So this is Christmas, and what have you done? Decked up your house, shopped enough and more for the family, sent invitations to friends for a sumptuous meal, laid out plans for merrymaking? Have you had the time to think about the ones who cannot afford to do all that? ’Tis the time to be jolly all right, but to care for the less privileged would make your Christmas just right. The popular festival falls in the northern hemisphere winter, which gives us the scope to reach out to those who are left in the cold, literally as well as figuratively. It enhances the spirit of giving to touch a life and perhaps make a huge difference. Charity tops the list in terms of contentment. Nothing beats the joy of brightening up someone's mood and making one smile. Little gestures of generosity help a great deal in achieving an enormous sense of satisfaction. That would mean you radiated brighter than that decorative star in your balcony, and were a fairy, just like the lights that glitter on your Christmas tree. Be someone’s Santa, especially this festive season. As Christians around the world celebrate the birth of ‘Prince of Peace’ Jesus Christ, peace is what the world desperately needs right now with nations raging against another — causing a ripple effect around Earth — in these troubled times. Congregations in packed churches would pray for the same today even as they reflect on reported outrage against Christ’s followers in scattered pockets of our great nation. Against this backdrop, it is heartening to note the changing political equation with the PM making the push to reach out to Christians across the country. It came as a shock then that Mr Modi’s outreach was seen by some as a way of the influential clergy of the Catholic Church to engage with power and thus legitimising in a way the persecution of Christians that continues to an alarming degree in some parts of the country where the push for Hindutva comes into conflict with the desire of the minority to live in peace and prosper along with the majority community. The minority must be seen and heard too. Mr Modi has made a move in this direction and has sent out an uplifting message of inclusiveness on that front. There’s still a long way to go, but a steady start has been made in earnest. It should finish well. That should warm the hearts of many this Christmas and with the New Year around the corner, we could turn the page. Indeed, the page must turn in a country where the situation with the minorities of two major religions is not as ideal as it should be. In fact, the larger Muslim community could be facing the same kind of persecution as the Christians through targeted violence, harassment and arrests and even ostracisation wherever majoritarianism prevails, according to citizens concerned by what they see as the domination of a few religious nationalist groups. The RSS chief’s recent statement regarding the need to stop the hunt for the ruins of a temple under every ancient mosque is significant. There is a need to stop the divisiveness that comes with such delving into history.MINNEAPOLIS — Just over a week ago, the Lakers’ mission was clear. But what has transpired over the last week has been a reversal of what was desired. The Lakers’ offense was humming coming off a frustrating 119-118 home loss to the Orlando Magic on Nov. 21 that ended their six-game winning streak. Their 118.3 offensive rating (points scored per 100 possessions) ranked No. 4 through the first 15 games, delivering on the belief that the Lakers could be an elite offensive team. They scored at least 110 points in seven of eight games through the loss to the Magic and 12 of the first 15 games, helping them to a 10-5 record. The next step was clear: improve on the defensive end of the court, with the Lakers’ defensive rating of 117.4 in the first 15 games ranking 26th. The Lakers accomplished their goal: their defense has improved, with a defensive rating of 114.9 in their past six games (19th), including 109.8 (12th) in their last four. But it’s come at a cost – their once elite offense has fallen off significantly over the last week-plus, most evident in their 109-80 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night . “It’s very frustrating,” All-Star big man Anthony Davis said. “We were really good offensively and our defense was a problem and we kind of start just focusing on defense and now our offense is kind of shifted. So we got to get back to how we were [at] the beginning of the year, playing on both sides of the ball very well. “The good thing about it is, offensively it doesn’t take that much to get back going. Defense is a little bit tougher. So with the guys that we have in this locker room, I think we will be fine to figure it out.” The Lakers’ offensive rating has plummeted to 102.4 in their past six games for the league’s third-worst mark (28th) in that stretch. The absence of Austin Reaves, the team’s third-leading scorer who has missed the last two games because of a bruised left pelvis and is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game in Miami, has impacted the offense. But the Lakers’ offensive regression started before Reaves’ injury. The ball and player movement has taken a notable dip compared to earlier in the season. The Lakers are passing fewer times per game during this offensive lull. Old habits have replaced the ones Coach JJ Redick tried to replace with an offensive system that values player and ball movement. Related Articles “I feel like the offense was fun,” Redick said. “I really believe we’ve gotten better defensively. We’ve spent a lot of time as a staff defensively. And this is the nature of the NBA season. You don’t have a ton of time. The things you emphasize, hopefully you get better at. And sometimes when you don’t emphasize something, or you don’t work on something because you don’t necessarily have time, or you think you’re good at it and you think you have buy-in at it, you just get slippage. We gotta clean that up.” To LeBron James, the Lakers improving their offense will come down to investing similar energy as they did to improve their defense. “Just watching the film and seeing ways we can do better,” James said. “We did that a lot when we wanted to get our defense corrected and we corrected it. You spend a little bit more time on offense things too.” When: Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. Where: Kaseya Center, Miami TV/radio: NBA TV, Spectrum SportsNet/710 AM
Royce Global Trust (NYSE: RGT) as of Nov 30, 2024Arizona woman still missing 1 year later, foul play suspected
