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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. 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. —————- EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. —————-- The Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement allowing OpenAI access to part of the AP’s text archives.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.As we gathered this Thanksgiving, it was easy to take abundance for granted. Leftovers are practically guaranteed. It wasn’t always this way. For most of history, there were no Thanksgiving feasts. Hunger, if not starvation, was the norm. Today, supermarkets are stocked with exotic foods from all over the world. Most of it is more affordable than ever. Even after President Joe Biden’s 8% inflation, Americans spend less than 12% of our income on food, half of what they spent 100 years ago. Why? Because free markets happened. Capitalism happened. When there is rule of law and private property, and people feel secure that no thief or government will take their property, farmers find new ways to grow more on less land. Greedy entrepreneurs lower costs and deliver goods faster. Consumers have better options. Yet today many Americans trash capitalism, demanding government “fixes” to make sure everyone gets equal amounts of this and that. But it’s in countries with the most government intervention where there are empty store shelves and hungrier people. In socialist Venezuela, affordable food is hard to find. In Cuba, government was going to make everything plentiful. But people suffered so much that, to prevent starvation, the Castros broke from communist principles and rented out state-owned land to private capitalists. Millions still go hungry around the world. The cause is rarely drought or “income inequality” or colonialism, but government control. Corruption, tariffs, political self-dealing and short-sighted regulations block food from reaching those who need it most. Last week, we celebrated the Pilgrims, who learned this lesson the hard way. When they first landed in America, they tried communal living. The harvest was shared equally. That seemed fair. But it failed miserably. A few Pilgrims worked hard, but others didn’t, claiming “weakness and inability,” as William Bradford, the governor of the colony, put it. They nearly starved. Desperate, Bradford tried another approach. “Every family,” he wrote, “was assigned a parcel of land.” Private property! Capitalism! Suddenly, more pilgrims worked hard. Of course they did. Now they got to keep what they made. Bradford wrote, “It made all hands very industrious.” He spelled out the lesson “The failure of this experiment of communal service, which was tried for several years, and by good and honest men proves the emptiness of the theory ... taking away of private property, and the possession of it in community ... would make a state happy and flourishing.” Fast forward 400 years, and many Americans have forgotten what Bradford learned. I see why socialism is popular. The idea of one big, harmonious collective feels good. But it brings disaster. Family dinners already have plenty of disagreements — children fight; adults bicker. Imagine what that would be like among millions of strangers. Collectivist systems encourage dependency, stifle initiative and waste resources. The same communal conceit that nearly starved the Pilgrims destroyed lives in the Soviet Union and led to mass starvation in China. When everyone is forced into the same plan, most people will take as much as they can and produce as little as they can get away with. Economists call it the “tragedy of the commons” referring to a common plot of land, controlled by, say, sheep owners. Each has an incentive to breed more sheep, which then eat the common’s grass until all of it is gone, and everyone goes hungry. Only when the commons is divided into private property does each owner agree to limit his herd’s grazing so there will be enough for his sheep to eat tomorrow. These same principles apply to many aspects of our lives: We thrive when individuals have a deed to their property and are confident that they can keep what they create. Then they create more. That’s what the Pilgrims learned: Incentives matter. Capitalist ownership is what creates American abundance. Every Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for free markets and private property. They are the ingredients of prosperity.
Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has diedIn pardoning his son Hunter, President Joe Biden opened himself up to fierce criticism from both sides of the aisle, with many accusing him of violating norms. But, while this case stands out as being particularly controversial, the power to issue pardons has been used by nearly all of Biden’s predecessors, including President-elect Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama. In fact, since the founding of the republic, every U.S. president has delivered pardons — questionable or otherwise — with just two exceptions. William Henry Harrison and James Garfield hold the distinction of being the only presidents not to grant clemency during their time in the White House, according to historians. “Both died in office and served the shortest administrations in American history,” Louis Picone, an adjunct professor of history at William Paterson University, told McClatchy News. “There’s nothing — say, in their character — to suggest that they wouldn’t have (issued pardons) if they could have,” Taylor Stoermer, a historian at Johns Hopkins University, told McClatchy News. “They just didn’t have the chance.” Harrison William Henry Harrison, a Whig politician from Virginia, became the ninth president of the U.S. upon his inauguration in March 1841. However, less than one month into his first term, he developed pneumonia and died on April 4 — becoming the first president to pass away while in office, according to White House records. “Harrison died 31 days after taking the oath of office and was sick through much of his brief term,” said Picone, the author of “The President is Dead!” “He did little of substance during that time, let alone presidential pardons.” “There wasn’t even a thought given to pardons,” Stoermer said. This is because — much like today — pardons are typically doled out toward the end of a president’s term, Thomas Balcerski, a presidential historian at Eastern Connecticut State University, told McClatchy News. Additionally, “as compared to modern presidents, the power of clemency was but rarely used in the 19th century,” Balcerski said. For example, George Washington didn’t issue his first pardon until he’d been in office for five years, Picone said. More politics news → How does Senate confirmation process work? What to know as Trump makes Cabinet picks → Trump to return to White House after 4 years. Only one past president has done that → How did LGBT Americans vote in election? Exit poll finds significant shift from 2020 Garfield James Garfield, America’s 20th president, similarly met an untimely end while in office. A longtime Democratic representative from Ohio, he was elected in 1880 and inaugurated in March 1881. However, four months into his term, on July 2, he was shot by a disgruntled lawyer while at a train station in Washington, D.C. He then spent the next few months “in agony and out of action” and “rapidly deteriorated,” Picone said. He was “effectively done for the next 79 days until he died” on Sept. 19 — before issuing a single pardon, Stoermer said. How are Democrats reacting to Biden pardoning his son? Here’s what’s been said so far Biden’s approval rating drops post election, poll finds. Is that normal for lame ducks? Bernie Sanders says ‘Elon Musk is right’ about needing ‘change’ in military spendingTAMPA, Fla. — Pinellas County Commission Chairperson Kathleen Peters sent a two-page letter to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday asking the team to put in writing whether it intends to move forward on a $1.3 billion stadium voted on in July or provide a notice of termination by Sunday. “I am requesting that you officially declare your intention regarding this Agreement and whether you intend to see it come to fruition,” Peters wrote. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreamsSuchir 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. 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. —————- EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. —————-- The Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement allowing OpenAI access to part of the AP’s text archives.
Special counsel moves to abandon election interference and classified documents cases against TrumpREGINA — The Saskatchewan legislature resumed Monday, with Premier Scott Moe’s government promising to do better on everything from health care to education -- and on civility in the house. The two-week sitting began with the election of a new Speaker – Melfort member Todd Goudy – and a throne speech outlining the priorities and goals of Moe’s governing Saskatchewan Party. Prior to the throne speech, Moe told reporters his caucus will no longer send the Speaker harassing text messages and are to follow the Speaker’s orders. “It's incumbent on me to ensure that I'm having the conversations with the team that I serve alongside,” Moe said when asked about texting issues. “We will be critical of policy at times, also complimentary of policy at times, but always be respectful of all the members in that assembly. “(The Speaker) is the arbitrator in the room, and as I would say, the most honourable position of all.” The last Speaker, Randy Weekes, accused members of Moe’s Saskatchewan Party caucus of intimidation and harassment through text messages. Weekes did not run in the last election. Goudy told the assembly he will put aside political biases in his new role and allow members to express opinions while preserving decorum. He said he hopes members will treat one another with respect. Moe said his caucus will lead by example. "With respect to what a new beginning looks like ... you're just going to have to watch us," he said. "The tone is going to be a respectful one, and the effort that we are going to bring forward is to really quantify and clarify what a brighter future in Saskatchewan looks like.” The start of the legislative session comes a month after the Oct. 28 election, which delivered Moe's party a slimmer majority with 34 seats in the 61-seat legislature. Carla Beck's NDP is to form the Opposition with 27 