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Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products.VANCOUVER — Taylor Swift touched down on five continents during her Eras Tour, and now fans from around the world are awaiting its final curtain at BC Place in downtown Vancouver. Fans are anticipating what the singer has in store for the 149th and final performance of a tour that has explored Swift's vast song catalogue, past and present. Grossing an estimated US$2 billion in revenue with the Eras Tour, Swift has bucked the downward trend of a music industry disrupted by the downfall of physical album sales and the rise of pennies-per-song streaming services. The tour that began in the spring of 2023 saw Swift make countless outfit changes while fans enthusiastically handed out their trademark friendship bracelets. Hours before Swift was set to take to the stage, fans like Meme Bautista and Jean Batac were milling about near BC Place, planning to visit Swift-themed signs erected around Vancouver before the superstar's third sold-out night at the stadium. Bautista says her fandom has only grown since she last saw Swift in the Philippines a decade ago, and she has mixed emotions about the tour coming to an end. "A lot of people are expecting something like a surprise announcement or something special," Bautista said Sunday. "A lot of people have described it as like a kindness convention. It's more than just a tour, it's like a community coming together celebrating ... having fun. "And it's very sad to see that coming to an end." While Bautista has been a diehard Swiftie for years, Batac is a new convert. Batac said she's looking forward to seeing her friend's reaction because Swift is Bautista's "dream artist." "I'm looking forward to her emotion," Batac said. Batac and Bautista are two out thousands who descended on downtown Vancouver over the last three days, including celebrities like rapper Flavor Flav. The Public Enemy hype-man said on social media he's on his way from Los Angeles to "Taycouver" on a "flight full of Swifties" ahead of Sunday's last show. B.C. singer Michael Buble was handing out friendship bracelets on night one, also attended by Swift's parents, while Canuck Jake DeBrusk was at Saturday's show according to a social media post and photo by his girlfriend. Swift has reciprocated fans' feelings, telling the audience on Friday night that she chose Canada and Vancouver to close out the tour because the fans not only know the lyrics, they "scream them." Swifties have been planning something special to end the tour, with Swift forums abuzz with suggestions to surprise her by singing "Happy Birthday" at tonight's show, ahead of Swift's 35th birthday on Dec. 13. Fan projects like this have been a big part of the Eras Tour, with chants and patterned clapping breaking out during various songs. On Saturday, after the ballad "Champagne Problems," Swift was met with a ritualistic standing ovation that lasted more than four minutes, along with chants of "thank you." "I don't even know how to thank you for everything that you've given to me to get me to this place that I get to even stand here and have this experience," Swift told the crowd. University of Kansas sociology professor and "Swiftologist" Brian Donovan says such moments of joyous social solidarity are known as "collective effervescence." "What is interesting about the Eras Tour is that it also brought about unique cultural things like the trading of friendship bracelets," he said, noting such practices were fan-driven and were not organized by Swift or her team. Swift performed six shows in Toronto last month. Canada was announced as a late addition to the tour last year. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had previously pleaded with the star on social media to visit Canada, telling her "don’t make it another 'Cruel Summer,'" a nod to one of her hits. Trudeau and family members were among Swifties at the Toronto shows, as were former U.S. president Bill Clinton and his wife former U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Swiftie Jenny Fox got tickets to Saturday's show after seeing her daughter Avery's reaction to the Eras Tour movie. "I texted my husband in the theatre and said that if this is how it is in a movie theatre, I can't even imagine what it would be like to see and experience this in real life in a massive stadium, and to see the joy on Avery's face," she said. Fox is the primary caretaker for her own mother, who has late-stage Alzheimer's. "As soon as we put certain music on, mom comes back," she said. "So music is very near and dear to us. We play a lot of music, and a lot of Taylor Swift with her, so there is that love and memory and special tie to it." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2024. Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian PressSouth Korean authorities seek warrant to detain impeached President Yoon in martial law probe

India needs to prioritize workplace safety amid rapid industrialization, say industry expertsBRUSSELS (AFP): NATO chief Mark Rutte held talks with US President-elect Donald Trump in Florida on the “global security issues facing the alliance,” a spokeswoman said Saturday. The meeting took place on Friday in Palm Beach, NATO’s Farah Dakhlallah said in a statement. In his first term Trump aggressively pushed Europe to step up defense spending and questioned the fairness of the NATO transatlantic alliance. The former Dutch prime minister had said he wanted to meet Trump two days after Trump was elected on November 5, and discuss the threat of increasingly warming ties between North Korea and Russia. Trump’s thumping victory to return to the US presidency has set nerves jangling in Europe that he could pull the plug on vital Washington military aid for Ukraine. NATO allies say keeping Kyiv in the fight against Moscow is key to both European and American security. “What we see more and more is that North Korea, Iran, China and of course Russia are working together, working together against Ukraine,” Rutte said recently at a European leaders’ meeting in Budapest. “At the same time, Russia has to pay for this, and one of the things they are doing is delivering technology to North Korea,” which he warned was threatening to the “mainland of the US (and) continental Europe.” “I look forward to sitting down with Donald Trump to discuss how we can face these threats collectively,” Rutte said.

