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Editorial: U.S. techs’ AI pledge provides glimmer of hope for safeguards

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:53:22 GMT

At long last there is a glimmer of hope that artificial intelligence can be developed in a manner that generates public trust and ensures cybersecurity.But it’s still just a glimmer.Big Tech leaders have long acknowledged the societal risks of the technology. Friday’s announcement at the White House that seven leading U.S. artificial intelligence companies have pledged to build safeguards into their AI products marks a welcome first step toward addressing the dangers.The companies — Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft and OpenAI — now must follow through on their voluntary commitments by working with the Biden administration and Congress on binding guardrails that prevent the sort of debacles that have plagued social media companies.The five most critical elements of the eight-part agreement include:• Implementing watermarks or some other means of identifying AI-generated content.• Independent testing of AI products for safety before they a...

Opinion: Delta mega-tunnel is not the answer to state’s water challenges

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:53:22 GMT

Climate change is rapidly affecting California’s environment. From drought to catastrophic floods and landslides occurring from unprecedented atmospheric rivers, to sea-level rise and reduced snowpack, there are many water challenges facing the state.The solution to these problems is not a $16 billion mega-tunnel paid for by ratepayers that won’t be completed until 2040 at the earliest. We need solutions now — solutions that won’t cause further damage to already overburdened ecosystems and communities.The Department of Water Resources’ claim that the Delta tunnel could have moved an additional 228,000 acre-feet of water into San Luis Reservoir during the month of January if it had been operational this year is misleading. The Delta  tunnel would not have added any additional supply or contributed to long-term water resilience because there isn’t enough storage space to hold the “additional” water south of the Delta for the next dry year.Given the hydrological forecasting...

More than 300,000 Md. families say their kids did not eat enough due to high grocery costs

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:53:22 GMT

This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey show that hundreds of thousands of Maryland families say their kids sometimes do not eat enough due to high costs of groceries, according to an analysis from a Maryland-based hunger relief non-profit.The Maryland Food Bank has been analyzing survey data from the Household Pulse Survey to track the level of food insecurity many Marylanders are facing, and the most recent analysis of June data shows that a higher percentage of families have struggled with feeding their children enough food than in previous months.According to the organization’s June data analysis, at least 313,952 families responding to the Household Pulse Survey said that their children sometimes or often were not eating enough because their families couldn’t afford enough food.That’s 45% out of 698,...

Live updates | Fowler moves into red figures early in 3rd round of British Open

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:53:22 GMT

FOWLER 1ST TO GO LOW IN 3RD ROUND HOYLAKE, England (AP) — Rickie Fowler was the first player to make a move in the third round of the British Open, going into red figures after having made the cut on the number.Playing in the first group out, Fowler had two birdies on the front nine and two on the back in a bogey-free 4-under-par round of 67. He was at 1 under par for the tournament and sat nine shots behind leader Brian Harman.Seeking his first major, Fowler was runner-up to Rory McIlroy the last time the Open was played at Hoylake in 2014.Patrick Cantlay also moved to 1 under after making four birdies and no bogeys through his first 17 holes. Xander Schauffele was at 2 under through 11 holes after three birdies on his front nine and another on the back.___WHAT TO KNOW— Harman builds a 5-shot lead at British Open.— Tommy Fleetwood keeps alive English hopes of an Open champion.— Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Smith rally to make British Open cut; Morikawa not so lucky.— Justin Thomas...

Bacha, De Almeida out of France’s opening Women’s World Cup game versus Jamaica

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:53:22 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — France, considered a top contender at the Women’s World Cup, will be missing two starters in its opening match against Jamaica on Sunday.Defender Elisa De Almeida sustained a leg injury two days ago in practice and “can’t put her foot down,” coach Hervé Renard said. Forward Selma Bacha, who sprained an ankle in a warm-up game versus Australia on July 14, is also sidelined.“Now she’s running,” Renard said of Bacha. “But we won’t take any risks.”Renard was confident Bacha would be available for France’s match against Brazil on July 29, in Brisbane. No. 5-ranked France and No. 8 Brazil are likely to compete for the top spot in Group F, which also includes World Cup first-timer Panama.Bacha returned to practice on Thursday, the same day De Almeida was injured.“We’re happy that she’s smiling again,” Renard said of Bacha, who has 17 caps for Les Bleus. “She’s in good shape.”De Almeida and Bacha are on the World Cup roster for the first time.—-Tori Newman is a stu...

