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The brutal abduction, rape and murder of a Washington state woman that sat cold for over three decades has finally been cracked — but police still can't make an arrest, as the suspect died. Tracy Whitney was 18 years old on Aug. 28, 1988, when fishermen found her nude body washed up along the Puyallup River, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Sunday. The discovery would launch a 36-year search that eliminated potential suspects one by one, but eventually wound up with no movement. An autopsy revealed Whitney suffered blunt force injuries, had been sexually assaulted, and died from asphyxia "caused by strangulation and probable smothering," police say. "There were a lot of suspects – potential suspects – that would come up in this investigation of current boyfriends previous boyfriends who last saw her alive," Pierce County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Lindsay Kirkegaard said in a video released by the department. ALSO READ: Will Trump back the FBI’s battle against domestic extremists? He won’t say. But the case was revived following advancements in technology and a renewed push for answers after the department was awarded a grant from the state attorney general's office two years ago that allowed further DNA testing . The DNA was submitted for genetic genealogy and police eventually found a match. “Unfortunately, our suspect, John Guillot Jr., had died a few weeks prior,” the sheriff’s office said. “Detectives matched the suspect DNA to Guillot’s biological son to confirm Guillot Jr. was the suspect.” They added that “there were no connections between Tracy and Guillot Jr and detectives believe this was a stranger abduction, rape and murder.” “After 36 long years, the murder of my sister, Tracy Whitney, has finally been solved,” Robin Whitney wrote in a Facebook post . “Taken from us on August 28, 1988, her case remained unsolved until recent advances in DNA technology, specifically Snapshot DNA forensic analysis.” She added that her sister “deserves justice” and commended the efforts of police. “We believe that John Guillot Jr. likely committed other crimes," she wrote. "However, since he is deceased and due to current legal restrictions, his DNA cannot be uploaded into CODIS (law enforcement DNA database). We hope that this policy can be reevaluated, as it could aid in solving additional cases.” “Thank you for your support as we honor Tracy's memory.”India's AI regulations are still in the works. The EU's comprehensive AI regulations, focused on transparency and safety, could serve as a model for India. Ethical AI usage with proper regulations still seems far away. Ten years from now we may look back at 2024 as the year when Artificial Intelligence was truly integrated within our lives. You buy any gadget today — AI will come as part of the overall experience, whether you need it or not. More importantly, whether you understand it or not. Think of the smartphone world, major companies such as Apple, Samsung, and Google have all integrated AI-powered features into their smartphones and announcing new reasoning models, tools, and standalone features. AI has been around for more than 75 years, and it continues to improve with advanced machine learning and algorithms. It can now help you create videos that you never shot, write essays, get detailed answers to your query, or even summaries of big research papers in just a few seconds. It is not limited to this; you can get a variety of different tools catering to your requirements. Thanks to machine learning, devices including smartphone, laptops, or even refrigerators are also AI-powered and can do the tasks automatically which once required manual efforts. READ: “When actual regulation is on the table, he opposes it”: Ex-OpenAI researcher claims Sam Altman doesn’t support AI regulation While the pitch is that these features will make users’ lives easy, we don’t really know yet. In exchange, a lot of data is being used to train these models — make them better — and there are still a lot of grey areas as to how and where this data is being stored. Then, there are also concerns around bias, misinformation, copyright violations, and obscene content. There have also been reports of users around the world misusing AI platforms to create deepfakes, scam people, or even promote racism and nudity. While the results can be fantastic for your work, they can be dangerous if misused. Many platforms, including Google Gemini, have faced criticism for such results while hiding under cover of a ‘developing platform’. Everyone maintains that the user data is safe but these models definitely demand more robust regulations and guidelines. Several authorities from all over the world including European Union (EU), China, the US, and India have announced their commitments to regulate AI but could not come up with an organised plan to regulate AI but have a single vision, ‘we must leverage the power of AI while mitigating its risks’. AI regulations in India The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) announced in 2022 that the government will develop a comprehensive regulation plan under the Digital India Act, but the draft legislation has yet to be drafted. This means that India is working on AI regulations, and AI remains unregulated. However, in 2024, MeitY proposed a Digital India Act blueprint that identified high-risk AI systems. It was an advisory stating that all companies would require government approval before deploying any AI models and addressing issues such as algorithmic discrimination and deepfakes, but it received criticism and was replaced. According to reports, MeitY favors a light-touch strategy, whereas other government bodies prefer more proactive intervention. Overall, the regulations are said to be determining the AI trajectory in India. However, certain factors should be considered, such as key risks, innovation, privacy, and human rights before framing the AI regulations for the country. How are other countries dealing with AI? AI regulations in other countries are completely based on their legal terms, governance models, and socio-economic priorities. For instance, the EU has regulated AI in a rights-based approach focusing more on health, safety, and fundamental rights. On the other hand, China is focusing on state control and social order while Japan