Molly Russell’s dad says more teens will die after viewing vile material online because of weak new tech lawsKazakhstan, Croatia to boost diplomatic and economic ties

Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has diedColts coach Shane Steichen feeling heat after playoff elimination( MENAFN - 3BL) Originally published in Quest Diagnostics' 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report Minimizing our environmental impact Our work to minimize our environmental impact starts within our walls. We have taken and continue to take steps to lower our carbon footprint by improving the energy efficiency of operations in our facilities as well as our logistics and transportation footprint. In addition, we have implemented programs to reduce the waste we generate. ASSESSING OUR renewable ENERGY USE In 2023, we purchased over 40 million kilowatt hours of electricity generated from renewable energy sources. We are exploring energy-generation and purchase options that are best suited to our facilities while helping us reduce our emissions. We began investigating renewable energy credits, physical and virtual power purchase agreements, and on-site generation to determine if they might make sense for Quest in the future. This work is giving us insight into where these tactics can contribute to an overall emissions reduction strategy and target facility- and region-specific projects. We also continued to conserve and optimize energy usage at our facilities using enterprise-wide operational best practices we developed in 2022. These practices have been implemented at more than 20 sites across the US. SUPPORTING ELECTRIC VEHICLE TRANSITION In 2023, we built electric vehicle charging stations at labs in Marlborough MA, Tampa FL, and Atlanta GA. This is in addition to the charging stations we already have in place at our flagship lab in Clifton NJ. We're also working toward our goal of transitioning to alternative fuel vehicles. As of 2023, electric or hybrid vehicles account for ~2% of our fleet. Due to various factors such as supply chain challenges, our ability to source alternative fuel vehicles has been slower than planned. While we remain committed to evaluating the best path forward to progress this conversion, our goal of reaching 50% by 2026 is under review and subsequently may be updated. In 2023, we continued to optimize courier routes-reducing our fleet miles driven by approximately 2.6 million miles, gasoline consumption by approximately 96,000 gallons, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately 845 metric tons. REDUCING AND ELIMINATING WASTE We have a multi-pronged approach to reduce waste generated and minimize waste to landfill. Quest implemented new programs to reduce waste generation, reuse materials where possible, and maximize recycling efforts. Where materials cannot be reasonably reused or recycled, a waste-to-energy strategy has been implemented instead of landfill. By the end of 2023, we installed on-site medical waste treatment technology at our 2 major hub laboratories in California. Through this technology, recycling efforts, and the use of waste-to-energy, in 2023 we eliminated infectious waste outputs from these labs and diverted over 3,500 tons of medical and municipal waste from landfill. This effort generated over 1 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, and avoided over 6,900 tons of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gases. We continue to assess and explore innovations in waste management to reduce our environmental impact. Reducing packaging and emissions In 2022, we launched a box optimization project, leveraging an innovative software solution to decrease the number of boxes we ship with collection supplies. In 2023, the program yielded an 11% reduction in boxes (which equates to 84,000 boxes, or 23 tons of cardboard). This program also cut down the number of trips needed to transport these shipments, further reducing our emissions. STRENGTHENING OUR WAYS OF WORKING As we progress along our sustainability journey, we are investing in the internal systems and capabilities needed to set us up for success, including through enhanced coordination and collaboration. In 2023, we developed a cross-functional approach to oversight of our environmental sustainability disclosure and reporting, including committees specifically focused on data collection, calculation, and assurance. In addition, to improve the quality of our Scope 3 reporting, we worked to secure third-party limited assurance regarding some of that Scope 3 data (specifically categories 1, 4, and 5). We plan to use this data along with our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions to better understand our environmental impact. STANDARDIZING FACILITY ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE In 2023, we continued to focus on obtaining ISO 14001 certifications for our lab facilities. ISO 14001 is an internationally recognized management system that leverages leadership involvement and employee engagement to: This certification demonstrates Quest's commitment to environmental management and regulatory compliance. In 2023, we achieved ISO 14001 certifications for our