhile, the HTS leadership, known for its iron-fist rule throughout its former territories, has every reason to present a more ”moderate” image to both consolidate support in multi-sectarian Syria and crucially win international recognition despite its ”terrorist” designation. As if the Syrian upheaval wasn’t historic enough, last week saw another surreal development: the declaration of martial law in one of the world’s most prosperous democracies. Confronting political sterility and collapsing approval ratings, President Yoon Suk-yeol went for the nuclear option, just to see his short-lived martial law stymied by fierce resistance from both the Parliament, including his own party mates as well as South Korea’s fearless civil society, who collectively resisted military forces until the president backed down. Not long after, South Korean prosecutors arrested former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun on charges of treason; Yoon narrowly avoided impeachment while mulling potential resignation. In both Syria and South Korea, popular resistance prevailed against the forces of dictatorship. The path ahead, however, is filled with uncertainty. Lest we forget, the past year was filled with countless shocks, including the victory of Donald Trump, the tit-for-tat missile exchanges between Middle East’s two most powerful nations, and the all-out political war between the House of Duterte and the House of Marcos. The old order—along with its underlying assumptions—is perishing, while a new order is yet to crystalize. But as the great Italian thinker Antonio Gramsci counseled: one should combine the “pessimism of the intellect,” namely taking into account hard facts and troubling imponderables with the “optimism of the will,” namely the courage to fight for freedom and a better tomorrow. —————- [email protected] Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy .
None
TOKYO , Dec. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Representatives from China and Japan shared their insights on promoting artificial intelligence (AI) governance and data sharing at a sub-forum of the 20th Beijing-Tokyo Forum in Tokyo recently. The sub-forum contributed eastern wisdom to AI governance and digital social development, demonstrating the significance of international cooperation for the development of the digital economy, according to Gao Shaolin, advisor at Peking University's Legal Artificial Intelligence Research Center. AI governance framework The participants agreed that the next 10 years will be a critical period for the development of AI. Gao Wen, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), said since China's State Council issued a guideline on developing AI in 2017, the nation has made significant progress in AI research and development and industrial layout, especially in computing power and 5G network construction. By the end of 2023, China had over half of the world's 1.57 billion 5G users, according to the World Internet Development Report 2024. It ranked second globally in AI and computing power scale, which has laid a solid foundation for the rapid development of AI. Tatsuo Yamazaki , project professor at the International University of Health and Welfare, said it was very meaningful for Japan and China to discuss strengthening AI governance rules. Fumihiko Kamio , research director of the Nomura Research Institute, echoed his view. He emphasized that the core goal of AI technology is to improve productivity and eliminate obstacles to social development, and called on Chinese and Japanese experts to work together to build an AI governance framework to cope with the global challenges. Deepening international cooperation China put forth the Global AI Governance Initiative in October last year. In July, the UN General Assembly adopted a China -sponsored resolution on enhancing international cooperation on AI capacity-building. The participants spoke highly of the Global Cross-Border Data Flow Cooperation Initiative recently proposed by China . They agreed that AI governance requires global collaboration, especially in the formulation of international standards and the construction of ethical frameworks, where China and Japan can play an active role. Ding Wenhua, academician of the CAE, said China and Japan have both similarities and differences in technology development and governance priorities, so deepening cooperation will bring unique value to global AI governance. " China and Japan should deepen AI technology cooperation between enterprises, work together in AI security research, talent exchange, and jointly explore more possibilities for the application of technology," Wang Zhongyuan , president of the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, said. Balancing development & risks AI governance refers to the guardrails established to ensure AI systems and tools remain safe and ethical and respect human rights. Xu Zhilong , editor-in-chief of Science and Technology Daily, stressed that AI, as a revolutionary technology, has far-reaching impacts on all areas of society and economy. However, its potential risks such as data leakage and the spread of false information should not be ignored. "Technological progress and security ethics should be developed in a balanced way to ensure that AI technology always serves the progress of human civilization," Xu said. AI governance should not only heed the current technological ethics issues, but also prevent possible long-term risks, such as AI going out of human control, according to Toshio Iwamoto , senior corporate advisor of NTT DATA. He said AI R&D and application should abide by the principles of fairness, transparency, safety and availability. Yuan Yue, chairman of Beijing Dataway Horizon, shared his view from the perspective of regulatory models. "Policy choices should be based on the current status and goals of national technological development," Yuan said, adding that China prefers to provide a more friendly development environment for enterprises while ensuring an effective response to risks. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/science-and-technology-daily-promoting-ai-governance-jointly-302332050.html SOURCE Science and Technology Daily
NoneOsterman, Fernandez new GMs for softball league
None
A TikTok influencer was arrested for shoplifting in Florida after posting a video showing her Target haul
WASHINGTON — The number of job postings in the United States rebounded in October from a 3 1/2 year low in September, a sign that businesses are still seeking workers even though hiring has cooled. Openings rose 5% to 7.7 million from 7.4 million in September, the Labor Department said Tuesday. The increase suggests that job gains could pick up in the coming months. Still, the latest figure is down significantly from 8.7 million job postings a year ago. Last month, job openings rose sharply in professional and business services, a category that includes engineers, managers, and accountants, as well as in the restaurant and hotel and information technology industries. The number of people quitting their jobs rose in October, a sign of confidence in the job market. And layoffs tumbled to just 1.6 million — below the lowest figures in the two decades that preceded the 2020 pandemic. Taken as a whole, Tuesday's figures suggest that the job market might be stabilizing at a modest level, with hiring moderate but layoffs uncommonly low. The unemployment rate is at a low 4.1%, even though job gains slowed sharply in October, according to the monthly jobs report. The slowdown in job growth last month reflected mainly the impact of hurricanes and a strike at Boeing. “There's a lot of cause for optimism," said Cory Stahle, an economist at Indeed, the job listings website. "The fact that job openings ticked up is always an encouraging sign.” Tuesday's figures mean there are now 1.1 available jobs for each unemployed worker, a healthy figure. Before the pandemic there were usually more unemployed people than openings. Still, the latest ratio is down from a peak of roughly two job openings per unemployed person two years ago. Businesses have pulled back from the hiring frenzy that occurred as the economy emerged from the pandemic recession. Tuesday's report, known as the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, showed that overall hiring slowed in October. Total hiring slipped to 5.3 million from 5.6 million, though that decline reflected hurricane-related disruptions. The JOLTS report is separate from the monthly jobs figures, which will be released Friday. That report is forecast to show a net gain of nearly 210,000 jobs in November, up from an anemic 12,000 in October. Tuesday’s report also showed that the number of Americans who quit their jobs rebounded in October to 3.4 million, after having reached a four-year low in September. An increase in quitting is a good sign for the economy, because it suggests that people are confident enough to search for new job opportunities. The Federal Reserve is watching the jobs data closely. Any sign that hiring is sharply weakening could encourage Fed officials to cut their key interest rate more quickly, to try to bolster borrowing and spending and support the economy.Plan to add resources to border will come before Trump inauguration: LeBlanc