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law marks a new warning for the worldwide fragility of democracy, even in a country hailed as a model of political transformation. Yoon's overnight attempt to shut down political activity, censor media and lock out opposition lawmakers stunned South Korea's longtime ally, the United States, which said it had no advance warning and issued a statement of concern. South Korea's transition to elected rule since a mass uprising in 1987 had been seen as so thorough that the United States increasingly spoke of its ally as a global partner. Meanwhile, Seoul billed itself as a new, ideal hub for international media as China clamped down on Hong Kong. President Joe Biden had even chosen Yoon as the host in March of his final Summit for Democracy -- a signature initiative of the outgoing US leader, who sought to champion liberal values globally, in an unstated repudiation of Donald Trump, who returns to the White House next month. But observers, while stunned by Yoon, said there were warning signs. Danny Russel, a top US diplomat for Asia under former president Barack Obama and who earlier served in South Korea, pointed to the deadlock in parliament where the opposition repeatedly sought impeachments against Yoon's administration. Yoon's move "was a complete surprise to me (but) yes, there were very obvious structural forces at work," he said. "There is a radically polarized political scene in Korea. The opposition has been pursuing scorched-earth political obstruction tactics," he said. But he pointed to the quick, large-scale protests that erupted after Yoon's declaration as a sign of a vibrant civil society ready to defend democracy. "One certainly would hope that this would serve as a wake-up call to both the ruling conservative party and the progressive opposition that both sides have gone too far and that there needs to be some process of reconciliation, of dealing with legitimate differences and grievances." Yoon himself had earlier shown signs of authoritarianism. In a national address last year, Yoon raged against supposed communists who have "disguised themselves as democracy activists, human rights advocates or progressive activists." A prosecutor, Yoon narrowly won the 2022 election on a platform of economic reform and advocated close ties with the United States as well as historic rival Japan. But his popularity swiftly slid and the opposition won the National Assembly. Celeste Arrington, a Korea expert at George Washington University, noted that Yoon had never held elected office before and had become increasingly frustrated. "This is really an extreme move that may signal, I think, the president's lack of political experience," she said. She said that martial law showed "some cracks in democracy" but that the quick reversal "gives me hope in the health and strength and vibrancy of democracy in South Korea." Bruce Klingner, a senior research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, expected Yoon's career to be over after attempting martial law, which constitutionally can only be imposed for wars or other emergencies. "Yoon's action is a damning reversal to decades of South Korean efforts to put its authoritarian past behind it," he said. The number of democracies worldwide soared starting in the late 1980s as the Soviet Union collapsed and student-led uprisings brought reforms elsewhere. But globally, democracy has been in retreat for the last 18 straight years, according to the Washington-based group Freedom House, which promotes political liberty. Democratically elected leaders have taken increasingly authoritarian steps in countries as diverse as India, Turkey and Hungary. V-Dem, another closely watched democracy index, had most recently ranked South Korea third in Asia after Taiwan and Japan. In the United States, Trump has rejected long-held norms, refusing to accept he lost to Biden four years ago -- culminating in his supporters violently rampaging through the US Capitol. Trump's rejection of democracy ultimately worked out for him: campaigning on the rage of 2020, he won last month's election. But experts said Yoon's power play -- and its reversal -- could in fact show a victory for democratic values. "Yoon is a deeply unpopular and ineffectual leader, but there was nothing I saw of people being dissatisfied with the way government runs," Alan Yu, a senior vice president at the left-leaning Center for American Progress, said after a recent trip to Seoul. Darcie Draudt-Vejares of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said that with the swift response to Yoon, "this crisis may ultimately strengthen Korean democracy by reaffirming civilian control and demonstrating institutional resilience."
On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. For more On Football analysis, head here . Saquon Barkley has become the Shohei Ohtani of the NFL. There’s no better home run hitter playing football right now. Barkley had touchdown runs of 72 and 70 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles in a 37-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night. He now has five runs of 50-plus yards this season and is on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,105 yards set in 1984. Barkley’s historic performance against the Rams — his 255 yards set a team record — captivated a national audience and turned him into a fan favorite for the AP NFL MVP award. He’s not the betting favorite, however. Josh Allen has the best odds at plus-150, according to Bet MGM Sportsbook. Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson is next at plus-250 followed by Barkley at plus-400. Running backs have won the award 18 times, including three-time winner Jim Brown, who was the AP’s first NFL MVP in 1957. Quarterbacks have dominated the award, winning it 45 times. Only three players who weren’t QBs or RBs have been MVP. It takes a special season for a non-QB to win it mainly because the offense goes through the signal caller. Quarterbacks handle the ball every offensive snap, run the show and get the credit when things go well and the blame when it doesn’t. Adrian Peterson was the most recent non-QB to win it when he ran for 2,097 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Minnesota Vikings in 2012. Playing for a winning team matters, too. Nine of the past 11 winners played for a No. 1 seed with the other two winners on a No. 2 seed. The Vikings earned the sixth seed when Pederson was MVP. Barkley is a major reason why the Eagles (9-2) are leading the NFC East and only trail Detroit (10-1) by one game for the top spot in the conference. Does he have a realistic chance to win the MVP award? Kicker Mark Moseley was the MVP in the strike-shortened 1982 season when he made 20 of 21 field goals and 16 of 19 extra points in nine games for Washington. If voters once selected a kicker, everyone has a chance, especially a game-changer such as Barkley. Defensive tackle Alan Page was the MVP in 1971 and linebacker Lawrence Taylor won it in 1986. Running back Christian McCaffrey finished third in voting last year and wide receiver Justin Jefferson placed fifth in 2022. The Offensive Player of the Year award and Defensive Player of the Year award recognize the best all-around players on both sides of the ball, allowing voters to recognize non-QBs if they choose. Wide receivers and running backs have won the AP OPOY award seven times over the past 11 seasons. McCaffrey was the 2023 winner. The AP’s new voting format introduced in 2022 also gives non-QBs a better opportunity to get MVP recognition. Voter submit their top five picks for each award, with a weighted point system. Previously, voters made one choice for each award. