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2025-01-14   

DETROIT (AP) — Starting in September of 2027, all new passenger vehicles in the U.S. will have to sound a warning if rear-seat passengers don’t buckle up. Related Articles National News | Former TV host Carlos Watson gets nearly 10 years in prison in case about failed startup Ozy Media National News | TikTok asks the Supreme Court for an emergency order to block a US ban unless it’s sold National News | Survivors seek a reckoning as FBI investigates child sex abuse in little-known Christian sect National News | Trump migrant deportations could threaten states’ agricultural economies National News | Federal Reserve is likely to slow its rate cuts with inflation pressures still elevated The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that it finalized the rule, which also requires enhanced warnings when front seat belts aren’t fastened. The agency estimates that the new rule will save 50 lives per year and prevent 500 injuries when fully in effect, according to a statement. The new rule will apply to passenger cars, trucks, buses except for school buses, and multipurpose vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds. Before the rule, seat belt warnings were required only for the driver’s seat. Under the new rule, outboard front-seat passengers also must get a warning if they don’t fasten their belts. Front-center seats will not get a warning because NHTSA found that it wouldn’t be cost effective. The agency said most vehicles already have warnings for the outboard passenger seats. The rule also lengthens the duration of audio and visual warnings for the driver’s seat. The front-seat rules are effective starting Sept. 1 of 2026. Rear passengers consistently use seat belts at a lower rate than front passengers, the agency says. In 2022, front belt use was just under 92%, while rear use dropped to about 82%. About half of automobile passengers who died in crashes two years ago weren’t wearing belts, according to NHTSA data. The seat belt rule is the second significant regulation to come from NHTSA in the past two months. In November the agency bolstered its five-star auto safety ratings to include driver assistance technologies and pedestrian protection. Safety advocates want the Department of Transportation, which includes NHTSA, to finish several more rules before the end of the Biden administration, because President-elect Donald Trump has said he’s against new government regulations. Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, urged the department to approve automatic emergency braking for heavy trucks and technology to prevent impaired driving.Those who watched the video may be forgiven for thinking ghosts are real. Before their eyes was the familiar face of the late former Indonesian dictator Suharto , seated at a desk against a yellow background, wearing a traditional black kopiah hat and a batik shirt. Flanked by the flags of Indonesia and his party, Golkar, Suharto urged his listeners to vote for Golkar representatives in the upcoming elections. There was just one problem: the video came out in January 2024, a month before the presidential election that had as its frontrunner, Suharto’s former son-in-law and general, Prabowo Subianto, and Suharto died 16 years ago, in January 2008. Racking up over 4.7 million views as of December 22, the video was a “deepfake,” where technology was used to mimic the appearance and voice of the late dictator. It was shared by Erwin Aksa, the deputy general chair of Golkar, on X (formerly Twitter). Aksa clarified in the video caption that it was made using artificial intelligence technology, or AI. After exhorting viewers to elect the “right representatives,” Aksa said: “This video was made using AI technology to remind us how important our votes are in general elections which will determine the future so that the hopes of the Indonesian people are realised and prosperous.” Must Read What can the Philippines learn from how AI was used in Indonesia’s 2024 election? In neighboring Malaysia, the fast and affordable Internet connections available there allow citizens to consume online content at faster rates than ever before, including short videos like TikTok reels. This helped shape elections as well. The rise of the Malaysian Islamist Party (PAS) in the 2022 general election, the party that won the most seats (49 out of 222) in parliament, could be largely attributed to PAS’ mastery of TikTok , according to experts. Elections galore 2024 has been a remarkable year for elections , and particularly for elections in Asia. We’ve seen voters in Taiwan, Bangladesh, South Korea, Iran, Japan, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan head to the polls, in many cases, resulting in changes of government or at least significant losses by the incumbents. If that does happen, long-running policies or plans for the future may be shelved, as the country either adjusts to a new government with different priorities, or the incumbents revise their policies to appeal to more voters before they get thrown out of power. With such high stakes, it is important that elections are kept free and fair, and voters have all the necessary information before they make up their minds. But if AI technology can be misused, generate