Tag: US

Meta challenges OpenAI and Google with open-source AI

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Facebook owner Meta on Tuesday released a new and free-of-charge version of its artificial intelligence model, making a play against ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and Google. OpenAI and Google have developed the impressive large language models that serve as the foundations of the ChatGPT and Bard chatbots, which have drawn excitement with their capabilities to mimic human creativity and expertise. Meta meanwhile has avoided releasing generative AI products straight to the […]

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Trump says he expects to be indicted in Capitol riot probe

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2023 (AFP) – Former US president Donald Trump said Tuesday he expected to be charged over the January 6 attack on the US Capitol — an indictment that would ramp up his legal woes as he makes another White House run. The 77-year-old Trump — in the hunt for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination — is already facing criminal charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith for mishandling top secret government documents […]

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American who entered N.Korea is a US soldier

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2023 (AFP) – An American national who entered North Korea “without authorization” during a tour of the heavily fortified border and is believed to be detained is a US soldier, officials said Tuesday. North and South Korea remain technically at war since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, with a Demilitarized Zone running along their border. “A US service member on a JSA orientation tour […]

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Taylor Swift sets women’s record for most number one albums

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Taylor Swift now has more number one albums than any other female artist in history following the recent release of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” Billboard said Monday. The record debuted at the top of the Billboard charts, becoming the pop queen’s 12th number one album and surpassing Barbra Streisand for the most among women. For male performers, Jay-Z and the Beatles both have over a dozen number one albums, […]

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Mercury hits new highs as heat waves scorch the globe

ATHENS, July 17, 2023 (AFP) – Temperatures reached new highs on Monday as heatwaves and wildfires scorched swathes of the Northern Hemisphere, forcing the evacuation of 1,200 children close to a Greek seaside resort. Health authorities have sounded alarms from North America to Europe and Asia, urging people to stay hydrated and shelter from the burning sun, in a stark reminder of the effects of global warming. Near Athens, a forest fire flared in strong […]

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Dangerous heatwaves strike globe as wildfires rage

ROME, July 16, 2023 (AFP) – Scorching weather gripped three continents on Sunday, whipping up wildfires and threatening to topple temperature records as the dire consequences of global warming take shape. Predictions of historic heat hung over swathes of Asia, Europe and the United States. In Japan, authorities issued heatstroke alerts to tens of millions of people in 20 of its 47 prefectures as near-record high temperatures scorched large areas and torrential rain pummelled other […]

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North Korea says conducted new test of solid-fuel ICBM

  By Kang Jin-kyu Agence France-Presse SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally oversaw the successful test of the country’s newest intercontinental ballistic missile, state media reported Thursday, days after Pyongyang threatened to down any US spy planes entering its airspace. A beaming Kim, flanked by his wife and key aides, was shown in state media images applauding enthusiastically after the launch of the solid-fuel Hwasong-18 on Wednesday. The ICBM, […]

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Hollywood shuts down as actors go on strike

By Andrew MARSZAL Agence France-Presse LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Tens of thousands of Hollywood actors will go on strike at midnight Thursday, effectively bringing the giant movie and television business to a halt as they join writers in the first industry-wide walkout for 63 years. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) issued a strike order after last-ditch talks with studios on their demands over dwindling pay and the threat posed by artificial intelligence ended […]

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US calls for Armenia, Azerbaijan dialogue after road closure

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States called Wednesday for the reopening of the only road linking Armenia with the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. It also called on both Armenia and Azerbaijan to continue dialogue on ending their long-running conflict over Karabakh. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, the State Department said, one day after the country closed the so-called Lachin Corridor. Blinken “underscored the need for free […]

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OpenAI’s Sam Altman takes nuclear startup public

NEW YORK, July 12, 2023 (AFP) – A startup led by OpenAI boss Sam Altman that is working on developing small nuclear fission reactors is going public with a valuation of $850 million. One of Silicon Valley’s leading figures since OpenAI released ChatGPT, Altman became an early backer of nuclear startup Oklo in 2015, and is also its chairman. Altman has explained that his investment in nuclear power is closely linked to the artificial intelligence […]

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Long-term aid plan for Ukraine shows Russia time ‘not on its side:’ US

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AFP) — A plan to secure long-term military aid for Ukraine from the G7 countries Wednesday will show Russia that “time is not on its side,” a top US official said. “It signals a joint long-term commitment to building a powerful defensive insurance force for Ukraine,” lead White House advisor for European affairs Amanda Sloat told reporters. “This multilateral declaration will send a significant signal to Russia that time is not on its […]

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Evacuations as US state of Vermont hit by catastrophic floods

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in the northeastern US state of Vermont Tuesday as heavy rains triggered flooding from which dozens of residents were rescued by boat. The move, which frees up funds to help relief efforts, came after officials warned that a dam close to the state capital Montpelier was nearing capacity and close to spilling into a river. “This has never happened since the […]

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