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league vote for MVP and seven other awards. The awards are based on regular-season performance. The Chiefs (10-1) and Bills (9-2) already are in position to lock up postseason berths right after Thanksgiving. Kansas City clinches a playoff berth with a win over Las Vegas on Black Friday and a loss by Miami on Thursday night, or a win plus a loss by Denver on Monday night. Buffalo can wrap up a fifth straight AFC East title with a victory over San Francisco on Sunday and a loss by the Dolphins. It’s not a given that the Dallas Cowboys will be looking for a new head coach after this season. Owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday on local radio that Mike McCarthy could end up getting a contract extension. “I don’t think that’s crazy at all. This is a Super Bowl-winning coach. Mike McCarthy has been there and done that. He has great ideas. We got a lot of football left,” Jones said. McCarthy led the Cowboys (4-7) to three straight 12-win seasons, but they went 1-3 in the playoffs and haven’t reached the NFC championship game since winning the Super Bowl 29 years ago. Injuries have contributed to the team’s struggles this season, but Dallas was just 3-5 before Dak Prescott was lost for the rest of the season. The Cowboys upset Washington last week and their next four games are against teams that currently have losing records. If they somehow end up 9-8 or even 8-9, Jones could make a case for keeping McCarthy. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflAmber Heard criticises social media in response to Blake Lively complaint
50 EH/s expansion accelerated to H1 2025 Focused on alternative funding instruments Potential for investor distributions in 2025 Transition to U.S. domestic issuer SYDNEY, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IREN (NASDAQ: IREN ) (together with its subsidiaries, "IREN” or "the Company”), today reported its financial results for the first quarter ended September 30, 2024. All $ amounts are in United States Dollars ("USD”) unless otherwise stated. "We are pleased to report our Q1 FY25 results and reiterate our focus on low-cost Bitcoin mining, operating cashflows and shareholder returns,” said Daniel Roberts, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of IREN. "We are just weeks away from achieving our 31 EH/s milestone and are excited to announce the acceleration of our growth trajectory to 50 EH/s in H1 2025, which was previously H2 2025. Our funding program is focused on alternative funding instruments and the strong operating cashflows we expect to generate enhances our flexibility to support potential distributions in 2025.” Business Update Bitcoin Mining (USD$m) 1 Sep 30, 2024 June 30, 2024 (USD$m) Sep 30, 2024 June 30, 2024 This press release includes "forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or IREN's future financial or operating performance. For example, forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the Company's business strategy, expected operational and financial results, and expected increase in power capacity and hashrate. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "anticipate,” "believe,” "may,” "can,” "should,” "could,” "might,” "plan,” "possible,” "project,” "strive,” "budget,” "forecast,” "expect,” "intend,” "target”, "will,” "estimate,” "predict,” "potential,” "continue,” "scheduled” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology, but the absence of these words does not mean that statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause IREN's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking statements, including, but not limited to: Bitcoin price and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; IREN's ability to obtain additional capital on commercially reasonable terms and in a timely manner to meet its capital needs and facilitate its expansion plans; the terms of any future financing or any refinancing, restructuring or modification to the terms of any future financing, which could require IREN to comply with onerous covenants or restrictions, and its ability to service its debt obligations, any of which could restrict its business operations and adversely impact its financial condition, cash flows and results of operations; IREN's ability to successfully execute on its growth strategies and operating plans, including its ability to continue to develop its existing data center sites and to diversify and expand into the market for high performance computing ("HPC”) solutions it may offer (including the market for AI Cloud Services); IREN's limited experience with respect to new markets it has entered or may seek to enter, including the market for HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services); expectations with respect to the ongoing profitability, viability, operability, security, popularity and public perceptions of the Bitcoin network; expectations with respect to the profitability, viability, operability, security, popularity and public perceptions of any current and future HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) that IREN offers; IREN's ability to secure and retain customers on commercially reasonable terms or at all, particularly as it relates to its strategy to expand into markets for HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services); IREN's ability to manage counterparty risk (including credit risk) associated with any current or future customers, including customers of its HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) and other counterparties; the risk that any current or future customers, including customers of its HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services), or other counterparties may terminate, default on or underperform their contractual obligations; Bitcoin global hashrate fluctuations; IREN's ability to secure renewable energy, renewable energy certificates, power capacity, facilities and sites on commercially reasonable terms or at all; delays associated with, or failure to obtain or complete, permitting approvals, grid connections and other development activities customary for greenfield or brownfield infrastructure projects; IREN's reliance on power and utilities providers, third party mining pools, exchanges, banks, insurance providers and its ability to maintain relationships with such parties; expectations regarding availability and pricing of electricity; IREN's participation and ability to successfully participate in demand response products and services and other load management programs run, operated or offered by electricity network operators, regulators or electricity market operators; the availability, reliability and/or cost of electricity supply, hardware and electrical and data center infrastructure, including with respect to any electricity outages and any laws and regulations that may restrict the electricity supply available to IREN; any variance between the actual operating performance of IREN's miner hardware achieved compared to the nameplate performance including hashrate; IREN's ability to curtail its electricity consumption and/or monetize electricity depending on market conditions, including changes in Bitcoin mining economics and prevailing electricity prices; actions undertaken by electricity network and market operators, regulators, governments or communities in the