Israeli minister Gantz says situation on Lebanon border ‘demands change’
Comments from the Israeli war cabinet member are the latest to hint at the possibility of an escalation with Hezbollah. Senior Israeli minister Benny Gantz says the situation on the country’s border with Lebanon “must change”, hinting at the possibility of military escalation with the armed group Hezbollah. Gantz, a member of Israel’s emergency war cabinet, told reporters on Wednesday the chance of a diplomatic solution to exchanges between Israel and armed groups in southern Lebanon is fast running out. “The situation on Israel’s northern border demands change,” Gantz told a news conference. “The stopwatch for a diplomatic solution is running out, if the world and the Lebanese government don’t act in order to prevent the firing on Israel’s northern residents, and to distance Hezbollah from the border, the [Israeli military] will do it.” The remarks are the latest to raise concerns that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza could explode into a wider regional conflict, drawing in Iran-backed groups such as Hezbollah. Israel and Hezbollah, along with a handful of smaller armed groups that operate in southern Lebanon, have settled into a steady rhythm of tit-for-tat exchanges since the current round of fighting between Hamas and Israel started on October 7, when the group launched an attack on southern Israel that killed more than 1,100 people. Since then, Israel has been relentlessly bombing Gaza in a “genocidal” campaign, killing more than 21,000 people, most of them women and children, and displacing nearly its entire 2.3 million residents. The Israeli offensive in Gaza triggered tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, as intermittent exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah were reported in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006. Tens of thousands of people in Israel and Lebanon have also been displaced, and more than 150 people, most of them Hezbollah fighters, killed on the Lebanese side since the exchanges began, according to a tally by the AFP news agency. The figure includes 20 civilians, including three journalists, the agency said. On Tuesday, a Hezbollah attack injured 11 people in northern Israel while an Israeli attack on Bint Jbeil killed three people, including one Hezbollah fighter. “Israeli warplanes are currently targeting towns that are even very far from the border,” Al Jazeera correspondent Ali Hashem reported from Bint Jbeil. “The fact is that this area is now becoming a complete warzone, it’s becoming very dangerous, very risky, to go around, with the fact that you’re always anticipating an Israeli drone,” he added. Thus far, however, such exchanges have stopped short of a more serious confrontation that would come with a steep cost for both sides, as well as civilian populations who live in communities near the Israel-Lebanon border. The limited nature of the fighting had eased initial concerns about a larger war. But in recent weeks, Israeli officials have suggested that they could take stronger actions against Hezbollah, even as Israel’s campaign in Gaza comes under growing scrutiny. Speaking on Wednesday on a tour near the border, Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said Israel may target Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a move that would almost certainly spark a larger conflict with the formidable armed group with strong links to Iran. “We will operate to make the most of the diplomatic option,” Cohen said. “If it doesn’t work, all options are on the table.” Adblock test (Why?)
House GOP probing if Biden was involved in Hunter’s ‘scheme’ to defy subpoena, potential ‘impeachable offense’
FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are investigating whether President Biden was involved in his son Hunter Biden’s “scheme” to defy his subpoena for deposition earlier this month — conduct, they say, “could constitute an impeachable offense.” The House Oversight Committee, House Judiciary Committee, and House Ways & Means Committee are investigating “whether sufficient grounds exist to draft articles of impeachment against President Biden for consideration by the full House.” The House formalized the inquiry earlier this month. JORDAN SAYS HUNTER BIDEN MADE A ‘HUGE CHANGE’ BY SAYING HIS FATHER WAS ‘NOT FINANCIALLY INVOLVED’ IN BUSINESS House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Wednesday penned a letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, to White House Counsel Edward Siskel, notifying him of the additional area of their investigation. “In light of an official statement from the White House that President Biden was aware in advance that his son, Hunter Biden, would knowingly