Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire to end nearly 14 months of fighting JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes meanwhile carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. What both sides are saying about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah A ceasefire deal that could end more than a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group won backing from Israeli leaders. The truce that is set to take effect early Wednesday raised hopes and renewed difficult questions in a region gripped by conflict. Hezbollah leaders also signaled tentative backing for the U.S.-brokered deal, which offers both sides an off-ramp from hostilities But the deal does little directly to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since Hamas militants attacked southern Israel last October. Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crime. WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is threatening tariffs on Mexico and Canada as he seeks to portray them as responsible for illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Over its tenure, the Biden administration has struggled with growing numbers of migrants arriving at the southern border. But this year, the number of people crossing the border without documents has actually been falling. That's due in part to stricter enforcement by Mexican authorities as well as asylum restrictions announced earlier this year by the Biden administration. When it comes to fentanyl smuggling, much of the deadly supply comes from Mexico though statistics show more than 86% of those sentenced for fentanyl trafficking crimes in the 12 months ending September 2023 were U.S. citizens. AP finds that a Pentagon-funded study on extremism in the military relied on old data Early this year, Pete Hegseth told a Fox News audience a new, Pentagon-funded study proved that the number of military service members and veterans involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection did not indicate a wider problem in the armed forces. Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Defense, wasn’t alone. The Wall Street Journal’s opinion page highlighted the same report as evidence that extremists in military communities were “phantoms” created by a “false media narrative.” The X account for Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee posted that the study showed the focus on extremism in the military was a “witch hunt.” But The Associated Press has found that the study relied on old data, misleading analyses and ignored evidence that pointed to the opposite conclusion. How Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith move to abandon two federal cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats Trump was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump's political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Walmart's DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump's election victory NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Brazil’s Bolsonaro planned and participated in a 2022 coup plot, unsealed police report says SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was fully aware of and actively participated in a coup plot to remain in office after his defeat in the 2022 election, according to a Federal Police report that has been unsealed. Brazil’s Federal Police last Thursday formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup. They sent their 884-page report to the Supreme Court, which lifted the seal. Bolsonaro called a meeting in December 2022, during which he presented a draft decree to the commanders of the three divisions of the armed forces, that would have declared the vote fraudulent, to justify a possible military intervention. Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Biden proposes Medicare and Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of obese Americans would be eligible to have popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound covered by Medicare or Medicaid under a new rule the Biden administration proposed Tuesday morning. The proposal, which would not be finalized until after President-elect Donald Trump takes office, could cost taxpayers as much as $35 billion over the next decade. It would give millions of people access to weekly injectables that have helped people shed pounds so quickly that some people have labeled them miracle drugs. New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants People with HIV who need a kidney or liver transplant will be able to receive an organ from a donor with HIV. That's according to a new rule announced Tuesday by U.S. health officials. Previously, such transplants could be done only as part of research studies. The new rule takes effect Wednesday. It's expected to shorten the wait for organs for all, regardless of HIV status, by increasing the pool of available organs. The practice is supported by a decade of research, during which 500 transplants of kidneys and livers from HIV-positive donors have been done in the U.S. Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump's promised crackdown on immigration President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision.As science continues its evolution, discoveries and technologies can act like a master key that open doors leading to novel advancements. Artificial intelligence is one such key, making innovations possible by solving complex problems, automating tasks and enabling research that would have been impossible, or very time-consuming, without it. Mohammad Hosseini But do we want to do research on all topics, and shall we try the AI master key on every door? To explore this question, let’s consider the use of AI by genomics experts as an example. In recent years, genomics experts have added unbelievable depth to what we know about the world and ourselves. For example, genetics researchers have revealed facts about when certain animals and plants were domesticated. In another example, researchers used DNA from 30,000-year-old permafrost to create fertile samples of a plant called narrow-leafed