regions in which IREN operates; the availability, suitability, reliability and cost of internet connections at IREN's facilities; IREN's ability to secure additional hardware, including hardware for Bitcoin mining and any current or future HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) it offers, on commercially reasonable terms or at all, and any delays or reductions in the supply of such hardware or increases in the cost of procuring such hardware; expectations with respect to the useful life and obsolescence of hardware (including hardware for Bitcoin mining as well as hardware for other applications, including any current or future HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) IREN offers); delays, increases in costs or reductions in the supply of equipment used in IREN's operations; IREN's ability to operate in an evolving regulatory environment; IREN's ability to successfully operate and maintain its property and infrastructure; reliability and performance of IREN's infrastructure compared to expectations; malicious attacks on IREN's property, infrastructure or IT systems; IREN's ability to maintain in good standing the operating and other permits and licenses required for its operations and business; IREN's ability to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce its intellectual property rights and confidential information; any intellectual property infringement and product liability claims; whether the secular trends IREN expects to drive growth in its business materialize to the degree it expects them to, or at all; any pending or future acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures or other strategic transactions; the occurrence of any environmental, health and safety incidents at IREN's sites, and any material costs relating to environmental, health and safety requirements or liabilities; damage to IREN's property and infrastructure and the risk that any insurance IREN maintains may not fully cover all potential exposures; ongoing proceedings relating in part to the default, and any future litigation, claims and/or regulatory investigations, and the costs, expenses, use of resources, diversion of management time and efforts, liability and damages that may result therefrom; IREN's failure to comply with any laws including the anti-corruption laws of the United States and various international jurisdictions; any failure of IREN's compliance and risk management methods; any laws, regulations and ethical standards that may relate to IREN's business, including those that relate to Bitcoin and the Bitcoin mining industry and those that relate to any other services it offers, including laws and regulations related to data privacy, cybersecurity and the storage, use or processing of information and consumer laws; IREN's ability to attract, motivate and retain senior management and qualified employees; increased risks to IREN's global operations including, but not limited to, political instability, acts of terrorism, theft and vandalism, cyberattacks and other cybersecurity incidents and unexpected regulatory and economic sanctions changes, among other things; climate change, severe weather conditions and natural and man-made disasters that may materially adversely affect IREN's business, financial condition and results of operations; public health crises, including an outbreak of an infectious disease (such as COVID-19) and any governmental or industry measures taken in response; IREN's ability to remain competitive in dynamic and rapidly evolving industries; damage to IREN's brand and reputation; expectations relating to Environmental, Social or Governance issues or reporting; the costs of being a public company; the increased regulatory and compliance costs of IREN ceasing to be a foreign private issuer and an emerging growth company, as a result of which we will be required, among other things, to file periodic reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic issuer forms with the SEC commencing with our next fiscal year, prepare our financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP rather than IFRS, and to modify certain of our policies to comply with corporate governance practices required of U.S. domestic issuers; and other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors” in IREN's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on August 28, 2024 as such factors may be updated from time to time in its other filings with the SEC, accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of IREN's website at https://investors.iren.com. These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this investor update. Any forward-looking statement that IREN makes in this investor update speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as required by law, IREN disclaims any obligation to update or revise, or to publicly announce any update or revision to, any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Non-IFRS Financial Measures This press release includes non-IFRS financial measures, including Net electricity costs, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin. We provide these measures in addition to, and not as a substitute for, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. There are a number of limitations related to the use of Net electricity costs, Adjusted EBTIDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin. For example, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate these measures differently. The Company believes that these measures are important and supplement discussions and analysis of its results of operations and enhances an understanding of its operating performance. EBITDA is calculated as our IFRS profit/(loss) after income tax expense, excluding interest income, finance expense and non-cash fair value loss and interest expense on hybrid financial instruments, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, which are important components of our IFRS profit/(loss) after income tax expense. Further, "Adjusted EBITDA” also excludes share-based payments expense, which is an important component of our IFRS profit/(loss) after income tax expense, foreign exchange gains and losses, impairment of assets, certain other non-recurring income, loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment, gain on disposal of subsidiaries, unrealized fair value gains and losses on financial assets and certain other expense items. Net electricity costs is calculated as our IFRS Electricity charges net of Realized gain/(loss) on financial asset, ERS revenue (included in Other income) and ERS fees (included in Other operating expenses), and excludes the cost of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). About IREN IREN is a leading data center business powering the future of Bitcoin, AI and beyond utilizing 100% renewable energy. Sodali & Co +61 477 946 068 IREN +61 407 423 395 [email protected] Aircover Communications +1 510 333 2707Pete Buttigieg Offers Advice To Democrats On Getting Through Trump's Presidency