misinformation and manipulate the voters, could elections be tipped one way or the other by nefarious actors, people who may not even reside in the country? We shine a spotlight of how AI, social media and electoral politics have already become enmeshed and entrenched in two recent elections in Malaysia and Indonesia. Internet-savvy countries Indonesia is a massive country in Southeast Asia, with a population of over 278 million, but it also has a high level of internet penetration. According to Indonesian site Antara News , citing the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association in January 2024, said that Internet penetration had reached 79.5%. With this figure reaching even higher levels among the younger generations (Generation Z from 19 to 27 years old had over 87% ), and the fact that Indonesia recorded the most number of TikTok users in the world in July 2024, surpassing the United States, it seems likely that Internet videos will remain an indelible element of future elections. Indonesia eventually elected Prabowo Subianto , defense minister and chair of Gerindra as the next president. But Golkar improved its own performance , gaining 15.3% of the vote as opposed to 12.3 in 2019, remaining the second-largest party in the legislature. Perhaps the AI video helped them on their way. In Malaysia, the use of the Internet has become far more widespread. “The environment has changed completely,” said James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania, about modern social media. Thanks to upgraded Internet access and cheaper telecommunications technology, more people in Malaysia have access to social media than ever before. “For example, you can get unlimited broadband for your mobile phone in Malaysia, the cost is about 25 ringgit (US$6) a month,” he said. And what do the people use their high-speed Internet connections for? Getting online and sharing content one may have found elsewhere, without being too concerned about its authenticity. Lessons from Indonesia The Republic of Indonesia is somewhat overlooked when democratic elections are discussed, but it happens to be the world’s third-largest democracy , after India and the United States of America. With a GDP of US$1.37 trillion (2023), and a formidable military , Indonesia is one of the most significant countries in the Southeast Asia region. It is also a major diplomatic power in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and arguably in the greater Asia Pacific region. With its prominent position, elections in Indonesia therefore have significant impact on the region and the wider world. Hundreds of people run for elected office to help shape Indonesia’s destiny. One such person is Anindya Shabrina, 29, a legal affairs specialist who joined Indonesia’s Labour Party and ran as a candidate in the February 2024 elections. Describing herself as politically active since she was a student, Anindya decided to join the Labour Party, attracted to its left-leaning stance and open approach to recruitment. “Traditionally, young people who can compete in electoral politics here are mostly from political or wealthy families, but in the Labor Party, anyone can run.” Despite her parents’ concerns, they gave their full support to Anindya’s bid to stand for a seat on the Regional People’s Representative Council of East Java, in an ultimately unsuccessful effort. And perhaps they were right to be concerned. Anindya called the experience “incredibly challenging”, citing the financial disparity between herself and her more established opponents, who could promise tangible monetary assistance while she could only expound on her proposals. Anindya said that during the course of her campaign, she had come across several instances of AI-generated video clips used to support candidates, including the Suharto video. Even her own party got involved, although they decided to stop following concerns raised by creative industry workers. However, there was another, far nastier hurdle she faced. Anonymous online detractors leveled personal attacks and harsh criticism at her, and she even faced attacks from supposed political allies who objected to her even taking part in the election. “There have been attempts to cancel me, including spreading strange rumors, and an anarchist group even created a poster calling for violence against me.” When asked if she thinks AI technology would have made the situation worse, Anindya had zero doubt. “Especially for women,” she added, raising the possibility of using AI to create fake nude images. This is not an unfounded fear, with women politicians in other countries being harassed, insulted and attacked online. During the rule of right-wing Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, there was a surge of online gendered attacks , particularly on social media networks like Facebook. Lower barrier to entry Manipulated or edited photographs have been around for decades. Soviet Union dictator Josef Stalin had photos edited when the people in them drew his ire. In the computer age, Photoshop became a common tool, and was quickly used to transform photos for political purposes. Behold this picture of Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate in the 2008 election, edited to look as though she was toting a gun and wearing a bikini. But