winner777
Meta said it is “99% of the way there” in solving an ongoing social media blackout with its apps. On Wednesday at around 6pm, thousands of social media users in parts of the UK reported an outage with Facebook , Instagram and WhatsApp. The social media giant reported that a “technical issue” had left users unable to access its services. DownDetector, a website that monitors social media outages, says the three cities hit worst by the outage were London , Manchester and Glasgow. Other major cities hit hard by the blackout were Cardiff , Nottingham and Birmingham. By around 10pm on Wednesday, DownDetector UK said there had been 23,445 reports of Facebook outages, 11,466 Instagram outages and 18,646 on WhatsApp across Britain. In an update issued at 10.26pm on X, Meta said the problem was now nearly resolved. A spokesperson said: “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. “We apologise to those who’ve been affected by the outage.” Other parts of the world affected include Europe, Asia, South America and Australia, according to DownTracker. To find out if your area is affected, visit: downdetector.co.uk/status/facebook/map .FBI investigating a rise in cryptocurrency scams as popularity risesYOURSAY | Govt should do more to control soaring food prices
Atlassian CEO Cannon-Brookes sells $2.19 million in stock
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, t-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search has galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. "Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you," Brown said. And neighbors like Tammy Murray, who had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's Disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues' van towards reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim had come to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter, for stealth. Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades have prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something. He's doing that too,” she said. Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by multiple projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. “I wholeheartedly believe the gangster-ass cats were messing with him,” Murray said. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be." Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96
Under Armour Inc. Cl A stock outperforms competitors despite losses on the day
Connor Gaydos, a man connected to an apparent parody project to relaunch the energy company Enron and become its new CEO , was hit in the face with a pie this week as he was entering a building in New York City. The incident was caught on video and went viral on social media Thursday. The clip shows Gaydos exiting an SUV shortly before an older man slams the pie into his face as two bodyguards intervene. The bizarre incident mirrored one from more than two decades earlier, when a California woman tossed a pie into the face of Enron’s then-CEO Jeffrey Schilling . Earlier this month, a group announced the scandal-plagued Texas company was returning exactly 23 years after filing for bankruptcy amid massive fraud. “With a bold new vision, Enron will leverage cutting-edge technology, human ingenuity, and the spirit of adaptation to address the critical challenges of energy, sustainability, accessibility and affordability,” the company said in a press release that raised questions about its legitimacy. The announcement was reportedly joined by billboards in the Houston area, a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle and a video promoting the company’s comeback. An investigation conducted by Houston station KHOU turned up a disclaimer on the company’s website that read, “The information on the website is First Amendment-protected parody , represents performance art and is for entertainment purposes only.” Many have speculated the company’s reemergence is merely a publicity stunt promoting cryptocurrency .
American and European stock markets mostly rose on Wednesday after inflation data cemented expectations that the US Federal Reserve will trim interest rates next month. While the Dow fell slightly, the other two major US indices advanced, led by the tech-rich Nasdaq, which piled on almost two percent to close above 20,000 points for the first time. The consumer price index (CPI) rose to 2.7 percent last month from a year ago, up slightly from 2.6 percent in October. "With the CPI numbers broadly in line, it is likely that the Fed will not be derailed and will cut rates again next week," Jochen Stanzl, chief market analyst at CMC Markets. "The data is not a showstopper for the current bull run on Wall Street," he added. Ahead of the data, investors priced in an 86 percent chance the Fed will cut interest rates next week by a quarter percentage point. That rose to more than 98 percent after the CPI data was published. Stocks in Paris and Frankfurt rose ahead of the European Central Bank's own interest rate announcement on Thursday, with analysts expecting another cut as it seeks to boost eurozone growth. Investors are also eyeing political developments in France, where officials said President Emmanuel Macron aims to name a new prime minister "within 48 hours" as he seeks to end political deadlock following the ouster of Michel Barnier. In company news, shares in German retail giant Zalando shed more than four percent on Frankfurt's DAX index, after it acquired domestic rival About You in a deal worth around 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion). Shares in Zara owner Inditex slid more than six percent after a record quarterly profit for the group fell short of market estimates. Among US