Andrej Jakimovski hit a layup with 8 seconds left, and Colorado upset No. 2 UConn 73-72 in the consolation bracket of the Maui Invitational on Tuesday in Lahaina, Hawaii. Colorado (5-1) rallied from down 11 in the first half to get the win over the two-time defending national champions Huskies. Jakimovski finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Julian Hammond III and Elijah Malone each scored 16 for the Buffaloes, who advanced to the fifth-place game in Maui on Wednesday. Down 72-71, Jakimovski drove the right side of the lane and made a scoop shot as he was falling down. UConn called timeout to set up the final play but Hassan Diarra missed a 3-pointer with 2 seconds left. Liam McNeeley led UConn with 20 points, Solo Ball scored 16 and Diarra finished with 11. The Huskies (4-2) lost two straight for the first time since dropping three in a row from Jan. 11-18, 2023. Colorado trailed by eight at halftime and Diarra hit two 3-pointers early in the second half that made it 46-37. The Buffaloes scored the next 11 points to take a 48-46 lead, their first of the game. Hammond bookended that run with a pair of triples. UConn went back in front 55-52 on Tarris Reed Jr.'s driving layup but Malone's bucket with 8:34 left tied it at 59. McNeeley's hook shot gave the Huskies a 63-60 lead before Jakimovski drained a 3-pointer to tie it again with 5:16 left. Ball hit a 3-pointer and a layup to give UConn a five-point lead but Colorado got within 70-69 on two free throws by Malone with 2:04 left. A putback from Jaylin Stewart made it a three-point game with 1:29 remaining. Malone answered with a layup, Javon Ruffin blocked Diarra's shot and Colorado got an offensive rebound with 24 seconds left to set up the winning basket. McNeeley made his first four shots from deep and had 16 points by intermission to lead the Huskies. Colorado had opportunities to make it a close game by halftime but went just 12-for-19 from the foul line and trailed 40-32. UConn attempted only four free throws in the first half and had five players with two or more fouls, including Reed, who had three. --Field Level Media
Fatal Tesla Cybertruck crash in Piedmont being reviewed by federal agencyLife is always full of surprises. When you think you’ve seen enough, there’s always some interesting twist. I recently learned, for instance, that Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong plans to introduce an AI-powered bias meter for news. It’s not entirely clear how it’d work, but it is supposed to analyze a story to understand if it’s skewed in favor of a specific point of view, and then provide, on demand, a different version of that story from another perspective. The rationale behind the introduction of the feature seems to be the idea that news and opinion are not separated enough, nowadays, and that readers are losing trust in the media. There’s certainly some truth in that, but I can see why journalists feel outraged and think that "the newspaper’s owner has publicly suggested his staff harbors bias, without offering evidence or examples". However, what I’m interested in here, is not so much the debate itself, but the proposed cure for the supposed problem. Using some kind of algorithm to make up for a perceived lack of credibility is precisely the idea a tech (biotech, in this case) entrepreneur could have - and in fact the tool will rely on the same technology developed at his other companies. On a deeper level, it seems to fit into the "solutionist" line of thinking made famous by Evgeny Morozov a few years ago - the idea that there’s a technological solution to any kind of problem. Even typically human issues, such as the lack of trust in a relationship (the one between readers and writers, in this case), could be solved frictionlessly with the right app or code. This is problematic on many levels. First, one could argue that the mutual distrust that we are currently witnessing in society in general and between mainstream media and a significant part of the audience in particular, is actually fuelled and amplified by technology. While media mistrust has been building for decades , the dominant role played by social media platforms in the last decade has not only eroded the business model of publishers, but also allowed anyone to create their own "news bubble" made only of people and content that they agree with, effectively confirming and even boosting biases. The digital landscape itself, with all the abundance of fake news, misinformation, AI-generated content, has made it more challenging for individuals to discern credible information from falsehoods, only amplifying the trust crisis. The introduction of AI tools in newsroom is not necessarily going to improve the situation. A recent survey by international research group YouGov in the UK, found out that only 6% of Britons think the benefits of using AI in journalism will outweigh the drawbacks and 60% percent of respondents said they would not trust an article created with AI support. To be clear, we are not talking about stories that are totally AI-generated here, but of situations in which the AI plays the role of the journalist, collaborating with a human editor, or the other way around. More in general, in the U.S., approximately two-thirds of U.S. adults express low confidence in the ability of AI tools, including chatbots and search engines, to provide reliable and factual information. So, it’s unclear how introducing an AI tool to improve trust levels would help, if the technology is not trusted by the audience in the first place. There’s another, more serious issue to consider. To be credible and reliable, an AI bias meter should be able to explain how it reached the conclusion that an article is "biased" and - it should go without saying - be free of biases itself. But we know that one of the big problems with using AI tools for decision-making, is that it is sometimes hard , even for those who programmed them, to tell how they came to a certain conclusion. There are some many parameters at play and the way these AI tools create connections among them is so fast and, to an extent, unpredictable, that they effectively appear as "black boxes"; so much so that there’s an entire research field, called explainable AI, trying to mitigate the issue. Not only that, but far from being omniscient, impersonal and impartial oracles, machine learning results can be heavily conditioned by the quality of the input data and by the assumptions in the machine learning algorithm’s modeling. Using flawed data or unfairly attributing some aspects of a dataset more weight than others can lead to the wrong outcomes. Labeling articles as veering too much to the left or to the right, would mean having clear, unambiguous data on what can be considered belonging to the former or to the latter, and weighting them fairly and appropriately, which is no easy task. It’s very much possible that Soon-Shiong’s team has found a good solution for this, or that the bias meter tool he briefly outlined in a podcast is more nuanced than it seems. Still, until more details are released, I would maintain a healthy skepticism about well-intentioned efforts to use AI meters to combat journalists' alleged biases. Not least because they could easily be employed to provide a false impression of impartiality, while actually hiding their own biases in a way that the audience might not even be aware of.