follows human-centric goals in line with the welfare of individuals. Interestingly, Singapore and the UK have adopted a principle-based approach, tailoring regulations to some specific industries. EU’s first AI regulations and can it help India? The European Union’s regulations, considered as world’s first comprehensive AI regulations, were proposed in 2021. It has been categorised into different risk levels to ensure safe, transparent, and ethical use. AI systems that are considered unacceptable risks such as cognitive manipulation, biometric identification for surveillance, and others will be banned but with some exceptions. High-risk AI systems that are used in critical infrastructure, law enforcement, and medical devices will first have to undergo assessment. Generative AI, including ChatGPT, will have to comply with the transparency requirements, including disclosure of AI-generated content and adherence to copyright law. The new framework also helps the startups and other companies to continue their innovation. India can use the EU’s initial framework as a model to help shape its AI policy by enforcing moral principles, encouraging innovation and growth, fostering accountability, safeguarding individual privacy, and preserving a growing economy but certainly with some tweaks and add-ons. Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. Previously, he worked as a Senior Sub-Editor with Jagran English from 2022, and has been a journalist since 2020, with experience at Times Internet. Ashish specializes in Technology. In his free time, you can find him exploring new gadgets, gaming, and discovering new places. View Full Profile
Teaching courses have surged in popularity among students awaiting a university offer but society, culture and health remain Victoria’s most popular study choices. A record 47,500 year 12 graduates will receive first-round offers by Victorian universities, TAFE institutes and independent tertiary colleges on Monday – nearly 4600 more than last year, with further offers to follow in January and February. Methodist Ladies’ College graduate Kate Zhang is waiting on a commerce offer. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui There will be more than 1500 offers made for teaching courses, up by more than 3 per cent on last year to 4.3 per cent of all the offers made on Monday. The fastest growing area of study is management and commerce, comprising 16.5 per cent of Monday’s offers while health-related courses, which includes nursing and biomedical science, remain much sought-after, making up nearly 17 per cent. However, enthusiasm for studying information technology (IT) appears to be on the wane this year, making up just 4.5 per cent of courses offered, down from 5.3 per cent last year. Extensive data on the first-round offers, featuring students, offers and courses, will be available at theage.com.au from 10am on Monday. The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre said prospective students were flocking to society and culture pathways, with courses like arts, law, politics and economics making up more than a fifth of Monday’s offers. International Baccalaureate students in Australia, who have traditionally been forced to wait until January for their university offers, have been included in the December round for the first time this year. Methodist Ladies’ College graduate Kate Zhang said nerves were running high for some students ahead of Monday’s news. Zhang, who completed the IB this year, already has an offer to attend a university overseas, where she would study either social analysis or economics alongside a shorter course in photography. She is expecting another offer from the University of Melbourne for a degree in commerce and will then consider her options. “I’m very privileged to be thinking about the opportunities that I have upcoming,” Zhang said. “I just hope that [on] Monday, everybody who’s worked hard to get to where they are, get their first preference, and if not, something works out for them in the end. “My friends who may have gotten close to the course requirements, but maybe not comfortably above, are feeling a bit nervous as they go into look at which preferences they got granted.” Zhang, whose ATAR was in the high 90s, hoped to visit extended family in China before university started. VTAC chief executive Teresa Tjia said options were still available for school-leavers who were not offered a course on Monday. “If you haven’t received an offer today or have changed your mind about what you wish to study, you can change preferences in your VTAC account until 4pm tomorrow. VTAC will make further offers throughout January and February,” Tjia said. The VTAC boss urged those who landed the course they wanted on Monday to savour the moment. “Celebrate the offer you have received today with your family, friends and teachers,” she said. “Share this exciting achievement with those who have supported you throughout your educational journey.” The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here .President-elect Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Christmas Day to suggest that hockey legend Wayne Gretzky should run for Prime Minister of Canada — or, as Trump put it, " Governor of Canada." "I just left Wayne Gretzky, 'The Great One' as he is known in Ice Hockey circles," Trump wrote . "I said, 'Wayne, why don't you run for Prime Minister of Canada, soon to be known as the Governor of Canada - You would win easily, you wouldn't even have to campaign.'" "He had no interest," Trump continued. "But I think the people of Canada should start a DRAFT WAYNE GRETZKY Movement. It would be so much fun to watch!" The prodding follows recent statements from Trump suggesting that Canada could become the 51st state of the United States. Earlier in December, after dining with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Trump jokingly referred to Trudeau as the "Governor of the Great State of Canada." During the Mar-a-Lago dinner, Trump reportedly said that Canada should join the U.S. as a state, claiming many Canadians would save on taxes and benefit from military protection. The president-elect also criticized Canada's trade policies and questioned why the U.S. provides subsidies to its northern neighbor. While Gretzky has expressed no interest in politics, Trump's comments have sparked a flurry of online debate about his repeated "51st state" suggestions. Meanwhile, Trudeau has yet to publicly respond to Trump's remarks.The United Kingdom has expressed happiness at a productive collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other Nigerian agencies to track illicit financial flows The other agencies are the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, spoke at a policy conversation on the state of anti-corruption in Nigeria, organised by Agora Policy in Abuja on Tuesday. Montgomery reaffirmed the UK Government’s commitment to working with Nigerian authorities in tackling corruption. He pointed to the partnership between the UK’s National Crime Agency and Nigerian agencies in the efforts to track illicit financial flows and recover corrupt assets, especially where they touch UK jurisdiction. “We have a productive relationship under the present leadership with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit on tracking illicit flows. We try to go up after illicit financial flows and corrupt assets where they touch from UK jurisdiction,” he said. Also speaking at the event, World Bank County Director for Nigeria, Dr Ndiamé Diop, noted that inaccurate data at the Federal Government level is a major hurdle in preventing the timely and automatic generation of fiscal data. The World Bank Country director was represented by Deborah Isser, who is a Lead Governance Specialist at the bank. In a keynote address, Prof Adele Jinadu, a Professor of Political Science, said anything short of a holistic approach when addressing corruption in Nigeria would amount to a waste of time. Opinions Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs. As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake. If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause. Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development. Donate Now
DOVER, Del. (AP) — A Delaware judge has reaffirmed her ruling that Tesla must revoke Elon Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick on Monday denied a request by attorneys for Musk and Tesla’s corporate directors to vacate her ruling earlier this year requiring the company to rescind the unprecedented pay package. McCormick also rejected an equally unprecedented and massive , who argued that they were entitled to legal fees in the form of Tesla stock valued at more than $5 billion. The judge said the attorneys were entitled to a fee award of $345 million. The rulings came in a lawsuit filed by a Tesla stockholder who challenged Musk’s 2018 compensation package. McCormick concluded in January that Musk engineered the landmark pay package in with directors who were not independent. The compensation package initially carried a potential maximum value of about $56 billion, but that sum has fluctuated over the years based on Tesla’s stock price. Following the original court ruling, Tesla shareholders Musk’s 2018 pay package for a second time, again by an overwhelming margin. Defense attorneys then argued that the second vote makes clear that Tesla shareholders, with full knowledge of the flaws in the 2018 process that McCormick pointed out, were adamant that Musk is entitled to the pay package. They asked the judge to vacate her order directing Tesla to rescind the pay package. McCormick, who seemed skeptical of the defense arguments during an August hearing, said in Monday’s ruling that those arguments were fatally flawed. “The large and talented group of defense firms got creative with the ratification argument, but their unprecedented theories go against multiple strains of settled law,” McCormick wrote in a 103-page opinion. The judge noted, among other things, that a stockholder vote standing alone cannot ratify a conflicted-controller transaction. “Even if a stockholder vote could have a ratifying effect, it could not do so here due to multiple, material misstatements in the proxy statement,” she added. Musk expressed his disagreement with the ruling in a post on X, the social media platform he owns. “Shareholders should control company votes, not judges,” he wrote. Meanwhile, McCormick found that the $5.6 billion fee request by the shareholder’s attorneys, which at one time approached $7 billion based on Tesla’s trading price, went too far. “In a case about excessive compensation, that was a bold ask,” McCormick wrote. Attorneys for the Tesla shareholder argue that their work resulted in the “massive” benefit of returning shares to Tesla that otherwise would have gone to Musk and diluted the stock held by other Tesla investors. They value that benefit at $51.4 billion, using the difference between the stock price at the time of McCormick’s January ruling and the strike price of some 304 million stock options granted to Musk. While finding that the methodology used to calculate the fee request was sound, the judge noted that the Delaware’s Supreme Court has noted that fee award guidelines “must yield to the greater policy concern of preventing windfalls to counsel.” “The fee award here must yield in this way, because $5.6 billion is a windfall no matter the methodology used to justify it,” McCormick wrote. A fee award of $345 million, she said, was “an appropriate sum to reward a total victory.” The fee award amounts to almost exactly half the in legal fees awarded in 2008 in litigation stemming from the collapse of Enron. Randall Chase, The Associated PressBlame it on the food and drink?Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while WHO chief says he was meters away