Cleveland HeartLab and laboratory facility in Chantilly VA-this is in addition to our lab in San Juan Capistrano which received certification in 2022, bringing our total certified facilities to 3. Exploring the links between environmental and human health Quest is exploring the impact environmental changes have on human health and well-being. In 2023, we launched an Environmental Health Impact Committee to address intertwined environmental and health issues. The Committee meets to discuss how Quest solutions can help address the health impacts of climate change, and to leverage insights from Quest's diagnostic testing to inform conversation and policy around climate change and public health. Sustainability | Quest Diagnostics Read more MENAFN17122024007202015466ID1109005032 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Reducing methane emissions: What farmers could be using in the near future

LOS ANGELES , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sports and recreational injuries send more than 3.5 million Americans to the hospital emergency room each year according to the National Safety Council. The problem is much greater in collegiate sports, where NCAA injury incident reports reached 1.3 million in 2022. Beyond soft tissue damage, these injuries include life-altering Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears and Traumatic Brain Injuries. To reduce the occurrence and impact of sports-related injuries, CLR Neurosthenics today launched CLR Advantage TM , a groundbreaking solution that employs interactive software and a wearable, wireless sensor network to collect real-time neurophysiological data while athletes perform pre-programmed physical exercises, cognitive tests, reaction games and position drills. This data is then used to instantly generate reports that reveal hidden deficiencies, indicate player readiness, and guide training routines for injury prevention, performance optimization and rehabilitation. Designed by a team of leading sports neurophysiologists and biometric engineers, patent-pending CLR Advantage TM utilizes FDA-approved qEEG brain wave sensors and physiological monitors to capture a continuous stream of high-resolution data, including cortical power, heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration rate, trapezoidal tension, galvanic skin response and peripheral temperature. The solution then employs NASA technology to process biometric signals and report on neurophysiological capabilities, including brain connectivity, power, activation and symmetry during various physical tasks and mental exercises. CLR Advantage TM finally correlates event-marked physiologic data to reinforce neurologic observations. For example, data may indicate certain risk in an athlete that exhibits an elevated heart rate, neurologic asymmetry and qEEG inhibition during a single-leg balance exercise. CLR Advantage TM recently completed a two-year clinical trial with 177 NCAA Division I athletes at the University of Cincinnati . Performed in partnership with Select Medical at the University's Sports Medicine Department, the study compared the neurophysiological performance of healthy athletes with those suffering from ACL injuries. Results from the study, which continues to assess injured athletes through various stages of rehabilitation, were published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy . To supplement ongoing research, CLR Advantage TM is currently employed by the NFL Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) to study ACL injury propensity through assessments that include a variety of dynamic force exercises. "For the first time, we now have a better understanding of exactly how the brain is impacted by an acute injury," said Robert Mangine, Senior Athletic Director of Sports Medicine at the University of Cincinnati and Residency Director for NovaCare Rehabilitation. "CLR Advantage TM allows us to look at brain activity as athletes progress through the rehabilitation, then use that data and musculoskeletal measures to determine a safe return to play." The Microsoft Azure cloud-powered CLR Advantage TM platform provides an end-to-end, HIPAA-compliant solution for operators to organize teams, create athlete profiles, schedule appointments, conduct assessments, monitor live biometric data, and generate comprehensive analytic reports. Offered on a subscription basis, the solution is available for demonstration at CLR Neurosthenics' Los Angeles Assessment Center. https://clradvantage.com/ For additional information contact: Mark O'Bryan (424) 256-7264 mark.obryan@clradvantage.com 1 https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/144/5/e20192759/38190/Soccer-Injuries-in-Children-and-Adolescents 2 https://perma.cc/9EG6-6TBJ ; Robert L. Parisien et. al., Implementation of an Injury Prevention Program in NCAA Division I Athletics Reduces Injury-Related Health Care Costs. 9 Orthopedic J. of Sports Med. (2023). https://ijspt.org/task-driven-neurophysiological-qeeg-baseline-performance-capabilities-in-healthy-uninjured-division-i-college-athletes/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clr-neurosthenics-launches-neurophysiological-assessment-platform-to-help-prevent-sports-injuries-optimize-performance-and-improve-rehabilitation-302334112.html SOURCE CLR Neurosthenics