Penticton Winter Recreation Guide set to drop this week (Penticton)S.Korea political upheaval shows global democracy's fragility - and resilience
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law marks a new warning for the worldwide fragility of democracy, even in a country hailed as a model of political transformation. Yoon's overnight attempt to shut down political activity, censor media and lock out opposition lawmakers stunned South Korea's longtime ally, the United States, which said it had no advance warning and issued a statement of concern. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.
This review contains spoilers Over nine weeks of polite baking, this year’s Bake Off batch of 12 have been whittled down to just three. But only one could take home the prized glass cake stand – will it be risk-taking wunderkind Dylan, consistent maestra Georgie, or fastidious maverick Christiaan? Despite summoning all the interest I could muster, I ultimately found precious little to sink my teeth into. For their last signature bake, the trio were tasked with making two batches of scones – 12 sweet, 12 savoury. True to form, Christiaan threw every flavour at the challenge, combining curry, chilli and feta for his savoury scones and coconut and passionfruit for his sweet, while Georgie added raspberries to her sweet mix, mixing olives, cheese and herbs for her savoury. When Dylan (who whipped up pickled strawberries for sweet and celeriac salmon for savoury) and Georgie’s first batches weren’t up to scratch, they had to remake them. This setback seemed to herald the beginning of the end for Dylan – the onset of whatever the televised baking equivalent of the yips is. As the clock ran down, Christiaan ran over to help him with some last-minute piping – but it was too little, too late. When it came time for judging, Christiaan’s neat little discs were a hit, and Georgie’s were messier but ultimately tasty. Dylan’s were a mixed bag – his savoury scones were apparently delicious (they looked like a small horse had trotted over them) and as for his sweet ones, the flavours just weren’t strong enough. Read Next Ban the Hollywood Handshake, sack Noel and turn on the aircon: How to fix Bake Off Visibly shaken by his slip up, you could practically see the 20-year-old internally painting himself into an anxious corner. It was heartbreaking, but the dash of emotional peril did brighten up an otherwise pretty dull finale. All of a sudden, I actually cared how one of the contestants did – a novel feeling, as we approached the technical. Charged with making an afternoon tea display of lemon sandwich cakes, strawberry tarts and egg rolls, the technical tested the bakers’ organisational skills as much as their cooking. “Mess up one of those things and it could snowball,” said judge Paul Hollywood and I’m afraid that for poor Dylan, who had completely psyched himself out by this point, his words proved to be a prophecy. From his messy plaited rolls to his sunken mini sponges, it seemed nothing was going Dylan’s way. He came last and vowed that tomorrow’s showstopper would be “perfect”. More of a nail-nibbling promise, than a nail-biting one. Entering the tent for the final time, the bakers had to make a three-tiered hanging cake, complete with two fillings and exquisite decoration. Georgie excelled, her lemon, strawberry and champagne extravaganza looking as beautiful as it apparently tasted when the judges came to sample it. As for Christiaan, his decision to use experimental flavours – including liquorice in his raspberry jam – ended up hurting his chances, and when Paul pronounced his cake “slightly overbaked” it seemed clear that he was out of the running. But what of our Dylan ? Could he pull it back from the brink? I’m afraid not. Like anyone who has found themselves in an inexplicable rut, Dylan soon discovered lumps of flour in his Genoese sponge, at which point he seemed to (understandably) check out altogether. Ultimately, lovely Georgie was pronounced the winner, proving that the psychology of competition can be as pivotal as technical prowess. While it was hard to watch Dylan lose his nerve, his relatable battle with himself proved the episode’s most interesting arc. Bake Off has been described as stale (an accusation that, frankly, the final did little to counter) but it’s at its most interesting when human idiosyncrasies are added to the mix along with raspberries. Congratulations Georgie, and chin up, Dylan – it happens to the best of us.Oliver Glasner insists Marc Guehi is 'against discrimination and any abuse' when quizzed on the player's decision to write on his rainbow armband . The Crystal Palace defender - who is the son of church minister - wrote 'I love Jesus' on the Stonewall armband in his side's 1-1 draw with Newcastle last weekend. After being warned by the Football Association for the message, he wrote 'Jesus loves you' with a smiley face on his rainbow armband at Portman Road for his side's 1-0 over Ipswich on Tuesday. The armbands are sent to clubs to be given to Premier League captains to wear in games to show support for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport against Newcastle. Glasner was asked about his captain's decision when speaking to Amazon after the game. "I think we should calm it down," he said. "Everybody knows Marc, everyone knows he is a great player, he is a great personality. He is a very humble guy. "He wore this. It's LGBT and everyone now is about integration, no discrimination and Marc as well. I think we all have the same opinion. "We are in sports and in sports we are always against discrimination and any kind of abuse, and Marc as well." According to the International Football Association Board (IFAB), 'initiative slogans/emblems promoting the game of football, respect and integrity' are permitted. However, it is forbidden to have 'political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images' written anywhere. Ipswich captain Sam Morsy has also been in focus after choosing to ditch the rainbow armband totally, with the Tractor Boys citing his religious beliefs as his reason for refusing to wear it. Egypt international Morsy is a practising Muslim. Speaking about the pair's decisions regarding the rainbow armbands, talkSPORT's GameDay host Adrian Durham said on Tuesday night: "What is Morsy's message to any gay fans or players as captain of Ipswich Town Football Club? What's he trying to say to them? "That needs to be clarified and if it doesn't align with Ipswich's club policy or the Premier League policy then Ipswich Town have a problem they need to resolve. They need to ask if their captain's fit for the job of fulfilling all the roles required of him as a captain. "Being a captain is more than tossing