campion. People are also reading... Importantly, genetic engineering has facilitated extraordinary advances in the treatment of complicated conditions, such as sickle-cell anemia. Thanks to AI, we are witnessing a dramatic increase in the pace and scalability of genomic exploration. But given the risks and possible consequences of AI use in science, should we rush headlong into using AI in all kinds of projects? One relevant example is research on Neanderthals, our closest relatives, who lived about 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals have been studied for several years now through genetic investigation of their fossils and their DNA. Genetic engineering can potentially use ancient DNA and genome editing methods to re-create a Neanderthal or aspects of a Neanderthal’s genetics and physiology. To do this, scientists could start by figuring out the DNA sequence of a Neanderthal by comparing it with the DNA of modern humans, because they are closely related. Then, scientists could use the gene-editing tool known as CRISPR to swap out parts of human DNA with Neanderthal DNA. This process would require a lot of trial and error and might not succeed soon. But based on what we know about genetics, if something is possible, AI can help make it happen faster, cheaper and with less effort. Scientists are excited about these developments because they could facilitate new discoveries and open up many research opportunities in genetic research. With or without AI, research on Neanderthals will proceed. But the extraordinary power of AI could give the final push to these discoveries and facilitate this kind of resurrection. At that point, the scientific community must develop norms and guidelines about how to treat these resurrected beings with dispositions very similar to humans. We would need to carefully consider their rights and well-being almost in the same way as when humans are involved and not as research subjects or artifacts of scientific curiosity. These ethical issues are discussed in more detail in a new paper published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence. A more holistic question to consider is: Should we prioritize the use of resource-intensive AI, researchers’ time and public funds to resurrect extinct beings? Or should we invest these resources into conserving species that are critically endangered today to prevent biodiversity from more degradation? Hosseini is an assistant professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He wrote this for The Chicago Tribune . Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!NEW YORK — A judge on Tuesday cut loose Rudy Giuliani’s attorneys in his bankruptcy-related matter and denied efforts to push back his trial so he could participate in Donald Trump’s inauguration at a manic Manhattan federal court hearing that ended with an outburst from the former New York City mayor. The upcoming trial set for Jan. 16 relates to the action brought by Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, the mother and daughter election workers Giuliani owes nearly $150 million for falsely accusing them of rigging the last presidential election. It will concern his continued possession of his Palm Beach, Fla., condo, which he’s claimed is his homestead and cannot be taken away from him, and his Yankees World Series rings, which he claims he gifted his son, Andrew. He’s been forced to give up almost everything else he owns of value. After granting an application from his former attorneys Kenneth Caruso and David Labkowski to withdraw from the case, Judge Lewis Liman told Giuliani’s new legal representation, Joseph Cammarata, that his client could not fire his lawyer and “restart the clock” by hiring another, had sought multiple extensions, missed multiple deadlines, and had “not shown anything close to ‘due diligence’ ” concerning the deadlines for producing evidence. “My client regularly consults and deals directly with President-elect Trump on issues that are taking place as the incoming administration is afoot as well as [the] inauguration,” Cammarata unsuccessfully argued in a bid to delay the trial. “My client wants to exercise his political right to be there.” Later in the hearing, Liman expressed frustration that Giuliani had provided Freeman and Moss with his 1980 Mercedes-Benz once owned by Lauren Bacall but not the title certificate, prompting Giuliani to start yelling. “Your client is a competent person. He was the United States attorney for this district. The notion that he can’t apply for a title certificate for the car is ...” the judge said before Giuliani cut him off. “Every implication that you’ve made is against me!” Giuliani said, claiming he had applied for it. Responding to the judge’s skepticism that Giuliani is “indigent,” Giuliani said, “I’m not impoverished. Everything I have is tied up. I don’t have a car. I don’t have a credit card. I don’t have cash. I can’t get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put ... stop orders on, for example, my Social Security account, which they have no right to do.” Liman then warned Giuliani, 80, and his lawyer about continued outbursts. “I permitted Mr. Giuliani to speak. Next time, he’s not going to be permitted to speak, and the court will have to take action,” the judge said. In a statement, Giuliani’s now-ex-lawyers said they had moved to step down from the case due to “a difference of opinion.” In court, his new lawyer claimed they’d abandoned him. “We took on the representation in New York to help Rudy. We have a difference of opinion as to how best to do that. Therefore, we have withdrawn in favor of Mr. Cammarata, who appears ready, willing and able to assist Rudy. We wish them every success,” Caruso and Labkowski said. Outside the courthouse, Giuliani decried the legal proceedings and hurled unfounded accusations at Hunter Biden, including that he possessed child pornography. He told the Daily News he did not wish to clarify remarks he made the week before last about not regretting his defamation of Freeman and Moss. “I do not regret it for a minute,” he said.
Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolvedBack trouble and brain fog bothered suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing, his posts show Social media posts from Luigi Mangione show the man suspected of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson underwent successful back surgery last year that alleviated debilitating chronic pain. He repeatedly posted on Reddit about his recovery and offered words of encouragement for other people with similar conditions. But notably absent from the posts are explicit concerns about corporate greed within the health insurance industry. Those appear to have surfaced only later: in the handwritten manifesto recovered this week by police. Despite recent revelations about a potential motive, Mangione’s descent into rage and violence remains largely a mystery. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Should AI be used to resurrect extinct species like the Neanderthal? | Mohammad Hosseini
Badminton: Caution’s still the name of the game as Tze Yong gets listed for Malaysian Open - The Star OnlineLuminar Bolsters Ranks with Tech Industry Leaders
The Florida Republican Matt Gaetz has made his first big move since withdrawing from consideration to be Donald Trump’s attorney general – by starting an account on Cameo, the website that lets ordinary people pay for video messages from celebrities, dubious or otherwise. The news website Semafor first the move on Friday. The revelation came a day after Gaetz withdrew from the confirmation process, under fire over a House ethics committee investigation of allegations of misconduct including allegedly paying an underage girl for sex – all of which Gaetz vehemently denies. “I served in Congress,” the page said, the past tense pointing to Gaetz’s resignation last week, pre-empting release of the ethics report, and on Friday that he would not seek to return next year. “Trump nominated me to be US attorney general (that didn’t work out),” the page said. “Once I fired the House speaker.” That was a reference to events in October last year, when Gaetz triggered the historic of Kevin McCarthy, a fellow Republican and the first speaker ever ejected by his own party. Ostensibly, Gaetz was angered by McCarthy’s position on spending issues and keeping the government open. Really, McCarthy charged, Gaetz was incensed by the speaker’s refusal to quash the ethics investigation. Cameo offers users a chance to pay for messages to mark holidays, say happy birthday, send a pep talk, get advice, ask a question or, perhaps appealing to fans of Gaetz, to “roast someone” with pointed abuse. Gaetz himself has been the target of plenty of pointed abuse, not least over his antics in Congress. In January 2023, months before Gaetz moved against McCarthy, Brendan Buck, a Republican aide turned commentator, Gaetz “should set up a Cameo where for $50 he’ll vote for you for speaker of the House”. On Friday, Gaetz began by charging $250 a video but soon that price to $500. One social media user noted that Gaetz was thus charging “about the same rate as ” – the serial fabulist, and elected Republican who turned to Cameo amid the scandal that saw him from Congress last year. Other disgraced political figures who have turned to Cameo include , the former Illinois governor who was jailed for trying to sell Barack Obama’s US Senate seat, a sentence commuted by Trump, and , the New York mayor turned Trump attorney now facing financial and legal ruin. A spokesperson for Gaetz did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Cameo said users would “have the chance to customize” their $500 request for Gaetz, “like asking [him] to mention inside jokes, share words of wisdom, or work in their signature catchphrases. “Don’t be afraid to get creative with your request, especially for celebrations like weddings, retirements, or bachelor and bachelorette parties that call for a good laugh.”Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the aegis of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), have joined the people of Nasarawa state to celebrate Governor Abdullahi Sule as he marked his 65th birthday. Imo state governor and Chairman PGF, Senator Hope Uzodimma, made this known in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists in Abuja on Thursday. According to the statement, the progressive governors celebrated Governor Sule for his outstanding leadership, visionary approach, and unwavering dedication to building a united and prosperous Nigeria under the banner of the APC. The PGF equally lauded the governor’s contributions to the forum, demonstrated through strategic and resolute efforts in Nasarawa state’s governance and at the national level. Senator Uzodimma extolled Governor Sule’s initiatives to transform Nasarawa state, spanning infrastructure development, welfare programmes, empowerment, agricultural growth, education, healthcare, industrialisation, and bold leadership to drive the state’s progress. The PGF Chairman added that the Governor Sule was setting a new standard for leadership. He commended Sule who he described as an embodiment of the true progressive and innovative governance. The statement read in part: “The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) joins HE Abdullahi Sule, the Governor of Nasarawa state, in celebrating his 65th birthday. “We stand with the good people of Nasarawa state and other well-meaning Nigerians to commemorate this special occasion with him and his family. “As we rejoice with HE Abdullahi Sule, we reaffirm our collective commitment to implementing programmes that will strengthen the capacities of our progressive states to create jobs, reduce inequality, and diminish poverty in Nigeria. “Once again, congratulations and Happy Birthday to HE Abdullahi Sule!”World hails Israel-Lebanon cease-fire deal as 'relief' for region
As science continues its evolution, discoveries and technologies can act like a master key that open doors leading to novel advancements. Artificial intelligence is one such key, making innovations possible by solving complex problems, automating tasks and enabling research that would have been impossible, or very time-consuming, without it. Mohammad Hosseini But do we want to do research on all topics, and shall we try the AI master key on every door? To explore this question, let’s consider the use of AI by genomics experts as an example. In recent years, genomics experts have added unbelievable depth to what we know about the world and ourselves. For example, genetics researchers have revealed facts about when certain animals and plants were domesticated. In another example, researchers used DNA from 30,000-year-old permafrost to create fertile samples of a plant called narrow-leafed campion. People are also reading... Beatrice house suffers severe damage from Christmas fire Is John Dutton real? Meet the powerful rancher seemingly inspiring the 'Yellowstone' legend Former Beatrice man sentenced for sex assault of runaway At the courthouse, Dec. 21, 2024 Beatrice church starts construction on fellowship hall Beatrice man pleads guilty to receiving child sex abuse images Gage County supervisors vote down FOP contract offer Downtown Beatrice festive for the holidays What’s open and closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2024? Main Street welcomes new director Gage County says board had authority to deny permit for broadband provider Nebraska volleyball libero Lexi Rodriguez signs with LOVB's Omaha team Matt Rhule and Nebraska football plan Pinstripe Bowl practice in Central Park As Brenda Lee turns 80, the Christmas song she sang as a teen is a holiday staple ‘Turn this program around': Jacory Barney thinking big after starring as Nebraska freshman Importantly, genetic engineering has facilitated extraordinary advances in the treatment of complicated conditions, such as sickle-cell anemia. Thanks to AI, we are witnessing a dramatic increase in the pace and scalability of genomic exploration. But given the risks and possible consequences of AI use in science, should we rush headlong into using AI in all kinds of projects? One relevant example is research on Neanderthals, our closest relatives, who lived about 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals have been studied for several years now through genetic investigation of their fossils and their DNA. Genetic engineering can potentially use ancient DNA and genome editing methods to re-create a Neanderthal or aspects of a Neanderthal’s genetics and physiology. To do this, scientists could start by figuring out the DNA sequence of a Neanderthal by comparing it with the DNA of modern humans, because they are closely related. Then, scientists could use the gene-editing tool known as CRISPR to swap out parts of human DNA with Neanderthal DNA. This process would require a lot of trial and error and might not succeed soon. But based on what we know about genetics, if something is possible, AI can help make it happen faster, cheaper and with less effort. Scientists are excited about these developments because they could facilitate new discoveries and open up many research opportunities in genetic research. With or without AI, research on Neanderthals will proceed. But the extraordinary power of AI could give the final push to these discoveries and facilitate this kind of resurrection. At that point, the scientific community must develop norms and guidelines about how to treat these resurrected beings with dispositions very similar to humans. We would need to carefully consider their rights and well-being almost in the same way as when humans are involved and not as research subjects or artifacts of scientific curiosity. These ethical issues are discussed in more detail in a new paper published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence. A more holistic question to consider is: Should we prioritize the use of resource-intensive AI, researchers’ time and public funds to resurrect extinct beings? Or should we invest these resources into conserving species that are critically endangered today to prevent biodiversity from more degradation? Hosseini is an assistant professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He wrote this for The Chicago Tribune . Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!
THE Kansas City Chiefs revealed that the team could lose a key offensive player in Patrick Mahomes' led offense. The three-time Super Bowl MVP's teammate suffered an injury during the Chiefs ' 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day. The 15-1 Kansas City squad was able to secure the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs after Wednesday's victory. However, head coach Andy Reid confirmed that running back Isiah Pacheco suffered a rib injury during the contest. The third-year playmaker didn't return to the game after rushing six times for 18 yards. "Really, as far as the injuries go, Pacheco would be the only one. He injured his ribs there. So we'll see how bad they are," Reid said during the postgame press conference. Read More on KC Chiefs "On the positive side of that, he played good football along with Kareem [Hunt] and [Samaje] Perine just keeps making plays for us." The Week 17 game was Pacheco's fifth contest back from an early-season fractured fibula injury. He missed two-and-a-half months from the injury. Pacheco has totaled 310 rushing yards and a touchdown this season. Most read in American Football Last season, the Rutgers product became a force in Kansas City's offense, recording 935 yards and seven touchdowns. During the postseason, Pacheco rushed for 313 yards and three scores in just three games, helping the team win their second straight Super Bowl victory. It's likely the 25-year-old won't play in the season-finale game on January 5 with the Chiefs having already secured a first-round bye. The Chiefs would turn to the duo of Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine if Pacheco misses the Week 18 contest. Mahomes was blunt when asked if he would rest in the Week 18 road matchup against the Denver Broncos. "I'm going to [plan to] start, and if Coach wants me to go out there and play," Mahomes said. "I'll go out there and play. If he doesn't, I'll sit back. "I fully trust that Coach Reid knows what he's doing, and he's done it for a long time.'' The Chiefs locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC for the fourth time in seven seasons. So it's likely fans won't see Mahomes play again until January 18 or January 19 for the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Read More on The US Sun Mahomes totaled 320 passing yards and three touchdowns in the Wednesday contest. The Chiefs won their third game in the course of a chaotic 10-day span.