although Photoshop was widely available, anyone who intended to create digitally-manipulated images with the programme had to have some skills in the first place. In contrast, using an open AI program has a much lower barrier to entry. As Benjamin Ang explained, “AI opens up the capability to more people in Photoshop.” Previously, one needed skills in Photoshop or video and audio editing. But now, such skills are practically not needed because all the tools are available to the public, even if they don’t understand the language of their target audience. Ang is a Senior Fellow of the Rajaratnam School of International Studies, and the Head of the Centre of Excellence for National Security. In his concurrent role as Head of Digital Impact Research, Ang is very familiar with the development of AI, and its widespread use in society, including in the political arena. Ang shed some light on just how and why AI has come about by leaps and bounds within the last few years, going from science-fiction and the mostly theoretical realm to widespread, everyday use. Calling it a “hockey-stick” effect, where progress is flat for a long time before it suddenly shoots up, Ang pointed to two other factors for the rapid development of AI. The first is the development of computer chips to the point where processing power is fast enough to handle the demands of AI. The second, Ang pointed out, is there has been roughly two decades of social media use where people have uploaded a staggering amount of personal information online. This, he said, allowed programmers to feed such information into data sets to train machine learning algorithms. Speed and ease Ang also highlighted that AI has made the speed of generating such content much faster. “Something which would have taken you an hour or several hours to do in Photoshop, or maybe a day to do video or audio editing can now be done in seconds. And because it can be done in seconds, you can keep on iterating it. You do it once, you can see ‘is it working’? You can do it again and again until you can really refine it, at a scale that has never before happened.” Roy Lee, an Assistant Professor of Information Systems Technology and Design at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, agrees. “Modern AI tools are designed with user-friendly interfaces and require minimal technical expertise. Unlike complex software like Photoshop, which demands specialised skills, AI platforms often offer intuitive prompts and automated features, enabling average users to generate high-quality content effortlessly.” The role of social media While AI has come on by leaps and bounds, its combination with social media is like setting an open flame to touchpaper; you get fireworks. Chin elaborated on the rise of the Malaysian Islamist Party (PAS) in the 2022 general election. The key to their victory, in his view, was their mastery of using TikTok to win the hearts and minds of voters. The party backed influencers who created “very slick, professionally-run” videos that in combination with their popular religious messaging, created a “powerful machine.” But what about AI-generated videos? As in Indonesia, Chin foresees the same thing happening in Malaysia. While such content is currently “simple stuff,” using cartoon figures and the like, he has no doubt that come the next election cycle, political parties will be investing their resources in creating such content. “If you speak to all the political parties in the old days, a major portion of [their] money goes to ground campaigning, paying campaign workers, setting up booths, holding night ceramahs (night rallies). If you talk to them now, right, most of them said that they’re going to shift the bulk of those resources now towards social media.” Chin also believes that in the wrong hands, misleading content created by AI will be very effective, especially once high-quality videos start being produced in earnest. He pointed out that such content did not need to be entirely faked or created out of whole cloth. Perhaps an existing video could be edited to add a few words, or redact them, to produce a misleading message. And if it’s uploaded to TikTok, with its notoriously short attention span? “I doubt very much that the ordinary voter would be able to tell the difference.” What can be done? Indonesia has taken a few tentative steps to address the problem. About a week after the presidential election in February 2024, then-President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo signed legislation that requires digital platforms to pay media outlets that provide them with content. While it does not directly tackle the misuse of AI content, it could help to ensure digital platforms are more circumspect about the kind of content they share. In September 2024, the Jakarta Globe reported that Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology was preparing to issue new regulations to establish “clear guidelines” for the use of AI technology in Indonesia. Deputy Minister Nezar Patria said it would be carefully studied, and require consultation with the “AI development ecosystem.” The existing circular, issued on a temporary basis by the ministry, merely outlines “ethical guidelines” for the use of AI, including “respecting human rights” and the “need for transparency.” However, despite