seats. The government's first piece of legislation is to be the Saskatchewan Affordability Act. The bill is to enact the Saskatchewan Party's election campaign commitments to address affordability issues, including personal tax relief to save a family of four more than $3,400 over four years. The province also plans to continue not charging the federal carbon levy on home heating, introduce a home renovation tax credit and increase benefits for those with disabilities and families with kids in sports and arts. On health care, Moe said he's promising to hire more family doctors and shorten surgical wait times by making sure 450,000 surgeries are performed over four years. He also said the province wants to open additional urgent care centres in Regina and Saskatoon, along with others in smaller cities. In education, the speech promises to expand a pilot program that would see 200 additional schools in Saskatchewan receive specialized support to deal with students with higher needs. The government also promises more funding to help children from kindergarten to Grade 3 improve reading skills. "A child's ability to read at a level by Grade 3 is the single greatest predictor of future academic success," Moe said. Beck’s NDP dismissed the throne speech as a rehash of past promises that failed to take concrete action on problems in schools and hospitals. “Scott Moe suggests he’s heard the message from the people of Saskatchewan that they want change, but he offers nothing of the sort,” Beck said in a statement. “He’s pressing ahead with cuts to funding for hospitals and schools and doing nothing immediately to help make life more affordable for families. “This is a government that’s out of ideas and out of touch with the people in this province who are hurting.” The NDP has said it will push the government this week to pause the 15-cent-a-litre gasoline tax to help families make ends meet. Beck has said her party is to introduce an emergency motion Tuesday that would call for a suspension of the gas tax by Wednesday. Moe’s government has already changed course on one election announcement. On the campaign trail, Moe announced that the first order of business of his government would be a policy that would ban “biological boys” from using school changing rooms with “biological girls.” After the election, Moe said that policy was no longer his first order of business and that he misspoke when announcing it. On Monday, he said Monday school boards are being consulted on a change room policy that would support all students. Beck has said the ban would put vulnerable kids at even greater risk. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2024. Jeremy Simes, The Canadian PressIf we now consider Band Aid ‘patronising’, surely then logic is: Shut food banks and charity shops
South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers reject military ruleNEW YORK , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of all purchasers of common stock of MGP Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGPI) between May 4, 2023 and October 30, 2024 . A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 14, 2025 . So what: If you purchased MGPI common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. What to do next: To join the MGPI class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=9167 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 14, 2025 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements, and failed to disclose material adverse facts about MGPI's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, defendants repeatedly touted a strong demand and "normal" inventory levels in brown goods (i.e., American whiskies and tequila), when in fact there had been a slowdown in consumption and oversupply in their products. Worse, defendants had assured investors that they were positioned differently than their competitors, and that this was a non-issue, because MGPI had already taken steps to mitigate the risk, when in fact it had not. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the MGPI class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=9167 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mgpi-investors-have-opportunity-to-lead-mgp-ingredients-inc-securities-fraud-lawsuit-302338947.html SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.
Xander_D/iStock via Getty Images Palo Alto Networks ( NASDAQ: PANW ) continues on a path towards platformization in the cybersecurity space to limited progress. The market continues to overly love the story with the stock already rebounding from the big selloff in February to reach new all-time If you'd like to learn more about how to best position yourself in under valued stocks mispriced by the market to end November, consider joining Out Fox The Street . The service offers a model portfolio, daily updates, trade alerts and real-time chat. Sign up now for a risk-free 2-week trial to started finding the best stocks with potential to double and triple in the next few years. Stone Fox Capital (aka Mark Holder) is a CPA with degrees in Accounting and Finance. He is also Series 65 licensed and has 30 years of investing experience, including 10 years as a portfolio manager. Out Fox The Street Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only. Nothing in this article should be taken as a solicitation to purchase or sell securities. Before buying or selling any stock, you should do your own research and reach your own conclusion or consult a financial advisor. Investing includes risks, including loss of principal. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
