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Bill Gates: AI is most important tech advance in decades

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The development of artificial intelligence (AI), according to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, is the most significant technological achievement in decades.

He compared it to the development of the microprocessor, personal computer, Internet, and mobile phone in a blog post on Tuesday. According to him, it will alter how people work, learn, travel, access healthcare, and interact with one another.

He was discussing the technology behind programmes like ChatGPT, a chatbot. ChatGPT, an AI chatbot created by OpenAI, is built to respond to internet queries in a manner that is natural and human-like.

Microsoft, where Mr. Gates still serves as an advisor, made a multibillion dollar investment in the project’s team in January 2023. But it is not the only AI-powered chatbot available, with Google recently introducing rival Bard.

Mr. Gates claimed that since 2016, he has met with OpenAI, the group behind the artificial intelligence that drives chatbot ChatGPT.

Mr. Gates stated in his blog that he issued the OpenAI team a challenge to develop an AI that can pass an Advanced Placement (AP) Biology exam in 2022, which is roughly equivalent to an A-level exam. The challenge came with the strict requirement that the AI could not be specifically programmed to respond to questions in biology. A few months later, the findings were made public. According to him, the score was nearly perfect, with only one mark out of fifty being missed.

Mr. Gates claimed that after the test, he instructed the AI to compose a letter to a father of a sick child.

Mr Gates, who co-chairs the charitable Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, called on governments to work with industry to “limit the risks” of AI, but said the technology could be used to save lives.

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French reforms: Macron refuses to give way as pension protests escalate

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In the face of nationwide protests and two no-confidence votes, French President Emmanuel Macron has defended his decision to push through an increase in the pension age with a resolute attitude.

Radical transformation is a need, he stressed, not a luxury or a pleasure. The government’s use of constitutional authority to drive through reforms without a vote in the National Assembly has emboldened protesters.

On Thursday, there will be a ninth round of nationwide strikes and demonstrations. Several locations have seen hundreds of arrests over the course of six nights of protests.

Bins that were left overflowing by garbage collectors have been set on fire, and 13% of gas stations are out of gasoline as a result of blockades at oil refineries. Nearly half of the pumps in the southern Bouches-du-Rhône region have stopped working.

The upcoming trip to France by King Charles has also been clouded by the demonstrations. Sandrine Rousseau, a Green Party lawmaker, demanded that the trip be cancelled: “Is welcoming Charles III to Versailles truly the top priority? French society is going through something, so it’s important to go and talk to the society that is rising up.”

Mr. Macron made his first public comments on the mounting pensions debate in an interview that was broadcast on two of the major French television networks under pressure to defuse the situation.

He allegedly informed party representatives at the Elysée Palace prior to his appearance that there would be no change in course. He ruled out any drastic action, including a change in the makeup of the government or the dissolution of the legislature.

It was “always a good thing if you want to be respectful to our institutions,” Mr. Macron told his colleagues, adding that he had no regrets about pushing through the reforms.

He and the prime minister have maintained that 175 hours of parliamentary debate had been spent on the measures. Mr. Macron emphasised that several parties had supported the change during its passage through the legislature but then sponsored a motion of no confidence that narrowly failed.

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Ukraine says Russian missiles destroyed in Crimea

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Russian missiles that were being delivered by rail in the north of the annexation of Crimea were destroyed, according to the Ukrainian defence ministry. The city of Dzhankoi’s newly-installed Russian mayor claimed drones had targeted the neighbourhood.

Ukraine reported the blasts but, as is customary, did not specifically claim responsibility for the attack. If true, it would be a very infrequent military incursion by Ukraine into Crimea, which has been annexed since 2014.

In the past, Russia has been attacked in Crimea, but most of the time, Ukraine has refused to take credit or has attributed the attacks to political sabotage. If this strike was real, it would indicate that the Ukrainian air force’s ability to use drones has improved.

Up until today, it has appeared that Ukrainian rockets cannot reach Crimea. Nonetheless, this attack shows that drones are at least capable of penetrating Russian defences farther than previously believed.

Russian Kalibr-NK cruise missiles meant for the Russian Black Sea Fleet were destroyed by the “strange” explosions, according to Ukrainian defence intelligence. In recent months, strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure have frequently used Kailbr missiles.

According to an unconfirmed account from a local resident that was mentioned on Ukrainian TV, there were “booms” that lasted for 30 minutes and left some of Dzhankoi without electricity. The explosions “continue Russia’s demilitarisation process and set up the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea for deoccupation,” according to the military ministry.