the change in presidential administrations, Nezar was re-appointed to his post by the new president, Prabowo, who took over in October 2024. There is some hope that Indonesia will continue to work on creating AI regulations. Meanwhile in September 2024, Malaysia’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation introduced the National Guidelines on AI Governance and Ethics, which seek to support safe and responsible AI development. Singapore looks ahead However, Indonesia and Malaysia’s neighbor Singapore is not waiting around, and has already introduced and passed legislation specifically governing the use of AI-generated content in an election, with one eye on its own upcoming general election. The city-state has recently gone through a rare leadership change, just its third in its near-60-year history. The new prime minister, Lawrence Wong, took over in May 2024. Unlike leaders of other countries, such as Japan, Wong did not call for snap elections soon after being sworn in. He must call for a new general election by November 2025, which leaves quite some time. He has time to see a new bill being introduced in parliament to directly address the issue of misleading, manipulated content. In October 2024, Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo played a “deepfaked,” AI-generated video of herself in parliament. The virtual Teo said : “It only took one person one hour to create this, using easily accessible software that anyone can use right now from the Internet. Imagine if someone produced realistic deepfakes, depicting Members of this House saying or doing something we did not actually say or do, and disseminated it. Such technology will only improve, and deepfakes may become even more realistic, convincing, and easy to make.” The bill, which was passed by Singapore’s parliament, is a very narrowly-targeted one. It prohibits the publication of online content that “realistically depicts a candidate saying or doing something [they] did not.” It covers misinformation from both AI-generated content and non-AI techniques used to create content, such as Photoshop or audio dubbing. However, the law only kicks in when the Writ of Election is issued to the close of the polls, which means it is only active for Singapore’s election season. It doesn’t matter whether the content boosts or denigrates a candidate; both are prohibited. Reposting or sharing such content is also not allowed. Measures include asking the users to take down the content, or forcing the social media site to disable access to Singaporean users. Punishments include fines for up to S$1,000 (US$760) or jail for up to a year, and up to S$1 million (US$760,000) in fines for a social media service that does not comply. Harsh? Effective? It remains to be seen. Lee called the legislation a “commendable step,” but said the main challenge depends on its execution. “Social media companies will need to regulate and investigate digitally manipulated content swiftly when requested to take down such content. Given the vast amount of content they handle daily, this poses a significant challenge in terms of scalability and response time.” Cross-border content could also happen, and getting users to take down misleading content who are not in the country could take some time. To Lee, strengthening collaboration between regulators and social media platforms is important to ensure “comprehensive protection.” Beyond governments But what else can be done, if not through government legislation? According to Lee, enhancing public awareness and media literacy is also crucial. “Educating citizens on identifying manipulated content empowers them to critically assess information,” he said. And in what may be an illustration of the old adage, “set a thief to catch a thief,” Lee shared that AI solutions can also be used to detect misinformation on social media platforms, and other platforms with user-generated content. He believes fostering partnerships between academia and industry to continuously improve such tools could significantly reduce the spread of misinformation. Chin is more skeptical. He pointed out that for such AI-generated misinformation, the content is likely to be shared to you by a trusted individual, like a friend or family member. Chin also feels that Singapore’s attempt to tackle AI-generated misinformation may not be easily replicated in other countries. “It’s a small city state, it’s much easier to handle. But for countries like Malaysia, I think, is increasingly becoming difficult. Even for Singapore, right, I think it will be very difficult in the coming years because of new platforms like Starlink, which allows you to link directly to the satellite. So whatever filters you put in at the platform level, the ISP level, even that can be bypassed with new technology.” – Rappler.com Sulaiman Daud is a 2024 #FactsMatter fellow of Rappler. He is a writer and editor at Mothership , Singapore’s youth-focused digital news platform . Must Read How AI was used in 2024 elections: Voice and chatbot clones, drafting speeches, emailsBurt, the huge crocodile that rose to fame with a cameo in the movie “Crocodile Dundee” and continued to impress visitors with his fiery temper and commanding presence, has died. Burt died over the weekend, the Crocosaurus Cove reptile aquarium