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Vancouver's Bench Accounting abruptly shuts down, with hundreds of jobs lostExit America, enter China? How Beijing can benefit from an isolationist USSuchir Balaji poses for a photo in Hawaii in 2018. Balaji was a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who died in November 2024. —Balaji Ramamurthy via AP SAN FRANCISCO, California — Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI’s strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products. “We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,” said a statement from OpenAI. Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said “appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation.” The city’s chief medical examiner’s office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide. His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a “happy, smart and brave young man” who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends. Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT. “Suchir’s contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn’t have succeeded without him,” said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what made him such an exceptional engineer and scientist was his attention to detail and ability to notice subtle bugs or logical errors. “He had a knack for finding simple solutions and writing elegant code that worked,” Schulman wrote. “He’d think through the details of things carefully and rigorously.” Balaji later shifted to organizing the huge datasets of online writings and other media used to train GPT-4, the fourth generation of OpenAI’s flagship large language model and a basis for the company’s famous chatbot. It was that work that eventually caused Balaji to question the technology he helped build, especially after newspapers, novelists and others began suing OpenAI and other AI companies for copyright infringement. He first raised his concerns with The New York Times, which reported them in an October profile of Balaji. He later told The Associated Press he would “try to testify” in the strongest copyright infringement cases and considered a lawsuit brought by The New York Times last year to be the “most serious.” Times lawyers named him in a Nov. 18 court filing as someone who might have “unique and relevant documents” supporting allegations of OpenAI’s willful copyright infringement. His records were also sought by lawyers in a separate case brought by book authors including the comedian Sarah Silverman, according to a court filing. “It doesn’t feel right to be training on people’s data and then competing with them in the marketplace,” Balaji told the AP in late October. “I don’t think you should be able to do that. I don’t think you are able to do that legally.” He told the AP that he gradually grew more disillusioned with OpenAI, especially after the internal turmoil that led its board of directors to fire and then rehire CEO Sam Altman last year. Balaji said he was broadly concerned about how its commercial products were rolling out, including their propensity for spouting false information known as hallucinations. But of the “bag of issues” he was concerned about, he said he was focusing on copyright as the one it was “actually possible to do something about.” He acknowledged that it was an unpopular opinion within the AI research community, which is accustomed to pulling data from the internet, but said “they will have to change and it’s a matter of time.” He had not been deposed and it’s unclear to what extent his revelations will be admitted as evidence in any legal cases after his death. He also published a personal blog post with his opinions about the topic. Schulman, who resigned from OpenAI in August, said he and Balaji coincidentally left on the same day and celebrated with fellow colleagues that night with dinner and drinks at a San Francisco bar. Another of Balaji’s mentors, co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, had left OpenAI several months earlier, which Balaji saw as another impetus to leave. Schulman said Balaji had told him earlier this year of his plans to leave OpenAI and that Balaji didn’t think that better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence “was right around the corner, like the rest of the company seemed to believe.” The younger engineer expressed interest in getting a doctorate and exploring “some more off-the-beaten path ideas about how to build intelligence,” Schulman said. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Balaji’s family said a memorial is being planned for later this month at the India Community Center in Milpitas, California, not far from his hometown of Cupertino. —APmnl168 official website 。

S&P Global Market Intelligence's New Outlook Report Shows the Convergence of Public and Private Credit Markets and Expects the Trend to Continue into 2025

