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☆ ‘Two sessions’: China’s key political gathering gets underway as leaders try to repair broken economic confidence
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Xi is under the spotlight as economic pain has sparked growing frustration within China. Xi has also overseen a political shakeup in his own ranks, further marring the start of the new term. Those challenges may not pose a threat to Xi, who is China’s most powerful and authoritative leader in decades. But the two sessions provide an important platform for China’s notoriously opaque government to broadcast its strategy for economic, social and foreign policies and announce key indicators including China’s economic growth target, its budget deficit limit and military spending for the coming year. Analysts widely expect Li to reveal a relatively ambitious growth target of “around 5%,” showing that policymakers are still focused on economic growth, even as challenges pile up.

Persons: —, Xi Jinping, Xi, ”, Chen Gang, Li Qiang, It’s, Xuezhi Guo, Guo, Wang Yi, Qin Gang, Li Shangfu, Li, Qin, Pedro Pardo, Neil Thomas, Premier Li, Asia Society’s Thomas, “ Organizations: Beijing CNN —, Communist, National University of Singapore’s East Asian Institute, Getty, of, National People’s, Guilford College, Observers, Washington, Asia Society, Center for Locations: China, Beijing, Chongqing, AFP, Taiwan, China's, Henan, Center for China, Asia

☆ China might have a friendlier face now, but it's not giving up on its aggressive Wolf Warrior diplomacy, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The move has also fueled speculation about the end of Wolf Warrior diplomacy. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty ImagesChina is also aware that the shock value of Wolf Warrior diplomacy brings diminishing returns. "I think the limits of wolf warrior diplomacy are apparent," Loh said. The Wolf Warrior will be backThat said, Wolf Warrior diplomacy will return, depending on the issue at hand, said Loh. LEAH MILLIS/Getty ImagesSo why did Liu tell reporters and academics in New York that Wolf Warrior diplomacy would never return?

Persons: —, Liu Jianchao, Liu, China's, Antony Blinken, ROBERTO SCHMIDT, Ian Ja Chong, Chong, Zhao Lijian, Zhao, Rather, Stanley Rosen, Rosen, you'll, Zhao dismissively, Nancy Pelosi's, Anthony Kwan, Pan Chengxin, Donald Trump's, Pan, Dylan Loh, Xi Jinping, Biden, Xi, BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, Loh, Qin Gang, LEAH MILLIS Organizations: Service, Communist Party's International Department, of Foreign, Business, US, AFP, Getty, National University of Singapore, Foreign Ministry, University of Southern, China Institute, U.S . House, Deakin University, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, Getty Images, Chinese Foreign Locations: New York, China, West . China, Beijing, University of Southern California's US, Maryland, Ukraine, Weibo, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, Gaza, AFP, Getty Images China, West

☆ Researchers Dispute Claim That Ancient Whale Was Heaviest Animal Ever
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Carl Zimmer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last August, a team of paleontologists announced that they had discovered the fossilized bones of a gigantic ancient whale. Perucetus, as they named it, might have weighed over 200 tons, which would make it the heaviest animal that has ever lived. But in a study published Thursday, a pair of scientists have challenged that bold claim. The bones had many hallmarks of whales’ bones. Dr. Urbina and his colleagues reconstructed the full skeleton of Perucetus by studying the much smaller whales that lived at the same time.

Persons: ”, Nicholas Pyenson, Pyenson, Ryosuke, Perucetus, Mario Urbina, Urbina Organizations: Smithsonian National Museum of, University of California, Museum, National University of San Locations: Davis, National University of San Marcos, Lima , Peru, Peru

☆ US Supreme Court prepares to hear landmark social media cases
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Monday’s Supreme Court showdown in NetChoice v. Paxton and Moody v. NetChoice will determine whether states can forbid social media companies from blocking or removing user content that goes against platform rules. The Florida and Texas laws are broadly written, but officials from both states say the laws will keep social media sites from unfairly silencing conservatives. Social media platforms have insisted for years that they don’t discriminate against right-wing speech. It also allows individual social media users to sue platforms if they believe they have been unfairly censored or “deplatformed.”Florida Gov. The NetChoice cases reflect a deep divide in how many people see social media.

Persons: Paxton, Moody, Ron DeSantis, Florida’s, Carl Juste, Greg Abbott, Donald Trump, Biden, David Paul Morris, “, ”, ” David Greene Organizations: Washington CNN, Facebook, YouTube, Social, Gov, Florida Gov, Miami Herald, Texas ’, Circuit, Republican, Texas, Bloomberg, Getty, Frontier Foundation, EFF, CNN, Freedom, Press Locations: Texas, Florida, . Texas, NetChoice, Miami, Walnut Creek , California

☆ Can South Korea's untouchable chaebols change?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Nessa Anwar | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

There are 82 chaebols in South Korea as of 2023. These are conglomerates that are usually run by one single family, with total assets that exceed 5 trillion Korean won ($3.69 billion). These sprawling business dynasties have helped transform South Korea's economy from one of the poorest in the 1960s to one of the largest exporters in the world. Sang-in Park, an economics professor at Seoul National University, said that South Korea's rapid economic growth contributed to the unchecked power of the Korean chaebols. Watch the video to find out more about the history and future of the big business groups in South Korea.

Persons: Lee, Park Chung, Sang Organizations: Samsung, Hyundai, LG, Ko Global Commerce Institute, CNBC, Seoul National University Locations: South Korea, South Korea's, Park, South

☆ China’s coast guard has triggered ‘panic’ in Taiwan. That’s only part of Beijing’s plan
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Nectar Gan | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“It’s super scary,” a passenger told Taiwan’s United Daily News in a video upon returning to shore under the escort of a Taiwanese coast guard ship on Monday. “(The Chinese coast guard) chose a tourist vessel because it’s high profile – you would expect lots of people on the boat with cameras and phones,” he said. The stakes are high, as the increased presence and closer proximity of Chinese and Taiwanese coast guard vessels raise the specter of miscalculations that could potentially spiral into open conflict. Speaking to reporters about the inspection by the Chinese coast guard, Taiwan’s Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-kcheng highlighted such risks, saying the defense ministry is “very concerned” about potential miscalculations. Taiwan's coast guard inspects a vessel that capsized during a chase off the coast of Kinmen on February 14, 2024.

Persons: King Xia, ” Kuan, Taiwan’s, Ian Chong, Chong, ”, “ They’re, Chiu Kuo, Lai Ching, China’s, Nancy Pelosi’s, Tian Feilong, It’s, Tian, “, Lai Organizations: Taipei CNN, Taiwan’s United Daily News, Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council, Democratic Progressive Party, National University of Singapore, South China, Taiwan’s, Taiwan Coast Guard Administration Locations: Hong Kong, Taipei, Taiwanese, Kinmen, China’s, Beijing, Taiwan, Xiamen, China, East, South, Taiwan's, Nauru, Taiwan Strait

☆ Universe’s brightest known object and fastest-growing black hole revealed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Astronomers have spotted the brightest known object in the universe, and it’s a quasar powered by the fastest-growing black hole on record, according to a new study. The black hole powering the quasar devours the equivalent of one sun per day and has a mass about 17 billion times that of our sun, the researchers found. A black hole is massive power sourceThe intense gravitational influence of black holes draws matter toward these celestial objects in such an energetic way that the process creates light. The blinding radiation is due to the black hole’s accretion disk, or the ring around the black hole where material gathers before being consumed. The team followed up with observations from the powerful Very Large Telescope in Chile’s Atacama Desert to confirm details about the black hole, including its hefty mass.

Persons: ”, Christian Wolf, ” Wolf, Samuel Lai, Wolf, Southern Observatory’s Schmidt, Christopher Onken Organizations: CNN —, Southern, National University’s College of Science, National University’s Research, of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Hubble, Southern Observatory’s, Sky Survey, Sky, Dark Energy Survey, Energy Survey, ESO Locations: Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Atacama

☆ Prabowo Subianto: Once banned from the US, this fiery ex-army general is poised to lead Indonesia
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

“The most important objective of democracy is giving people the leaders and representatives they want,” Prabowo told reporters from his pool. Antara Foto/Galih Pradipta/ReutersMany are excited about a Prabowo presidency, like this hardcore supporter who has clearly taken his support to the extreme. Bagus Saragih/AFP/Getty ImagesMore recently, Prabowo has presented himself as a loyal Jokowi ally, serving as his defense minister for the past five years. Experts say Prabowo, known for his fiery speeches, military background and combative past will make for a very different kind of president. Indonesia has long been one of Australia’s most important bilateral relationships and experts say that will not change with Prabowo in charge.

Persons: Prabowo Subianto, ” Prabowo, Prabowo, Indonesia’s, Partai Probawo, Gibran, “ Prabowo, ”, Zachary Abuza, Abuza, “, Antara, Pradipta, Saragih, Widodo, Barack Obama, Tom Pepinsky, Rodrigo Duterte, Javier Milei, Trump, ” “, Dita Alangkara, Jokowi, Jacqui Baker, Laura Schwartz, Schwartz, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Adek Berry, Chong Ja Ian, Suharto, –, Dan Slater, Prabowo “, ” Slater, Chaideer Mahyuddin, Chong, Juni Kriswanto, Usman Hamid, Papuans, Veronica Koman, ” Koman Organizations: CNN, National War College, Getty, Southeast Asia, Cornell University, “, Center, Research, Senior Southeast, National University of Singapore, Center for Emerging Democracies, University of Michigan, Muda Airforce, Amnesty International Locations: Jakarta, United States, South Jakarta, Washington ,, AFP, Indonesia, Singapore, Ukraine, Russia, China, Australia, Asian, Perth, Asia, Beijing, Washington, “ Washington, Sultan, Muda, Aceh, West Papua, South China, Tentara Nasional Indonesia, Southeast Asia, “, Papua, Amnesty International Indonesia, restive, Indonesian, East Timor

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronomers have discovered what may be the brightest object in the universe, a quasar with a black hole at its heart growing so fast that it swallows the equivalent of a sun a day. The record-breaking quasar shines 500 trillion times brighter than our sun. The black hole powering this distant quasar is more than 17 billion times more immense than our sun, an Australian-led team reported Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy. The rotating disk around the quasar's black hole — the luminous swirling gas and other matter from gobbled-up stars — is like a cosmic hurricane. Further analysis shows the mass of the black hole to be 17 to 19 billion times that of our sun, according to the team.

Persons: —, Christian Wolf, ”, Priyamvada Natarajan Organizations: —, Australian National University, Southern Observatory, ” Yale, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla, Australian, gobbled, Australia

☆ New moon mission will attempt to make a historic landing
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Relying on his ace piloting skills, Armstrong manually navigated to a safe landing site, with only 30 seconds of fuel left. NASAAfter launching early Thursday morning, the Odysseus lunar lander, or “Odie,” is on a historic journey to the moon. The mission, developed by NASA and Houston-based Intuitive Machines, will aim to land near the lunar south pole on February 22. Ocean secretsResearchers created a 3D model of the submerged stone wall as it appears on the seafloor in Germany’s Bay of Mecklenburg. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.

Persons: CNN —, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Armstrong, it’s, Odie, ”, Jeff Koons, Artemis III, Charles Darwin, Dr, John van Wyhe, Darwin, . Hoy, J . Auer, LAKD, “, Gaurav, Gaurav Ramnarayanan, Uma Ramakrishnan, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, NASA, Darwin, National University of Singapore, University of Rostock, Wildlife, National, for Biological Sciences, Space Station, CNN Space, Science Locations: United States, Houston, Germany’s Bay, Mecklenburg, Bay, Baltic, SS Arlington, Superior, Denmark, Lincoln , Nebraska, British Columbia

☆ Why Singapore is quickly becoming the choice location for firms to support global carbon markets
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Sponsor Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Carbon credits continue to play an important role in the global transition towards net zero. As an innovative financing mechanism, carbon credits allow corporates to mobilize capital to support emission-reduction projects. The decision to anchor CAD Trust in Singapore stems from acknowledging that transparency and governance are rooted in its DNA. Why Singapore is a prime location for firms to support global carbon marketsSingapore has successfully attracted more than 100 carbon market and services players to establish the city-state as their home base in Southeast Asia. Singapore's expertise in carbon services and its trailblazing move implementing Southeast Asia's first carbon tax in 2019, also appealed to Calyx Global.

Persons: — Dinesh Babu, Grace Fu, Duncan van Bergen, Van Bergen, — Duncan van Bergen Organizations: Reuters, Singapore, for Nature, National University of Singapore, Data Trust, Government of, Emissions Trading Association, Singapore's, Sustainability, Meta, Trust, Insider Studios, Singapore Economic Development Board Locations: Dubai, Singapore, Government of Singapore, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, Africa, Paris, Bhutan, COP28, Asia

☆ Analysis-Indonesia's Prabowo Poised for Power, but How Will He Rule?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

One major question is how well, and for how long, his alliance with outgoing President Joko Widodo, or "Jokowi", will hold. On the campaign trail Prabowo has promised policy "continuity", but analysts say that is far from guaranteed. "Make no mistake a President Prabowo would be his own president." 'UNCERTAINTY' ON THE CARDSIn contrast to Jokowi, Prabowo is from an elite family, the son of a prominent Indonesian economist and the ex-son-law of the country's former authoritarian ruler, Suharto. Once his victory is officially endorsed, Prabowo will assume the controls of Southeast Asia's biggest economy on October 20.

Persons: Kate Lamb JAKARTA, Prabowo Subianto, Prabowo, Long, general's, Joko Widodo, Liam Gammon, Jokowi, Doug Ramage, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Indonesia's, Kevin O'Rourke, Suharto, “, He's, ANU's Gammon, Gammon, Kay Johnson, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Defence, Australian National University, ANU, Jokowi, Analysts, Human Rights Watch Locations: Indonesia, Prabowo, BowerGroupAsia, Indonesian, Ukraine, Qatar

They found that 10 countries, including Kenya, Morocco, Niger, Yemen, and Pakistan, experienced the majority of locust outbreaks among 48 affected nations. The researchers also found a strong link between the magnitude of desert locust outbreaks and weather and land conditions like air temperature, precipitation, soil moisture, and wind. El Nino, a recurring and natural climate phenomenon that affects weather worldwide, was also strongly tied to bigger and worse desert locust outbreaks. “As such variability increases, it is logical to predict that locust outbreaks will increase as well,” said Tallamy. The desert experienced locust outbreaks in 2019 after uncontrolled breeding following cyclones, which filled the desert with freshwater lakes.

Persons: Elfatih Abdel, Rahman, Douglas Tallamy, ”, Paula Shrewsbury, al Khali, Xiaogang Organizations: Agriculture Organization, National University of Singapore, Food, International, of, Physiology, Nino, University of Delaware, University of Maryland, World Bank, Associated Press Locations: Africa, South Asia, Agriculture, Kenya, Morocco, Niger, Yemen, Pakistan, East Africa, Shrewsbury, India, Asia, Arabian, West Africa, AP.org

☆ Locust Swarms Could Expand Their Range in a Hotter, Stormier World
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Raymond Zhong | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Rising temperatures could expand the area of the globe under threat from crop-devouring locusts by up to 25 percent in the coming decades, a new study found, as more places experience the cycles of drought and torrential rain that give rise to biblical swarms of the insects. Desert locusts for millenniums have been the scourge of farmers across northern Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. They love hot, dry conditions, but they need the occasional downpour to moisten the soil in which they incubate their eggs. Human-caused warming is heating up the locusts’ home turf and intensifying sporadic rains there. That is exposing new parts of the region to potential infestations, according to the study, which was published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.

Persons: ” Organizations: National University of Singapore Locations: Africa, East, South Asia

☆ Risk of Prabowo remilitarizing the government and economy is very low
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGrowing authoritarianism is the greater risk of a Prabowo presidency, not remilitarizing: ProfessorGreg Fealy from the Australian National University discusses what a Prabowo presidency could look like after Indonesia's presidential elections this year.

Persons: Greg Fealy Organizations: Australian National University

☆ Charles Darwin’s complete library has been reassembled for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —For the first time since his death in 1882, Charles Darwin’s impressive library has been virtually reassembled to reveal the multitude of books, pamphlets and journals cited and read by the influential naturalist. The catalog includes 9,300 links to copies of the library contents that are available for free online, inviting the public to peruse what Darwin read. After receiving letters from researchers and the public asking about specific titles from Darwin’s library, van Wyhe and his colleagues began their project to recreate it virtually in 2007. “He was a very highly educated person who learned ancient Greek and Latin in school as well as French,” van Wyhe said. “Instead of basing one’s understanding on the authors Darwin read that are mentioned in biographies, etc., anyone can now scroll through his whole library.

Persons: Charles Darwin’s, Darwin, “, ”, Dr, John van Wyhe, of Charles Darwin ”, Darwin’s, van Wyhe, ” van Wyhe, Charles Darwin, Walter William Ouless, John James Audubon, Paul Du Chaillu, John Stuart Mill, Auguste Comte, Elizabeth Gaskell’s “ Organizations: CNN, Darwin, National University of Singapore, of, University of Cambridge, Down, “, Cambridge University Library, Christ’s College Cambridge, HMS Locations: Darwin, Piecing, Downe , England, Down, Rischgitz, South America, Equatorial Africa, Africa, Swedish, Spanish

Increasingly, voters are demanding that the men vying to succeed him address the tradeoffs between fast growth and a healthy environment in the world's fourth most populated country. In recent years, surging commodity prices have fueled fast economic growth and helped Indonesia become a middle-income country. That growth is expected to slow as the boom loses steam, according to a World Bank report. “That means, if the government forces its development, it will involve inefficient and unproductive allocation of resources.”Another campaign issue: food estate programs, massive plantations the government set up to fortify national food security. INDONESIA’S ENERGY TRANSITIONIn 2021, coal-rich Indonesia was the world’s ninth-largest source of carbon emissions that are causing global warming, according to a report by the International Energy Agency.

Persons: —, Joko Widodo, It's, Joko Widodo —, Prabowo Subianto, Josua Pardede, ”, Arianto Patunru, Baswedan, Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara, El Organizations: Permata Bank, EV, Australian National University, of Economic, Law Studies, International Energy Agency, World Bank, Youth, Bank, El Nino, AP Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Jakarta, Nusantara, Borneo, Anies, Central Java, Widodo, Washington, Kalimantan

☆ ‘Moths to a flame’: Insect behavior around light isn’t about attraction, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Gaining a better understanding of the impact of artificial light on these winged creatures is crucial as light pollution plays an increasing role in the decline of global insect populations, the researchers wrote. Artificial light confuses nocturnal insectsWhen artificial light does not interfere, nocturnal insects keep their backs pointed toward whatever direction is brightest, which is typically the sky versus the ground. By using insect-scale motion-capture cameras, the researchers determined that the flying insects exhibited three consistent behaviors: orbiting, stalling and inverting. Moths and other insects can become trapped in a disorienting orbit around artificial light sources such as street lamps and porch lights. The new findings could help with conservation by fueling research on how to minimize the effects of light pollution on the insects, Dombroskie said.