in Darwin, Australia , said. He was at least 90 years old. “Known for his independent nature, Burt was a confirmed bachelor — an attitude he made clear during his earlier years at a crocodile farm,” Crocosaurus Cove wrote in social media posts. “He wasn’t just a crocodile, he was a force of nature and a reminder of the power and majesty of these incredible creatures. While his personality could be challenging, it was also what made him so memorable and beloved by those who worked with him and the thousands who visited him over the years,” the aquarium wrote. A saltwater crocodile , Burt was estimated to be more than 5 meters (16 feet) long. He was captured in the 1980s in the Reynolds River and became one of the most well-known crocodiles in the world, according to Crocosaurus Cove. The 1986 movie stars Paul Hogan as the rugged crocodile hunter Mick Dundee. In the movie, American Sue Charlton, played by actress Linda Kozlowski, goes to fill her canteen in a watering hole when she is attacked by a crocodile before being saved by Dundee. Burt is briefly shown lunging out of the water. But the creature shown in more detail as Dundee saves the day is apparently something else. The Internet Movie Database says the movie goofed by depicting an American alligator, which has a blunter snout. The Australian aquarium where Burt had lived since 2008 features a “Cage of Death” which it says is the nation's only crocodile dive. It said it planned to honor Burt's legacy with a commemorative sign “celebrating his extraordinary life and the stories and interactions he shared throughout his time at the park.”lodibet 668 。

PM tells David Seymour to focus on regulation, not health

It’s the topic du jour. Have you seen a drone in your backyard? Some Marylanders have, with sightings over Bowie. But that’s nothing compared with what’s going on in New Jersey, where scores of drones have been spotted flying around in recent weeks — about in the last four weeks. With the mystery of the unidentified drones still unexplained, we are entering another week with drones very much on the minds of Americans. Why are the night skies filled with anonymous drones buzzing overhead, and why does the federal government have no answers on what their purpose is? The story has sparked debate over what to do about the drones, especially if they fly over sensitive national security sites such as naval research observatories. One U.S. senator even the drones should be “shot down, if necessary.” The truth is that drones have been buzzing around America and the world now for years, but there’s been a failure to comprehend and distinguish between the variety of types of drones, the dangers they pose and the demand for drones across a range of sectors. These flying objects can be messengers of peace or war. While they may seem like a very modern invention, drones were developed and used in World War I by both the Americans and the British. The early model was known as the “Kettering Bug,” a small radio-controlled aircraft. During the Vietnam War, reconnaissance UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles, were deployed as decoys in combat. After the 9/11 attacks, drones joined the U.S. counterterrorism response, which used UAVs to strike non-state organizations such as ISIS. Today, drones are a reality of warfare. More than 100 militaries use some level or form of armed or unarmed drone capability, and a growing number have experience using these systems in combat. In the equivalent of an arms race, drones are being traded and sold to influence the outcomes of conflicts everywhere including the Middle East and . Although originally designed to be used as weapons, drone technology has found its way into civilian use for purposes such as product deliveries, and within the media and information space. Want your package delivered to your door? Just ask your drone operator. Conservationists have also used drones to keep an eye on . And drones are used to gather information that can save lives, delivering humanitarian aid and vaccines to rural areas. Law enforcement uses drones to track crime — a growing trend that may increase with an impending crackdown on illegal immigration. Border agents rely on drones to track the smuggling of drugs, weapons and people. And there’s no shortage of hobbyists in the United States who love drone technology. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there were more than a registered in the country in 2019. Drones are multi-use vehicles for everything from recreational use to commercial applications with varying state and federal laws and rules of operation. Left unchecked, America could see a new form of traffic in the skies: drone swarms. This is the perfect moment for a . We need clarification on the rules of the road. The Biden administration has been too tepid in its communications response to the drone sightings — leaving open more room for wild theories such as the that an “Iranian drone mothership” in our waters is to blame — a claim not supported by any intelligence. Rather than minimize the impact of drones on citizens or laugh off authorities’ efforts to act in response to them, let’s get smart about drones and inform the public about the range of their use and how UAVs may impact their lives. The next sighting could be tonight.