defy two congressional subpoenas, we are compelled to examine as part of our impeachment inquiry whether the President engaged in a conspiracy to obstruct a proceeding of Congress,” Comer and Jordan wrote to Siskel. The subpoenas were both for Hunter Biden’s deposition — one from Comer and one from Jordan. The two chairmen planned to hold the deposition in the same room, at the same time. The president’s son was subpoenaed to appear for a deposition before the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees earlier this month. Hunter Biden defied that subpoena, and instead, appeared on Capitol Hill and delivered a public statement before the press. “On December 13, Mr. Biden did not appear for the deposition as required by the Committees’ subpoenas. Instead, Mr. Biden appeared on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol with his attorney and Representative Eric Swalwell,” they wrote. “Mr. Biden gave a lengthy public statement to an assembly of reporters in which he made several statements that are relevant to the House’s impeachment inquiry, including representations about his business activities, assertions about President Biden’s awareness and ‘financial’ involvement in these activities, and attacks on the Committees’ inquiry.” Hunter Biden “indicated that he would only testify in a public forum, a demand for special treatment that the Committees had previously rejected.” HUNTER BIDEN WILL NOT SIT FOR DEPOSITION BY GOP, SAYS FATHER NOT ‘FINANCIALLY’ INVOLVED IN HIS BUSINESS “Although Mr. Biden professed an interest in answering questions about his actions, he departed the Capitol grounds without taking any questions. The committees subsequently recorded Mr. Biden’s non-appearance at his deposition,” they wrote. But later that day, Comer and Jordan pointed to a statement made by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. She was asked whether the president had watched his son’s public statement. “White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that President Biden was ‘certainly familiar with what his son was going to say,’” they wrote. “Ms. Jean-Pierre declined, however, to provide any further details about the President’s actions on whether the president approved of his son defying congressional subpoenas.” They added, though, that Jean-Pierre’s statement “suggests the President had some amount of advanced knowledge that Mr. Biden would choose to defy two congressional subpoenas.” The chairmen pointed to the criminal code, citing the section which it states that it is unlawful to “corruptly…endeavor to influence, obstruct, or impede the due and proper exercise of the power of inquiry under which any investigation or inquiry is being had by…any committee of either House or any joint committee of Congress.” “Likewise, any person who ‘aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces or procures’ the commission of a crime is punishable as a principal of the crime,” they wrote. “In light of Ms. Jean-Pierre’s statement, we are compelled to examine the involvement of the President in his son’s scheme to defy the Committees’ subpoenas,” they wrote. “The Committees have accumulated substantial evidence that Hunter Biden’s business endeavors have improperly included his father, and the President has made false claims about his knowledge and involvement in these schemes.” WHITE HOUSE, HUNTER BIDEN’S TEAM KEEP SHIFTING GOALPOSTS IN DENYING DAD’S INVOLVEMENT WITH BUSINESSES Comer and Jordan also said that just days before Hunter Biden was scheduled to appear for his deposition, the president “claimed he had not interacted with any of his son’s business partners.” “This is false,” they wrote. “The President has met with, spoken to, and received money sourced from his son’s foreign business partners.” Comer and Jordan said that in light of the evidence they have collected, “the fact that the President had advanced awareness” that his son would defy the subpoenas “raises a troubling new question that we must examine: whether the President corruptly sought to influence or obstruct the Committee’s proceeding by preventing, discouraging, or dissuading his son from complying with the Committee’s subpoenas.” “Such conduct could constitute an impeachable offense,” they wrote. The chairmen demanded all documents and communications sent or received by the White House regarding Hunter Biden’s deposition, including communications with Hunter Biden, law firm Winston & Strawn LLP, and Kevin Morris. They also demanded all documents and communications sent or received by employees of the White House Executive Office regarding the president’s statement about his family’s business associates on Dec. 6, 2023. Comer and Jordan gave Siskel until Jan. 10, 2024 to produce the information.
Texas migrant flight heading to New York City diverted to Philadelphia
A flight sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott carrying over 180 migrants was dispatched to New York City on Tuesday as part of Texas’ efforts to transport migrants to “sanctuary” cities — but it was diverted to Philadelphia due to weather. Abbott’s office confirmed that the plane carrying the migrants left for the Big Apple, but it was “re-routed due to weather/ground stoppage in NYC, and the migrants were bused the remaining way.” New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ office had said earlier that the flight had been diverted to Philadelphia and the passengers then transported to the city via bus. His office, which has been sounding the alarm for over a year about the number of migrants they are receiving, called the move “inhumane.” TEXAS BEGINS FLYING MIGRANTS TO SANCTUARY CITIES WITH FIRST FLIGHT TO CHICAGO “Last night—in another inhumane act of treating human beings like political pawns—@GregAbbott_TX attempted to send us an unannounced & uncoordinated chartered plane w/ migrants that was diverted to Philly due to weather but whose passengers were then transported here via bus,” deputy mayor for communications Fabien Levy said. The flight is the latest such move by Abbott’s office, which last week dispatched a flight to Chicago carrying 120 migrants. Sources in Abbott’s office told Fox that all migrants signed voluntary waivers, as they do when bussed. The flights are an expansion of the bussing strategy that Abbott implemented in April 2022, when he began bussing migrants to Washington, D.C. Soon he expanded that to other “sanctuary” cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. TEXAS IMMIGRATION LAW PUSHBACK MARKS LATEST TENSION BETWEEN BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND BORDER STATES OVER CRISIS Abbott’s office said last week that the state has bussed over 82,900 migrants to cities, including Washington, D.C.; New York City; Chicago; Philadelphia; Denver; and Los Angeles. Abbott has said the operation provides “vital relief” to border towns and has promised to keep doing it “until [President] Biden secures the border.” The move has brought anger from mayors and the Biden administration. The White House accused him of performing a political stunt, but Texas has said it is doing it to aid border towns that have suffered from the border crisis. The migrants Texas has bussed have also exacerbated an already perilous migrant crisis for the city of New York, where Mayor Adams has demanded additional federal help with resettlement and warned the crisis could “destroy” the city. NYC has had over 160,000 migrants enter its shelter system over the last year and Adams has repeatedly criticized what he sees as the federal government’s lack of action, as well as Abbott for his buses’ roles in the crisis. Levy said that 14 “rogue buses” arrived in one night last week, the highest number recorded. “I’m not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel from the federal government,” Adams said in a press conference this week. The Biden administration has pointed to funding it has provided to cities like New York City, as well as teams to help with processing work permits and making recommendations for improvements. Meanwhile it has called on Congress to provide additional funding as part of its budget supplemental. That supplemental is currently being held up in Washington, D.C. as lawmakers debate additional restrictions on asylum. Meanwhile, federal officials said last week that November saw over 242,000 migrant encounters at the southern border — the highest November on record. Fox News’ Tamara Gitt contributed to this report.
New Jersey brothers set to govern neighboring towns in 2024
Two neighboring New Jersey towns may feel even closer next year when they’re governed by two brothers. John Giovannitti, 61, will be sworn in Jan. 2 as mayor of Paulsboro, one day before newly-reelected younger brother Vince Giovannitti, 57, is sworn in to a second term as mayor of Gibbstown. Paulsboro, with a population of 6,300, stretches from Route 130 to the Delaware River, across from Philadelphia International Airport. Gibbstown, with just under 4,000 people in Greenwich Township, is connected to its larger neighbor through the main corridor, Broad Street. NEW JERSEY RESTAURANT CLAIMS WORLD RECORD FOR LARGEST TEQUILA LIBRARY: ‘BREAK YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION HERE’ The Paulsboro brothers describe becoming mayors as a “happy coincidence” but also a natural next step after decades serving their communities. They told The Philadelphia Inquirer that being siblings aids the necessary collaboration of mayors of neighboring towns that share certain services. “We can say things to one another,” Vince said, acknowledging that he might be more reserved in dealings with someone else. John says constantly seeing each other at family functions also helps. Gibbstown and Paulsboro, described by John as “classic American small towns,” have families and church and civic groups that span municipal lines. Vince calls them “really one big community” and John adds that he does not know if there are many other communities that are “so intermingled.” The brothers, both Democrats, said they have never lived anywhere else. “The roots are deep … ” Vince said. “Your friends are here; your family is here.” NEW JERSEY TRANSIT SELLING ‘RICARDO THE BULL’ PLUSH AFTER ESCAPED BULL HALTED COMMUTER TRAIN, MADE HEADLINES The Gibbstown mayor’s salary is $12,314 with a three-year term. Paulsboro’s mayor has a four-year term and is paid between $7,000 and $9,100. John also works as Paulsboro High School’s assistant principal and athletic director and Vince was a special-education teacher and guidance counselor in the district before retiring in 2021. Asked to describe each other, John depicts Vince as thorough and organized and looking at “the big picture for his community.” Vince says his older brother is committed to Paulsboro, and he says he’s happy for him but “also happy for the residents.”