companies, Google parent Alphabet earned 5.5 percent as it announced the launch of Gemini 2.0, its most advanced artificial intelligence model to date. That added to gains after Google also announced Tuesday details of a breakthrough quantum chip. Shares in Shanghai rose but Hong Kong gave up an early rally to end in the red. Traders were keeping tabs on China to see if it will announce further measures to support its struggling economy as leaders were to gather Wednesday for a conference to hammer out next year's agenda. President Xi Jinping and other top leaders on Monday announced their first major shift in policy for more than a decade, saying they would "implement a more active fiscal policy and an appropriately relaxed" strategy. Those remarks sparked hopes for more interest rate cuts and the freeing up of more cash for lending. New York - Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 44,148.56 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.8 percent at 6,084.19 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 1.8 percent at 20,034.89 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 8,301.62 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.4 percent at 7,423.40 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.3 percent at 20,399.16 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: FLAT at 39,372.23 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.8 percent at 20,155.05 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.3 percent at 3,432.49 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0498 from $1.0527 on Tuesday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2752 from $1.2771 Dollar/yen: UP at 152.40 yen from 151.95 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 82.31 from 82.42 pence Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.8 percent at $73.52 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: UP 2.4 percent at $70.29 per barrel burs-jmb/mlm
Our computer model projects a win for the Jacksonville Jaguars when they meet the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 1 p.m. ET — for a full breakdown regarding the spread, over/under and final score, see below. Looking for NFL tickets? Head to StubHub today and see your team live. With 26.4 points allowed per game on defense, which ranks fourth-worst in the NFL, the Jaguars have had to lean on their 27th-ranked offense (18.5 points per contest) to keep them in games. The Titans rank 27th in the NFL with 301.4 total yards per contest, but they’ve been carried by their defense, which ranks third-best by surrendering just 308.1 total yards per game. BetMGM is one of the most trusted Sportsbooks in the nation. Start with as little as $1 and place your bets today . Ready to make your pick? Head to BetMGM using our link and start betting today. Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply) Rep your favorite NFL players with officially licensed gear. Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, hats, and much more. Catch every NFL touchdown with NFL RedZone on Fubo. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr, a naval officer, Nobel Peace Prize winner and peanut farm operator who became governor of Georgia and later the 39th president of the United States , has died. Carter, who was the longest-living former American president, died at the age of 100 on Sunday, December 29, his son announced. An immediate cause was not given. He served as president for one term from 1977 to 1981, but is just as well-known for his humanitarian service after leaving Washington, DC, working for Habitat for Humanity and negotiating peace deals. “Earlier in my life, I thought the things that mattered were the things that you could see, like your car, your house, your wealth, your property, your office. But as I’ve grown older I’ve become convinced that the things that matter most are the things that you can’t see—the love you share with others, your inner purpose, your comfort with who you are,” Carter said. He continued his volunteer work for decades after leaving office until he entered hospice care in February 2023. Carter, who throughout his political life went by Jimmy rather than James, was a towering figure in Democratic politics, both during and after his time in the White House . As president, he emphasized human rights in his foreign policy, championed environmentalism at a time when it was not yet popular and appointed record numbers of women and people of color during his administration. However, he was considered a “failure” by some as president, a view Carter attributed to him only serving one term. But, he continued to serve the public after leaving office - including building homes for the poor through Habitat for Humanity. “In all of our lives, there are usually a few precious moments when we feel exalted — that is, when we reach above our normal level of existence to a higher plane of excitement and achievement,” Carter said in 2009 . “I predict that every one of you who volunteers to help others in need will feel this same sense of exaltation. I believe that, in making what seems to be a sacrifice, you will find fulfillment in the memorable experience of helping others less fortunate than yourself.” Carter was born in 1924 in the small farm town of Plains, Georgia. His father, James Earl Carter Sr, was a farm supply businessman, and his mother, Lillian Gordy Carter, was a nurse. The young Carter attended public school in Plains, and as a teenager, he used an acre of his father’s land to grow and sell peanuts. Carter continued his studies at Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 1946, he obtained a bachelor’s degree from the United States Naval Academy. Over