Correction: Long Island Serial Killer story

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:53:22 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — In a story published July 22, 2023, about an alleged serial killer, The Associated Press erroneously reported the vehicle that he was driving. It was a Chevrolet Avalanche, not a Chrysler Avalanche.Source

Class action lawsuit targets Johns Hopkins Univ. after health system data breach

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:53:22 GMT

A class action lawsuit in Maryland is targeting Johns Hopkins University after its associated health system was subjected to a data breach in late May.The university system is being blamed for exposing personal health information and personally identifiable data like health information and social security numbers, according to a July 7 filing in Maryland’s federal district court.“The total number of individuals who have had their data exposed due to Johns Hopkins’s failure to implement appropriate security safeguards is unknown at this time but is estimated to be in the tens/hundreds of thousands based on Johns Hopkins’s clientele,” the filing said.A patient named Pamela Hunter was listed as the plaintiff in one of at least three class action lawsuits against the system. The lawsuit said Hunter wasn’t aware of a data breach or that the teaching hospital possessed the Baltimore County resident’s data.Hunter received a letter about the potenti...

England edges Haiti 1-0 in a tough opener for the European champions at Women’s World Cup

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:53:22 GMT

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — England edged Haiti 1-0 on a retaken penalty from Georgia Stanway in a difficult Women’s World Cup opener Saturday for the European champions. England dominated possession in the first half but had to wait until the 29th minute for Stanway to convert from the spot. She was awarded a second shot after her first attempt was well saved by Kerly Theus diving full stretch to her right. The Group D game between the No. 4 and the 53rd-ranked teams was tense from start to finish with Haiti forward Melchie Dumornay regularly troubling the England defense. Theus made a succession of saves to shut down England’s chances of increasing the margin. England goalkeeper Mary Earps made a crucial reflex save in the 81st minute to prevent an equalizer from Haiti’s substitute forward Roseline Éloissaint.Both teams are back in action Friday, with England moving to Sydney to play Denmark and Haiti meeting China in Adelaide, South Australia state. ___More AP coverage of th...

England 1, Haiti 0

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:53:22 GMT

Haiti00—0England10—1First Half_1, England, Stanway, (penalty kick), 29th minute.Second Half_None.Goalies_Haiti, Kerly Theus, Nahomie Ambroise, Lara Sophia Larco; England, Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton, Ellie Roebuck.Yellow Cards_Pierre Louis, Haiti, 19th; Stanway, England, 45th+9; Hemp, England, 51st.Referee_Emikar Calderas. Assistant Referees_Migdalia Rodriguez, Mary Cristina Blanco Bolivar, Juan Ernesto Soto. 4th Official_Marianela Araya Cruz.___Source

Insólito: el hispano que vendió el Powerball ganador y el aterrador mensaje de niña secuestrada

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:53:22 GMT

Si crees que ya lo viste todo, estás equivocado. Estas son las noticias más insólitas de esta semana.LA PEQUEÑA TIENDA LATINA QUE VENDIÓ EL POWERBALL GANADOR¿Quién no sueña con ganarse la lotería? Esta semana California fue noticia al tener un nuevo millonario, después de que un solo boleto acertara todos los números del Powerball de $1,000 millones. La noticia no solo es impactante por la cantidad de dinero, sino porque el boleto ganador se vendió en un pequeño supermercado latino de Los Ángeles.Sus dueños recibieron $1 millón por haber vendido el millonario premio, que se convirtió en el tercer acumulado más grande en la historia del Powerball. “Es una sorpresa”, dijo el mexicano Navor Herrera, uno de los dueños de Las Palmitas Mini Market. “AYÚDAME”: EL ATERRADOR MENSAJE DE NIÑA SECUESTRADAUna niña de 13 años que fue supuestamente secuestrada en San Antonio, Texas, fue rescatada luego de enviar un aterrador mensaje en una lavandería de California. La meno...