FOR RELEASE TUESDAY, DEC. 31, 2024 BYLINE: By Mecca Woods --- What kind of day will tomorrow be? To find out what the stars say, read the forecast given for your birth sign. For Wednesday, Jan 1, 2025 There's a sociable and encouraging energy in the air. The cosmic weather is perfect for enjoying the company of friends and making new ones along the way. Social gatherings and events should also be enjoyable. However, for those of us who want to spend the day solo or doing something a little more low-key, we'll find the planets to be supportive of our mission. Still, there could be a bit of tension or drama to watch out for, as people could be tripped up by their egos. Sometimes putting a little distance between ourselves and others can be useful for avoiding unnecessary stress. ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Teamwork will serve you better than going it alone today. Embrace the spirit of camaraderie and cooperation. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You may be in a role to lead or guide others. A soft touch may work better than a forceful one. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might find a day trip or outing to be fun. Make sure to guard against travel-related hiccups. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Be mindful of spending too much time around negative people. Protect your peace. LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) Don't get caught up in petty power struggles with others. Can you find a win-win solution? VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) You may be tempted to get a jumpstart on the week ahead. Just don't overwork yourself. LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) You need a break from folks. Enjoy your me-time. SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) If it feels like you're carrying too much on your shoulders, look to your loved ones for support. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) Avoid being impulsive with your decisions. Do your research first. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) Beware of inserting yourself into someone else's business. Just focus on yourself for now. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18) Do something nice for yourself. It sets a positive precedent for the year ahead. PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20) You've been working hard. Set aside some time to kick back and relax. FOR TODAY'S BIRTHDAY You're approachable and down to earth. While you can be serious and reserved, all it takes is for you to be around people you enjoy, and your warmhearted personality shines through! You're loyal and kind, and you always come through for a friend or family member. You've also got style and class. You stick to your principles, and you rarely, if ever, go back on your word. This year, your ability to manifest what you want will improve. Remember how powerful you are! Birthdate of: Ice Spice, rapper; Morris Chestnut, actor; Angourie Rice, actress. Get more of Mecca's astro-guidance at www.mylifecreated.com . Her book "Astrology for Happiness and Success" is available now. (c) 2024 King Features Syndicate, Inc.TORONTO: Wall Street stocks, led by S&P 500 and the Nasdaq, ended higher on Tuesday, as technology stocks rebounded, while investors digested President-elect Donald Trump's tariff pledges on top trade partners and the latest minutes from the Federal Reserve. US short-term interest-rate futures pared earlier losses after the Fed's latest minutes showed officials appeared divided over how much further they may need to cut interest rates. The minutes of the Nov. 6-7 meeting also showed the group agreed this was a moment to avoid giving much concrete guidance about how US monetary policy is likely to evolve in the weeks ahead. "The minutes did nothing to alter my view that the policy rate is going to be adjusted lower next week and will continue to do so through the next calendar year," said Jamie Cox, managing partner for Harris Financial Group. Other analysts were more cautious. Paul Ashworth, chief North America economist for Capital Economics, noted that he still expects another 25 basis-point cut, but cautioned such decisions are data-dependent and therefore November’s employment and inflation data will be pivotal In a development overnight, Trump said he would impose a 25% conditional tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports that could violate a free-trade deal he negotiated during his previous term. He also outlined "an additional 10% tariff, above any additional tariffs" on imports from China, raising the risk of trade wars. Automakers Ford and General Motors both dropped on the news as they have highly integrated supply chains across Mexico, the US and Canada. GM shares plunged nearly 9%. "The concern is that some products are going to become more costly and that will mean revenue for those companies that are possibly manufacturing those goods overseas is going to decline," said Robert Pavlik, senior portfolio manager at Dakota Wealth. "It's a lot of back-and-forth right now because investors are trying to position themselves for January and the days after and they're not really sure." The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 123.74 points, or 0.28%, to 44,860.31, the S&P 500 gained 34.26 points, or 0.57%, to 6,021.63 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 119.46 points, or 0.63%, to 19,174.30. Gains in megacaps such as Microsoft and Apple boosted the information technology sector and the tech-heavy Nasdaq. Microsoft shares rose a little over 2%. Wells Fargo rose 0.6%, standing out among sluggish banking stocks, after Reuters reported, citing sources, that the bank is in the last stages of a process to pass regulatory tests to lift a US$1.95 trillion asset cap next year after fixing problems from its scandal over fake accounts. The blue-chip Dow was weighed down by declines in Amgen , which slid about 4.8% after its experimental obesity drug fell short of expectations. The S&P 500 touched a record high on Monday and logged its sixth-straight session of gains, while the Russell 2000 also scaled an all-time high after three years. On the day, the small-cap index fell 0.7%. Among others, Eli Lilly rose 4.6% after US President Joe Biden proposed expanding Medicare and Medicaid coverage for anti-obesity drugs. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.57-to-1 ratio on the NYSE. There were 358 new highs and 52 new lows on the NYSE. The S&P 500 posted 63 new 52-week highs and 3 new lows while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 124 new highs and 91 new lows. — Reuters