In recent years, the concept of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has gained significant attention from the international community, including the United Nations and the G20, as a new policy paradigm for development. But understanding the risks of DPI is crucial to ensuring that its potential benefits materialise. The risks stem from the fact that "digital public infrastructure" lacks a clear definition. The term encompasses the many digital technologies that serve as economic and social infrastructure, from digital identification and payment systems to data exchanges and health services. As a policy initiative, though, DPI refers to a vague vision of using these technologies to serve the public interest. This could result in the internet and technological innovation working for everyone -- or just as easily turn them into tools for political control. In discussions about DPI, policymakers often point to cases that highlight how technology and connectivity can spur development. They frequently cite India's Unified Payments Interface, which has expanded financial inclusion and reduced the costs of digital transactions for its hundreds of millions of users. It is also understood that such infrastructure is to be built with Digital Public Goods (DPGs), a concept that encompasses open-source software, open standards, and other non-proprietary components. This definition is partly intended to position DPIs as being "for the public" but also to enhance competition and mitigate concentrations of power in the global digital economy. Lastly, proponents point out that DPI could bolster international cooperation, particularly as the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) approaches. This important UN initiative has provided the framework for countries to collaborate on digital development. Although authoritarian states have previously sought to assert greater control over the internet's governance during these negotiations, a focus on promoting DPI could avoid this politicised debate and instead foster a constructive agenda to bridge digital divides. But basing policy on such an ill-defined concept poses significant risks. Ideally, governments would convene other stakeholders to create an enabling environment for DPI and safeguard users' rights and interests. It is easy to imagine, however, that some governments will place their own interests above civil liberties and fundamental rights, using this infrastructure for surveillance and targeting in the name of law enforcement or national security. An especially pernicious example could involve the monitoring and regulation of individual behaviour through dystopian social-credit systems. Moreover, while many proponents hope that DPI could chip away at Big Tech's outsize power, it has also been associated with narratives of digital sovereignty that could contribute to the internet's fragmentation -- a systemic threat to global communications. For example, one can imagine scenarios in which some governments challenge the multi-stakeholder model for governing global internet resources like IP addresses and domain names on the grounds that they constitute DPIs. In fact, we recently witnessed something similar in the European Union when it proposed an amendment to the Electronic Identification, Authentication, and Trust Services (eIDAS) regulation that would have empowered governments to mandate the recognition of digital certificates that did not adhere to stringent industry standards. This risked undermining the global governance model for browser security and could have allowed European governments to survey communications both within and beyond their borders. The policy vision of DPI will continue to evolve, and ongoing discussions, it is hoped, will help identify and clarify further opportunities and risks. Initiatives such as the UN's Universal DPI Safeguards Framework, which seeks to establish guardrails for DPI, are a promising start. But much more must be done. For example, the UN's framework has recognised the need for continuous learning to ensure that the right safeguards are in place. As the concept of DPI gains traction in the UN system and other multilateral organisations, vigorous and informed debate regarding its potential advantages -- and pitfalls -- will be essential. With clear-cut policy guidelines and protections, we can help prevent these technologies from becoming tools for surveillance and repression, ensure that everyone benefits from the burgeoning digital economy, and keep the internet open, globally connected, and secure. ©2024 Project Syndicate Carl Gahnberg is Director of Policy Development and Research at the Internet Society.NoneReuters was among a small group of reporters given access to the wreckage of the missile on Sunday. Reporters were asked not disclose the exact location of the site for security reasons. The scorched and crumbled pieces of debris were laid out in a hanger at a facility which conducts weapons forensics. Ukrainian experts study such debris to gain insight into Russian military supply chains, production and how to develop countermeasures. Russia has dubbed the missile the Oreshnik (Hazel Tree) and said it is impossible to intercept it with air defences. Ukraine has said the weapon reached a top speed of more than 13,000km/h (8,000mph) on its way towards Dnipro on Thursday. Intermediate-range ballistic missiles have a range of up to 5,500km. Two state experts provided cautious assessments, saying only that the weapon was ballistic, flew on a ballistic trajectory and that the strike resulted in civilian damage. They declined to take questions or give their surnames. "These are preliminary conclusions and to say something more concrete requires time and careful study of the remains of the missile," said Ivan, one of the experts. "This is the first time that such remnants of such a missile have been discovered on the territory of Ukraine," said Oleh, an investigator for the Security Service of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called the use of the weapon a severe escalation and urged his allies to respond. Ukraine originally said the weapon appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile. The Kremlin later said it fired a new intermediate-range missile at a Ukrainian military target in Dnipro in response to Kyiv striking Russia with US and British made missiles for the first time after the US granted its approval. The US military has said the missile’s design is based on the longer-range RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The new missile was experimental and Russia likely possessed only a handful of them, they have said. Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Friday Moscow would keep testing the missile in combat and had a stock ready to use. Much remains unclear for now, including the extent of the damage caused by the missile. Ukraine seldom discloses damage to military targets, fearing such information would help Moscow. Zelensky said on Sunday that Russian forces over the past week had struck Ukraine with more than 800 guided aerial bombs, about 460 attack drones and more than 20 missiles. In Russia, the defence ministry said 34 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight into Sunday in four regions of western Russia, including Kursk, Lipetsk, Belgorod and one over the Oryol region. Putin has signed a law granting debt forgiveness to new army recruits who enlist to fight in Ukraine. The measure underscores Russia’s needs for military personnel in the nearly three-year-old war, even after it fired a new intermediate-range ballistic missile last week. According to Russian state news agency Interfax, the legislation allows those signing up for a one-year contract to write off bad debts of up to 10 million roubles (€92,000). The law applies to debts for which a court order for collection was issued and enforcement proceedings had commenced before December 1st this year, and it also applies to the spouses of recruits. Russia has ramped up military recruitment by offering increasing financial incentives, in some cases several times the average salary, to those willing to fight in Ukraine. The strategy has allowed the military to boost its ranks in the conflict zone while avoiding another mobilisation order. A “partial mobilisation” in September 2022 sparked an exodus of tens of thousands of Russian men who fled the country to avoid enlistment. – Reuters, additional reporting Associated Press
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Ex-Celtic star John Hartson's punch up with Hollywood hard-man Vinnie JonesSimon Parkin’s Five Best Games of 2024: A Guide to the Year’s Top Gaming ExperiencesIt's almost Christmas once again! or signup to continue reading And this year there were plenty of significant new model launches in Australia, and also many that were delayed. There were also several new auto brands that landed Down Under in 2024, so it's no surprise there was unprecedented interest in our new model tests. published almost 500 new car reviews this year. Here are the five top-viewed new car reviews we brought you in 2024. . Surprise, surprise. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is yet again the subject of our top-viewed review, which makes perfect sense since the RAV4 is also with little more than a week to go. Yes, the popular mid-sized SUV is almost certain to topple the Ford Ranger as the nation's favourite new car, following the drastic improvement in supplies of this sought-after model. A few years ago the wait list stretched out over three years, but now you 'only' need to wait around six months for a new RAV4. Most recently, James Wong tested the flagship Edge Hybrid AWD variant, which is currently priced from $58,360 before on-roads. He praised Toyota for reducing wait times, but he also cited other new hybrid mid-sized SUV options including the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, Kia Sportage Hybrid and Honda CR-V e:HEV. Honda's latest generation model range has brought new levels of quality to the brand, and its smallest model was our second most popular review this year. William Stopford tested the flagship HR-V e:HEV L, which at the time was the brand's cheapest hybrid model. Honda has since introduced a more affordable HR-V eHEV X hybrid trim level, priced at $39,900 drive-away. His assessment was that it's quiet and refined, and that its hybrid powertrain is sweet. But he also noted that it runs out of puff on steeper hills, and the fact the HR-V is only a four-seater in Australia. The Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series has attracted a lot of attention since its reveal in 2021, and it continues to do so three years later. Scott Collie reviewed the almost top-spec LandCruiser 300 GR Sport, which is the most off-road focussed variant available and currently priced from $144,791 before on-roads. Toyota has since detailed an update for the LandCruiser 300 Series, which will bring a range of safety and technology upgrades for Aussie buyers by June 2025. Scott praised the LandCruiser 300 GR Sport for being an impressive full-size off-road SUV, and said its new twin-turbo diesel V6 is a solid replacement for its long-running predecessor's oil-burning V8. But he also pointed out that its interior technology is not up to scratch, given this LC300's $145k price tag. Honda's largest SUV was the subject of our fourth most-read review this year. William Stopford reviewed the top-spec CR-V e:HEV RS, which is now priced from $60,400 drive-away. This is the only hybrid variant in the range and it's powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric powertrain producing 135kW of power and 335Nm of torque. Claimed fuel consumption is 5.5L/100km. William noted that the new-generation CR-V isn't cheap, but it's more enjoyable to drive than a RAV4 Hybrid, rides better and has a very refined cabin with plenty of practical storage spaces. If it's starting to seem like our top-viewed reviews concern only Toyota and Honda models, here's something different to break up the Japanese brand monopoly. The Ford Ranger was Australia's top-selling vehicle last year and there are good reasons for that. In January this year, Matt Campbell reviewed the popular Ranger Wildtrak V6, which is currently priced from $74,840 before on-road costs. He said the Australian-developed, diesel V6-powered 4×4 is a "damn-near perfect" family dual-cab ute, thanks to its strong powertrain and great driving dynamics, plus its refined cabin with high-tech safety and multimedia features. Content originally sourced from: Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement
