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☆ Inside Syria's Saydnaya prison and GOP considers how to push Trump agenda: Morning Rundown
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-11 | by ( Elizabeth Robinson | Elizabeth Robinson Is A Newsletter Editor For Nbc News | Based In Los Angeles. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

One of Syria’s most notorious jails contains evidence of the Assad regime’s brutal crackdown on dissent. One woman NBC News spoke to had come in search of her son who had been missing for a decade. While Syrians grapple with the end of the regime, the country’s neighbor Israel moved into its territory in a new offensive. Read All About ItThe Bureau of Labor Statistics today will release the consumer price index for November, with analysts expecting 0.3% growth month over month. for November, with analysts expecting 0.3% growth month over month.

Persons: Assad, Assad’s, Bashar al, Israel, Israel Katz, Luigi Mangione, Brian Thompson, Thomas Dickey, Mangione, “ It’s, They’re, Ted Kaczynski, ”, Kaczynski, Donald Trump, John Thune, Jason Smith, Trump, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Tom Barrack, Letitia James, Trump’s, Sen, Mitch McConnell, Chuck Todd, Anuj Shrestha, Obteen Nassiri, Alex Jones ’ Infowars, Joe Burrow’s, Freddie Harb, Robert Mavaddat, Alex Welsh, they’ve, — Lewis Kamb, Elizabeth Robinson Organizations: Amnesty, NBC, Israeli Defense, Republican, GOP, Fox News, Trump, Secret Service, New York, Med Ed Labs, U.S ., Labor Statistics, Franklin, Kroger, Albertsons, Cincinnati Bengals, NBC News, U.S, Small, Administration, Social Security Locations: Damascus, Syria, Israel, Russia, Pennsylvania, New York, Blair, Mangione, Greece, Turkey, Michigan, Las Vegas, Malibu , California

He and his brother-in-law filed paperwork to start Med Ed Labs, registering it as a nonprofit corporation. For example, the IRS revoked Med Ed Labs’ nonprofit status after it failed to file financial disclosures for three years. Some of the federal contracts were later terminated, including at least one that was canceled after Med Ed Labs failed to deliver. The State Anatomical Board, which had little power to regulate private companies, took no formal action against Med Ed Labs. North, the Health Science Center spokesperson, didn’t answer detailed questions about the center’s relationship with Med Ed Labs.

Persons: Andy North, Nassiri, —, who’d, I’ve, It’s, ” Nassiri, “ It’s, it’s, ”, King of Prussia, Claudia Yellott, ” Yellott, Yellott, UTHealth Houston, Kurt Clark, “, UTHealth, John Hubbard, Hubbard didn’t, ’, Sammy Rodriguez, Lynn, Rodriguez, David Saunders, ” Saunders ’, Elsie Saunders, I’m, Saunders Organizations: Health Science Center, NBC, Med Ed Labs, Allstate Insurance Co, Allstate, State Board of Health, NBC News, IRS, Ed Labs, Labs, Nordstrom, U.S . Army, Defense Health Agency, Army, Nassiri, University of North Texas Health, Science, FedEx, U.S . Postal Service, Texas —, Anatomical Board, Texas, Service, Health Science Locations: Iran, Las Vegas, Nevada, PetSmart, Sephora, Malden , Massachusetts, King, King of Prussia , Pennsylvania, Chicago, Bethesda , Maryland, Honolulu, San Antonio, Texas, Houston, Fort Worth, Portland , Oregon

☆ As Apple enters AI race, iPhone maker turns to its army of developers for an edge
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-04 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

As Apple prepares Apple Intelligence to jump into Silicon Valley’s AI race, it’s relying on one of its strongest advantages: Its army of 34 million app developers. IPhone users will get their first taste of Apple Intelligence, the company’s artificial intelligence system, later this month. The company is relying on Apple Intelligence to be the strongest selling point for the iPhone 16, its latest generation of smartphones. That’s something other company’s AI chatbots cannot currently do, and to accomplish this, Apple is beckoning its army of third-party developers to fine tune their apps to collaborate with Apple Intelligence. Another drawback is that Apple Intelligence features will only be available on the latest iPhones, a small subset of the total iPhone user base.

Persons: Google’s, Siri, Apple, “ Siri, ”, Apple’s Kelsey Peterson, Siri conversationally, Jordan Morgan, Apple’s, Morgan, Michael Tigas, ” Tigas, Siri aren’t, Hey Siri, James, they’ve, Igor Zhadanov Organizations: Apple, Apple Intelligence, Superhuman, CNBC Locations: Siri, Readdle

Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group sued the AI music companies Uncharted Labs and Suno this summer over software that allows users to create music from text prompts, alleging that copyrighted songs have been used without permission to train the AI. Websites like Sound Draw, Musicfy, AIVA and Boomy allow users to easily create music with AI using different inputs. AI music companies say the new ease of use allows users who might not have previously been able to easily create music to generate their own content. this is so cool.”In Denver, Speer led a course on AI music tools using Boomy for young musicians. Some of the local artists who performed at Youth on Record’s festival support integrating AI technology into music education and production.

Persons: Billie Eilish, Stevie Wonder, Nicki Minaj, ’, ”, Cassie Speer, “, ” Speer, they’re, we’ll, Musicfy, Grimes, Speer, Regi Worles, Worles, Mitchell, Boomy, Michael Merola, Michael, Genevieve Libien Organizations: BBL, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Labs, Universal Music, NBC, Arts Education Data, ”, Hollywood, Associated Press Locations: NBCUniversal, Boomy, U.S, Canadian, Denver, Tennessee

☆ AI company behind viral ‘BBL Drizzy’ fake Drake diss track gets sued
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A group of major record labels is suing two AI startups, alleging they wrongfully used popular artists’ work to train their systems to produce copyrighted music without their consent. Udio is the company behind “BBL Drizzy,” the AI-generated song that went viral last month during the Kendrick Lamar and Drake spat. Udio was founded last year by former Google DeepMind researchers to make it “easy for anyone to create emotionally resonant music in an instant,” according to the company. The platform, which allows users to create songs with only a few prompts, relies on OpenAI’s ChatGPT for lyrics and title development. Udio and Suno did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Warner Records –, Udio, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Suno, Mitch Glazier, ”, Billie Eilish, Kacey Musgraves, J Balvin, Jon Bon Jovi, Jonas, Katy Perry, Miranda Lambert, CNN’s Jordan Valinsky Organizations: CNN, Recording Industry Association of America, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Records, Labs, BBL, Google, RIAA, Rights Alliance

☆ Amazon, Best Buy, Google may soon sell home smart devices with 'hacker-safe' label
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Bob Woods | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

"Once a manufacturer receives certification for the Trust Mark, they will need additional time to retool their packaging, as well as shipping updated products from the manufacturer to retailers," he said. In 2024, according to research firm Statista, nearly 70 million homes in the U.S. are actively using smart devices, up more than 10% from last year. Staffers from Consumer Reports attended a White House meeting during which the Cyber Trust Mark program was announced. Barry Mainz, CEO of Forescout Technologies, a cybersecurity provider, says he is a big fan of the Cyber Trust Mark. Steps to take now to protect your home internetThere are actions consumers can take right now, before the Cyber Trust Mark program kicks in, to harden their cybersecurity.