Authorities in Pakistan launch operation to clear Khan supporters from capitalPedro escaped punishment after swinging an arm at Bees substitute substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk without making contact. VAR reviewed the second-half incident but deemed there was no violent conduct. Frank and Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler disagreed about the decision. “As I understand the rules, you can’t swing your arm to try to hit someone,” said Frank. “If you hit them or not, it’s a red, that’s the way I understand the rules.” Frank spoke to the match officials, including referee Andy Madley, about the flashpoint at full-time. “They haven’t seen the situation yet, not on TV afterwards,” said Frank. “To be fair to him, I think the angle can be tricky so that’s why you’ve got VAR.” Asked about Frank’s assessment, Hurzeler replied: “Interesting opinion. I see it completely different. “For me, it’s not a red card. He tried to get free from a person.” Brighton were booed off after their winless run was stretched to six top-flight games. Albion dominated for large periods and hit the woodwork inside four minutes through Julio Enciso. Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken made some important saves before being forced off injured in the 36th minute, albeit his replacement Hakon Valdimarsson was rarely tested on his Premier League debut. The Seagulls remain 10th ahead of Monday’s trip to Aston Villa, with Brentford a position and two points below moving towards their New Year’s Day showdown with Arsenal. Hurzeler thought the jeers at full-time were unfair. “The team doesn’t deserve that because in all the games we had in the last weeks they were all good, they were all intense, they were all where we thought we deserved more” said the German, whose team have lost to Fulham and Crystal Palace and drawn with Southampton, Leicester and West Ham in recent matches. “We try to work hard to satisfy our supporters, we try to give them what they deserve, we try to make them proud. “But the Premier League is tough. We know there will be (tough) periods we have to go through, especially with this young squad. “We try to stick together, find the positive and keep on going.” Brentford, who remain without a top-flight away win this term, had an early Yoane Wissa finish ruled out for offside following VAR intervention but barely threatened, despite an improved second-half showing. Frank, who is awaiting news on Flekken and defender Ben Mee, who also left the field injured, said: “I thought it was a fair point. “Brighton were better in the first half, no big, clearcut chances, and I thought we were better second half. “Overall, I’m happy with the performance, especially the way we defended. “We haven’t had too many clean sheets this season, so in that context I thought it was very impressive against a good Brighton team. “We know we have a lot of players out – we get two more injuries during the game. “The way the players showed their mentality and character and dug in was hugely impressive.”

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A meeting on agricultural sector development coordination was held yesterday morning at the meeting hall of the Union Minister’s Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation. It was attended by Union Minister U Min Naung, deputy ministers, permanent secretaries, directors-general of the departments, officials, heads of regional and state agriculture departments, heads of oil crop special zones, and heads of training schools. During the meeting, the Union minister delivered a speech stating that the government has formulated policies for the development of the agricultural sector to ensure domestic food security, increase export production, and boost the national economy. He also mentioned that the needs of all sectors are being addressed. In efforts to significantly improve agricultural production, the performance of the heads of the regional, state, district, and township agriculture departments — who work closely with farmers — is crucial. Therefore, it is necessary to implement measures to effectively enhance farmers’ interest in farming, including improving crop quality, strengthening the market, fetching good prices, and focusing on seed, soil, water, and technology-related activities. The deputy ministers then discussed ways to promote cooperation between relevant departments for the development of the agricultural sector, ensure strict compliance with financial regulations, enforce the rental of departmental buildings following procedures, and effectively utilize digital communication technology to ensure continuous interaction between civil servants, experts, researchers, and farmers. The permanent secretary and directors-general of the departments continued the discussion by presenting issues related to achieving target yields of major crops, including rice and oil crops, expanding the cultivation of industrial raw materials and market crops, and ensuring the accuracy of basic statistics on acreage and yield by crop. The Union minister delivered a concluding speech. — MNA/TKOAmazon and Starbucks workers are on strike. Trump might have something to do with it