Susan Shelley: We’re all-in to Make America Healthy AgainIn today’s volatile e-commerce environment, because the focus is on price management, the effective use of analytical tools and residential proxies is becoming essential. The use of residential proxies helps with real-time data processing. This article focuses on time-sensitive information in e-commerce and how firms can use it to benefit their operations. E-commerce price strategy is a term used to describe the method that is used in setting prices for a product or service. Market condition analysis strategy helps in identifying, assessing and determining the best price to sell the product. This helps maximize sales and profitability. By having real-time data analysis, e-commerce businesses are in a good position to price in line with current market trends, the customers’ buying behavior and prices offered by competitors. Due to real-time information analysis, it’s possible to make the right decisions, adjust the pricing policy quickly, and use newly appeared opportunities. Real time data can be described as fast and ongoing accumulation of information from customers, sales, and website traffic. Due to real-time data, e-commerce firms are able to get proper understanding of customer behavior, market conditions, and competitor strategy. To monitor competitor prices effectively, e-commerce businesses should use the right price tracking tools that are available in the market. These offer real time information of competitor prices, offers and stocks. These tools facilitate awareness of changes in market trends, which help companies to change their prices. Through this, e-commerce businesses can capture live market trends and customers’ needs in an effort to seize new opportunities about right pricing strategies . Market information and customer insights make businesses flexible in the world of e-commerce where emerging competition is imminent. Maintaining a competitive edge helps change the pricing policies according to the real-time data and provides companies with e-commerce solutions with the necessary tools to compete in the market. As a result, getting ahead of competitors and making the right response to market conditions, can help companies attract clients and ensure sales expansion. Based on real time price strategy, e-commerce firms can attract new customers as well as retain old ones. Customer targeting and segregation by behavior also leads to improved shopper satisfaction. Behavior analysis provides differentiation and offers price adjustments according to the consumer’s wants and needs. This helps boost customer loyalty and retention. Proper management of pricing gathered from online real-time data will result in higher sales and revenues for online businesses. With the help of analyzing the market trends, competitors’ prices, and consumer behaviors, businesses achieve maximum revenue and improve their customer base. Residential proxies exist to scale web scraping at different geographical areas without being detected. Web scraping is important to gather information from websites. Residential proxies prove to be essential in data gathering and analysis whereby businesses collect real-time data without traceability. Residential proxies help in the acquisition of information with the use of an anonymous IP address. It means that the businesses can get more accurate and current data for effective decision making by using residential proxies. As the world continues to turn its eyes toward data privacy, residential proxies allow businesses to carry out real-time analysis of data safely. Meta-analysis of the literature shows that, through anonymization of their operations on the internet, firms can avoid divulging sensitive information and Rectify or prevent security threats. This ultimately encapsulates a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Real-time data processing is something that’s particularly useful for e-commerce businesses seeking to upscale their pricing models and consequently, realize long-term growth. Therefore, with the help of real-time data on market trends, competitors’ prices, and customer behavior, businesses make better decisions among competition. This emphasizes real-time data analysis as a critical success factor. This is especially true for online retailers who wish to adapt their pricing strategies to suit the customers and sustain healthy growth in sales. By tracking competitors, using tools for monitoring the market, and using residential proxies is an effective approach for entrepreneurs to compete in the e-commerce environment. The next chapter in the development of e-commerce price strategies is in the use of future breakthrough technologies. These include artificial intelligence and machine learning to distill data in real time and accurately anticipate consumers’ actions. By practicing innovativeness and using information technology, businesses can open the doors to new growth and opportunities for success in today’s digital market.
49 years on, girl lost to lure of fair reunites with familyHuman rights court rules against Venezuela in 2013 election caseNEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to a “sudden loss of consciousness at home,” the hospital said in a statement. “Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency” at 8:06 p.m., the hospital said, but “despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 p.m.” Singh was being treated for “age-related medical conditions,” the statement said. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and leader of the Congress Party in the Parliament's Upper House, earning a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. He was chosen to fill the role in 2004 by Sonia Gandhi, the widow of assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi . But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers. Singh was reelected in 2009, but his second term as prime minister was clouded by financial scandals and corruption charges over the organization of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. This led to the Congress Party’s crushing defeat in the 2014 national election by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Narendra Modi . Singh adopted a low profile after relinquishing the post of prime minister. Prime Minister Modi, who succeeded Singh in 2014, called him one of India’s “most distinguished leaders” who rose from humble origins and left “a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years.” “As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives,” Modi said in a post on the social platform X. He called Singh’s interventions in Parliament as a lawmaker “insightful” and said “his wisdom and humility were always visible.” Rahul Gandhi, from the same party as Singh and the opposition leader in the lower house of the Indian Parliament, said Singh’s “deep understanding of economics inspired the nation” and that he “led India with immense wisdom and integrity.” “I have lost a mentor and guide. Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride,” Gandhi wrote on X. Born on Sept. 26, 1932, in a village in the Punjab province of undivided India, Singh’s brilliant academic career took him to Cambridge University in Britain, where he earned a degree in economics in 1957. He then got his doctorate in economics from Nuffield College at Oxford University in 1962. Singh taught at Panjab University and the prestigious Delhi School of Economics before joining the Indian government in 1971 as economic advisor in the Commerce Ministry. In 1982, he became chief economic adviser to the Finance Ministry. He also served as deputy chair of the Planning Commission and governor of the Reserve Bank of India. As finance minister, Singh in 1991 instituted reforms that opened up the economy and moved India away from a socialist-patterned economy and toward a capitalist model in the face of a huge balance of payments deficit, skirting a potential economic crisis. His accolades include the 1987 Padma Vibhushan Award, India’s second-highest civilian honor; the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress in 1995; and the Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year in 1993 and 1994. Singh was a member of India’s Upper House of Parliament and was leader of the opposition from 1998 to 2004 before he was named prime minister. He was the first Sikh to hold the country’s top post and made a public apology in Parliament for the 1984 Sikh Massacre in which some 3,000 Sikhs were killed after then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by Sikh bodyguards. Under Singh, India adopted a Right to Information Act in 2005 to promote accountability and transparency from government officials and bureaucrats. He was also instrumental in implementing a welfare scheme that guaranteed at least 100 paid workdays for Indian rural citizens. The coalition government he headed for a decade brought together politicians and parties with differing ideologies that were rivals in the country’s various states. In a move hailed as one of his biggest achievements apart from economic reforms, Singh ended India’s nuclear isolation by signing a deal with the U.S. that gave India access to American nuclear technology. But the deal hit his government adversely, with Communist allies withdrawing support and criticism of the agreement growing within India in 2008 when it was finalized. Singh adopted a pragmatic foreign policy approach, pursuing a peace process with nuclear rival and neighbor Pakistan. But his efforts suffered a major setback after Pakistani militants carried out a massive gun and bomb attack in Mumbai in November 2008. He also tried to end the border dispute with China, brokering a deal to reopen the Nathu La pass into Tibet, which had been closed for more than 40 years. His 1965 book, “India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth,” dealt with India’s inward-oriented trade policy. Singh is survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur and three daughters. Associated Press writer Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi contributed to this report.
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Before being elected as the first transgender woman to the US Congress, 34-year-old Sarah McBride said she expected hostility. A harsh national spotlight has fallen swiftly upon her. "They may try to misgender me, they may try to say the wrong name, they will do what we can predictably assume they might do," she told the TransLash podcast last month ahead of her resounding election victory on November 5. "They are going to do that to get a rise out of me and my job will be to not give them the response they want," the Democrat from Delaware explained. Ahead of her arrival in the House of Representatives on January 3, McBride was targeted by a resolution this week from a right-wing Republican colleague that would ban transgender women from women's toilets in the Capitol. "Just because a Congressman wants to wear a mini skirt doesn’t mean he can come into a women’s bathroom," South Carolina firebrand Nancy Mace wrote on social media as she led a highly personal campaign against McBride. House Speaker Mike Johnson, after initially seeking to buy time to debate the issue, came out in support of a ban, saying that all single-sex facilities would be "reserved for individuals of that biological sex." McBride -- who wears knee-length dresses, not miniskirts -- issued a statement saying that she said would respect the rules "even if I disagree with them." "I'm not here to fight about bathrooms," said the politician and activist, who transitioned as a 21-year-old and told her parents on Christmas Day 2011. Donald Trump repeatedly raised transgender issues in the closing stages of his presidential campaign, with aides noting how questions around trans identity struck a nerve with swing voters. Two of the biggest issues -- at the heart of ongoing "culture wars" between conservatives and progressives -- are whether transgender women should be allowed in women's toilets and be admitted in women's sport. Mocking transgender athletes and "woke ideology," Trump promised to get "transgender insanity the hell out of our schools, and we will keep men out of women’s sports." McBride has long been an advocate for trans rights and she helped campaign for a law banning gender discrimination in her home state of Delaware, during which she was publicly called a "freak" and the "devil incarnate". "Listening to that was demeaning and dehumanizing for my child," her mother Sally told The Washington Post in a 2018 profile. "I still have a hard time coping with that." Undeterred, McBride rode the blows and was elected as the first US transgender state senator in 2020. She has been open about her mental health struggles growing up as a boy named Tim and the personal tragedy that has marked her life since, writing a memoir called "Tomorrow Will Be Different" in 2018. "I remember as a child praying in my bed at night that I would wake up the next day and be a girl," she told a TED talk in 2016. She first gathered major public attention with an open letter while a student leader at American University in Washington that announced her transition. She went on to encounter President Joe Biden and his family, also Delaware natives, when she became active in grassroots politics there. After interning at the White House under President Barack Obama, she secured an invitation to speak at the 2016 Democratic Party convention. The White House was also the scene of her first encounter with her late husband, Andrew Cray, a transgender man and LGTBQ+ activist. They married two years later shortly before Cray died from cancer. Knowing the attention she is destined for in the US Congress, she says her aim is to be an effective congresswoman focused on everyday voter priorities such as housing and inflation. But she knows she will be constantly pushed to be a spokeswoman -- and defender -- of the trans community. "I can't do right by the trans community if I'm not being the best member of Congress that I can be for Delaware," she told TransLash. "It's the only way that people will see that trans people can be good doctors, can be good lawyers, good educators, good members of Congress. I can't be there to put out a press release and tweet every time someone says something." adp/bgs
Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from his nomination to become President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general on Thursday. The announcement has raised questions: What does Gaetz' career look like moving forward, what happens now? Gaetz announced his withdrawal from the role in an X post on Thursday morning, "While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General." Trump nominated Gaetz to become his attorney general on Nov. 13, one week after winning his re-election campaign, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump took to his social media platform , Truth Social, to respond, sharing his respect for Gaetz' decision: "Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!" Dig deeper: Matt Gaetz withdraws his name as Trump's nominee for attorney general Did Gaetz resign from Congress? Yes, Gaetz issued his resignation from Congress the same day Trump nominated him to serve as his attorney general. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson announced the news of Gaetz's resignation during a news conference on Nov. 13, adding that the move was effective immediately. Could Gaetz get his seat in Congress back? Yes, in theory, Gaetz could get his seat back in Congress, though his political future was uncertain as of Thursday. On Nov. 5, Gaetz won re-election to the new, 119th Congress , which begins on Jan. 3, 2025. He resigned during the 118th Congress, which began in January 2023 and will cease in January 2025. Gaetz reportedly wrote in his House resignation letter that he did "not intend to" take the oath of office in the new Congress. By federal law, Gaetz could get his seat back in Congress if he were re-elected during a special election. According to the Congressional Research Service, a special election to fill a House vacancy must be issued by the corresponding state's governor. In this case, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis must issue the special election. The scheduling procedures for these special elections differ from state to state, but Florida law does not provide a mandatory timeline. The day after Gaetz issued his resignation from Congress, DeSantis announced on X that he had instructed Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd to formulate and announce a schedule for an upcoming special election. A date had yet to be announced for this election, as of Thursday afternoon. Gaetz's wife, Ginger, posted a picture of the couple on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, saying, "The end of an era." Why did Gaetz withdraw his AG nomination? Gaetz did not cite a specific reason for his withdrawal, but over the past week, controversy of his bid swelled due to allegations of sex trafficking minors. The Justice Department, which Gaetz would have led if he were attorney general, investigated allegations that Gaetz committed statutory rape by paying for sex with a 17-year-old and for her to travel with him across state lines. The investigation was dropped without charges. But recently, the House Ethics Committee, a bipartisan panel made up of Democrats and Republicans, began investigating the allegations. The committee had planned to vote on whether to release a report of its findings two days after Gaetz resigned from his seat on Congress last week. Who will Trump nominate for AG next? It is unclear who Trump will nominate for attorney general in Gaetz' place. The president-elect has not made an announcement. Riley Beggin and C.A. Bridges contributed to this reporting. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com .Liveblog: Canadiens face the Utah Hockey Club for the first time
By Georgina McCartney HOUSTON (Reuters) -Oil prices settled lower on Tuesday, extending the previous day’s losses in choppy trade after Israel agreed to a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, reducing oil’s risk premium. Brent crude futures settled down 20 cents, or 0.27%, to $72.81 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures settled at $68.77 a barrel, down 17 cents, or 0.25%. The accord between Israel and armed group Hezbollah was expected to take effect on Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was ready to implement a ceasefire and would “respond forcefully to any violation” by Hezbollah. On Monday, oil prices fell more than $2 following multiple reports that the warring sides had agreed to terms of a ceasefire. A ceasefire could pressure crude oil prices because the U.S. administration would likely reduce sanctions on oil from Iran, a supporter of Hezbollah, StoneX analyst Alex Hodes said in a note. OPEC+ EYE OUTPUT HIKE DELAY Both benchmarks briefly jumped more than $1 per barrel during the session. “We popped and dropped around the time news came out of the resumption of OPEC talks,” said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures Group. OPEC+ nations are discussing a further delay to a planned oil-output hike that was due to start in January, two sources from the producer group said, ahead of Sunday’s meeting to decide policy for early 2025. The group pumps about half the world’s oil, and had planned to gradually roll back oil-production cuts with small increases over many months in 2024 and 2025. But a slowdown in Chinese and global demand, and rising output outside the group, have put a dampener on that plan. “There were embers in the fire this morning with OPEC+ looking to defer production increases again and the Trump tariffs, but those were not enough to move the needle to support prices anywhere above $70 a barrel for WTI,” said Again Capital partner John Kilduff. TRUMP TARIFFS TO INCLUDE CRUDE OIL, SOURCES U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said