a coin in the centre circle before the game. It's more than just shouting at your teammates. It's about representing the club. So does your captain not wearing the armband reflect the feeling of the club? "Has Kieran McKenna thought that through properly? Why not make someone else captain for the games with the rainbow armband? So Morsi's message to the LGBTQ community needs to be clarified and then Ipswich need to move forward from there. "Same with Guehi who has written all over the rainbow armband. If Guehi's aim was to deface and therefore devalue the message of the rainbow armband and the rainbow laces campaign then we need to ask why he would do that. Can he explain that to Stonewall? "Could he explain that face to face with a gay Palace fan I wonder? If his message is that he's worn the armband and supports the campaign but at the same time he loves Jesus then actually I'm okay with that. Not sure why he had to write all over the armband though. "In both cases, as Premier League captains, they both need to make their position clear and if that then means they have to give up the captaincy because they're not fit for the role within the club then so be it." Former Lionesses star and current talkSPORT co-host Lianne Sanderson agreed the captains need to come out and clarify their position. "It's interesting because I think people have a freedom of speech," she said. "They can say whatever they want and people can say, 'oh you know they shouldn't have to wear it if they wanted to'. I think Marc Guehi equally similar to Morsy. I think they're both in the wrong if I'm being honest. "Marc Guehi doing that I think it was wrong. I think you know him putting you know I love Jesus on his armband. It's an interesting one because I'm not really a religious person, Adrian. "But I think it depends on someone's perception of the bible and I think that's where he's going with that. And I love the fact that you've said these things Adrian because people don't want to talk about these types of things. "I think it's easy for people to say, 'oh yeah you would say that because you're gay' but that's not the reality and I agree it's how people feel. Now I don't think someone needs to wear an armband all the time to prove they support our community. "I want campaigns to be longer than a month to be honest and I think sometimes it is very much tokenism but it does hurt our community when players don't want to do that. Now you're in England and that's the campaign so do that. The same as when I go to Qatar I respect that culture. "Qataris love me. Yes there might be different people who have different opinions about those situations but I respect that culture. So I think you know it's a massive kick in the teeth that they did this but I think with Marc Guehi doing that he was proving a point. "So I think they do need to come out and have something to say. I really do. They're leaders of the club and you're right. It's not just about you know tossing the coin in the centre circle. "It's much more than that and I think it does affect our community and it's unfortunate that people still feel this way. Wearing an armband like when I saw John McGinn wearing it the other night I was like, 'that's actually really powerful' but I thought the days were gone Adrian where this would be a talking point because it's just an armband but it means so much to our community. "So I have a split like opinion on it with regards to whether I think players should have to do X, Y and Z I think they should want to do it, if I'm being honest." And former England striker Dean Ashton thinks Guehi and Morsy's moves have detracted from the positive impact that Stonewall's campaign with the Premier League does have. However, he believes their moves don't signify 'standing absolutely against' LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport. "Well I think it's such a great point about the captaincy itself because ultimately that is who we're looking at," Ashton said. "We're looking at two players. We're not looking at the 11 players. We're looking at the captains because of what that armband represents certainly with this campaign and therefore if you choose to either not wear it or you write on it you are effectively making a point with that. "But I also think at the same time if you have to sort of take into account the fact that some certain players have had for their whole life and it might be part of their religion. "If they choose not to do something there will be other players that aren't the captains that maybe fall in the middle where they maybe don't want to openly support a campaign but that doesn't mean that they ultimately are totally against it. "So I think we have sometimes got to be careful that just because somebody doesn't do something that automatically means they are making a stand absolutely against it. But at the same time I think you're right there has to be some clarity. "If they are going to do that then I think it is really important for everybody to understand why and then have a perspective on it. At the moment it's just up in the air and left for everybody to guess. "Then it makes it about that rather than lots of other players that are more than happy - we talked about John McGinn - and other players that are happy to openly support the campaign and that's then kind of missed." Durham concluded: "I agree the clarification of the individual standpoint is everything and I do believe it's easily resolved that if a captain doesn't want to wear it then you give it to another player who does want to wear it and he becomes the captain." Jean-Philippe Mateta's goal and Palace's 1-0 win lifts them out of the Premier League's relegation zone.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law marks a new warning for the worldwide fragility of democracy, even in a country hailed as a model of political transformation. Yoon's overnight attempt to shut down political activity, censor media and lock out opposition lawmakers stunned South Korea's longtime ally, the United States, which said it had no advance warning and issued a statement of concern. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.AP Sports SummaryBrief at 4:39 p.m. EST