In the US, Arabs and Muslims are once again cast as suspect
For 80 days, Israel has been waging war on the Palestinians in Gaza with full diplomatic, economic and military support from the US government. The Israeli army has killed 21,000 people, carrying out what legal scholars agree amounts to a genocide and committing countless other war crimes and crimes against humanity. Yet, rising moral outrage in the United States and across the world is being met with dangerous smear campaigns that weaponise racism to silence the Palestinian freedom movement. Fuelled by and fuelling Islamophobia and anti-Palestinianism, extreme rhetoric has abetted unprecedented violations of Palestinian, Arab and Muslim American civil rights and even deadly violence against members of these communities. But the negative repercussions of this bigoted repression are not limited to Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims; rather they threaten fundamental moral and civic values that are the basis of democracy. Slander and witch hunts Over the past two and a half months, we have seen massive street demonstrations, open letters of condemnation, public resignations of officials, and other protest actions aimed at calling for a ceasefire, equal rights for Palestinians, and accountability for war crimes. But this mobilisation has been countered by attempts to portray the pro-Palestinian movement and any critique of Israel’s genocide as “anti-Semitic” and supportive of violence or terrorism. While these tactics are not new, this campaign has expanded in scale and scope to the point that it resembles a McCarthyist witch-hunt, relentlessly targeting Palestinian, Arab and Muslim Americans in particular, as well as allies who have stood against the US-funded violence and apartheid policies of Israel. Since October, thousands of individuals have fallen victim to this broad-brush smear campaign. On US university campuses, student activists have been disciplined by administrators, have had their student groups banned, have been doxxed on the internet, have had their faces and names plastered on billboards with false, defamatory captions, and have lost job offers. Others who oppose genocide have been pressured to stay silent, faced threats, encountered intimidation and harassment online and in the streets, and endured economic repercussions, including the loss of employment. But this persecution has not been limited to the private sector and online spaces; it has also extended into the halls of power. In November, a hearing was held in the US Congress in which “witnesses” falsely alleged that US-registered charities, including the ones I am the director of – American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) – are “providing support” to Palestinian resistance groups. These false allegations extended to the absurd claim that these organisations have called for a “genocide against Israel”. Members of Congress who have spoken out against Israel’s atrocities or who have simply met with their constituents as part of annual “Palestine Advocacy Days” were also named and shamed during the hearing. These malevolent “testimonies” seek to make our political contributions and voices toxic in the halls of power by spreading lies and pushing Islamophobic tropes that rely on decades of anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab and anti-Muslim biases. It is one thing to fight against slander and misinformation in the media, but it is another – and fundamentally more troubling – to be attacked with false accusations in Congress. That these testimonies containing false and bigoted claims were allowed to proceed shows the utter failure of our public institutions to protect Americans’ right to dissent at a time when our tax dollars are being used to support Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Islamophobia and violence These defamatory, suppressive tactics have dangerous consequences. They fuel hatred and encourage people to act upon it. According to the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, there has been a 417 percent increase in hate speech against Muslims since the war began. Civil rights groups like Palestine Legal and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) have also reported an unprecedented number of anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim attacks and discriminatory incident complaints over the past two months. They have seen a more than 200 percent increase compared with the previous year, and this is likely an undercount. There have been not only verbal attacks and harassment but deadly physical violence, as well. On October 14, Wadea al-Fayoume, a six-year-old Palestinian American child, was stabbed 26 times with a military knife by a man who was shouting, “You Muslims must die”; his mother was stabbed a dozen times but survived. On November 25, three Palestinian students were shot for speaking Arabic and wearing keffiyehs; all three sustained injuries from gunshot wounds, and one is now paralysed from the chest down. A member of our own staff, Neveen Ayesh, was shot at in her car and her home was broken into on November 11. Apart from inciting violence and intimidation against Palestinian, Arab and Muslim Americans, the smear campaigns are reinvigorating the post-9/11 atmosphere of suspicion, mass surveillance and collective victimisation. For decades, we have worked to expose the racism and double standards of successive presidential administrations and their anti-Muslim policies – from the watch lists and entrapment schemes, to the registries and bans. We have demonstrated the waste of millions of taxpayer funds for programmes and initiatives that have targeted and deeply traumatised our communities, but produced no results in “improving national security”. We have fought to ensure that no community is disproportionately policed and surveilled, no matter what they look like or where they come from. As pro-Israel groups wage a defamation war on our communities in order to obfuscate and distract public attention from Israel’s crimes in Gaza, we risk losing that progress towards an inclusive, anti-racist democracy, as slander and lies overcome truth. That is why we call on media outlets, politicians, and progressive leaders to be vigilant about anti-Arab and anti-Muslim tropes that imagine our communities as extensions of governments or political groups in the Middle East, portray us as inherently suspect, and thereby endanger us. There are three important ways to counter this smear campaign. First, we must recognise the long history of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim racism
Top 10 men’s football moments of 2023
The FIFA World Cup in Qatar may have fallen in 2022, but 2023 went a long way towards matching last year for stories and events. Here are Al Jazeera’s top 10 football moments from the men’s game for this calendar year: 1. Manchester City win the Champions League Manchester City were finally crowned champions of Europe in June when they beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final. It was the trophy that had eluded City and their esteemed manager, Pep Guardiola, in his time with the club. For the Spaniard, it was his third Champions League triumph after the two he claimed with Barcelona, but the wait to lead City to continental glory was becoming the elephant in the room. The win secured the domestic treble for City as they won the Premier League for a third consecutive year. It also opened the door for City to challenge in two more competitions – the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. 2. Osimhen leads Napoli to Serie A glory Victor Osimhen finished top scorer in Serie A to help Napoli to their first Serie A title since Diego Maradona graced the Italian top flight. The Nigerian striker netted 26 goals in a stellar season that alerted all of Europe’s top clubs. Napoli had to wait 33 years to lift La Scudetta once again, but thanks to Osimhen’s goals, they did it at a canter – finishing 16 points clear of Lazio. Napoli’s 2023 story was far from simple, though, as we’ll explore in a moment. Napoli’s Victor Osimhen was Serie A’s leading scorer as Napoli won the title [File: Alberto Lingria/Reuters] 3. Messi wins eighth Ballon d’Or Lionel Messi was also on the move in 2023 as the former Barcelona star swapped Paris for Miami. The Argentinean’s time at Paris St Germain didn’t quite go to plan, but a glamorous move to David Beckham’s Inter Miami is expected to help sprinkle some glitz on Major League Soccer in the United States. It has hardly been a barren couple of years for Messi. After Argentina’s World Cup win at Qatar in 2022, the forward was handed his eighth Ballon d’Or. He claimed his first in 2009 as his incredible club career began. The latest, though, must have been the sweetest award for Messi, who was rewarded for finally joining some of the game’s greats in holding aloft the World Cup. 4. Ronaldo moves to Saudi Arabia Cristiano Ronaldo ended his European love affair when he switched Manchester for Saudi Arabia. From Sporting Lisbon to United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Old Trafford again, Ronaldo decided to take up the challenge of the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr. The Portuguese had been linked to a host of Europe’s top clubs when his exit from United became apparent after his 2022 reveal-all TV interview with Piers Morgan. The transfer was made on the first day of the year, and it opened the door for a number of top names to follow suit. You can read all about Ronaldo’s move and more in our Top 10 transfers of 2023 review. History in the making. This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome @Cristiano to your new home @AlNassrFC pic.twitter.com/oan7nu8NWC — AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) December 30, 2022 5. Napoli’s smile is turned upside down Having claimed the Serie A title, manager Luciano Spalletti immediately left Napoli to take time out of the game. The 64-year-old, who said he was tired, was replaced by Rudi Garcia – but he lasted only 16 games before being sacked. Walter Mazzarri took charge with the title defence in tatters, both on and off the field, given rumours of unrest – most especially for their prized-asset Osimhen, who deleted a series of social media posts venting his frustration at the club. Matters weren’t helped by a controversial post by the club themselves seemingly mocking a penalty miss by Osimhen. Although it was quickly removed, the player’s agent was quick to express his disappointment at what he described as disrespect for his client, and legal action was even threatened. Perhaps Spalletti saw a storm brewing on the horizon. 6. Manchester City win the Club World Cup A quadruple already in the bag, Manchester City headed to Saudi Arabia last week as heavy favourites for the FIFA Club World Cup. A 2-0 semifinal win against Japan’s Uwara Reds appeared a stroll in the park, but that was nothing compared with the final. Guardiola’s side secured a fifth trophy in 2023 with a 4-0 hammering of Brazil’s Fluminense. The scoreline didn’t flatter City in any way whatsoever in what was a complete mismatch. The Premier League and FA Cup in England were followed by the Champions League and the Super Cup in Europe. Now the Club World Cup. Not only Manchester, England and Europe are blue – the world is now too. Manchester City’s Kyle Walker celebrates with the trophy after winning the Club World Cup final on December 22, 2023 [Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters] 7. Europe’s elite face twofold threat to dominance Europe’s top clubs were pushed into reverse in 2021 when fan outrage forced nine of the 12 founding clubs to pull out of a proposed European Super League. It appeared to kill off any threat to the dominance that Europe’s governing body, UEFA, held over club competitions on the continent. The Super Cup and the Champions League seemed safe. But this past year, a threat came from outside the continent with so many of the world’s top stars following Cristiano Ronaldo to the Saudi Pro League, which has established itself as a serious rival to the elite level that Europe’s top leagues monopolised for so long. A further threat to UEFA emerged late in the year when in December the European Court of Justice ruled that UEFA and
New York Times sues OpenAI, Microsoft for infringing copyrighted works
The New York Times has sued OpenAI and Microsoft over copyright infringement, seeking to end the companies’ practice of using its stories to train chatbots. The newspaper filed a lawsuit in the United States federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday, alleging the companies’ powerful artificial intelligence (AI) models used millions of its articles for training without permission and saying that copyright infringements at the paper alone could be worth billions. The Times said OpenAI and Microsoft are advancing their technology through the “unlawful use of The Times’s work to create artificial intelligence products that compete with it” and “threatens The Times’s ability to provide that service”. Through their AI chatbots, the companies “seek to free-ride on The Times’s massive investment in its journalism by using it to build substitutive products without permission or payment”, the lawsuit said. The Times, one of the most respected news organisations in the United States, is seeking damages as well as an order that the companies stop using its content – and destroy data already harvested. While no sum is specifically requested, the Times alleged that the infringement could have cost “billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages”. Confrontational approach With the suit, The New York Times chose a more confrontational approach to the sudden rise of AI chatbots, in contrast to other media groups, such as Germany’s Axel Springer or The Associated Press, which have struck content deals with OpenAI. Microsoft, the world’s second biggest company by market capitalisation, is a major investor in OpenAI and swiftly implemented the powers of AI in its own products after the release of ChatGPT last year. The AI models that power ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot (formerly Bing) were trained for years on content available on the internet under the assumption that it was fair to be used without need for compensation. But the lawsuit argued that the unlawful use of the Times’s work to build artificial intelligence products threatened its ability to provide quality journalism. “These tools were built with and continue to use independent journalism and content that is only available because we and our peers reported, edited and fact-checked it at high cost and with considerable expertise,” a spokesperson for the Times said. The Times said it reached out to Microsoft and OpenAI in April to raise concerns about the use of its intellectual property and reach a resolution on the issue. During the talks, the newspaper said it sought to “ensure it received fair value” for the use of its content, “facilitate the continuation of a healthy news ecosystem and help develop GenAI technology in a responsible way that benefits society and supports a well-informed public”. “These negotiations have not led to a resolution,” the lawsuit said. The lawsuit said that content generated by ChatGPT and Copilot closely mimicked New York Times style and the paper’s content was given a privileged status in perfecting the chatbot technology. It also said content that proved to be false was sourced incorrectly to The New York Times. Wave of lawsuits The newspaper joins a growing list of individuals and publishers trying to stop AI giants from using copyrighted material. Last year, Game of Thrones author George RR Martin and other bestselling fiction writers filed a class-action lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the startup of violating their copyrights to fuel ChatGPT. In June, more than 4,000 writers signed a letter to the CEOs of OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta and other AI developers, accusing them of exploitative practices in building chatbots that “mimic and regurgitate” their language, style and ideas. Universal and other music publishers have sued artificial intelligence company Anthropic in a US court for using copyrighted lyrics to train its AI systems and generate answers to user queries. US photo distributor Getty Images has accused Stability AI of profiting from its pictures and those of its partners to make visual AI that creates original images on simple demand. With lawsuits piling up, Microsoft and Google have announced they would provide legal protection for customers sued for copyright infringement over content generated by their AI. This month, European Union policymakers agreed on landmark legislation to regulate AI, which requires tech companies doing business in the EU to disclose data used to train AI systems and carry out testing of products – especially those used in high-risk applications, such as self-driving vehicles and healthcare. In October, US President Joe Biden issued an executive order focused on AI’s impact on national security and discrimination while China has rolled out regulations requiring AI to reflect “socialist core values”. Adblock test (Why?)
