winner 777 login The Kogi State Government has ordered the immediate closure of Zango Market in Osara and prohibited trucks from parking on the side of the road in the area. Growing security worries in Osara and the neighboring areas prompted the action. According to intelligence inputs, criminal elements have been using the market as a hideout, frequently in coordination with certain truck drivers who park along the roadside, according to a statement made by Kingsley Fanwo, the Commissioner for Information and Communication. “This situation poses a significant security threat to the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, and the broader Osara community”. He pointed out that the State Government has granted market operators and truck drivers a one-week grace period, beginning on Wednesday, to follow the instructions in order to guarantee rigorous compliance. Following this, enforcement will be fully executed. “His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Governor of Kogi State, has directed the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State to officially communicate this order to all relevant parties, including law enforcement agencies, to ensure seamless compliance. “Additionally, the Governor has tasked the Office of the State Security Adviser to oversee security operations in the affected areas during and after the grace period. “The Kogi State Government reassures residents of its unwavering commitment to safeguarding their lives and property. Proactive measures will continue to be taken to ensure that criminal activities are eradicated, leaving no room for lawlessness in the state. Alaba Ope, the recently elected councilor for the Odo-Ape ward in the Kabba-Bunu Legislative Council, and eight other individuals were abducted overnight from their respective communities, causing the underworld to go on the rampage in Kabba-Bunu local government area ahead of the Yuletide season. According to an eyewitness who wished to remain anonymous, the kidnappers shot intermittently to frighten nearby residents before capturing their victims at around one in the morning. He claimed that the residents of Odo-Ape are now terrified since they don’t know who would be the next victim. He also mentioned that an 18-passenger bus was ambushed in the region yesterday, and everyone inside was taken hostage. He also revealed that five Gwari, two Bassa, and one Silas were abducted overnight in the Agbadu region. He urged the state government and security forces to aid protect the lives and property of local residents and secure the release of those who had been abducted. The local government has recently received reports of kidnappings. The two brothers who were abducted from their family’s land in Aluju, Kakun, and the other two who were abducted in Odo-Ape are still in the kidnappers den after more than nine days. Attempts to obtain the Nigeria Police’s response to the matter, however, were unsuccessful because the Police PRO in the state had not returned calls or WhatsApp messages.

Gina Loudon , who is an eminent MAGA media personality, pretty recently, criticized the film adaptation of ‘ Wicked ’ while claiming it was ‘offensive’ and ‘racist’ towards white people, reported Daily Beast. According to Daily Beast, during her show on Real America’s Voice, she mistakenly identified pop star Ariana Grande as ‘obviously’ Hispanic in spite of Ariana Grande being Italian-American. Gina Loudon expressed her disappointment with the film's portrayal of characters while particularly criticizing the casting of Ariana Grande as Glinda, whom she described as a ‘ditzy, blonde and white villain’. She also placed an argument that this representation perpetuates negative stereotypes about white people. Daily Beast asserted that in spite of the film's success at the box office which grossed near about $165 million in its opening weekend, Gina Loudon dismissed it as a product of ‘Holly-weird’ and part of a broader ‘woke’ agenda. Also Read : Peacemaker Season 2: When can you watch the new episode of the John Cena starrer? Daily Beast also noted that she emphasized on her frustration with the certain narratives that depict all white individuals as ‘dumb and evil’. Ariana Grande's heritage was clarified by her family members, who have publicly celebrated their Italian roots. 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FAQs: Which eminent media personality recently criticized the film ‘Wicked’? Gina Loudon, who is an eminent MAGA media personality, pretty recently, criticized the film adaptation of ‘Wicked’ while claiming it was ‘offensive’ and ‘racist’ towards white people. Who clarified about the heritage of Ariana Grande? Ariana Grande's heritage was clarified by her family members, who have publicly celebrated their Italian roots. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Syrian government forces withdraw from central city of Homs as insurgent offensive accelerates

