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☆ How the blockchain could solve one of AI’s biggest problems
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Matthew Fox | Nicholas Carlson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. But what could be new this time around is a solution to the problem, according to Grayscale CEO Michael Sonnenshein. It's yet another issue that could ultimately be solved by the blockchain, according to Sonnenshein. It only makes sense for the blockchain to be integrated in generative AI technologies going forward, according to Sonnenshein. That symbiotic relationship should ultimately benefit creators and open the door to transparent compensation, according to Sonnenshein.

Persons: —, OpenAI, Michael Sonnenshein, Sonnenshein, Nicholas Carlson, it's, It's, Midjourney — Organizations: Service, Business, New York Times, OpenAI, Microsoft, Parliament's House, Lords Communications, Getty Locations: blockchain

☆ Thailand drops joint patrols with Chinese police after public backlash
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBANGKOK, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Thailand rolled back on Tuesday plans of joint patrols with Chinese police in popular tourist spots after public backlash. Tourism officials on Sunday floated the idea of having Chinese and Thai police patrol much-visited areas to build confidence among tourists, including Chinese nationals. "There are many alternative ways to build confidence for tourists in Thailand ... but we will not have joint patrols," Tourism Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol told reporters on Tuesday. "The Thai police force is already adequate and are working hard to restore confidence," Sudawan said. Restoring confidence is critical for Thailand's tourism industry, especially among Chinese visitors.

Persons: Helen Yi, Jorge Silva, Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, Sudawan, Chayut Setboonsarng, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Tourism, Sunday, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Siam, Bangkok, Thailand, Rights BANGKOK

"The actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration the likes of which we haven't seen since ISIS launched its so-called caliphate several years ago," Wray said. The remarks came during a hearing before the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee focused on threats to the United States. The number of attacks on U.S. military bases overseas by Iran-backed militia groups have risen this month, Wray said. Cyber attacks against the U.S. by Iran and non-state actors will likely worsen if the conflict expands, he said. During the hearing, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that hate directed at Jewish students in the U.S. following the start of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza has added to an increase in antisemitism.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Christopher Wray, Christine Abizaid, Wray, General Merrick Garland, Ted Hesson, Doina Chiacu, Andrew Goudsward, Chizu Nomiyama, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Homeland, FBI, National Counterterrorism, Senate Homeland Security, Governmental Affairs, Capitol, ISIS, U.S . Senate Homeland Security, U.S, United Nations, Jewish, White, U.S . Justice Department, Thomson Locations: United States, Washington , U.S, WASHINGTON, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Arab, Iran, Washington

Tensions between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups have sprung up on some U.S. campuses, including several in New York, prompting university officials to tighten security. "There is no place for hate in America, and we condemn any antisemitic threat or incident in the strongest terms," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told a regular briefing. The Jewish leaders included representatives of the campus Jewish organization Hillel, the Anti-Defamation League and the National Council of Jewish Women, the White House official said. Cardona and White House domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden will visit a university and meet with Jewish students later this week, the official said. Over the weekend, threats were posted online to Jewish students and the Center of Jewish Living at Cornell, according to the student newspaper and the campus Hillel group.

Persons: Karine Jean, Pierre, Biden, Kamala Harris's, Douglas Emhoff, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Deborah Lipstadt, Israel, Hillel, Cardona, Neera Tanden, Kathy Hochul, Hochul, Doina Chiacu, Andrea Shalal, Trevor Hunnicutt, Howard Goller Organizations: Columbia University, REUTERS, Rights, Biden, White, Israel, Cornell University, Defamation, Education Secretary, Department of Education's, Civil Rights, Defamation League, National Council of Jewish Women, White House, Islamic Relations, Center of Jewish, Cornell, Hillel, FBI, New, Jewish, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Gaza, New York City, U.S, New York, America, Israel

Quetta, Pakistan CNN —At least 52 people were killed and dozens more wounded in what authorities believe was a suicide attack at a religious procession in southwest Pakistan Friday. Local police told CNN two explosions had occurred at the mosque in Hangu, causing its roof to collapse and potentially trapping worshipers inside. People gather outside the Mastung hospital, following the deadly attack, on September 29, 2023. One of the attackers then detonated an explosive close to the mosque’s entrance, while the other detonated one inside the building, local police officer Saaleh Muhammad told CNN. Muhammad told CNN that while most worshipers fled during the shootings, some had remained inside as the mosque’s roof collapsed.