HONG KONG , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In this era where everything is connected, reliable communication networks have become more than just a service provided by operators; they are the key to linking the entire ecosystem of devices. Breaking down barriers between terminal equipments, allowing every corner and every device to be 'reliably connected anytime, anywhere,' is not only a technological breakthrough but also a beautiful vision for the future way of life. GrowthEase, in partnership with China Telecom, has brought together a top-tier team of communication technology experts to co-develop the "Reliable Link" project. Centered around the three core principles of "Reliability, Openness, and Ubiquity," this project utilizes innovative communication technologies to integrate advanced cloud-network capabilities into various ubiquitous terminal devices such as drones, smart cameras, smart speakers, and smart locks. This aims to break the traditional constraints of terminal forms and capabilities, ushering in a new era of reliable communication connectivity. Leveraging the open capabilities provided by GSMA Open Gateway, and relying on the high-quality global network nodes deployed by NetEase Zhiqi and China Telecom, this project ensures end-to-end latency for audio and video calls remains within 200ms, guaranteeing 99.9% lag-free call experiences. Through highly reliable connectivity services, the project prioritizes the quality and security of connections and transmission in any environment, realizing "reliable connectivity anytime, anywhere" across all types of ubiquitous terminal devices. Specifically, the Reliable Link project, through the Reliable-link AS platform and the Reliable-link applet, allows users to remotely control terminals like drones during a mobile voice call. For example, in the drone inspection scenario, Reliable Link can retrieve real-time flight routes, and with the Geofencing feature, set up electronic fences to ensure the drone stays within a safe area. When the drone detects a hazardous behavior, such as smoking, the system automatically triggers an alert and reports the location. Reliable Link combines VoLTE capabilities to initiate a video call to regional managers' mobile phones, promptly pushing the alert information. Through Dev Loc verification and Location retrieval, the drone's position is confirmed. Once the manager answers the video call, the QOD feature ensures high-quality video transmission, allowing the manager to issue control commands in real time through the call interface to control the drone's flight. This not only ensures network reliability but also brings more efficient cross-terminal communication and smarter device management, making interactions between different devices smoother and more convenient, truly realizing "seamless connectivity" across ubiquitous terminal devices. The Reliable Link Drone Communication Connectivity Project tightly integrates drones with the PaaS communication infrastructure, empowering drones with high-reliability, high-quality communication transmission capabilities. This drives upgrades and innovation in the drone industry, contributing to the prosperity of the low-altitude economy. Looking ahead, Reliable Link will continue to innovate and collaborate with ecosystem partners, establishing industry benchmarks. From connecting everything to empowering countless industries, the project aims to create a new landscape for reliable communication applications, enabling the thriving development of industries worldwide. SOURCE China TelecomExpedia Group Inc. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors despite daily gainsFormer Minister and champion of women's rights, Gemma Hussey, has passed away at the age of 86 after a short illness. She was surrounded by her loving family in the care of Gascoigne House Nursing Home. A trailblazer in Irish politics, Ms Hussey made her mark as a Fine Gael TD when she entered the political arena in 1981 and became the first female Minister for Education the following year. She also held the Social Welfare and Labour portfolios and was the government leader in the Seanad. Notably, as Education Minister, she was responsible for introducing aural and oral exams. After stepping back from politics in 1989, Ms Hussey played an active role in the European Women's Federation. Her family described her as "a very proud Europhile" who inspired women in former Eastern-block countries to engage in politics for the first time. They expressed deep pride in her lifelong service that contributed to a better Ireland and a better Europe. Predeceased by her husband Derry, Ms Hussey's legacy lives on through her children Rachel, Ruth, and Andrew, her seven grandchildren, her brother Paddy, and a wide circle of treasured friends, reports the Irish Mirror . Minister for Education, Norma Foley paid tribute to Ms Hussey in a statement this evening. She said: "She was a courageous and determined politician who showed the way for women at the highest level in politics. She was highly regarded for the work she did in steering and guiding the development of the Irish education system. "She helped not only Irish women, but women across Europe as well. My deepest sympathies to her family, her friends, her colleagues in the Fine Gael party, and especially her children Rachel, Ruth and Andrew." For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage . 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After six years serving as Baltimore County Executive, John A. Olszewski officially submitted a resignation letter Tuesday in preparation to represent Maryland’s Second Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Last month, Olszewski, a Democrat, defeated his Republican opponent, Kimberly Klacik, and is expected to start his term as a U.S. representative on Jan. 3, 2025. “It is with mixed emotions that, following my successful election to the United States House of Representatives, I hereby submit my resignation as Baltimore County Executive, effective Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 at 9 a.m.,” Olszewski wrote in his resignation letter. On Monday, the Baltimore County Council released a list of candidates for the Baltimore County Executive position: Tara E. Ebersole, Aris Melissaratos, Jim Brochin, Yara A. Cheikh, Barry F. Williams, George Perdikakis Sr., William M. Huhn, Paul Drutz-Hannahs, Tom Quirk, Katherine A. Klausmeier and Gregory A. Dennis. Del. Jon Cardin, who was originally listed as a candidate, is no longer vying for the County Executive position as of Tuesday. “As difficult as it is to withdraw my candidacy, this decision provides the opportunity to advance the mission of the Maryland Bar and ensure out constituency remains my number one priority,” the delegate wrote in a statement. The Council will convene a Public Hearing at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10, in the County Council Chamber, to allow community members to “provide general testimony on the desired qualification for the next County Executive,” the Council wrote in a statement. Have a news tip? Contact Lori Rampani at lrampani@sbgtv.com.Could Donald Trump heal Canada’s ailing economy?
CES 2025 Preview: TESSAN to Showcase Charging Solutions for Enhanced Connectivity and Convenience