How an AI Granny Beats Phone Scammers?PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined together Wednesday in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet members to resign, a first since 1962 . The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. A conservative appointed in September, Barnier becomes the shortest-serving prime minister in France’s modern Republic. “I can tell you that it will remain an honor for me to have served France and the French with dignity,” Barnier said in his final speech before the vote. “This no-confidence motion... will make everything more serious and more difficult. That’s what I’m sure of,” he said. Wednesday's crucial vote rose from fierce opposition to Barnier's proposed budget. The National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament, is deeply fractured, with no single party holding a majority. It comprises three major blocs: Macron’s centrist allies, the left-wing coalition New Popular Front, and the far-right National Rally. Both opposition blocs, typically at odds, are uniting against Barnier, accusing him of imposing austerity measures and failing to address citizens’ needs. Speaking on TF1 television after the vote, National Rally leader Marine Le Pen said “we had a choice to make, and our choice is to protect the French” from a “toxic” budget. Le Pen also accused Macron of being “largely responsible for the current situation,” adding that “the pressure on the President of the Republic will get stronger and stronger.” Speaking at the National Assembly ahead of the vote, hard-left lawmaker Eric Coquerel had called on the government to “stop pretending the lights will go out,” noting the possibility of an emergency law to levy taxes from Jan. 1, based on this year’s rules. “The special law will prevent a shutdown. It will allow us to get through the end of the year by delaying the budget by a few weeks,” Coquerel said. Macron must appoint a new prime minister, but the fragmented parliament remains unchanged. No new legislative elections can be held until at least July, creating a potential stalemate for policymakers. Macron said discussions about him potentially resigning were “make-believe politics” during a trip to Saudi Arabia earlier this week, according to French media reports. “I’m here because I’ve been elected twice by the French people,” Macron said. He was also reported as saying: “We must not scare people with such things. We have a strong economy.” While France is not at risk of a U.S.-style government shutdown, political instability could spook financial markets. France is under pressure from the European Union to reduce its colossal debt. The country’s deficit is estimated to reach 6% of gross domestic product this year and analysts say it could rise to 7% next year without drastic adjustments. The political instability could push up French interest rates, digging the debt even further. Carsten Brzeski, global chief of macro at ING Bank, said uncertainty over France’s future government and finances is deterring investment and growth. “The impact of France not having a government would clearly be negative for the growth of France and hence the Eurozone,” Brzeski said. France has seen bond market borrowing costs rise, bringing back ugly memories of the Greek debt crisis and default in 2010-2012. Analysts say France is far from a similar crisis because much of its outstanding debt does not come due for years, and because its bonds remain in demand due to a shortage of German government bonds. Additionally, the European Central Bank could intervene to lower French borrowing costs in case of extreme market turmoil, though the bar for that remains high. —- AP Journalist David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany, contributed to the story.Discord grips PTI after Islamabad protest rout Party’s leadership are facing strong criticism for their decision to push forward with protest at D-Chowk PESHAWAR: Intense divisions have emerged within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party following the violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement agencies in Islamabad. The party’s leadership, particularly Bushra Bibi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, are facing strong criticism for their decision to push forward with the protest at D-Chowk, despite Imran Khan’s agreement to hold a rally at Sangjani. This decision ultimately exposed the PTI workers to state action, leading to widespread condemnation. Party insiders reveal that senior leaders are now engaged in a blame game, pointing fingers at each other for the protest’s poor planning and ineffective strategies. Some leaders specifically criticised Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI founder chairman Imran Khan, for insisting on reaching the D-Chowk despite alternate proposals. The protest, aimed at securing Imran Khan’s release and pressurising the government, failed to achieve its objectives, sparking disagreements among various factions within the party. KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur dismissed the allegation of an internal rift in the party and told this scribe that the protest was successful and described it as the largest march in Pakistan despite numerous hurdles and the use of force against the party. He said that despite these challenges, the PTI workers managed to reach the D-Chowk; however, the government’s use of live ammunition and resulting fatalities were unacceptable. Ali Amin said that as a political party, the PTI did not endorse bloodshed. He added that action would be taken against the federal and Punjab governments for their unlawful and brutal conduct. He reaffirmed that the party’s struggle for its rights and demands would continue, as it aligns with the PTI’s core ideology. Party sources revealed that some senior leaders accused the central leadership of lacking strategic foresight. Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, a spokesperson for the chief minister and adviser on information, disclosed that Imran Khan was initially agreeable to holding a rally at Sangjani but Bushra Bibi opposed the idea, leading to the party’s eventual loss. Senior PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai also expressed his frustration, stating, “Ali Amin Gandapur has been made a scapegoat. Imran Khan had agreed to Sangjani, but Bushra Bibi’s insistence on D-Chowk cost the party heavily.” Yousafzai questioned, “Will the party be led by Bushra Bibi or the leadership? If the leadership lacks authority, they should resign. The D-Chowk incident was deeply regrettable. Where was PTI’s Punjab leadership during all this period?” He further criticised the lack of planning, saying, “Even if we had sat at D-Chowk, there was no concrete plan in place. Why wasn’t a consultative committee formed before leaving for Peshawar? Unfortunately, those leading the party did not lead the procession.” He said that another major criticism was directed at the protest’s logistical shortcomings. Low turnout and insufficient facilities for participants, especially those who travelled from far-flung areas, contributed to the protest’s failure. Several workers expressed disappointment over the poor arrangements. Gandapur was praised for bearing the pressure from the party and its workers, but Yousafzai pointed out, “The party needs to reflect on why the real faces were sidelined. Negotiations with the government were possible — who rejected them? The government should not have resorted to such brutality, but internal mismanagement is also to blame. “There must be an inquiry into this matter as to why they took the party workers to D-Chowk and then left them alone at the mercy of law enforcement agencies and secretly disappeared from the scene.” A senior PTI leader told The News: “The central leaders present there were aware of the crackdown on the party workers the same night but the poor party workers were not informed about the operation against them.” Pleading anonymity, he said many senior party leaders had returned home from the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway near Burhan when containers were removed and the road was cleared for traffic as they were suspicious about the role of some people there. “At the motorway, some of us felt that the workers were going to be misused for the personal interests of some individuals and that is exactly what happened,” he said. “Where were Barrister Gohar and Salman Akram Raja and other senior leaders of PTI? Leaders like them call themselves the face of PTI, yet they were absent. The only ones standing with the workers were Ali Amin Gandapur, Asad Qaiser, Omar Ayub, Ali Asghar and some others,” Shaukat Yousafzai said in a video message separately. He revealed that Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif had informed the party members of Imran Khan’s instructions to move the protest to an alternative location, as proposed by the government but this plan was reportedly blocked. “Why were these instructions not followed? Barrister Saif claims Bushra Bibi opposed the move. While we respect her as Khan’s wife, she holds no leadership position in PTI. The party leadership must clarify who allowed this interference,” he asserted. “Why didn’t the leadership engage in meaningful talks with the government? Who blocked the discussions?” he questioned, calling for transparency from the party’s decision-makers. Rejecting government allegations that the PTI protesters were armed, Shaukat Yousafzai said, “If we had weapons, why didn’t we retaliate during the state’s violence? These are baseless allegations aimed at justifying the crackdown.” He expressed grief over the loss of lives, regardless of affiliation. “It’s tragic to see people dying, whether they were from the government or our side. Such violence is unacceptable and a stain on our nation.” In a direct challenge to the PTI leadership, Shaukat Yousafzai demanded accountability. “If our leaders cannot face the situation or stand with the workers, they should step down. This is an injustice to PTI and Imran Khan. Leadership is about action, not titles. Our failures in Islamabad are the result of poor planning and lack of unity,” he said. Yousafzai reiterated that the workers’ loyalty was to Imran Khan, not individual leaders. “We protested for Imran Khan and his vision, not for anyone else. The leaders owe an explanation to the workers and must reflect on their mistakes. Without accountability and reform, we risk destroying PTI’s credibility and Imran Khan’s legacy,” he warned. According to an INP news agency report, Bushra Bibi, Ali Amin Gandapur, and ex-president Dr Arif Alvi among other PTI leaders were booked in seven new cases at three police stations of Attock. Cases were registered under 23 different sections, including terrorism, attempt to murder, vandalism and others. Meanwhile, a one-day physical remand was approved for 35 PTI activists, arrested during the Islamabad protest. Five suspects from Hassanabdal police station and 30 from another police station were presented before the Rawalpindi sessions judge as the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) judge was on leave on Wednesday. The suspects faced charges under terrorism-related sections and were scheduled to appear in the ATC on Thursday (today). Separately, all the regional police officers and unit heads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been directed to provide details of teargas shells in their areas to find if any of the stock had been misused. The directives were issued following some media reports