the next several years, he devoted his life to the Navy, serving on submarines and earning the rank of lieutenant. While stationed in Schenectady, New York, he studied nuclear physics and became a senior officer on one of the United States’ first nuclear submarines. During his senior year of studying at the Naval Academy, he was reintroduced to a girl he knew in his childhood: Rosalynn Smith. “The moon was full in the sky, conversation came easy, and I was in love,” Rosalynn Carter described in her memoir First Lady from Plains . The two married in 1946, the year he graduated. The next year, their first child, Jack, was born, followed by James in 1950, Donnell in 1952 and Amy in 1967. After 77 years of marriage, Rosalynn died on 19 November 2023 at 96 years old. Carter attributed much of his success to Rosalynn saying, “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.” In 1952, James Carter Sr died. Upon learning of his father’s death, Carter resigned from the Navy and returned home to Plains, where he took over his family’s farms and business. He soon took on more of a leadership role in the community, serving on several county boards. In 1962, he ran for and won a seat in Georgia’s State Senate. In 1970, Carter ran again for governor of Georgia and won. In his inaugural address, he shocked many of his supporters by demanding an end to racial discrimination. As governor, he dramatically increased the number of Black judges and state employees, consolidated the state’s labyrinthian bureaucracies and enforced stricter oversight of budgets. In a preview of his presidency, however, he frequently clashed with the state’s legislature, which found him arrogant and difficult to work with. Meanwhile, Carter maneuvered his way toward the Democratic nomination for president. In 1974, just before his term as governor ended, he announced his candidacy for the White House – two years before the next presidential election. “With the shame of Watergate still with us and our 200th birthday just ahead, it is time for us to reaffirm and to strengthen our ethical and spiritual and political beliefs,” Carter said in December 1974. “There must be no lowering of these standards, no acceptance of mediocrity in any aspect of our private or public lives. “In our homes or at worship we are ever reminded of what we ought to do and what we ought to be. Our government can and must represent the best and the highest ideals of those of us who voluntarily submit to its authority.” Though he had little national support at first, Carter spent his ample lead time vigorously campaigning and cleverly positioned himself as a Washington outsider with strong Christian principles. After years of government lies about Vietnam and Watergate, that was just what many Americans thought they needed. By the 1976 Democratic convention, Carter had grown enough momentum to win the nomination on the first ballot. In the general election, he attended three debates with President Gerald Ford – the first presidential debates since the Kennedy-Nixon ones in 1960, and a template setter for the debates held since. In November, Carter narrowly won the presidential election, scoring 297 electoral votes against Ford’s 240. “I think it’s time to tap the tremendous strength and vitality and idealism and hope and patriotism and a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood in this country to unify our nation, to make it great once again. It’s not...it’s not going to be easy for any of us,’ Carter said in November 1976. “I don’t claim to know all the answers, but I have said many times in my campaign around all 50 states that I’m not afraid to take on the responsibilities of President of the United States, because my strength and my courage and my advice and my counsel and my criticism comes from you.” What followed was a presidency full of ambition but beset with problems from the start. Even so, many leaders and historians have praised Carter’s conscientious approach to the presidency. Carter’s presidency was weighed down by multiple crises. In the 1970s, the economy struggled with a rare combination of simultaneous inflation and recession, an oil shortage sent gas prices soaring and the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, derailing negotiations for an important arms treaty. Notably, in a struggle that lasted almost as long as his presidency, Carter fought over an energy program that was structured to make fuel expensive enough that consumers would be encouraged to conserve it. The crisis required Carter to address the nation multiple times in 1979. “In order to control energy price, production, and distribution, the Federal bureaucracy and red tape have become so complicated, it is almost unbelievable. Energy prices are high, and they’re going higher, no matter what we do,” he said in an April 1979 speech. “There is no single answer. We must produce more. We must conserve more. And now we must join together in a great national effort to use American technology to give us energy security in the years ahead,” the president said. “The most effective action we can take to encourage both conservation and production here at home is to stop rewarding those who import foreign oil and to stop encouraging waste by holding the price of American oil down far below its replacement or its true value.” However, ultimately, what became cemented in Carter’s legacy were the failures of the Iran hostage crisis, when mobs ransacked the US embassy in Tehran capturing 52 people and holding them hostage for the duration of his presidency. Carter’s efforts to end the crisis were unsuccessful, including a failed rescue attempt. “We will not give up in our efforts,” Carter told