Persons: Biden, Jessica Rosenworcel, Nicholas Leiserson, David Grossman, What's, Stacey Higginbotham, Higginbotham, Grossman, Barry Mainz, Mark — Organizations: Federal Drug Administration, National, Traffic Safety Administration, National Institute of Standards, Technology, NIST, Federal Communications Commission, U.S . Cyber, Energy Star, Cyber, Energy, Google, LG Electronics, Logitech, Samsung Electronics, FCC, Auburn University's, Institute, Consumer Technology Association, Park Associates, Consumer Reports, White, Survey, Consumer, Forescout Technologies Locations: U.S, Washington, Mainz

☆ A doping free-for-all Enhanced Games calls itself the answer to doping in sports. Opponents say it poses a danger to health
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Molly Stazicker | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +23 min

The Enhanced Games is the brainchild of businessman Aron D’Souza. Aron D'Souza is the founder of the Enhanced Games. But that isn’t the only potential legal jeopardy the Enhanced Games faces, according to American lawyer Jim Walden, who represents Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov. “If you look at the Enhanced Games website, it’s almost as though they’re advertising their disregard of the law,” Walden told CNN Sport. If it goes ahead as planned in December 2024, D’Souza insists that the Enhanced Games will unlock the potential of humanity.

Persons: Dr, Grigory Rodchenkov, –, Rodchenkov, Oscar, Aron D’Souza, ”, D’Souza, “, Raphael Faiss, Faiss, WADA, they’re, Aron D'Souza, ” WADA, Travis Tygart, Jim Walden, ” Walden, Alex Wong, ” Rodchenkov, USADA’s Tygart, ” D’Souza, he’d, “ They’re, Ben Johnson, Johnson, Mike Powell, Pierre de Coubertin –, Ben Johnson –, Eugene, Simona Halep, – Faiss, CNN Roxadustat, Michele Verroken, ” Verroken, Verroken, Hamish Coffey, ’, Brett Fraser, ” Fraser, “ I’ve, I’ll, Jess Ennis, Hill, CNN D’Souza, Trevor Painter, ” Painter, John William Devine, ” Devine, don’t, Martial Saugy Organizations: CNN, Olympics, ”, Testing Agency, ITA, International Olympic Committee, Olympic Games, IOC, CNN Sport, Netflix, Doping Agency, Research, University of Lausanne, United, United States Anti, US Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Sports, Gaming Initiative, “, Games, Seoul, London Games, Bettmann, Athletics Integrity Unit, National Institutes of Health, Sporting Integrity, Australian Olympic, Olympic, United States Patent, Sciences, Swansea University Locations: Paris, United States, Seoul, South Korea, Eugene , Oregon, Cayman Islands, Tokyo, Wales

☆ Meet the Black students who were instrumental in developing the first Covid-19 shots
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Among about two dozen scientists in Graham’s lab were three young students: Olubukola Abiona, Geoffrey Hutchinson and Cynthia Ziwawo. What the world didn’t know at the time was that those three students — Abiona, Hutchinson and Ziwawo — were doing the foundational work for those vaccines to eventually save lives. Geoffrey Hutchinson served in the Peace Corps and taught chemistry to high school students in Mozambique. The fruits of Abiona, Hutchinson and Ziwawo’s labor were evident this week as the United States began to roll out updated versions of the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines. Abiona, Hutchinson and Ziwawo all confirmed Wednesday that although they haven’t made their appointments yet, they plan to get the updated shots.

Persons: Barney Graham’s, Olubukola Abiona, Geoffrey Hutchinson, Cynthia Ziwawo, “, Graham, ‘, ’ ”, Hutchinson, ”, ” Ziwawo, Anthony Fauci, — Abiona, Ziwawo —, Ziwawo, Kizzmekia Corbett, ” Corbett, David Satcher, he’s, Valerie Montgomery Rice, “ They’re, Abiona, Hannah Montana, Austin Steele, CNN Abiona, BioNTech, “ It’s, Dr, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN, Vaccine Research, National Institutes of Health, University of Washington, “, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy, Diseases, Moderna, Morehouse School of Medicine, David Satcher Global Health Equity Institute, Association of American Medical Colleges, NIH, Disney, David Satcher Global Health Equity Summit, KPMG LLP, Indiana University School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Peace Corps, United States, Pfizer, CNN Health, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, US Centers for Disease Control Locations: China, Bethesda , Maryland, Ziwawo, United States, Atlanta, Graham’s, Nigeria, Mozambique, Abiona, United

