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Europe reaches deal on the world’s first comprehensive AI rules

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:04:03 GMT

European Union negotiators clinched a deal on the world’s first comprehensive artificial intelligence rules, paving the way for legal oversight of AI technology that has promised to transform everyday life and spurred warnings of existential dangers to humanity.Negotiators from the European Parliament and the bloc’s 27 member countries on Friday overcame big differences on controversial points including generative AI and police use of face recognition surveillance to sign a tentative political agreement for the Artificial Intelligence Act.“Deal!” tweeted European Commissioner Thierry Breton just before midnight. “The EU becomes the very first continent to set clear rules for the use of AI.”The result came after marathon closed-door talks this week, with the initial session lasting 22 hours before a second round kicked off Friday morning.Officials were under the gun to secure a political victory for the flagship legislation. Civil society groups, however, gave it a cool r...

Bruins survive Coyotes, 5-3

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:04:03 GMT

The Bruins are a long way from perfect and, with the absences they’re currently dealing with, they won’t be attaining it any time soon.But their moxie was vastly improved from Thursday’s loss to the Sabres and that helped them survive a good, young Arizona Coyotes team and leave the Garden with a 5-3 win on Saturday. Linus Ullmark made 31 saves to get the B’s back in the win column.The B’s took an early 3-0 lead, but the knuckles were indeed pale for much of the matinee with two regular defensemen already out and Pavel Zacha (upper body) joining them on the sidelines after the first period.The B’s took a 4-2 lead into the third period, but the Coyotes outmuscled the B’s to get within a goal just 3:20 into the third. First Nick Bjugstad shook off a Johnny Beecher check along the boards and got it to Matias Maccelli in the middle of the ice. He got it over to Lawson Crouse, who had Hampus Lindholm on top of him, but still managed to snap off a...

Ticker: White House threatens patents of high-priced drugs developed with taxpayer dollars

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:04:03 GMT

The Biden administration is putting pharmaceutical companies on notice. Washington is warning them that if the price of certain drugs is too high, the government might cancel their patent protection and allow rivals to make their own versions.“Today, we’re taking a very important step toward ending price gouging so you don’t have to pay more for the medicine you need,” President Biden said in a YouTube video.Under a new plan announced, the government would consider overriding the patent for high-priced drugs that have been developed with the help of taxpayer money and letting competitors make them in hopes of driving down the cost.The administration did not immediately release details about how the process will work and how it will deem a drug costly enough to act. If the plan is enacted, drugmakers are almost certain to sue.Wall Street hit 2023 highWall Street climbed back to its best level in 20 months on Friday following a stronger-than-expected report on the U.S. job...

Shohei Ohtani signs historic deal with Los Angeles Dodgers

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:04:03 GMT

Putting to rest weeks of increasingly feverish speculation, Shohei Ohtani announced Saturday that he has signed a historic deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, one that ranks among the largest in the history of professional sports.According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan and others, Ohtani’s deal with the Dodgers is for 10 years, $700 million, obliterating the previous MLB record of $426.5 million set by Ohtani’s former Angels teammate Mike Trout. Passan also reported the contract has significant deferrals, which will reduce his luxury tax hit and free up more money for the Dodgers to build a contender around him.Ohtani broke the news himself on his Instagram, thanking fans and everyone in the baseball world for their patience while expressing gratitude to the Los Angeles Angels for their six-year partnership and to the Dodgers for allowing him the opportunity to finish his career in blue.“To all Dodgers fans, I pledge to always do what’s best for the team and alw...

Derrick White’s MVP night shows why he’s Celtics’ most consistent player

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:04:03 GMT

As Derrick White stepped to the free throw line with 21.3 seconds remaining on Friday night – with a Celtics win already sealed – the chants at TD Garden were heard faintly.But as he made his second free throw for his 30th point of the night, the chants were much more clear.“M-V-P! M-V-P!”As humble as he is, White couldn’t help but hear it. The Celtics guard cracked a smile postgame as he recalled the moment.“It’s crazy,” White said. “We’ve got the best fans in the league so I’m always thankful and grateful for them. I know I’m not the MVP but it’s always cool to hear.”It wasn’t the first time he’s heard it. Last spring, during his big performance in the Celtics’ Game 2 victory over the Hawks when he scored 26 points, White was also showered with MVP chants.White is right, for the most part. He’ll likely never be considered a serious MVP candidate, especially when he shares the court with Jayson Tatum. But his value to the Celtics, at this point, is unquestionable. After Friday’s wi...