the nation in 1980. “Throughout this extraordinarily difficult period, we have pursued and will continue to pursue every possible avenue to secure the release of the hostages. In these efforts, the support of the American people and of our friends throughout the world has been a most crucial element. That support of other nations is even more important now.” “We will seek to continue, along with other nations and with the officials of Iran, a prompt resolution of the crisis without any loss of life and through peaceful and diplomatic means.” The hostages were held for 444 days, a lengthy time that angered many Americans. It helped contribute to Carter’s loss to Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980. Carter would only win six states in the landslide election that saw him lose the popular vote by nearly 9 million votes. “I’ve not achieved all I set out to do; perhaps no one ever does. But we have faced the tough issues. We’ve stood for and we’ve fought for and we have achieved some very important goals for our country,’ Carter said after losing. “These efforts will not end with this administration. The effort must go on. Nor will the progress that we have made be lost when we leave office. The great principles that have guided this Nation since its very founding will continue to guide America through the challenges of the future.” In 1982, Carter and his wife founded the Carter Center, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing human rights, leading health initiatives and improving the quality of life for people around the world. Carter helped lead conflict resolutions, observed elections in nations with fraudulent voting processes and advised presidents on issues in more than 80 countries. Under Carter’s leadership, the Carter Center worked alongside the World Health Organisation to nearly eradicate Guinea worm disease, an infection that occurs due to contaminated drinking water. The incidence of the disease decreased from 3.5 million cases in 1986 to 13 in 2022, according to the Carter Center. Carter and his wife also spent one week a year volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit that helps build homes for low-income people. His humanitarian work earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. “I believe that anyone can be successful in life, regardless of natural talent or the environment within which we live. This is not based on measuring success by human competitiveness for wealth, possessions, influence, and fame, but adhering to God’s standards of truth, justice, humility, service, compassion, forgiveness, and love,” Carter once said. Though he was criticized as an ineffectual public speaker, Carter became a prolific writer, authoring more than a dozen books ranging from his memoirs to inspirational bestsellers. At the beginning of 2023, Carter entered hospice care following multiple hospital stays. His wife later entered hospice care and died on November 19, 2023. Carter, looking frail, attended her funeral but was seen smiling with others offering their condolences. Carter went on to celebrate his 100th birthday on 1 October 2024, making him the oldest president in American history. Surrounded by his loved ones, the frail, wheelchair-bound former president was seen in the backyard of his home watching a military flyover in his honor. His grandson Jason said he had been looking forward to voting for Kamala Harris in the November election. Carter is survived by his four children, 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
No. 12 Oklahoma pulls away late vs. Prairie View A&M
Taylor Swift has made a surprise stop at a Kansas City children’s hospital, shocking parents and patients alike as she laughed with them, posed for photos and exchanged gifts. All parent Cassie Thomas was told beforehand was that she might want to brush her hair and teeth because there was going to be a special visitor. But she was stunned when Swift, fresh off her Eras Tour and one day before her 35th birthday, walked into her son's room on Thursday at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. “No rumors. Like, we literally had absolutely no idea this was happening,” Thomas recalled. Her 13-year-old son, Beckett Thomas, is a cancer patient and a fan of Swift's Kansas City Chiefs tight-end boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Beckett uses a 3D printer to make earrings bearing his and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes' names, walking around the hospital unit selling them to nurses. Now, Swift has a pair as well. “She was amazing,” Beckett's mom said. “So down to earth.” Another patient told Swift that her favorite song was “Love Story" and they later discussed the song “Paper Rings,” in which Swift sings, “I'd marry you with paper rings.” When their conversation veered to discussion of San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy, whose team played the Chiefs in the Super Bowl earlier this year, Swift expressed surprise. “Brock Purdy, What? I mean, I don’t mind Brock Purdy.” Swift said, then continued: “He put me through a lot last February.” Asked before the Super Bowl whether he was prepared to disappoint Swift, Purdy responded: “Yes.” The game ended with Mahomes rallying the Chiefs to their second straight Super Bowl title, 25-22 over the 49ers in overtime. “I was very stressed for a second but it all ended up fine,” Swift told the girl, their recorded conversation posted online. The girl then chimed in: “I like Travis now.” Swift responded with: “Me too. That’s an absolute yes on that one." There is no word on whether Swift will be in the stands when the Chiefs play the Browns on Sunday in Kelce’s hometown of Cleveland.