that the PTI protesters used teargas shells available with the KP police against police in Islamabad. “All regional police officers and unit heads are requested to convey to the Central Police Office, Peshawar, about available stocks of teargas shells and the statement regarding their utilisation during the last week along with details,” stated a letter from the Central Police Office (CPO). In another development, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi criticised the PTI for creating a law & order situation in Islamabad and said restoration of peace in KP was more important than any other issue. “I am going to Kurram tomorrow and I invite the chief minister to jointly find a solution to this serious issue by visiting the people there,” the governor told a press conference on return from Umrah. The governor told the media that over 150 people had lost lives and hundreds of others displaced in Kurram since October, but neither the chief minister nor any other leader had visited the troubled district. He said the Provincial Disaster Management Authority had nothing to provide when it was approached to help the affected people in Kurram. The governor also invited the chief minister to the all-parties conference being held in December’s first week at the Governor’s House over the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa law and order situation. Kundi said Gandapur and Bushra Bibi escaped from the protest on Tuesday night, leaving behind the poor workers in the federal capital.

ORONO, Maine (AP) — Michael McNair scored 16 points to lead Boston University and Malcolm Chimezie sealed the victory with a layup with 20 seconds left as the Terriers took down Maine 59-56 on Sunday. McNair also had six rebounds for the Terriers (6-7). Kyrone Alexander scored 13 points and added five rebounds. Chimezie shot 4 of 7 from the field and 0 for 3 from the line to finish with eight points. Kellen Tynes led the way for the Black Bears (8-7) with 17 points, four assists and three steals. Maine also got 12 points from Christopher Mantis. Quion Burns had eight points. McNair scored seven points in the first half and Boston University went into halftime trailing 27-19. Alexander scored a team-high 10 points for Boston University in the second half. Boston University outscored Maine by 11 points over the final half. Boston University's next game is Thursday against Lafayette on the road, and Maine visits Bryant on Saturday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Schweizer: The Truth About the Hunter Biden Pardon – A Proxy Deal for the Whole FamilyWatch as Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk bats the puck out of mid-air to beat San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to open the scoring under 30 seconds into the game.Hidden underground hydrogen reserves could power the entire Earth for centuries

'Sonic 3' and 'Mufasa' battle for No. 1 at the holiday box office Two family films are dominating the holiday box office, with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” winning the three-day weekend over “Mufasa” by a blue hair. According to studio estimates Sunday, the Sonic movie earned $38 million, while “Mufasa” brought in $37.1 million from theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The R-rated horror “Nosferatu” placed third with an unexpectedly strong $21.2 million. Thanksgiving release holdovers “Wicked” and “Moana 2” rounded out the top five. Christmas Day had several big film openings, including the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” the Nicole Kidman erotic drama “Babygirl” and the boxing drama “The Fire Inside.” Big Lots reaches deal to keep hundreds of US stores open The discount chain Big Lots has reached a deal that will keep hundreds of its stores open. Big Lots said it will be sold to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, which specializes in distressed companies. Gordon Brothers will then transfer Big Lots’ stores to other retailers. Variety Wholesalers, which owns more than 400 U.S. discount stores, plans to acquire between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores and operate them under the Big Lots brand. Big Lots filed for bankruptcy protection in September, saying inflation and high interest rates had cut back on consumer demand for its furniture and other products. Charles Dolan, HBO and Cablevision founder, dies at 98 Charles F. Dolan, who founded some of the most prominent U.S. media companies including Home Box Office Inc. and Cablevision Systems Corp., has died at age 98. Newsday reports that a statement issued Saturday by his family says Dolan died of natural causes. Dolan’s legacy in cable broadcasting includes founding HBO in 1972, Cablevision in 1973 and the American Movie Classics television station in 1984. He also launched News 12 in New York City, the first U.S. 24-hour cable channel for local news. Dolan also held controlling stakes in companies that owned Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. Trump's request Friday came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court. Oral arguments are scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The brief said Trump opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” Stock market today: Wall Street slips as the 'Magnificent 7' weighs down the market NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing lower as Wall Street ends a holiday-shortened week on a down note. The S&P 500 fell 1.1% Friday and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 333 points, or 0.8%. The Nasdaq composite dropped 1.5%. The “Magnificent 7” stocks weighed on the market, led by declines in Nvidia, Tesla and Microsoft. Even with the loss, the S&P 500 had a modest gain for the week and is still headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62%. 