Russian forces have utilised Dzhankoi as a rail hub connecting Crimea with other regions of seized Ukraine. According to Russian TV reports, there was no damage to the rail infrastructure as a result of the strike on Tuesday.

According to preliminary results, a residential building and a store were damaged, according to Russia’s investigation body. It stated that all of the targets were civilian.

The Russian-installed administrator, Ihor Ivin, reported that a 33-year-old male was rushed to the hospital for treatment after being injured by shrapnel from a downed drone. He said nothing about any military objectives being hurt.

According to Mr. Ivin, the electricity grid was destroyed and a number of structures caught fire. According to a different Russian-appointed official, a drone was struck above a technical institute in the middle of an instruction area and a student residence. Separately, officials in southern Russia said that Ukrainian military had used a drone to attack an oil pipeline pumping station north of the Ukrainian border. There were none, according to the governor of the Bryansk region.

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Rare Computer Mouse That Inspired Steve Jobs Auctioned Off For 147,000 Pounds

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According to Metro, a computer mouse that served as one of Steve Jobs’ primary sources of inspiration recently sold for a staggering 147,000 pounds (Rs 1,48,89,174). Douglas Engelbart’s rare three-button mouse and coding keyset were sold at a Boston-based auction for about 12 times their original estimate of £12,000.


Importantly, the late Apple CEO’s initial rollerball-controlled mouse was modelled after Mr. Engelbart’s invention.

”The rare, early three-button computer mouse designed by Engelbart, measuring approximately 4″ x 2.75″ x 2.5″, utilizes two metal discs (corresponding to the X-axis and Y-axis) on the bottom to locate the position of the cursor, rather than a ball or optical light that came to be used later,” a description of the product on the auction page reads.

The coding keyset has five keys, allowing for 31 possible key presses when typing and entering commands. Using this hardware setup, a user could point and click with the mouse in their right hand while typing commands with their left hand on the keypad.

Steve Jobs had the opportunity to see the mouse and the graphical user interface (GUI) in action in 1979 while touring a research centre. Steve made the decision to streamline and include these simple functions in Apple’s computers after being quite impressed by their use.

Jobs was determined to create a single-button model that costs only 12 pounds because the 245 pound Xerox mice did not roll smoothly. Apple then paid around 33,000 pounds to licence Mr. Engelbart’s mouse patent and contracted IDEO to design the mouse. Engelbart’s idea would, in part, alter the trajectory of modern existence, according to Bobby Livingston, executive vice president at RR Auction. This device played a crucial role in the evolution of computer history.”

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EU Agrees 2 Billion Euros Ammunition Plan For Ukraine

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The foreign ministers of the European Union decided on a two billion euro plan on Monday to raid their own stockpiles and buy Ukraine the critical artillery ammunition it needs.
At a meeting in Brussels, the ministers supported a multifaceted plan that will be approved by EU leaders at a summit this week and intends to supply Ukraine with one million shells over the course of the following year while also restocking EU inventories. As Russia’s year-long invasion has devolved into a gruelling attrition war, Kiev has complained that its forces are being forced to limit weapons.

In order to help its soldiers fend off Moscow’s assault and enable them to launch new counteroffensives later in the year, Ukraine has informed the EU that it needs 350,000 shells every month.

Catherine Colonna, France’s foreign minister, stated, “We have to help Ukraine more, quicker, and now.”

The first component of the proposal pledges an additional one billion euros ($1.06 billion) in shared spending in an effort to persuade EU member states to use their already limited stockpiles of readily deployable ammunition.

In the second phase, the EU would spend an additional one billion euros to purchase 155 mm shells for Ukraine as part of a large joint procurement effort designed to encourage EU defence companies to increase output.

A significant new step for the EU, which has seen ongoing efforts to cooperate more cooperatively on defence advanced by Russia’s war, is purchasing weapons on this scale collectively.

The EU’s defence agency or the member states should negotiate the orders, and countries have been arguing over whether they should exclusively purchase from European suppliers.

According to diplomats, the plan aims to sign the joint contracts by the beginning of September and send the first billion euros’ worth of shells to Ukraine by the end of May.

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Credit Suisse bank: UBS is in talks to take over its troubled rival

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UBS, the largest bank in Switzerland, is in advanced negotiations to acquire all or a portion of its ailing rival Credit Suisse. The second-largest Swiss bank, Credit Suisse, is experiencing a crisis of confidence, and its shares have dropped precipitously recently, worrisome the markets.