The net is tightening on three people alleged to have displayed terror symbols as anti-semitism in Australia rises. Login or signup to continue reading Police are confident they're closing in on those responsible for inciting fear in Jewish communities but critics say they have acted too slowly. Australia's special envoy to combat anti-Semitism Jillian Segal said a lack of accountability had set a "tone of permissiveness". There were no serious penalties for people displaying terrorist symbols and committing anti-Semitic acts, she said. Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner Krissy Barrett said prosecuting the display of a prohibited terrorist symbol was more than proving someone had waved a flag. Federal police had been working on evidence that would reach the burden of proof required for a successful prosecution, she said, following investigations into the waving of flags at a pro-Palestinian rally. "We have had a lot of back and forth with the (Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions) about the evidence, we are confident we are close on at least three matters," she told ABC radio. "I know this can be frustrating for the community but I want to make sure that we have the best chance of a successful prosecution because that will be the strongest deterrent." Hate laws needed to be strengthened if they weren't adequate enough to prosecute under, Ms Segal said. The special envoy also called for an end to pro-Palestinian demonstrations taking over cities, saying they could be held elsewhere, and said universities needed to do more to make Jewish students feel safer on campus. Anti-Semitism on campuses will be investigated during parliamentary hearings on Thursday with representatives from a number of major tertiary institutions and departmental officials giving evidence. Ms Segal previously told the inquiry universities were a "cauldron of anti-Semitism". Minister for Youth Anne Aly called for Australians to support the Jewish community that was feeling unsafe as they did when Muslims were fearful in the wake of the Christchurch attack. "When it happened to the Muslim community, it hurt us," she told ABC radio. "Remember how the community came together after Christchurch, remember that there is strength in community, remember there is strength in reaching out to each other." The Australian Human Rights Commission is looking into the impact of racism at universities, with a number of institutions suggesting it was a more appropriate avenue for action given a probe should include all forms of religious intolerance. Anti-Semitism, Islamophia, anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism had dramatically increased, Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman. "Racism" poured out when there were ruptures in society, he said, adding the way it was tackled was disjointed and ad hoc. "We have a structural problem that is allowing racism to take place and we really need a whole of government, whole of society approach to tackle racism," he said. "We continuously have racism operating in our society and it's embedded in our systems and structures." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. WEEKLY Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? Don't miss your weekly Knights update. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!
Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children's hospitalGeoffrey Hinton, the British-Canadian computer scientist widely regarded as the “godfather” of artificial intelligence (AI), has raised alarm bells regarding the potential risks associated with AI development. In a recent interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Hinton indicated that the likelihood of AI leading to human extinction within the next three decades has increased to between 10% and 20%. Hinton Flags Rapid Advancements in AI Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme if he had changed his analysis of a potential AI apocalypse and the one in 10 chance of it happening, Hinton said: “Not really, 10% to 20%.” Hinton’s estimate prompted Today’s guest editor, the former chancellor Sajid Javid, to say “you’re going up”, to which Hinton replied: “If anything. You see, we’ve never had to deal with things more intelligent than ourselves before.” Hinton, while raising alarm bells on the influence of AI , added: “And how many examples do you know of a more intelligent thing being controlled by a less intelligent thing? There are very few examples. There’s a mother and baby. Evolution put a lot of work into allowing the baby to control the mother, but that’s about the only example I know of.” Human Intelligence Compared to AI London-born Hinton, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto , said humans would be like toddlers compared with the intelligence of highly powerful AI systems. “I like to think of it as: imagine yourself and a three-year-old. We’ll be the three-year-olds,” he said. AI can be loosely defined as computer systems performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. Hinton's Resignation from Google Geoffrey Hinton made headlines last year when he resigned from his position at Google , allowing him to speak more freely about the dangers posed by unregulated AI development. He expressed concerns that “bad actors” could exploit AI technologies for harmful purposes. This sentiment aligns with broader fears within the AI safety community regarding the emergence of artificial general intelligence (AGI), which could pose existential threats by evading human control. Reflecting on his career and the trajectory of AI, Hinton remarked, “I didn’t think it would be where we [are] now. I thought at some point in the future we would get here.” His apprehensions have gained traction as experts predict that AI could surpass human intelligence within the next two decades—a prospect he described as “very scary.” Hinton Stresses on Need for Regulation on AI To mitigate these risks, Hinton advocates for government regulation of AI technologies. Hinton argued that relying solely on profit-driven companies is insufficient for ensuring safety: “The only thing that can force those big companies to do more research on safety is government regulation.”
- Previous:
- Next: winner777 login