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Sizing up the growth outlookMike McDaniel stepped in to keep Dolphins from trading veteran DT Calais Campbell to RavensGaetz withdraws as Trump's pick for attorney general, averting confirmation battle in the Senate WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz has withdrawn as Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation. The Florida Republican made the announcement Thursday. Gaetz’s withdrawal is a blow to Trump’s push to install steadfast loyalists in his incoming administration and the first sign that Trump could face resistance from members of his own party. Trump said in a social media post that Gaetz “did not want to be a distraction for the Administration.” Gaetz said “it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work" of the transition team. He added, “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle.” Top war-crimes court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others in Israel-Hamas fighting THE HAGUE (AP) — The world’s top war-crimes court has issued arrest warrants for the leaders of Israel and Hamas, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The warrants issued Thursday accuse them of crimes against humanity in connection with their war that began more than a year ago. The warrants against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant focus on allegations Israel has used food as a weapon in its campaign against Hamas in Gaza, a charge Israeli officials deny. The action by the International Criminal Court came as the death toll from Israel’s campaign in Gaza passed 44,000 people. Local health authorities say more than half of those killed were women and children. Several of Trump's Cabinet picks — and Trump himself — have been accused of sexual misconduct WASHINGTON (AP) — Former congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name as President-elect Donald Trump's choice for attorney general in the face of sexual misconduct allegations. He's not the only member of Trump’s chosen staff and Cabinet accused of some form of misconduct. Others include: Elon Musk, his choice to help lead a new outside panel seeking to boost government efficiency, Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Trump’s choice for defense secretary Pete Hegseth and Linda McMahon, his choice to lead the Department of Education. They all deny the claims. Death toll in Gaza from Israel-Hamas war passes 44,000, Palestinian officials say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say the death toll in the Gaza Strip from the 13-month-old war between Israel and Hamas has surpassed 44,000. The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said that more than half of the fatalities are women and children. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released during a cease-fire last year. Elon Musk's budget crusade could cause a constitutional clash in Trump's second term WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has put Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in charge of finding ways to cut government spending and regulations. It's possible that their efforts will lead to a constitutional clash. This week, Musk and Ramaswamy said they would encourage the Republican president-elect to refuse to spend money allocated by Congress, which would conflict with a 1974 law that's intended to prevent presidents from blocking funds. If Trump takes such a step, it would quickly become one of the most closely watched legal battles of his second administration. Musk and Ramaswamy also aim to dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce. Putin touts Russia's new missile and delivers a menacing warning to NATO The new ballistic missile fired by Russia struck a military-industrial facility in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, but its real mission was delivering a deadly new message to NATO. Hours after Thursday’s strike touched off a debate over whether the Ukrainian plant was hit by an intercontinental ballistic missile, President Vladimir Putin cleared up the mystery in a rare and surprise appearance on Russian television. He described it as a new, intermediate-range ballistic missile that raced to its target at 10 times the speed of sound and couldn't be stopped by modern anti-missile systems. One Western expert said it was the first time that such a missile was used in the war — and perhaps in any conflict. Jussie Smollett’s conviction in 2019 attack on himself is overturned SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Supreme Court has overturned actor Jussie Smollett’s conviction on charges that he staged a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019 and lied to Chicago police. The state’s highest court ruled Thursday on Smollett’s argument that a special prosecutor should not have been allowed to intervene after the local state’s attorney initially dropped