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Viral: ‘Fiery Goodbye’ To 2024 Goes Wrong! UP Man Sets Road On Fire | Here’s What Happened NEXTHOUSTON (AP) — Rockets forward Amen Thompson threw Heat guard Tyler Herro to the floor to trigger an altercation that resulted in six ejections in the closing minute of Miami's 104-100 victory over Houston on Sunday. Thompson and Herro became entangled with Miami about to inbound the ball leading 99-94 with 35 seconds left. Thompson grabbed Herro by the jersey and tossed him, with referee Marc Davis describing it as Thompson “body slams Herro .” “I didn’t see it live, but I re-watched it,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “They were in each other’s face, bumping chests a little bit, and one guy’s stronger than the other.” Herro, Thompson, and Udoka were ejected, as were Heat guard Terry Rozier, Rockets guard Jalen Green, and Rockets assistant coach Ben Sullivan. Davis said Green and Rozier escalated the altercation, while Sullivan was assessed a technical foul and ejected for unsportsmanlike comments as the referee was trying to redirect the Rockets' Alperen Sengun. The altercation occurred after Miami had come from 12 points down in the second half to regain the lead with the help of Houston missing 11 straight shots in the fourth quarter. Herro keyed the comeback, leading all scorers with 27 points and adding nine assists and six rebounds. He believed that's what frustrated Thompson. “Guess that’s what’s happens when someone’s scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing,” Herro said. “I’d get mad, too.” Herro said he had never spoken to Thompson, who did not talk to reporters after Sunday’s game, so there was no previous bad blood between the two. “Just two competitors going at it, playing basketball,” Herro said. “It was a regular game that we were playing throughout.” Houston's Fred VanVleet had been ejected just before the fight, with Davis saying VanVleet made contact with him after being called for a 5-second violation. The win for Miami came 24 hours after losing 120-110 in Atlanta. The Heat were missing second-leading scorer Jimmy Butler for a fifth straight game, so Herro was proud of his team played against one of NBA’s best teams this season. “They’re top two, three in the West,” Herro said. “Very good defense. Got a bunch of young, athletic guys that can really play, so that’s a good win for us. That’s a stepping stone. We go 2-1 on the road. Put ourselves in a position to win yesterday, and I like how it’s going. We just got to continue to keep getting better.”