The Financial Times reports that UBS is prepared to offer up to $1 billion (£820 million) to acquire Credit Suisse. Before the markets open again on Monday, regulators are attempting to broker a solution.

The stability of the global financial system has been called into question as a result of the problems at Credit Suisse and the bankruptcy of two smaller US banks over the past two weeks.

One of the roughly 30 banks considered too big to fail due to its significance to the banking system is Credit Suisse.

Yet, the 167-year-old organisation is in the red and has encountered numerous issues lately, including accusations of money laundering.

The Swiss National Bank’s emergency $54 billion (£44.5 billion) lifeline on Wednesday failed to calm the markets, and Credit Suisse shares fell 24%, sparking a larger sell-off on European markets.

The FT, which broke the news that regulators and the Swiss National Bank were aiding discussions between the two Swiss banking goliaths, said a deal might be reached as soon as Sunday night.

Credit Suisse shares would be valued at less than a sixth of their Friday price under the offer that is currently thought to be on the table. The FT, however, stated that an agreement has not yet been signed and that the terms could alter. The FT reports that the Swiss authorities are preparing to amend the country’s regulations to forgo a shareholder vote on the transaction, which would ordinarily give UBS shareholders six weeks to review a deal of this magnitude.

While regulators and management contemplate the future of Credit Suisse, Bank of England officials have acknowledged they are in frequent contact with their counterparts at the Swiss National Bank. The situation is also being watched by the UK Treasury.

Credit Suisse warned it does not expect to be profitable until 2024 after reporting a loss of 7.3 billion Swiss francs ($7.9 billion; £6.5 billion) in 2022, the company’s worst year since the 2008 financial crisis.

UBS, however, generated a $7.6 billion profit in 2022. Any agreement may also lead to massive employment losses.

Credit Suisse handles the assets of wealthy clients in addition to being a domestic bank with 95 locations. It also operates a global investment banking operation.

By the end of last year Credit Suisse had a global headcount of 50,480, including 16,700 in Switzerland, albeit 9,000 jobs were to be eliminated, the Swiss broadcaster SRF reports.

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Putin arrest warrant: Biden welcomes ICC’s war crimes charges

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The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, and US Vice President Joe Biden has applauded this. The International Criminal Court (ICC) charged President Putin with war crimes in Ukraine, which President Biden stated the Russian president had “obviously” committed.

The allegations centre on the forcible removal of kids from Ukraine to Russia following Moscow’s incursion in 2022. The warrants have been called “outrageous” by Moscow, which has refuted the accusations.

The move has very little chance of succeeding because the ICC lacks the authority to detain suspects without the cooperation of a nation’s government. Since Russia is not a party to the ICC, the court’s jurisdiction over that nation does not extend to The Hague.

Nevertheless, it might have other effects on Mr. Putin, such making it impossible for him to travel abroad. He might now be detained if he enters any of the 123 states that make up the court.

The third president to receive an ICC arrest warrant is Mr. Putin.

The warrant’s issuance, according to President Biden, “makes a very compelling statement,” despite the fact that the court had no influence in the US as well.

According to him, he obviously committed war crimes, as he told reporters.

It had already been “officially decided” by his administration that Russia had committed war crimes during the conflict in Ukraine, and vice president Kamala Harris had promised that those responsible would “be called to account” in February.

The United Nations also released a report earlier this week that found Moscow’s forced removal of Ukrainian children to areas under its control amounted to a war crime.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) claimed in a statement on Friday that it had solid evidence that Mr. Putin had both worked alone and in concert with others to conduct the crimes. Additionally, he was charged with neglecting to exercise his executive authority to halt the deportation of minors.

Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, is also sought by the ICC for the same offences. The warrants were “based upon forensic evidence, scrutiny, and what’s been spoken by those two persons,” according to ICC prosecutor Karim Khan.

The court ultimately opted to make the arrest warrants public in an effort to prevent more crimes from being committed after first considering keeping them hidden.

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France pension protests: Clashes after Macron orders rise in pension age without vote

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After the French administration opted to push through pension reforms without a vote in parliament, police and demonstrators fought in Paris. In response to the retirement age increase from 62 to 64, crowds gathered in Place de la Concorde.

Two months of vehement political debate and strikes had been provoked by the plans. The government may now avoid a vote in the Assembly by using article 49:3 of the constitution, according to Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne.

There was no assurance of securing a majority, therefore the decision was made just minutes before MPs were due to vote on the contentious law. Politicians from the opposition were incensed by the action. At parliament, many booed the prime minister, performed the Marseillaise, and displayed protest signs.