DNA TV Show: Know all about Pran-Pratishtha ceremony at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya
Ramlala’s life will be Pran pratishtha ceremony in Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya on 22 January. Know all about the ceremony.
Jack Smith asks judge to block Trump from making ‘partisan political attacks’ during trial
Special Counsel Jack Smith has filed another motion with the district court, which seeks to tamp down what former President Donald Trump’s legal team can tell a jury in his federal trial currently scheduled for March. The motion, filed on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is seeking to limit what statements Trump can make leading up to his scheduled March 4 federal trial on alleged 2020 election interference. That includes a request to prevent Trump from telling the jury he is being prosecuted by the DOJ in coordination with President Biden, as well as suggestions by Trump of undercover agents fomenting violence at the Capitol riots, and of “foreign influence” in the 2020 election. “Through public statements, filings, and argument in hearings before the Court, the defense has attempted to inject into this case partisan political attacks and irrelevant and prejudicial issues that have no place in a jury trial,” Smith’s team told U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan. SPECIAL COUNSEL IN TRUMP CASE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, FORMER REAGAN AG SAYS “Although the Court can recognize these efforts for what they are and disregard them, the jury – if subjected to them – may not. The Court should not permit the defendant to turn the courtroom into a forum in which he propagates irrelevant disinformation, and should reject his attempt to inject politics into this proceeding. To ensure that the jury remains focused on its fact-finding duty and applies the law as instructed by the Court, the defendant’s improper evidence and argument should be excluded.” The filing claims that “through his groundless demand for discovery of evidence regarding ‘investigative misconduct,’” Trump “has suggested that he intends to impeach the integrity of the investigation by raising wholly false claims such as the Government’s non-existent ‘coordination with the Biden Administration’ and other empty allegations recycled from the selective and vindictive prosecution motion that he based on anonymous sources in newspaper articles.” “Although the defendant is entitled to cross-examine the Government’s law enforcement witnesses about matters fairly within the scope of their direct testimony, he cannot raise wholly irrelevant topics in an effort to confuse and distract the jury. Much as the defendant would like it otherwise, this trial should be about the facts and the law, not politics.” SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH TO USE DATA FROM TRUMP’S PHONE IN ELECTION INTERFERENCE TRIAL: COURT FILING The motion seeks to prevent Trump from telling jurors about the potential punishment he could face if convicted, as well as blaming law enforcement agencies for a lack of preparation in advance of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. “Evidence about undercover actors holds no probative value here,” Smith’s team wrote in the filing regarding the riot, saying the “defendant also appears poised to blame undercover agents, government informants, or confidential human sources (collectively, ‘undercover actors’) for the violence at the Capitol on January 6.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump campaign for comment but did not immediately receive a response. The motion to preclude Trump from introducing broad categories of arguments is a way for prosecutors to try to set parameters on what information they believe the jury should, or should not, hear when the case reaches trial. It was filed as the case is effectively on hold during an appeal of the former president’s claims that he is immune from prosecution for acts taken while in the White House. JACK SMITH WANTS ‘DOWN AND DIRTY’ TRUMP CONVICTIONS TO INFLUENCE 2024 ELECTION: ALAN DERSHOWITZ “A bank robber cannot defend himself by blaming the bank’s security guard for failing to stop him,” prosecutors wrote. “A fraud defendant cannot claim to the jury that his victims should have known better than to fall for his scheme. And the defendant cannot argue that law enforcement should have prevented the violence he caused and obstruction he intended.” The Supreme Court declined last week to get involved in the dispute for now, but a federal appeals panel is set to hear arguments on the matter on Jan. 9. The trial is scheduled for March 4 in federal court in Washington, but it could be postponed by appeals of the immunity issue. Chutkan imposed a partial gag order against Trump in October