The Game Awards 2024 concluded with a resounding victory for Astro Bot, the PlayStation 5 exclusive developed by Team Asobi. This charming platformer, a sequel to the critically acclaimed PSVR title Astro Bot Rescue Mission, not only snagged the coveted Game of the Year award but also dominated in categories like Best Game Direction, Best Action/Adventure Game, and Best Family Game. This clean sweep at the industry’s biggest awards ceremony has left many wondering: what makes Astro Bot so special, and what does this win mean for the future of platforming and VR gaming? Held annually in Los Angeles, The Game Awards celebrates the best of the video game industry. This year, Astro Bot faced stiff competition from heavy hitters like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Black Myth: Wukong. Yet, it was the little robot that could, capturing the hearts of gamers and critics alike. This victory signifies a major achievement for both Team Asobi and Sony, highlighting the potential of VR technology and innovative game design. A Little Robot with a Big Impact Astro Bot’s journey to Game of the Year is a testament to its exceptional gameplay, captivating world design, and clever use of VR technology. My Personal Journey with Astro Bot I’ll admit, I was initially skeptical about Astro Bot. As someone who enjoys challenging games with intricate stories, I wasn’t sure if a VR platformer could hold my attention. However, from the moment I put on the headset, I was completely captivated. The sense of scale and immersion was unlike anything I had experienced before. Leaning around corners to find hidden paths, ducking under obstacles, and using my head to activate switches made me feel like I was truly part of Astro’s world. The game’s charm and creativity constantly surprised me, and I found myself grinning from ear to ear throughout my playthrough. One of my favorite moments involved a boss battle against a giant ape. The sheer size of the creature was awe-inspiring in VR, and the fight itself was a thrilling test of skill and timing. Using the DualSense to grapple onto the ape’s fur and then climb up its back to attack its weak points was an incredibly satisfying experience. Astro Bot proved to me that VR gaming has the potential to be much more than just a gimmick. It can be used to create truly innovative and engaging gameplay experiences that are simply not possible in traditional gaming. What Does This Win Mean for the Future? Astro Bot’s Game of the Year victory sends a powerful message to the gaming industry: Astro Bot’s Game of the Year win is a well-deserved recognition of its exceptional quality and innovation. It’s a game that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in both VR and platforming, and it’s sure to inspire a new generation of developers. As for Team Asobi, the future looks bright. With the success of Astro Bot, they have cemented their position as one of the most talented studios in the industry. I, for one, can’t wait to see what they come up with next. Perhaps we’ll see a new Astro Bot adventure, or maybe they’ll explore different genres and IPs. Whatever they choose to do, I’m confident that it will be something special.

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MENLO PARK, Calif. , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BillionToOne, a next-generation molecular diagnostics company with a mission to create powerful and accurate tests that are accessible to all, today announced that they will be presenting at the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, CA , on January 14, 2025 . BillionToOne marks a transformative year of achievements as it looks toward 2025. The company closed an oversubscribed, upsized Series D funding round led by Premji Invest in June, and was recently recognized as the Biotech Breakthrough Awards' Diagnostics Company of the Year. More than 500,000 patients have received BillionToOne tests to date, and the company has grown from $0M to $150M+ in annual recurring revenue over the past five years. This will be BillionToOne's second year in attendance at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, and the company will present on the topic of "Redefining Molecular Diagnostics with Single-Molecule Precision." Presentation details are as follows: Location: Mission Bay (32nd Floor) at The Westin Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 Time: 2:30-2:55 pm PT A webcast and presentation materials will be available on BillionToOne's website: https://billiontoone.com/event/jpm-2025-43rd-annual-healthcare-conference/ About BillionToOne Headquartered in Menlo Park, California , BillionToOne is a precision diagnostics company on a mission to make molecular diagnostics more accurate, efficient, and accessible for everyone. The company's patented Quantitative Counting TechnologyTM (QCTTM) molecular counting platform is the only multiplex technology that can accurately count DNA molecules at the single-molecule level. For more information, please visit www.billiontoone.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/billiontoone-to-present-at-the-43rd-annual-jp-morgan-healthcare-conference-302338634.html SOURCE BillionToOneBest Altcoins to Invest in 2025 | Top 7 Coins To Buy Now