Persons: Prophet Mohammed, Jan Achakzai, Shaheed Nawab Ghous Bakhsh, Atta Ul Munim, Abdul Rasheed, Ul Munim, Achakzai, Anwar, Haq Kakar, Arshad Butt, Saaleh Muhammad, Muhammad Organizations: Pakistan CNN —, CNN, Local, Reuters, ” Police Locations: Quetta, Pakistan, Mastung, restive Balochistan, Balochistan, Pakistan’s, Peshawar City, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Hangu, Karachi

☆ Okta forecasts quarterly revenue above expectations, shares surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Okta's shares rose 10% after the bell, after the company also raised its annual revenue and adjusted earnings forecast. It also raised its revenue expectations for fiscal year 2024 to $2.21 billion to $2.21 billion from $2.18 billion to $2.19 billion earlier. Subscription backlog, a measure of future revenue, rose 8% to $3.03 billion. The identification software provider's revenue rose 23% in the second quarter from a year earlier to $556 million, beating expectations of $534.5 million. Its peer Cyberark Software (CYBG.F) also topped quarterly revenue expectations in June, in a positive sign for the sector.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Okta, Arsheeya Bajwa, Krishna Chandra Organizations: REUTERS, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, Asia, Bengaluru

☆ Syria's Assad's ruling party shut by protests in rebellious Druze city
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Youths with welding machines sealed the gates of the building of the party led by President Bashar al Assad, which has been in power since a 1963 coup. A major economic crisis has seen the local currency collapse, leading to soaring prices for food and basic supplies and which Assad's government blames on Western sanctions. Across the province, scores of local branches of the Baath party whose officials hold top government posts were also closed by protesters with its cadres fleeing, residents said. In a rare act of defiance in areas under Assad's rule, protesters tore down posters of Assad, where the party has promoted a personality cult around him and his late father. Sweida, a city of over 100,000 people, has seen most public institutions shut and public transport on strike and businesses partially open, residents and civic activists said.

Persons: Bashar al Assad, Bashar, Assad, Kenan Waqaf, Sweida, Ryan Marouf, Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Grant McCool Organizations: Baath, Protesters, Thomson Locations: AMMAN, Sweida, Russia, Iran

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is wrapping up a probe of attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat in the politically competitive state of Georgia. The front of the courthouse was lined with rows of orange plastic, water-filled Jersey barriers and steel crowd control barricades. Dozens of county sheriff's deputies were stationed out front, and other deputies and Atlanta police drove marked cars in circles around the streets nearby. Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying his defeat. Samaya Lockridge, 23, a Democrat, who just moved from Tampa to Atlanta, said she hoped Atlanta would not see a replay of that violence.

Persons: Lewis, Donald Trump, Read, Fani Willis, Willis, Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat, Trump, Joe Biden's, government's, Samaya Lockridge, Rich McKay, Josephine Walker, Susan Heavey, Scott Malone, Howard Goller Organizations: Fulton County Sheriff, Slaton, Fulton, Atlanta police, Republican, Democratic, U.S, Capitol, Democrat, Thomson Locations: Fulton County, ATLANTA, Fulton, Atlanta , Georgia, Georgia, Jersey, Washington, Tampa, Atlanta

☆ Russian veto signals end of Turkey-based UN aid operation in Syria
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia suggested that the council mandate for the aid operation could not be salvaged. Security Council votes on the issue have long been contentious - in both 2022 and 2020 the mandate expired, only to be renewed a day later. The Security Council initially authorized aid deliveries in 2014 into opposition-held areas of Syria from Iraq, Jordan and two points in Turkey. 'UTTER CRUELTY'Russia and Syria have argued that the aid operation violates Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. China abstained on the vote for the nine-month compromise renewal of the aid operation authorization drafted by Switzerland and Brazil, while the remaining 13 Security Council members voted in favor.