charges. The 5-0 decision did not address Smollett's claims of innocence. The Black, gay actor claimed two men assaulted him, spouted slurs and tossed a noose around his neck. Smollett was on the television drama “Empire,” which filmed in Chicago. Testimony at his trial indicated Smollett paid $3,500 to two men to carry out the attack. SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who led US crackdown on cryptocurrencies, to step down Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler will step down from his post on January 20. Since taking the lead at the SEC, the commission has been aggressive in its oversight of cryptocurrencies and other regulatory issues. President-elect Donald Trump had promised during his campaign that he would remove Gensler, who has led the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry and repeatedly called for more oversight. But Gensler on Thursday announced that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated. Bitcoin has jumped 40% since Trump’s victory. US towns plunge into debates about fluoride in water NEW YORK (AP) — Fights are cropping up nationwide over fluoride in drinking water. Communities in Florida, Texas, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming and elsewhere have debated the idea in recent months. And several have decided to stop adding it to drinking water. In August, a federal agency for the first time reported that there is a link between high levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids. And in September, a federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate it in drinking water. The decision to add fluoride to drinking water rests with state and local officials, but advisers to Donald Trump have suggested he would push to remove it. Was it all a joke? How stand-up comedy helped reelect Trump Did stand-up comedians help reelect Donald Trump? Not a joke, as outgoing President Joe Biden might say. Trump has been the butt of countless late-night monologues and “Saturday Night Live” sketches for the better part of a decade, but the once and future president's path to reelection relied a lot on stand-up comedy. Trump sat for long, friendly interviews on comedians' podcasts in an effort to reach young men. But he also employed his own stand-up-like campaigning style replete with meandering stories and digressions, a rhetorical tactic that connected with audiences and also made it hard to tell what exactly was policy and what was a joke.

Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-JanuaryBritain and its NATO allies must stay ahead in "the new AI arms race ", British cabinet office minister Pat McFadden will say on Monday, warning that Russian cyber criminals are increasingly targeting countries that support Ukraine. Addressing a NATO Cyber Defence Conference in London, McFadden will unveil Britain's plans to set up a new Laboratory for AI (artificial intelligence) security to help create better cyber defence tools and organise intelligence on attacks. In the latest warning about Moscow stepping up cyber attacks on nations backing Ukraine, McFadden will call on the U.S.-led military alliance, businesses and institutions to do "everything they can to lock their own digital doors" to protect themselves from what he called an increasingly aggressive Russia. "Cyber war is now a daily reality. One where our defences are constantly being tested," he will say, according to extracts of his speech released in advance. "The extent of the threat must be matched by the strength of our resolve to combat it and to protect our citizens and systems. Seventy-five years after its foundation, it is clear we need NATO more than ever." Finance Crypto & NFT Mastery: From Basics to Advanced By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By - Neil Patel, Co-Founder and Author at Neil Patel Digital Digital Marketing Guru View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Advanced Java Mastery: Object-Oriented Programming Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Leadership Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Finance Financial Literacy for Non-Finance Executives By - CA Raja, Chartered Accountant | Financial Management Educator | Former AVP - Credit, SBI View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Web Development C++ Fundamentals for Absolute Beginners By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Intermediate Java Mastery: Method, Collections, and Beyond By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By - Study At Home, Quality Education Anytime, Anywhere View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI for Everyone: Understanding and Applying the Basics on Artificial Intelligence By - Ritesh Vajariya, Generative AI Expert View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Web Development Intermediate C++ Skills: Master Pointers, Structures and File Stream By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Tabnine AI Masterclass: Optimize Your Coding Efficiency By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Finance Startup Fundraising: Essential Tactics for Securing Capital By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Moscow has previously denied that it carries out cyberattacks, and officials have cast such accusations as attempts to incite anti-Russian sentiment. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories McFadden will say AI could be weaponised against those countries supportive of Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 to step up what he described as the daily reality of cyber warfare against Britain and its allies. "AI is already revolutionising many parts of life - including national security. But as we develop this technology, there's a danger it could be weaponised against us because our adversaries are also looking at how to use AI on the physical and cyber battlefield," he will say. McFadden's role as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster includes responsibility for British national and cyber security . The new laboratory, supported with an initial 8.22 million pounds ($10.3 million) of government funding, will bring together academic and government experts to assess the impact of AI on national security and better understand its use by Russia. "Be in no doubt: the United Kingdom and others in this room are watching Russia. We know exactly what they are doing, and we are countering their attacks both publicly and behind the scenes," McFadden will say. "That's why we support Ukraine in its fight to decide its own destiny." ($1 = 0.7980 pounds)

U.S. stocks rose to records Tuesday after Donald Trump’s latest talk about tariffs created only some ripples on Wall Street, even if they could roil the global economy were they to take effect. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to top the all-time high it set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 123 points, or 0.3%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6% as Microsoft and Big Tech led the way. Stock markets abroad mostly fell after President-elect Trump said he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China once he takes office. But the movements were mostly modest. Stock indexes were down 0.1% in Shanghai and nearly flat in Hong Kong, while Canada’s main index edged down by less than 0.1%. Trump has often praised the use of tariffs, but investors are weighing whether his latest threat will actually become policy or is just an opening point for negotiations. For now, the market seems to be taking it more as the latter. The consequences otherwise for markets and the global economy could be painful. Unless the United States can prepare alternatives for the autos, energy products and other goods that come from Mexico, Canada and China, such tariffs would raise the price of imported items all at once and make households poorer, according to Carl Weinberg and Rubeela Farooqi, economists at High Frequency Economics. They would also hurt profit margins for U.S. companies, while raising the threat of retaliatory tariffs by other countries. And unlike tariffs in Trump’s first term, his latest proposal would affect products across the board. General Motors sank 9%, and Ford Motor fell 2.6% because both import automobiles from Mexico. Constellation Brands, which sells Modelo and other Mexican beer brands in the United States, dropped 3.3%. The value of the Mexican peso fell 1.8% against the U.S. dollar. Beyond the pain such tariffs would cause U.S. households and businesses, they could also push the Federal Reserve to slow or even halt its cuts to interest rates. The Fed had just begun easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high a couple months ago to offer support for the job market. While lower interest rates can boost the economy, they can also offer more fuel for inflation. “Many” officials at the Fed’s last meeting earlier this month said they should lower rates gradually, according to minutes of the meeting released Tuesday afternoon. The talk about tariffs overshadowed another mixed set of profit reports from U.S. retailers that answered few questions about how much more shoppers can keep spending. They’ll need to stay resilient after helping the economy avoid a recession, despite the high interest rates imposed by the Fed to get inflation under control. A report on Tuesday from the Conference Board said confidence among U.S. consumers improved in November, but not by as much as economists expected. Kohl’s tumbled 17% after its results for the latest quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Tom Kingsbury said sales remain soft for apparel and footwear. A day earlier, Kingsbury said he plans to step down as CEO in January. Ashley Buchanan, CEO of Michaels and a retail veteran, will replace him. Best Buy fell 4.9% after likewise falling short of analysts’ expectations. Dick’s Sporting Goods topped forecasts for the latest quarter thanks to a strong back-to-school season, but its stock lost an early gain to fall 1.4%. Still, more stocks rose in the S&P 500 than fell. J.M. Smucker had one of the biggest gains and climbed 5.7% after topping analysts’ expectations for the latest quarter. CEO Mark Smucker credited strength for its Uncrustables, Meow Mix, Café Bustelo and Jif brands. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up U.S. indexes. Gains of 3.2% for Amazon and 2.2% for Microsoft were the two strongest forces lifting the S&P 500. All told, the S&P 500 rose 34.26 points to 6,021.63. The Dow gained 123.74 to 44,860.31, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 119.46 to 19,174.30. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady following their big drop from a day before driven by relief following Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary. The yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.29% from 4.28% late Monday, but it’s still well below the 4.41% level where it ended last week. In the crypto market, bitcoin continued to pull back after topping $99,000 for the first time late last week. It’s since dipped back toward $91,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s a sharp turnaround from the bonanza that initially took over the crypto market following Trump’s election. That boom had also appeared to have spilled into some corners of the stock market. Strategists at Barclays Capital pointed to stocks of unprofitable companies, along with other areas that can be caught up in bursts of optimism by smaller-pocketed “retail” investors. ___ AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. Already bracing for funding cuts under a new Trump administration, With inflation still elevated, Federal Reserve officials expressed caution at U.S. stocks rose to records Tuesday after Donald Trump’s latest Federal authorities have released an update on the investigation intoGenius Group Announces 177% Net Asset Growth in First Half of 2024

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Emma McKeon announces immediate retirement from swimming

There’s a video currently circulating on social media that shows at least two men watching as another man allegedly drowns a horse. The video begins with a man riding atop a horse and going into a river. He is seen getting off the horse and seemingly fighting with the horse. The next clip shows the horse floating on its side and appeared to be dead. At least one person in the video is pictured grinning. The incident reportedly occurred in Powell County. It is believed it was taken some time during the summer as one shirtless man has an obvious sunburn. In a phone interview, Powell County Sheriff Gavin Roselles said his office was notified Thursday afternoon of the circulated video. “My office began an investigation at that time,” said Sheriff Roselles. Roselles also confirmed that the alleged incident did occur in Powell County and the people in the video have been identified. The case is under investigation. According to the Montana Legislature, a person convicted of cruelty to animals could be fined up to $1,000 or receive a one-year sentence in the county jail, or both. If the incident is deemed aggravated animal cruelty, a person could be fined up to $2,500 and receive a prison term not to exceed two years, or both. Facebook screenshot of a video alleging a horse drowning. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Las Vegas Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers continues to prove he is one of the best-undrafted players ever at his positionAnders H. Nørgaard resigns as CEO at FirstFarms

Sophia Smith, the ex-girlfriend of Liam Payne , is now engaged . The social media influencer shared the heartwarming moment her fiancé, James Bridgwood, proposed to her during the Christmas season on Instagram . Sophia, 30, was in a relationship with Liam from 2013 until October 2015, despite first meeting at St. Peter's Collegiate School in Wolverhampton. Liam, who passed away in October at the age of 31 after falling from his hotel balcony , had asked Sophia out multiple times before she agreed to be his girlfriend. Sophia posted a video of James proposing in a spacious room in their house, surrounded by rose petals and a bottle of champagne as they lounged in their pajamas, with their daughter, Angelina Grace, who was born in April 2023. Liam Payne's girlfriend Kate Cassidy debuts 'tribute tattoo' two months after his death Liam Payne's ex Cheryl and son Bear preparing to face first Christmas without him Captioning the sweet post, which was accompanied by Dan Berk's acoustic song, Anyone, Sophia wrote: "Yes a million times over. 25.12.24," along with a red heart emoji. The star appeared emotional as she gazed at her ring while Angelina seemed blissfully unaware as she asked her parents to play with her dolls. Sophia, who has stayed close to Liam's bandmates, family, and colleagues, received a flood of congratulatory messages. Louis Tomlinson's sister Lottie commented: "Congratulations," alongside crying emojis and pink hearts, reports the Mirror. One Direction's former makeup artist Lou Teasdale added: "Aw Soph," with a red heart. I'm A Celebrity star Maura Higgins wrote: "Congratulations." A fan exclaimed: "Omggggggggg. Congratulations!!!!!!!" Another admirer shared: "Favorites forever can't stop watching this video," while a third supporter expressed: "Yayyyyy! So happy for you both! Congratulations." DON'T MISS... Liam Payne's death investigation intensifies as police demand fall CCTV footage [NEWS] Liam Payne found 'unconscious in elevator' before falling to death from balcony [LATEST] Liam Payne 'swapped hotels' before his death as investigation continues [UPDATE] Throughout their time together, Sophia was a common fixture at Liam's side, including being present at the final tour of One Direction. After they parted ways nearly a decade ago, Liam opened up about his heartbreak, telling The Sun on Sunday: "In order to do right by somebody, sometimes it's better not to do what your heart wants, but to do what's better for them." Before ending their relationship, there were rumors that the two talked about marriage. As Liam discussed with Attitude Magazine: "We have talked about marriage, but 22 seems a bit young for us. Sophia needs to go off and do what she