Green Line Extension to celebrate its one-year anniversary with service disruptions

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:04:03 GMT

The Medford-Tufts branch of the Green Line Extension opened with great fanfare on Dec. 12, 2022, a milestone decades in the making that officials promised would bring reliable transit service to suburbs just north of Boston.The project that cost the state $2.3 billion has not brought a smooth ride for commuters relying on the line’s five stops in Medford and Somerville.Riders will continue to feel disruptions on Tuesday, one year to the day that the GLX opened.Work to regauge the track, which MBTA officials knew as far back as April 2021 was defective and too narrow, will not be completed by Monday, as initially anticipated under a plan presented by project contractor, GLX Constructors.That means riders will be forced to forgo train service, and, instead, hop on shuttle buses beginning each night at 8:45 for at least the next week, with the MBTA granting the contractor an additional seven nights to continue the work, General Manager Phillip Eng announced Friday.The highly-publicized...

New York’s governor calls on colleges to address antisemitism on campus

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:04:03 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — New York’s governor has called on the state’s colleges and universities to swiftly address cases of antisemitism and what she described as any “calls for genocide” on campus after Ivy League presidents faced backlash for not adequately condemning threats of violence against Jewish students during congressional testimony earlier this week.In a letter to college and university presidents on Saturday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said her administration would enforce violations of the state’s Human Rights Law and refer any violations of federal civil rights law to U.S. officials. “As Governor of New York I want to reinforce that colleges and universities not in compliance with federal and state laws protecting students against discrimination can be deemed ineligible to receive state and federal funds,” she wrote.Hochul said she has spoken to chancellors of the State University of New York and City University of New York public college systems who she said confirm...

1 person stabbed after reports of ‘numerous teens’ with knives at TTC station

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:04:03 GMT

Police are searching for a number of suspects after someone was stabbed at a TTC station in the east end.Police say they received reports just before 3:30 p.m. of “numerous” teens with knives at Don Mills subway station.When they arrived they located an individual suffering from a stab wound. Paramedics transported the individual to a trauma centre via emergency run. There was no immediate word on their conditionPolice say the suspects have fled the scene.More to come

Consumer product agency issues warning on small magnetic balls linked to deaths

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:04:03 GMT

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning about the danger of high-powered, pea-sized magnets found in toys, announcing one company’s recall of a set containing them and saying it was aware of seven deaths linked to their ingestion.The federal agency estimated that ingestion of the magnets led to 2,400 hospital emergency room visits from 2017-2021 in addition to the deaths, two of which it said occurred outside the United States. “Consumers should stop using the recalled magnetic balls immediately, (and) take them away from children,” the commission said in an online notice. Made from rare-earth metals, each ball measures five millimeters.The safety commission said the magnets were stronger than permitted by federal toy regulations and could kill children if two or more are swallowed as they can attract each other in the stomach, perforating intestinal walls, twisting and/or blocking intestines — which could lead to infection and blood poisoning.The Neodymium Magn...

RCMP in Surrey, B.C., issue Amber Alert for two-month-old girl

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:04:03 GMT

SURREY, B.C. — Mounties in Surrey, B.C., have issued an Amber Alert for two-month-old Ari Jenna Rose McCauley.Police say the suspect is the girl’s father, 27-year-old Skylar William McCauley.They say the man is about five foot eight inches tall and 250 pounds with short dirty blond hair and facial stubble. He was last seen wearing a beige canvas jacket with a hood and blue jeans.RCMP is asking for the public’s help in finding the girl and her father, saying the two are possibly travelling in a four-door 2002 White Chevrolet Suburban with the license plate RD862E.Anyone with information or who sees the vehicle is asked to contact police.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2023.The Canadian Press