Mathilde Panot, the leader of the left-wing party La France Insoumise (LFI), stated that Mr. Macron has thrown the nation into a government crisis without the support of either the parliamentary or popular parties.

The national anthem was sung and union flags were waved as thousands of people protested the decision in the streets of Paris and other French cities. As dusk fell, several demonstrators and police engaged in combat. The Plaza de la Concorde was set on fire, and police with shields and batons moved to clear the area while firing tear gas into it.

According to the Paris police, 120 persons had been detained by evening.

Despite the fact that Mr. Macron ran for reelection last year on a platform of retirement reforms, his ruling coalition lacks a majority in the Assembly, making Republican support for the pension changes necessary.

In an effort to approve their plan, representatives from Mr. Macron’s Renaissance party spent the morning frantically cajoling lawmakers. Because to the bill’s obvious unpopularity and the knowledge that some of their MPs may abstain, they turned to extraordinary constitutional authorities.

But, whenever a government uses the 49:3, it may be sure that it will be immediately accused of trampling on the people’s will. In fact, it has been used precisely 100 times in the more than 60 years of the Fifth Republic, and by governments of all shades.

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News Trending War

Poland to send four fighter jets to Ukraine ‘in coming days’

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Poland has announced that it will send four F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine “in the coming days” to provide support to the country in its ongoing conflict with Russia. The move comes as tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to escalate, with Ukrainian officials reporting a significant buildup of Russian troops along the border.

According to Poland’s Defense Minister, Mariusz Blaszczak, the jets will be sent to Ukraine as part of a joint military exercise between the two countries. He also stated that the exercise was intended to “increase the security of Poland and Ukraine” and “demonstrate our readiness to respond to any threat.”

The deployment of the jets has been met with criticism from Russia, with officials calling the move “provocative” and warning that it could lead to a further escalation of the conflict. However, Ukraine has welcomed the move, with President Volodymyr Zelensky thanking Poland for its support.

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia began in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. Since then, fighting has erupted in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 13,000 people and has displaced millions.

The deployment of the fighter jets is seen as a show of support for Ukraine by Poland, which has been a strong supporter of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. It is also seen as a signal to Russia that Poland is prepared to defend its allies in the region.

In conclusion, Poland’s decision to send fighter jets to Ukraine is a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. While it has been met with criticism from Russia, it is a clear demonstration of Poland’s support for Ukraine and its willingness to defend its allies in the region.

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Credit Suisse shares plunge as bank fear widens

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As investors continue to be on edge following the failure of Silicon Valley Bank, shares of the ailing Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse have fallen to a historic low. When Credit Suisse acknowledged “significant weakness” in its accounting procedures on Tuesday, its stock fell by as much as 30% at one point.

Investors are concerned about how the bank, which is struggling, would deal with the consequences of American bank collapses. The concerns spread to the stock markets, causing a severe decline in all major indices.

“The problems in Credit Suisse once more raise the question whether this is the beginning of a global crisis or just another ‘idiosyncratic’ case,” wrote Andrew Kenningham of Capital Economics.

The top executive of the bank stated that there was no reason to worry about the bank’s financial situation and that its cash reserves were “still very, very solid.”

But, concern over issues at such a significant global player put pressure on banking shares globally.

As the Stoxx Europe banking share index fell 7%, the prime ministers of France and Spain intervened to comfort investors.

Key indices fell across Europe as well. The FTSE 100 in London, the CAC 40 in France, and the DAX in Germany all experienced closing declines of over 3%. The IBEX 35 closed more than 4% down in Spain.

While shares in large and small banks were damaged, the three major exchanges in the US also declined.

Problems in the banking sector began in the US last week with the collapse of SVB, the country’s 16th-largest bank.

The bank was shut down by US regulators on Friday, marking the biggest failure of a US bank since 2008. The bank was known for lending to technology companies. The UK division of SVB was purchased by HSBC for £1.

Following the SVB failure, the New York-based Signature Bank similarly failed, with all deposits at both institutions being guaranteed by US regulators.

But, worries that other banks may experience similar problems have persisted, and this week’s trade in bank shares has been erratic.

SVB ran into issues when it had to sell US government bonds it had been holding in order to raise money.

But as the US Federal Reserve rose, the value of these bond holdings decreased during the past year.Many other central banks – including the Bank of England – have also been raising interest rates. As rates rise, the value of bond portfolios has declined.

The falls mean many banks could be sitting on significant potential losses. However, the change in value would not typically be a problem unless other pressures – like significant outflows of customer funds – force the firms to sell the holdings.

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