wants to do. I don't want her to be one of those stay-at-home girlfriends who doesn't really do much." The joy around Sophia's news is tinged with sorrow as Liam passed away nearly three months prior.Trump seeks Supreme Court intervention to delay TikTok banInsurers and healthcare middlemen are making it harder for everyday Americans, including many living with chronic diseases, to access the prescription drugs they need. Fortunately, Congress and President Joe Biden can address the problem by passing two bipartisan reforms during the current "lame duck" legislative session. For Democrats, this is a chance to build on the historic progress already made toward healthcare access and affordability for all Americans. At issue are middlemen known as "pharmacy benefit managers" -- or PBMs. PBMs act on behalf of insurance companies to negotiate with drug manufacturers and administer "formularies," or lists of which medications the insurer covers and what patients owe out of pocket. PBMs use their control over formularies to extract price concessions from drug companies in the form of rebates and discounts. Since drug makers want their products to be covered by insurers, they have a strong incentive to comply with PBMs' demands. In 2023 alone, the total value of rebates, discounts, and other payments to PBMs and insurers may have been as high as $334 billion. These savings could meaningfully reduce prescription drug costs for millions of patients. But in practice, many health plans simply keep rebates and discounts for themselves while continuing to charge patients based on the nominal "list price" of a drug, rather than the much lower "net price," which accounts for discounts and rebates. Consider a privately insured patient with diabetes. Let's assume the list price of the insulin she needs to survive is $1,000 per month, and her plan's coinsurance obligation is 25%. Let's also assume her insurer/PBM negotiates a 75% rebate off the insulin's price -- a 70-80% rebate is standard for many insulin brands. That'd leave the insurer/PBM paying a "net price" of $250 for the drug. But under current rules, the patient's health plan could still charge her based on the $1,000 per month list price of the insulin, meaning she'd owe $250 at the pharmacy counter. In this scenario, the sick patient would be covering 100% of what her health plan paid for the medicine. That isn't how insurance is supposed to work. This hypothetical example is no outlier. It's the reality for thousands of Americans with diabetes. One study found that people with diabetes could save $3.7 billion per year on their medications if insurers and PBMs passed rebates and discounts through to patients. A more fundamental issue is that in today's distorted market, PBM compensation is directly tied to how much medicines cost. The rebates, discounts, and fees PBMs collect are typically calculated as a percentage of a drug's list price. Since PBMs get to keep a portion of these payments for themselves, they naturally gravitate toward the most expensive drugs. While this setup works well for PBMs, it harms patients. Because PBMs make more money on expensive medicines, they're incentivized to select the costliest drugs for insurance plan coverage, even when cheaper alternatives exist. Over time, this inevitably leads to higher patient costs at the pharmacy counter. PBM practices hit the 129 million Americans living with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses particularly hard. Around half of patients living with chronic diseases already skip doses or forgo treatment for cost reasons -- much higher than the overall rate of medication "nonadherence" among all adults. When patients don't take their medications as directed, whether it's because of cost or other reasons, manageable conditions can snowball into costly and life-threatening emergencies. By refusing to pass savings along to patients and pushing people toward the most expensive drugs, PBMs and insurers could be inadvertently making the problem of non-adherence worse. The good news is that Congress seems to be waking up to this reality. Two bipartisan reforms have been gathering momentum in recent months. One bill would delink PBM compensation from drug prices and the other would require health plans and PBMs to share rebates and discounts with patients. Both bills have already passed the Senate Finance Committee. For Democrats, this is a chance to demonstrate our commitment to equitable and affordable health care. PBM reform would help ensure our most vulnerable citizens, already reckoning with a cost of living crisis, aren't forced to choose between medication and other necessities. It's also an opportunity to build on Democrats' recent work to advance healthcare affordability through the Inflation Reduction Act and other legislation. But this isn't just a Democratic issue. A recent poll revealed that nearly two-thirds of voters would favor candidates who pass such legislation. PBM reform is that elusive combination of good policy and smart politics. PBM reform is a golden opportunity for Congress to deliver on a critical kitchen-table issue that impacts millions of Americans. Let's hope they take it. Kenneth E. Thorpe is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Health Policy at Emory University and the chairman of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease.

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