10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025 NEW YORK (AP) — As the calendar changes to 2025, you might be thinking about how to approach your relationship with money in the new year. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated. If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as January 14th, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. The department has taken such action in the past. But once those measures run out the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. Canadian Cabinet ministers meet with Trump's nominee for commerce secretary in bid to avoid tariffs TORONTO (AP) — Two top Canadian Cabinet ministers have met with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary at Mar-a-Lago as Canada tries to avoid sweeping tariffs when Trump takes office. New Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly met with Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, as well as North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department. The meeting was a follow up to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month. Trump has threatened to impose sweeping tariffs if Canada does not stem what he calls a flow of migrants and fentanyl into the United States.NVIDIA’s Stock Skyrockets! How AI Innovations are Fueling a Gaming Revolution

Jamiya Neal's monster game leads Creighton past UNLVBiden administration advancing US$680 million arms sale to Israel, source says

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Powell: Fed's independence from politics is vital to its interest rate decisions WASHINGTON (AP) — Chair Jerome Powell said the Federal Reserve’s ability to set interest rates free of political interference is necessary for it to make decisions to serve “all Americans” rather than a political party or political outcome. Speaking at the New York Times’ DealBook summit, Powell addressed a question about President-elect Donald Trump’s numerous public criticisms of the Fed and of Powell himself. During the election campaign, Trump had insisted that as president, he should have a “say” in the Fed’s interest rate policies. Despite Trump’s comments, the Fed chair said he was confident of widespread support in Congress for maintaining the central bank’s independence. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the US but was unknown to the millions of people his decisions affected. The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk early Wednesday swiftly became a mystery that riveted the nation. Police say it was a targeted killing. Thompson was 50. He had run health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s insurance business since 2021. It provides health coverage for more than 49 million Americans. He had worked at the company for 20 years. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year. Thompson's $10.2 million annual compensation package made him one of the company’s highest-paid executives. Trump nominates cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins as SEC chair President-elect Donald Trump says he intends to nominate cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission. Atkins is the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner. Trump calls Atkins a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. The SEC oversees U.S. securities markets and investments. If confirmed next year by the new Republican-led Senate, Atkins would replace Gary Gensler, who's been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Atkins was widely considered the most conservative SEC member during his tenure and known to have a strong free-market bent. Australia is banning social media for people under 16. Could this work elsewhere — or even there? It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history. Experts say it could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success — keeping kids off social media until they turn 16. Australia’s new law was approved by its Parliament last week. It's an attempt to swim against many tides of modern life — formidable forces like technology, marketing, globalization and, of course, the iron will of a teenager. The ban won’t go into effect for another year. But how will Australia be able to enforce it? That’s not clear, nor will it be easy. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered the new details Wednesday about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. District of Columbia says Amazon secretly stopped fast deliveries to 2 predominantly Black ZIP codes The District of Columbia is alleging in a lawsuit that Amazon secretly stopped providing its fastest delivery service to residents of two predominantly Black neighborhoods in the city. The district says the online retailer still charged residents of two ZIP codes millions of dollars for a service that provides speedy deliveries. The complaint filed on Wednesday in District of Columbia Superior Court revolves around Amazon’s Prime membership service. The lawsuit alleges Amazon in mid-2022 imposed what it called a delivery “exclusion” on the two low-income ZIP codes. An Amazon spokesperson says the company made the change based on concerns about driver safety. The