As Christmas approaches, it’s time to think of enlightening books for the businesspeople on your gift-giving list. The timeless books highlighted here, with their lessons on tempering bold risks with caution and staying close to the customer, have become more relevant since their initial publication. William Langewiesche (2009; Farrar, Straus and Giroux). This is a rip-roaring story with insights on human ingenuity, fatal arrogance, and corporate cupidity on each of its succinct 193 pages. Its two heroes are Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who safely landed his crippled Airbus A320 on the Hudson River in 2009, and Bernard Ziegler, the engineering czar at Airbus SE who made Sully’s miracle possible. Ziegler convinced Airbus to adopt his invention of “fly-by wire,” a revolutionary automatic flight-control system that has helped the world’s more than 300,000 airline pilots save thousands of lives. Airbus introduced fly-by-wire in 1983; it has since been adopted by Boeing and other aircraft makers. Ziegler, a former French Air Force fighter pilot who saw action in the Algerian war, knew that wise pilots acknowledge their fallibility. But others, stricken by hubris, recommit to a mistake rather than admit error and correct it. In telling the author his motive for making a plane as goof-proof as possible, Ziegler cites a widely applicable adage: “To err is human, but to persist is diabolical.” Anne Kingston. (1994, Macfarlane, Walter & Ross). This award-winning book tells the story of marketer Dave Nichol’s role in building Loblaw Cos. from a sleepy Ontario supermarket chain into one of the world’s biggest grocery retailers. That transformation, starting in the early 1980s, was largely accomplished with the triumph of Nichol’s private label “President’s Choice” goods over pricier and sometimes inferior national brands, available exclusively at Loblaws and its sister chains No Frills, Fortinos, Provigo and others. Nichol constantly refreshed the line of PC products with new and often improbable items like Memories of Szechwan Peanut Sauce and gourmet Italian dog food, obliging Loblaw patrons to visit frequently for the next talked-about PC products. These were showcased in Nichol’s chatty and widely read “Insider’s Report” flyer. Kingston also opens windows to the often-secretive worlds of new-product development and the strategies by which food purveyors try to change consumer tastes. Nichol’s Loblaws was a precursor to personality driven enterprises led by Elon Musk and his ilk, where the chief product is the ethos created by the marketer. Thomas J. Watson Jr. and Peter Petre. (1990; Bantam Books) This acclaimed memoir tells two important stories, of IBM’s bet-the-company investment in the mainframe computers that would become ubiquitous at public and private institutions worldwide in the mid-20th century; and the difficult relationship between the author and his larger-than-life namesake father, founder of the modern IBM, whose punch-card tabulating machines had about 90 per cent of the U.S. market. Yet it was Watson Jr., CEO from 1956 to 1971, whose IBM would succeed where others failed in embracing a disruptive technology at the expense of a lucrative existing business destined for obsolesce. Watson Jr. succeeded with a “family” of progressively more powerful yet compatible mainframes, dubbed System/360, by which customers could easily trade up as their needs grew. The book offers a winsome model of visionary action that is disciplined by careful risk calculation. It also tells of the fights between father and son that the author describes as “savage, primal, and unstoppable.” The story is relevant in a contemporary Canadian economy where family feuds over succession have jeopardized some of the country’s largest enterprises. Robert X. Cringely. (1992; HarperBusiness) Meet the young men, some almost frightfully immature, who helped launch the Information Age in which we now live. This comprehensive history might also be the most entertaining saga of how computing devices became everyday appliances. The revolution started with the desktop PCs that scruffy tech entrepreneurs like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs kept tweaking until they became more powerful than the room-sized mainframe computers that had ruled computing since the 1960s. The book is an immersive experience in which the reader is a first-hand witness to the fierce debates among inventors over their competing operating systems and hardware designs. At times the geeks collaborated, at others they sabotaged each other, all the while outfoxing IBM and the other tech giants of their day. There’s a lesson here on the speed and daring of innovation in a wide-open field. Eventually the boys’ fledgling enterprises became today’s Microsoft, Apple and Oracle, bureaucratic near-monopolies with limited innovative prowess, just like the earlier giants they supplanted. Merry Christmas, and happy reading!

Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has diedEx-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died