he would impose a 25% tariff on all products coming into the U.S. from Mexico and Canada. Crude oil would not be exempt from the trade penalties, two sources familiar with the plan told Reuters on Tuesday. Maintaining the flow of energy products across the U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada is critical, the top U.S. oil and gas lobbying group, American Petroleum Institute, said. The vast majority of Canada’s 4 million barrels per day of crude exports go to the U.S. Analysts had said it was unlikely Trump would impose tariffs on Canadian oil, which cannot be easily replaced since it differs from grades that the U.S. produces. Meanwhile, U.S. crude oil stocks fell while fuel inventories rose last week, market sources said, citing API figures on Tuesday. Crude stocks fell by 5.94 million barrels in the week ended Nov. 22, the sources said on condition of anonymity. Gasoline inventories rose by 1.81 million barrels and distillate stocks climbed by 2.54 million barrels, they said. (Reporting by Georgina McCartney in Houston, Paul Carsten and Enes Tunagur in London, Gabrielle Ng in Singapore; Editing by Jan Harvey, Susan Fenton, David Gregorio, Jonathan Oatis, Deepa Babington and Rod Nickel) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibilty for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );MIT engineers have created more than 8,000 electric vehicle (EV) designs that can be combined with artificial intelligence (AI) to quickly build cars in the future. Dubbed "DrivAerNet++," this open-source database includes designs that are based on the most common types of cars out right now, the engineers said, shown as 3D models that incorporate information such as how aerodynamic the design is. Electric cars have been around for more than 100 years , but have skyrocketed in popularity recently. Designing these cars takes companies several years, resources, iterations and revisions until they reach a finalized design from which they can build a physical prototype. Due to its proprietary nature, the specifications and results from these tests (as well as the aerodynamics of the prototypes) are private. This means significant advancements in EV range or fuel efficiency can be slow, the scientists said. The new database, however, aims to speed up the search for better car designs exponentially. This digital library of car designs include detailed data on specifications and aerodynamics. This digital library could be used to generate new electric car designs if combined with AI models in the future, the researchers said. The engineers said that by streamlining a lengthy process, manufacturers can develop EV designs faster than ever before. Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. Related: New in-vehicle AI algorithm can spot drunk drivers by constantly scanning their faces for signs of intoxication The team presented a paper, which was uploaded June 13 to the preprint arXiv database, outlining the dataset and how it can be combined with AI technologies. They described the work at the NeurIPS conference in Vancouver in December. a Leaning on AI to create car designs in seconds The dataset the researchers created produced 39 terabytes of data while consuming 3 million central processing unit hours with the MIT SuperCloud — a superpowerful cluster of computers used for scientific research that can be accessed remotely. The team applied an algorithm that systematically tweaked 26 parameters, including vehicle length, underbody features, tread and wheel shapes, and windshield slope for each baseline car model. They also ran an algorithm that determined whether or not a newly generated design was a copy of something that already existed or genuinely new. Each 3D design was then converted into different readable formats — including a mesh, a point cloud, or simply a list of dimensions and specs. Finally, they ran complex fluid dynamics simulations to calculate how air would flow around each generated design. "The forward process is so expensive that manufacturers can only tweak a car a little bit from one version to the next," added Faez Ahmed , assistant professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, in a statement . "But if you have larger datasets where you know the performance of each design, now you can train machine-learning models to iterate fast so you are more likely to get a better design." — Future electric cars could go more than 600 miles on a single charge thanks to battery-boosting gel — World's 1st silicon anode EV battery will let you drive up to 186 miles after just 5 minutes of charging — EV batteries could last much longer thanks to new capacitor with 19-times higher energy density that scientists created by mistake Mohamed Elrefaie , a mechanical engineering student at MIT, said in the statement that the dataset could help to cut research and development costs and hasten advances. He added that speeding up the design process would also help the climate if it means more efficient vehicles reaching consumers sooner. , Key to this design speed-up is integration with AI tools. The dataset lets you train a generative AI model to "do things in seconds rather than hours," Ahmed added. Past AI models could generate seemingly optimized designs, but they relied on limited training data. The new dataset provides the more robust training data that AI models can now use to either create new designs or test the aerodynamics of existing ones. This can then be used to calculate the EV's efficiency and range without the need for a physical prototype.CALGARY, Alberta – Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury bounded down the tunnel and onto the ice for his 1,000th NHL start and what was presumably the final start of his career in the home rink of the Edmonton Oilers — a team he’d beaten 16 times previously in his career. ADVERTISEMENT He corralled one of the dozens of pucks strewn around the ice and fired toward the cage he would soon be guarding. But his attempt at an empty-net goal was foiled when the puck he had shot hit another puck at the top of the crease and both slid to the corners of the rink. It was just the first thing that would go wrong for the guy teammates lovingly call “Flower” on this night. Less than 30 seconds into the game, he swung at a puck bouncing in his direction all the way from the red line. He missed, and the Oilers led 1-0 