With rookie QB Penix showing poise in starting debut, the Falcons again control their playoff hopesDETROIT (AP) — Starting in September of 2027, all new passenger vehicles in the U.S. will have to sound a warning if rear-seat passengers don’t buckle up. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that it finalized the rule, which also requires enhanced warnings when front seat belts aren’t fastened. The agency estimates that the new rule will save 50 lives per year and prevent 500 injuries when fully in effect, according to a statement. The new rule will apply to passenger cars, trucks, buses except for school buses, and multipurpose vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds. Before the rule, seat belt warnings were required only for the driver’s seat. Under the new rule, outboard front-seat passengers also must get a warning if they don’t fasten their belts. Front-center seats will not get a warning because NHTSA found that it wouldn’t be cost effective. The agency said most vehicles already have warnings for the outboard passenger seats. The rule also lengthens the duration of audio and visual warnings for the driver’s seat. The front-seat rules are effective starting Sept. 1 of 2026. Rear passengers consistently use seat belts at a lower rate than front passengers, the agency says. In 2022, front belt use was just under 92%, while rear use dropped to about 82%. About half of automobile passengers who died in crashes two years ago weren’t wearing belts, according to NHTSA data. The seat belt rule is the second significant regulation to come from NHTSA in the past two months. In November the agency bolstered its five-star auto safety ratings to include driver assistance technologies and pedestrian protection. Safety advocates want the Department of Transportation, which includes NHTSA, to finish several more rules before the end of the Biden administration, because President-elect Donald Trump has said he’s against new government regulations. Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, urged the department to approve automatic emergency braking for heavy trucks and technology to prevent impaired driving.Merus announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 2 Trial of Petosemtamab in 3L+ mCRC

ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, roughly 22 months after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections and house the homeless as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. Biden spoke later Sunday evening about Carter, calling it a “sad day” but one that “brings back an incredible amount of good memories.” “I’ve been hanging out with Jimmy Carter for over 50 years,” Biden said in his remarks. He recalled the former president being a comfort to him and his wife Jill when their son Beau died in 2015 of cancer. The president remarked how cancer was a common bond between their families, with Carter himself having cancer later in his life. “Jimmy knew the ravages of the disease too well,” said Biden, who was ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A president from Plains A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. And then, the world Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors. He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” ‘An epic American life’ Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners. He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. A small-town start James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian, would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. ‘Jimmy Who?’ His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Accomplishments, and ‘malaise’ Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015. “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.”Burt, the huge Australian crocodile who had a cameo in ‘Crocodile Dundee,’ dies at 90

London honored for supporting student mental health and eliminating barriers to care NATICK, Mass. , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boston Business Journal honored Uwill founder and CEO Michael London as part of its 2025 Innovators in Healthcare list . Honorees represent a cross-section of Boston -based innovators addressing some of the most urgent and pressing challenges in the health care industry. London is the founding CEO of Uwill , the leading mental health and wellness solution proudly supporting more than 3 million students at 400 institutions globally. Utilizing its proprietary technology and counselor team, Uwill pioneered the first student and therapist matching platform. The solution offers an immediate appointment with a licensed counselor based on student preferences, all modalities of teletherapy, a direct crisis connection, wellness programming, realtime data, and support. "It's truly an honor to be recognized among this incredible group of innovators," said Michael London , Uwill founder and CEO. "At Uwill, our mission is to break down barriers to mental health care, delivering immediate and accessible support to students worldwide. This recognition reflects more than innovation—it underscores our unwavering commitment to addressing a vital need for students everywhere." London is a recognized thought-leader and pioneer within social impact entrepreneurship, having created more than one billion dollars in company value throughout his career. In 2013, he founded Examity, a leader in learning validation and online proctoring. Prior, London led Bloomberg Institute, an EdTech start-up funded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg . Earlier in his career, he founded College Coach and co-founded EdAssist, both acquired by Bright Horizons Family Solutions. In 2019, he was a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award and held a position on the Massachusetts Governor's Commission for Digital Education and Lifelong Learning. Michael is a current Trustee at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is a Member of the Advisory Board at Babson College where he graduated with honors. He also received his MBA from Boston University . About Uwill: Uwill is the leading mental health and wellness solution for colleges and students. As the most cost-effective way to enhance a college's mental health offering, Uwill partners with more than 400 institutions, including Princeton University , the Ohio State University , Santa Fe Community College , and University of Alabama - Online. Uwill is also the exclusive teletherapy education partner for the Online Learning Consortium and teletherapy education partner of NASPA. For more information, visit uwill.com . Contact: Brett Silk bsilk@uwill.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uwill-founder--ceo-michael-london-named-innovator-in-healthcare-302338655.html SOURCE Uwill, Inc

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