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US and China join global leaders to lay out need for AI rulemaking

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:49 GMT

BLETCHLEY PARK, England — The United States and China joined global leaders to sign a 27-country agreement on the risk of AI that launched a two-day AI Safety Summit.In a major diplomatic coup for the British hosts, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo took the stage on Wednesday morning alongside Wu Zhaohui, China’s vice minister of science, at the summit at Bletchley Park — a former military installation north of London where British engineers used early forms of computers to break German codes during World War II.The site — symbolic of what London believes is a similar global need to rein in the potential harms of artificial technology — forms the backdrop for efforts by politicians, tech executives and academics to find new ways to police a technology evolving faster than almost all governments can respond to it.This week alone, the U.S. government and G7 group of leading Western democracies published separate efforts to regulate artificial intelligence in the form of a W...

Salem State University student killed in overnight shooting in Salem

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:49 GMT

Authorities say a university student was killed early Wednesday morning after a shooting in Salem.The Essex District Attorney’s Office said 18-year-old Carl Hens Beliard of Salem State University was found inside a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds around 1:30 a.m. after officers were called to Forest Avenue for a report of a shooting.According to the DA’s office, Beliard was pronounced dead after he was taken to Salem Hospital.“As both the Salem State president and a college dad, this tragedy is heartbreaking for all in our community and every parent’s worst nightmare,” Salem State University President John Keenan stated.“This senseless gun violence is tragic not only for the victim’s family but for the SSU community and beyond. State Police detectives assigned to my office are working closely with the Salem Police Department and Salem State University officials to identify and bring the person responsible to justice,” Essex District Attorney Paul Tucker said....

FDA considers first CRISPR gene editing treatment that may cure sickle cell

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:49 GMT

(CNN) — At age 45, Dr. Lakiea Bailey said, for the longest time, that she was the oldest person with sickle cell anemia that she knew. The executive director of the nonprofit patient advocacy group the Sickle Cell Consortium was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at age three. Because of it, she’s had heart problems, had her hips replaced, and experienced serious pain all her life.Bailey told the US Food and Drug Administration’s independent advisory committee Tuesday that she believes a cutting-edge therapy that is currently under review offers the sickle cell community something many haven’t ever had before – hope.“Hope is on the horizon, and we are looking toward this hope for a change of the lives that we are living of excruciating pain,” Bailey told the FDA committee on Tuesday.The independent committee is helping the FDA think through how it should evaluate a treatment called exa-cel that could potentially cure people of sickle cell disease, ...

Chicago basketball report: Bulls chase consistency after rocky start — and could Skylar Diggins-Smith join the Sky?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:49 GMT

The Chicago Bulls are looking to set things straight after an up-and-down first week of the regular season highlighted by a blowout loss and buzzer- beater win.The Chicago Sky are looking ahead after naming a new head coach and general manager.Every Wednesday throughout the season, Tribune writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead for the Bulls, Sky and local hoops.Chicago Bulls finish whirlwind first week of the season 2-2The Bulls could not have gotten off to a rockier start — a blowout loss and a players meeting on the first night of the season. Players were furious after taking an “unacceptable” 124-104 beating from the Oklahoma City Thunder at home. They responded two nights later by scrabbling for an overtime win punctuated by an 18-point fourth quarter from DeMar DeRozan and a game-winning 3-pointer by Alex Caruso.But the win didn’t shake off any of the uncertainty facing the Bulls. They dropped a 118-102 loss to th...

Patriots coach Bill Belichick reacts to Josh McDaniels’ firing in Las Vegas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:49 GMT

FOXBORO — Early Wednesday morning, the Raiders announced they fired head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler after going 9-16 under their leadership.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Bill Belichick dodges on Patriots’ inactivity at NFL trade deadline New England Patriots | Bill O’Brien offers blunt assessment of disappointing Patriots offense New England Patriots | Patriots sit tight at NFL trade deadline, what’s next? New England Patriots | Patriots-Dolphins film review: The simple reason Bill Belichick and Mac Jones lost again at Miami New England Patriots | Source: Josh Uche is Patriots’ most likely trade candidate ahead of deadline McDaniels and Ziegler left the Patriots for Las Vegas in Jan. 2022 and lasted just a season and a half together. The last time McDaniels was fired as a head coach in 2010, he spent one season working outside of New Engla...