on a fluke that had the Rogers Place crowd roaring and smiling. After the initial shock wore off, Fleury was smiling too. “I haven’t played in so long, I wanted to do well and help the team, and at the beginning to let that one in, I was mad for a little bit and then I just laughed. It was so stupid,” he said following Minnesota’s 5-3 win, which gave him a 4-0-1 record for the season. “The guys came by and they gave me a tap, and they laughed and kind of made it a little lighter. And they battled well, nobody sat back.” ADVERTISEMENT Just under 60 minutes of game time later, Flower was the one grinning in the Wild locker room as Minnesota won its ninth road game in a dozen opportunities. Fleury finished with 28 saves, and the other two Edmonton goals both went off the skates of Wild defenders. In the first period, he made a sprawling poke-check save to thwart Oilers star Connor McDavid’s rush to the net that had the Edmonton crowd primed to explode again. It was the 1,030th appearance in an NHL game for Fleury, moving him past Patrick Roy into third in the NHL record books for most games played by a goalie. He will turn 40 on Thanksgiving Day and has been in the league since 2003, after the Penguins made him the first-overall pick in that summer’s draft. But with Filip Gustavsson off to a fantastic start as the Wild’s mainstay in the crease, and Jesper Wallstedt waiting in the wings (in Iowa) presumably as the franchise’s goalie of the future, Fleury finds himself in a new role: backup goalie. Perhaps the only time his ever-present smile seemed forced following the win in Edmonton was when Fleury pointed out, on two occasions, that it was his first start in three weeks, since a win at San Jose on Nov. 7. ADVERTISEMENT Minnesota coach John Hynes reiterated on Friday afternoon that there was, for a brief moment, a thought that the Wild would carry three goalies — Gustavsson, Fleury and Wallstedt — for a time in October, meaning there would be two backups, or a rotation plus a third stringer. It didn’t work out that way. “Gus and Flower played well. Wally played well. But based on contracts and things like that and where everyone’s at in their career, Wally went down and played (in Iowa) and he’s doing a good job now and has found his game,” Hynes said. “But Flower’s playing really well and Gus is playing really well. So, it hasn’t been that he’s...the understudy. It’s just, here’s what we need to do everyday and then we’ll try to let you know when we’re going to start. Sometimes, it might be in advance. Sometimes, it might be a little closer to the game.” Fleury has made it clear that this will be the final season of his career, so like a rare flower that only blooms once in a while, seeing one of his remaining starts is worth seeking out. Of course, with the Wild defying expectations, the team’s fanbase is clearly hoping this flower keeps blooming well into May or even June. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. 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Artists say they leaked OpenAI’s Sora video model in protest
What happens when a search for authenticity collides with ambition and deception? These universal themes take center stage in True Heiress vs. Fake Queen Bee , the drama series that has captured over 60 million views across social media. If you’ve been intrigued by the buzz, here’s a comprehensive explainer on this viral sensation. Synopsis True Heiress vs. Fake Queen Bee tells the story of Hailey Kaplan, a teenager born into immense wealth. Tired of being defined solely by her family’s fortune, Hailey decides to start anew at Western High, a public school, under a veil of anonymity. She hopes to forge genuine friendships and live the life of an ordinary teenager. However, her carefully crafted plan unravels when Candice Mathis, the daughter of the Kaplan family’s maid, enrolls at the same school and falsely claims to be the Kaplan heiress. Candice’s audacious deception earns her popularity and influence, while Hailey, trapped in her new identity, faces social rejection and bullying. The series unpacks their complex rivalry, with themes of self-discovery, power struggles, and the quest for authenticity driving the drama forward. READ MORE: ‘Squid Game’: Real-life violence that inspired South Korean show ‘Squid Game’ returns looking for win with season 2 ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ beats ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ at box office Why it’s gaining traction The series owes its massive popularity to its engaging storyline and the compelling performances of its lead actors. Maya Jenson, portraying Hailey, skillfully conveys the struggles of a young woman yearning for acceptance. Daniela Cuoso, as Candice, delivers a layered performance that brings depth to her character’s manipulative yet vulnerable nature. Adding to its appeal is ReelShort’s unique approach to content delivery. The platform caters to today’s fast-paced viewing habits with episodes tailored for quick consumption. The first nine episodes are free, while access to all 86 episodes would require a subscription. Social media frenzy The series has sparked a wave of reactions online, with fans eagerly dissecting every twist and turn. One viewer exclaimed, “I just watched all [episodes] of the Kaplan heiress and huhu, what is wrong with me? This is the best picture of 2024 if you ask me.” Another post, written in a mix of Cebuano and English, “Sa mga naputol ang kalagot sa mga kabuang ni Candice nga feeling Kaplan Heiress kay nasobraan sa iyang pamati bisag anak ra ni Dedruhh nga Mayordoma nila Hailey.” (To those whose anger were fueled by the shenanigans of Candice, feeling as if she was the Kaplan Heiress went overboard eventhough she was just the daughter of Dedruhh the mayor doma of the family of Hailey.) Some have also critiqued the production, with one user noting, “Why are we so obsessed with such poorly acted series? Pero sino nga ba ang totoong Kaplan Heiress?” If you haven’t joined the craze yet, True Heiress vs. Fake Queen Bee is exclusively available on ReelShort. Whether you’re drawn by the intrigue, the performances, or the social commentary, this series is a must-watch for anyone looking to dive into a modern tale of identity and ambition.Ccc intelligent solutions exec Mary Jo Prigge sells $1.25m in stock
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