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‘Trapped inside’: The children suffocating in the smog of Lahore | Health
Lahore, Pakistan – Fourteen-year-old Fatima has woken up coughing, with a fever, on a Monday morning in early November. “My throat hurts, and it feels like the smog is coming in through the rooftop,” she says while rubbing her left eye beneath her thick round glasses. Outside her window, Lahore… Read Details ⇢
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Chinese researchers repurpose Meta’s Llama model for military intelligence applications
Chinese researchers adapt Meta’s Llama model for military intelligence use ChatBIT showcases risks of open-source AI technology Meta distances itself from unauthorized military applications of Llama Meta’s Llama AI model is open source and freely available for use, but the company’s licensing terms clearly state the model is intended solely… Read Details ⇢
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a path to quitting smoking for new years resolution – The Mail & Guardian
Why do so many people continue to endanger their lives like this? The answer lies in understanding the powerful grip of smoking addiction. The dangers of smoking are well-documented and clear. On average, a long-term regular smoker loses about ten years of their life, with only half living beyond 70… Read Details ⇢
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Cyclone Chido probably boosted by very high temperatures in the Indian Ocean
Boats stranded after Cyclone Chido, Mayotte, December 16, 2024. MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES / VIA REUTERS Uprooted trees, gutted houses, piled-up boats, heaps of sheet metal and garbage. In just a few hours, Cyclone Chido left a devastated landscape in Mayotte. Authorities fear “several hundred” dead, perhaps “a few thousand” in France’s… Read Details ⇢
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Brief government shutdown ushered in before Christmas as Senate works to advance House bill
A partial government shutdown began at 12:01 on Saturday morning after Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending measure before the deadline and send it to President Biden’s desk. However, the Senate is actively working through amendment votes and other considerations in order to send the measure to Biden. The… Read Details ⇢
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Israeli forces fire at Syrian protesters in Deraa, wounding one | News
Demonstrators demand an end to Israeli military presence in border town in southern governorate. Israeli forces have shot and wounded a Syrian protester demonstrating against the army’s presence in a border village in southern Syria, the Israeli military says. Israeli fire injured the man, identified by local media as Maher… Read Details ⇢
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NYT Connections today — my hints and answers for Saturday, December 21 (game #559)
Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues. What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Strands… Read Details ⇢
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Competition Commission sets the record straight – The Mail & Guardian
Competition policy seeks to ensure that markets are competitive, open and not subject to undue power by dominant firms. For this reason, it attracts much controversy and debate, as it should be. A recent Sunday Times article however goes well beyond fair public comment and provides an unbalanced and unfair… Read Details ⇢
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The fall of Bashar al-Assad, a blow for Russia in Africa
A Russian ship off Tartus, Syria on December 17, 2024. BAKR ALKASEM / AFP After the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, Russia is putting its back into it and working hard to save the furniture, two in this case: the Tartus sea base and the Hmeimim airport. Deployed… Read Details ⇢