Persons: it’s, critters, Samuel Fabian, Sam Fabian “, … It’s, ” Fabian, that’s, ”, Yash Sondhi, Sondhi, Sam Fabian, Fabian, Floyd Shockley, Shockley, ancestrally, “, Jason Dombroskie, Dombroskie Organizations: CNN, Nature Communications, Imperial College London’s, Florida Museum, Florida International University, Smithsonian National Museum of, Cornell, Insect, National Wildlife Foundation Locations: bioengineering, Miami, Washington , DC

☆ Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong acquitted in 2015 merger case
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Seoul CNN —Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong was found not guilty by a Seoul court on Monday on charges of stock manipulation and accounting fraud connected to a controversial merger in 2015 of two Samsung affiliates. The acquittal comes as a major relief to the chairman of Samsung Electronics, who has been embroiled in legal problems for years. They alleged that the merger of the two firms allowed Lee to gain a tighter grip on Samsung Electronics, the group’s flagship company. “Even if Lee’s control has been strengthened, the merger in this case cannot be considered unfair, as long as there is a reasonable purpose for the merger,” Park said. He added the decision will “lead to lowering the confidence of foreign investors in the Korean legal system and the soundness of the Korean capital market.”

Persons: Lee Jae, Lee, Park Jeong, ” Organizations: Seoul CNN — Samsung, Samsung, Samsung Electronics, Cheil Industries, Seoul, District Court, Seoul National University, CNN Locations: Seoul

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Inter Miami played six preseason matches last season. It's basically an around-the-world, big-crowd, big-money, bright-spotlight batch of preseason games for Inter Miami, which instantly became a global brand when Messi announced last summer that he was joining the Major League Soccer club. Political Cartoons View All 253 Images“It’s incredible,” said DeAndre Yedlin, the Inter Miami defender who was captain until Messi arrived. But Inter Miami not only understands the value of having Messi, it welcomed this massive preseason stretch in advance of an MLS season that starts Feb. 21. “You have to see how many times these people are going to have this possibility.”The financial benefit of Inter Miami and Messi playing in Saudi Arabia hasn't been revealed.

Persons: Lionel Messi's, Al Nassr, Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, ”, DeAndre Yedlin, it’s, Leo, he’s, what's, Ballon, Messi —, Germain, Gerardo “ Tata ” Martino, Saudi Arabia hasn't, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, LIV Golf, hasn't, ” Messi, Drake Callender, “ Organizations: — Inter Miami, Inter Miami, Al, Dallas, Cotton, Major League Soccer, ” Inter Miami, Argentina, MLS, Inter Miami —, Paris Saint, “, Messi, Saudi, Florida International University, it's, Ronaldo Locations: FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla, Florida, Saudi Arabia, Hilal, Portugal, El Salvador, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi, Spanish, Riyadh, “

☆ Australia marks national day that stokes patriotism and anger
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Angus Watson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Sydney CNN —“Australia Day is Dead!” Indigenous activist Gwenda Stanley chants into the loudspeaker, as a crowd of thousands breaks into applause. This is not a day to celebrate.”Nearby, Kevin Shaw-Taylor agrees January 26 is “absolutely not” an appropriate day for national celebrations. On the other side of the city, the Australia Day party was in full swing. A yacht sails in Sydney Harbor to mark Australia Day on January 16, 2024. Instead of guilt on Australia Day, a vast number of Australians “associate it with summer fun,” says Bongiorno, from the ANU.

Persons: Gwenda Stanley, It’s, Lynda, June Coe, Jenny Evans, ”, Grace, Elise, Kevin Shaw, Taylor, Arthur Phillip, Dan Himbrechts, EFE, Frank Bongiorno, –, Asanka Ratnayake, Chelsea Watego, “, Peter Dutton, ” Dutton, Dutton, Brad Banducci, Banducci, ” Banducci, Captain Cook, Queen Victoria, Queen, Diego Fedele, “ I’m, UQ’s, we’ve, we’re Organizations: Sydney CNN —, Indigenous, “, CNN, Australia, First Nations, Sydney, British Royal Navy, Australian National University, ANU, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islanders, Voters, Nations, Curumba, Sea, Indigenous Voice, Coalition, Woolworths, Sovereign Movement, Blak Locations: Sydney, “ Australia, Belmore, Sydney’s, Australia, Sydney Harbor, Melbourne, Queensland, Queen Victoria

More than 8.5 million abandoned homes in rural Japan are creating a "ghost town" problem. There are more than 8.5 million akiya , or abandoned homes, in rural Japan, according to the country's 2018 Housing and Land Survey, its most recent on record. The institute predicts akiya could exceed 30% of homes in Japan by 2033. As Richard Koo, the chief economist at NRI, told them at the time, the Japanese countryside has been hollowing out since the mid-'90s. Why aren't more Japanese people buying abandoned countryside homes?