☆ Apple disputes French findings, says iPhone 12 meets radiation rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Apple said on Wednesday its iPhone 12 model was certified by multiple international bodies as compliant with global radiation standards after a French watchdog ordered it to stop selling the handset on the grounds it breaches European exposure limits. The ANFR said it would send agents to Apple stores and other distributors to check the model was no longer being sold. Apple said it had provided ANFR with multiple Apple and independent third-party lab results proving its compliance with all applicable SAR regulations and standards in the world. The European standard is a specific absorption rate of 4.0 watts per kilogram. ANFR added the tests showed the phone complied with so-called body-SAR standards when it was in a jacket pocket or bag.

Persons: Apple, AFNR Organizations: Apple Locations: France

LONDON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - France's radiation watchdog has banned sales of Apple's (AAPL.O) iPhone 12 after tests that it said showed the smartphone breached European radiation exposure limits. Apple disputes the watchdog's conclusions, saying the iPhone 12 was certified by multiple international bodies as compliant with global radiation standards. The ANFR said it recently carried out random tests on 141 phones, including iPhone 12, bought from shops. Smartphone radiation tests have so far led to 42 imposed sale stops in the country, it said. The ANFR said the iPhone 12 had failed to meet European Union standards, raising questions over whether more sales bans could be coming elsewhere.

Persons: Jean, Noel Barrot, Le, ANFR, Rodney Croft, Apple, Martin Coulter, Jennifer Rigby, Elizabeth Pineau, Mark Potter, Josie Kao Organizations: Agence Nationale des, Apple, Digital Minister, Reuters, International Commission, EU, WHO, International Agency for Research, Cancer, APPLE, Union, Germany's Federal, for Radiation, Thomson Locations: France

☆ Australia's Bol cleared of doping after false positive test
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Australia's anti-doping authority has dropped its investigation into athlete Peter Bol in the lead-up to the world championships after finding his positive test for synthetic erythropoietin (EPO) was wrong. The provisional suspension was lifted a month later after the 'B' sample of his test did not match its 'A' sample. Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) continued its investigation, though, saying the 'B' sample was an "atypical finding" and not negative. "As a result, Sport Integrity Australia has taken the decision not to progress an anti-doping rule violation for this sample. "Sport Integrity Australia will now await outcomes of the WADA review of the EPO review process," it said.

Persons: Peter Bol, WADA, Bol, Peter, Ian Ransom, Sonali Paul Organizations: MELBOURNE, Tokyo, Integrity Australia, SIA, Doping Agency, Athletics Australia, Thomson Locations: Budapest, Melbourne

☆ Exclusive: Staff at top U.S. farm research center file complaint alleging unsafe work conditions
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Leah Douglas | Thomson Reuters | Washington-Based Award-Winning Journalist Covering Agriculture | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +11 min

The Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) near Washington D.C. is the largest research facility owned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and has long been the flagship of U.S. farm research. “Our employees’ health and well-being is our top priority," a spokesperson at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), which oversees BARC, told Reuters. STAFF CUTSFounded in 1910, the BARC facility spans nearly 7,000 acres in Prince George’s County, Maryland, near the nation’s capital. The unreliable conditions are affecting research outcomes, making it at times impossible to complete experiments or replicate their findings, said two research employees. On February 22, several BARC employees met with Thomas Shanower, the director of USDA’s Northeast Area, a division that oversees 15 research centers, including BARC.

☆ Cocaine production is taking root in a new region
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Gavin Voss | Insight Crime | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The countries are still not major cocaine producers, but the seizures reflect the crop's hardiness. Honduras, on the other hand, has shown minimal cocaine production capabilities, with rudimentary labs capable of producing small amounts of cocaine. While they have limited cocaine production ability, increasing coca cultivation in traditionally non-producing countries could be a sign of bigger things to come. For anti-narcotics authorities around the region, the danger posed by up-and-coming coca producers is palpable. The US State Department has recognized this in its latest report, dubbing coca production in Honduras and Venezuela "troublesome."

☆ Hazardous 'forever chemicals' in water, food, and air won't disappear with new EPA rules. But 6 simple tactics can reduce your exposure at home.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Hazardous "forever chemicals" called PFAS are contaminating drinking water, food, and air. It may be impossible to completely avoid PFAS, but there are a few simple ways to reduce your exposure. A 2019 study found that people had lower PFAS levels in their blood after eating at home, and higher levels after eating fast food or at restaurants. A few types of water filters can diminish PFAS levels, though they may not completely remove the chemicals from the water. It was previously updated to reflect disagreements in the scientific community about the degree of PFAS exposure from Teflon.

☆ Flu experts gather with H5N1 risk on the agenda
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Jennifer Rigby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But it is also a chance to discuss the risk of animal viruses spilling over to humans and causing a pandemic. At this week's meeting, H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b was a key topic, the World Health Organization (WHO) and global flu experts told Reuters. They will brief reporters on both the seasonal flu vaccine composition and spillover risks later on Friday. "We need to really continue the efforts for a flu pandemic." A number of companies that produce seasonal flu vaccines can also make pandemic flu vaccines.

☆ Bird flu situation 'worrying'; WHO working with Cambodia
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Jennifer Rigby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization is working with Cambodian authorities after two confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu were found among one family in the country. The U.N. health agency last assessed the risk to humans from avian flu as low earlier this month. "The global H5N1 situation is worrying given the wide spread of the virus in birds around the world and the increasing reports of cases in mammals including humans," Briand said. WHO-affiliated labs already hold two flu virus strains that are closely related to the circulating H5N1 virus that manufacturers can use to develop new shots if needed. A global meeting of flu experts this week suggested developing another strain that more closely matches H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, Webby said in the briefing.

☆ Making Medical Science More Democratic
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Amy Dockser Marcus | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Members of the nascent British Association for the Advancement of Science gathered in Cambridge in 1833 to discuss the state of the field. Science was an increasingly popular pursuit and was helping to expand knowledge about the natural world. One of the association’s founders, William Whewell , was ready with an answer: scientists. In the century that followed, science was transformed from a vocation to a profession. Universities became the central venue for the pursuit of science.

New Delhi CNN —At the Bhalswa landfill in northwest Delhi, a steady flow of jeeps zigzag up the trash heap to dump more garbage on a pile now over 62 meters (203 feet) high. India creates more methane from landfill sites than any other country, according to GHGSat, which monitors methane via satellites. Ragpickers at the Bhalswa landfill site on April 28, 2022, in New Delhi, India. In May, CNN commissioned two accredited labs to test the ground water around the Bhalswa landfill. And according to the results, ground water within at least a 500-meter (1,600-foot) radius around the waste site is contaminated.

☆ Updated Covid-19 boosters offer protection, but new studies suggest they don't offer an edge against Omicron
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Similar immune responsesThe studies have important limitations, and they aren’t the final word on the updated boosters. In Barouch’s study, antibody concentrations were 15 times higher after the original boosters, rising from 184 to 2,829. They were 17 times higher after the updated shots, jumping from 211 to 3,693. After waiting the recommended three months since his last Covid-19 infection, President Joe Biden got an updated booster Tuesday and urged eligible Americans to do the same. Worobey says that when the strains are combined as they are in the updated boosters, they actually end up competing.

☆ Hazardous 'forever chemicals' are in our water, food, and air. Here are 6 simple ways to reduce exposure at home.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-17 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Hazardous "forever chemicals" called PFAS are contaminating drinking water, food, and air. It may be impossible to completely avoid PFAS, but there are a few simple ways to reduce your exposure. Even if you can't completely dodge PFAS, there are a few easy ways to reduce exposure in your daily life. A 2019 study found that people had lower PFAS levels in their blood after eating at home, and higher levels after eating fast food or at restaurants. A few types of water filters can diminish PFAS levels, though they may not completely remove the chemicals from the water.

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