Mass and Cass tents coming down in Boston now

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:49 GMT

The tents on Mass and Cass are coming down!At 8 a.m., the first tent poles were being pulled by a resident of the Mile even before police nearby entered the encampment.It was a chilly 38 degrees with an icy breeze and no one seemed to be in any rush.At 8:27 a.m., police began meeting off to the side after three sergeants had quietly ventured into the makeshift neighborhood that’s been home to human trafficking, drug use and abuse, and an eyesore that never seemed to stop festering.At 8:35 a.m., City Council President Ed Flynn came down to “thank police and other people helping here.” That included Mary Ann Ponti, director of outreach programs at St. Anthony Shrine.Ponti, who didn’t want to say much while working the scene, was attempting to help a woman who was pacing as the mayor’s tent ordinance was now all too real.As the Herald reported today, the Shrine is part of a team assembled to help give those who have moved in along this misery Mile a path o...

Chicago Bears — who rank 6th in the NFL in rushing — dismiss running backs coach David Walker

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:49 GMT

The Chicago Bears have dismissed running backs coach David Walker, a league source told the Tribune on Wednesday morning.It is the latest sign of tumult for a 2-6 team that has yet to win consecutive games under the two-season watch of general manager Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus.It is unclear yet what precipitated Walker’s removal.He is the second assistant coach from Eberflus’ staff to exit since the regular season began. In September, defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned from the organization for what the Tribune learned from multiple sources was a conduct-related departure.The Bears remain in last place in the NFC North and are coming off a 30-13 blowout loss on “Sunday Night Football” to the Los Angeles Chargers. On Tuesday, just ahead of the league’s trade deadline, Poles sent the team’s 2024 second-round draft pick to the Washington Commanders in exchange for defensive end Montez Sweat.After leading the NFL in rushing a year ago ...

Bill Belichick dodges on Patriots’ inactivity at NFL trade deadline

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:49 GMT

FOXBORO — The Patriots stood pat at the NFL’s trade deadline Tuesday.On Wednesday, Bill Belichick took his first questions about the team’s inactivity at the deadline. Belichick deflected the first two questions, saying his focus was on preparing for Sunday’s game against Washington. On Tuesday, the Commanders (3-4) were among the most active teams at the deadline, trading defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat for picks in the second and third round of next year’s draft.Pressed about any trade talks the Patriots (2-6) might have had Tuesday, Belichick repeatedly declined to offer specifics and called it “just another day.”Below is a complete transcript of Belichick’s comments Wednesday related to the trade deadline:Q: The trade deadline was yesterday. Was it a busy day for you guys?Belichick: “Yeah, we’re getting ready for Washington.”Q: Were you close on anything?Belichick: “Spent time getting ready for W...

Kids in San Diego County can trade in their Halloween candy for cash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:49 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Now that Halloween has come and gone, trick-or-treaters throughout San Diego County may have more than enough candy to go around. Instead of indulging in all that sugar, The Super Dentists are encouraging kids to participate in their buy-back program instead. Volunteers to man Día de los Muertos altar in Hillcrest after vandalism incident How does it work? It's as easy as bringing in bags of Halloween candy to one of six of their offices throughout the region. Drop-off locations can be found here:Carmel Valley (11943 El Camino Real #200) Chula Vista (345 F Street, Suite 260) Eastlake (2226 Otay Lakes Road, Suites A & B) Kearny Mesa (9737 Aero Drive #210) Oceanside (3625 Vista Way) Escondido (390 West Valley Parkway)  Between Nov. 1-6, kids can receive $1 for each pound of candy they bring in to one of these offices. Pedestrians injured after being struck by vehicles on Halloween Several local schools are also participating in the ...

Make the next federal vote a ‘carbon tax election,’ Poilievre challenges Trudeau

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:49 GMT

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is challenging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to a “carbon tax election,” and is calling on the Liberals to exempt all home heating from carbon pricing until the next federal vote.Poilievre threw down the challenge in an address to his caucus this morning, where he chided the Liberals’ decision to pause the levy only for home heating oil over the next three years.That decision, along with a pledge to increase the top-up to carbon rebates for rural Canadians, came amid weak polling for the Liberals in Atlantic Canada, where the federal carbon price came into effect in July, and where about one-third of homes use heating oil. The prime minister seems eager to go to battle with Poilievre over climate action, saying this morning that the Tories have no plan for climate change — which Trudeau says means they also have no plan on the economy.He has ruled out any further “carve-outs” to the carbon pricing system ami...