Persons: —, who've, Richard Koo, There's, Chris McMorran, Koo, Douglas Southerland, McMorran, Natasha Durie, Durie, Eric McAskill, McAskill, Jaya Thursfield, Chihiro, Kurosawa, Joey Stockermans, akiya Organizations: Service, Survey, Nomura Research Institute, Business Insider's, NRI, National University of Singapore, of Anthropology, Ethnography, Oxford University, Canadian Real Estate Association Locations: Japan, Business Insider's Singapore, Gifu, Vancouver, Canada, Nagano Prefecture, England, Ibaraki Prefecture, London, North America, Kyushu, akiya

☆ Test Yourself: Which Faces Were Made by A.I.?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Stuart A. Thompson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Test Yourself: Which Faces Were Made by A.I.? Research published across multiple studies found that faces of white people created by A.I. 90% got it wrong Real90% got it wrong A.I. 89% got it wrong Top photos identified as “A.I.” Real90% got it wrong Real86% got it wrong Real84% got it wrong A.I. The images in the study came from StyleGAN2, an image model trained on a public repository of photographs containing 69 percent white faces.

Persons: Taylor Swift, ”, Amy Dawel, Dawel Organizations: Australian National University, telltale Locations: ”, StyleGAN2

☆ Why China hates the new president of Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"Lai Ching-te clings stubbornly to the separatist position for 'Taiwan independence.' A matter of Taiwan's independenceIn 2017, while he was premier, Lai referred to himself as a "pragmatic worker for 'Taiwan independence.'" AdvertisementLai has pledged to maintain status quo and stability in Taiwan, but China isn't backing down on its stance either. "I think China hates him, really hates him," Wu Xinbo, an international relations professor at Shanghai's Fudan University, told Reuters, referring to Lai. "It is because if he is elected as the leader of Taiwan, he may come to advance his goal of Taiwan independence, which will provoke a crisis across the Taiwan Strait," added Wu.

Persons: William Lai Ching, Taiwan's, Lai, —, Wiliam Lai Ching, Lai Ching, Xi Jinping, Wu Xinbo, Wu, Wang Yi, Jeremy Mark, William Lai, Chong Ja Ian, Chong, Tsai Ing Organizations: Democratic Progressive Party, Service, China's Taiwan Affairs Office, Chinese Communist Party, Shanghai's Fudan University, Reuters, Analysts, Lai's, Atlantic Council, Eurasia Group, KMT, National University of Singapore, Carnegie China, Channel News Asia Locations: China, Beijing, Taiwan, South America, Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's

☆ From livestreaming to 'shoppertainment,' Gen Zers lead the way in Singapore's online shopping space
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Audrey Wan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Logos of online social media and social networking sites displayed on a smartphone screen on August 01, 2023 in Bath, England. Many social media sites have introduced e-commerce features on their platforms, providing an alternative to popular online shopping sites like Lazada and Shopee. For example, users can purchase directly from TikTok shop or Facebook Marketplace without navigating outside of the application. Creators promoting products can also appeal to Gen Zers' preference for credibility by using livestreaming functions on social media platforms. As Gen Zers are digitally savvy, they rely a lot on social media nano-influencers to guide their purchasing decisions, he said.

Persons: Matt Cardy, Zers, Gen Zers, TikTok, Lawrence Loh, Tracy Loh, Wu Zu, Wu, Loh, millennials, Gen, SMU's Loh, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gen Zs Organizations: Getty, SINGAPORE, Meta, Bain & Company, Research, Social, Facebook, National University of Singapore's, Business, Singapore Management University, SMU, NUS, National University of Singapore Business, CNBC Locations: Bath, England, Singapore, Zers, Southeast Asia

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