Persons: Vassily Nebenzia, Nebenzia, we're, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, U.N, Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, Bashar al, Assad, Bassam Sabbagh, Sabbagh, Thomas, Michelle Nichols, Rami Ayyub, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, Nations, . Security, Russia U.N, Security, United, United Nations, Reuters, Ten Security, U.S, Thomson Locations: Russia, Turkey, Syria, United States, Damascus, Moscow, Iraq, Jordan, China, United Nations, Switzerland, Brazil, Britain, France, Washington

☆ Airman Charged in Leak of Classified Documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Michael Crowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In later remarks to reporters, Mr. Biden added that he had instructed officials to get “to the root of why he had access in the first place.”The Pentagon has provided little information about what security reviews might be underway. While Mr. Biden’s remarks were directed widely to the military and intelligence agencies, officials said that based on what is known so far, the Defense Department will make the initial moves to tighten security. Officials described a reluctance to limit intelligence shared with the Pentagon and said it is more likely that the first steps of any security review will focus on improving how the military gives access to the material. Top Republicans on Friday praised the arrest of the airman even as Speaker Kevin McCarthy accused the Biden administration of having been “asleep at the switch” on protecting the nation’s secrets. But Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia went further, calling Airman Teixeira a “hero” who had exposed government secrets the administration has tried to conceal and who was being unfairly targeted for his right-wing views.

☆ NYC mayor warns Trump supporters ahead of arraignment: 'Be on your best behavior'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Jeenah MoonApril 3 (Reuters) - New York City Mayor Eric Adams addressed Donald Trump supporters directly Monday, saying city authorities would not hesitate to arrest and charge anyone who breaks the law in protest over the former president's upcoming arraignment on state charges. Trump was heading to New York on Monday and was due to surrender to prosecutors in Manhattan on Tuesday. Adams warned Trump supporters against turning to violence on Tuesday, saying the city was "not a playground for ... misplaced anger." While you're in town, be on your best behavior," said the Democratic mayor. The actress has said she was paid to keep silent about a sexual encounter she had with Trump in 2006.

☆ Robbers pull off multimillion-dollar copper heist in Chilean port
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SANTIAGO, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Chilean authorities said on Wednesday they were investigating a violent heist in Chile's main seaport where thieves stole several shipping containers filled with copper belonging to state-owned giant Codelco. In a statement to Reuters, Codelco said the copper was scheduled to be exported and was insured. The heist is the largest copper theft since a spate of gangster heists in northern Chile last October forced the government to tighten security on trains carrying copper cathodes. The violent robbery adds pressure over shipment security in the world's largest copper producer. Authorities blamed the train heists on international crime groups while police said Wednesday's heist could be a local group.

☆ Iraq and Iran Agree to Tighten Border Security Amid Unrest
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Benoit Faucon | Ghassan Adnan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani said Tuesday that his country would tighten security cooperation with Iran, after Tehran strengthened its military presence along its western border to prevent the infiltration of Kurdish groups based in northern Iraq. “We will not allow the use of Iraqi lands to threaten Iran‘s security,” Mr. Sudani said in a joint press conference with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran. The two leaders agreed to form liaison committees on border security, Iranian and Iraqi state media reported.

☆ Movement to ban TikTok: What midterms could mean for future of app
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Covers Tech For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

The effort to ban TikTok is back, and it could gain more strength after the midterm elections. Alex Brandon / AP fileExperts said there’s a steep hill to climb for those who want a total TikTok ban, but the midterms could provide a push. The renewed push for a TikTok ban or forced sale is taking place while the company is in negotiations with the Biden administration on a potential written security agreement. TikTok says it believes the agreement would address not only privacy concerns but how the app moderates content. Rubio is co-sponsoring legislation to ban TikTok from all U.S. government devices.

☆ Japan, Germany eye military logistics pact -Japan official
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Japan and Germany have agreed to work towards a military logistics pact, a Japanese government official said on Thursday, as Tokyo and Berlin tighten security relations on the back of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's growing military might. The official made the comment during an online media briefing following a meeting of the two countries' foreign and defence ministers in Germany. "They agreed to press ahead with coordination to launch negotiations aimed at setting up a legal framework to facilitate joint activities between Japan's Self-Defence Forces and the German military," the official said. Such a pact typically spells out rules on mutually providing fuel, food and transportation, among other things, for joint activities such as military drills, peace-keeping operations and disaster relief. Japan and Germany already have an agreement to facilitate intelligence sharing and a pact to promote transfers of defence equipment and technology.

At an election office in Flagstaff, Arizona, voters will encounter bulletproof glass and need to press a buzzer to enter. Election officials around the country said they were coordinating more closely with local law enforcement to respond quickly to disturbances. The Justice Department says it has investigated more than 1,000 messages to election workers since the 2020 election, including more than 100 that could warrant prosecution. PROTECTIVE MEASURESMany election officials blame disinformation, such as Trump's baseless claims about election fraud in the 2020 election, for the surge in threats. In Michigan, Republican candidates for governor, attorney general and other positions have questioned the outcome of the 2020 election.

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