spokesperson says claims that Amazon's business practices are discriminatory are “categorically false.” Biden says 'Africa is the future' as he pledges millions more on the last day of Angola visit LOBITO, Angola (AP) — President Joe Biden has pledged another $600 million for an ambitious multi-country rail project in Africa as one of the final foreign policy moves of his administration. He told African leaders Wednesday that the resource-rich continent of more than 1.4 billion people had been “left behind for much too long. But not anymore. Africa is the future.” Biden used the third and final day of his visit to Angola to showcase the Lobito Corridor railway. The U.S. and allies are investing heavily to refurbish train lines in Zambia, Congo and Angola in a region rich in critical minerals to counter China's influence. The end of an Eras tour approaches, marking a bittersweet moment for Taylor Swift fans NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The global phenomenon that is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is coming to an end after the popstar performed more than 150 shows across five continents over nearly two years. Since launching the tour in 2023, Swift has shattered sales and attendance records. It's even created such an economic boom that the Federal Reserve took note. But for many who attended the concerts, and the millions more who eagerly watched on their screens, the tour also became a beacon of joy. It's become a chance not only to appreciate Swift’s expansive music career, but also celebrate the yearslong journey fans have taken with her. US senators grill officials from 5 airlines over fees for seats and checked bags A U.S. Senate subcommittee is taking aim at airlines and their growing use of fees for things like early boarding and better seats. Members of the Senate Permanent on Investigations say airlines have raised billions of dollars by imposing fees that are getting hard to understand and even harder to avoid paying. The senators and the Biden administration call them “junk fees,” and they say the extra charges are making travel less affordable. Some senators expressed frustration during a hearing on Wednesday hearing when airline executives couldn't explain how they set various fees. Airlines say fees let consumers pay for things they want, like more legroom, and avoid paying for things they don't want. OpenAI's Sam Altman 'not that worried' about rival Elon Musk's influence in the Trump administration OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is locked in a legal dispute with rival Elon Musk. But he says he is not that worried about Musk’s influence in the incoming Trump administration. Altman told a New York Times conference Wednesday that he may turn out to be wrong but he believes strongly that Musk will do the right thing and won't use his political power to hurt competitors. Musk was an early OpenAI investor and board member. He sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging that it betrayed its founding aims of benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits.

Several legal regulators across Australia have combined to issue strict guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by lawyers, highlighting several areas where professional standards could be breached if its use is not carefully monitored. Some law practices are already using large language models (LLMs)—forms of AI that can process and generate text—and are even developing in-house versions using their own data. The initiative was led by the Victorian Legal Services Board and the Commissioner of Legal Services, but the resultant rules have also been adopted by the Law Society of New South Wales (NSW) and the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia. “While enjoying the benefits of AI, it’s important for lawyers to remember that it’s their duty to provide accurate legal information, not the duty of the AI program they use,” warned Victorian Legal Services Commissioner Fiona McLeay. “Unlike a professionally trained lawyer, AI can’t exercise superior judgement, or provide ethical and confidential services.” “No tool based on current LLMs can be free of ‘hallucinations’ (i.e. responses which are fluent and convincing, but inaccurate),” the guideline says. “Generative AI tools can be biased, and cannot understand human psychology or other external complicating factors that may be relevant.” And, if they do use AI, lawyers should ensure that it does not unnecessarily increase costs for their client because of additional time spent verifying or correcting its output, beyond what they would have paid if the law firm had used traditional methods. Among the other risks is loss of client confidentiality. “Lawyers cannot safely enter confidential, sensitive or privileged client information into public AI chatbots/copilots (like ChatGPT), or any other public tools,” the guideline warns. President of the Law Society of NSW Brett McGrath said the adoption of the statement reflects the need and willingness of lawyers to adapt to changing technology. “In more than 200 years of legal practice in Australia, technology has evolved from parchment and quill to digital communication, remote working and most recently, the widespread availability of AI. This statement reflects lawyers’ commitment to upholding the rule of law, protecting individual rights and freedoms and promoting access to justice,” McGrath said.

Biden administration advancing US$680 million arms sale to Israel, source says