blocking him from making statements targeting Smith, his staff, potential witnesses and court personnel. Chutkan said the former president is able to criticize the Justice Department in general terms and has the right to post his view that the case against him is politically motivated. However, the judge said Trump cannot post attacks against prosecutors or court staff. A federal appeals court upheld key parts of that gag order in December. “An Appeals Court has just largely upheld the Gag Order against me in the ridiculous J6 Case, where the Unselect January 6th Committee deleted and destroyed almost all Documents and Evidence, saying that I can be barred from talking and, in effect, telling the truth,” Trump posted on Truth Social after that ruling. “In other words, people can speak violently and viciously against me, or attack me in any form, but I am not allowed to respond, in kind. What is becoming of our First Amendment, what is becoming of our Country? We will appeal this decision!” Trump pleaded not guilty in federal court to all four federal charges stemming from Smith’s investigation into 2020 election interference and the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The judge presiding over the New York Trump Organization trial also imposed a partial gag order to prevent all parties from engaging in any verbal attacks against court staff after Trump criticized a member of the judge’s office on social media. An appeals court stay was temporarily issued on the New York gag order, but it was reinstated in November. “Merry Christmas to all, including Crooked Joe Biden’s ONLY HOPE, Deranged Jack Smith, the out of control Lunatic who just hired outside attorneys, fresh from the SWAMP (unprecedented!), to help him with his poorly executed WITCH HUNT against ‘TRUMP’ and ‘MAGA,’”
Indiana lawmaker joins growing list of GOP legislators opting for retirement in 2024
State Rep. Denny Zent of Angola announced his intention to retire following the conclusion of his current term, becoming the second GOP state representative this month to do so. The Republican representing House District 51, which includes portions of LaGrange and Steuben counties in northeast Indiana, said Wednesday he will complete his current term but will not seek reelection in 2024. He did not give a reason for his departure in his announcement. “It has been an honor to serve for over a decade in the General Assembly,” Zent said in a written statement. “During my time in the legislature, we’ve made great strides in helping our veterans, recognizing the crucial roles of caregivers and addressing various health care matters impacting Hoosiers.” INDIANA COUNTY JUDGE STRIKES DOWN ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’ VOTING LAW IN FAVOR OF GOP SENATE HOPEFUL Zent currently serves on the the House Public Health Committee and the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee. He was first elected to the General Assembly in 2012. “He’s a tremendous servant leader who puts the needs of his district first and always looks for commonsense solutions,” House Speaker Todd Huston said in a written statement. Zent was responsible for a number of legislative items for veterans, according to his office. He introduced a measure in 2020 to rename U.S. Route 20 across northern Indiana as the Medal of Honor Memorial Highway. “I look forward to working hard during my last session and finishing up my term,” Zent said. Zent joins a number of GOP state lawmakers who are forgoing reelection in 2024. He is the second state representative to disclose his intention this month following West Harrison Republican Randy Lyness’s announcement Dec. 18. In November, Republican state Rep. Bob Cherry of Greenfield announced his intention to retire after 25 years. Carmel Republican Rep. Donna Schaibley said in October she will not seek reelection shortly after longtime lawmaker Rep. Jerry Torr, who also represents Carmel, announced his intention to retire after 28 years in the House. In August, Republican state Sen. John Crane of Avon announced he will not seek reelection after the 2024 legislative session. ANOTHER REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER RETIRES FROM INDIANA LEGISLATURE At least three other Republican lawmakers resigned this year. In September, state Sen. Jon Ford of Terre Haute said he would resign effective Oct. 16 from his western Indiana district. A Republican caucus chose Greg Goode, the state director for Republican U.S. Sen. Todd Young, to finish out the remainder of Ford’s term. Republican Sen. Chip Perfect, of Lawrenceburg, resigned in late September from his southeastern Indiana seat. A caucus chose businessman Randy Maxwell to complete Perfect’s term. In July, State Rep. Randy Frye, a Republican from Greensburg, resigned from his southeastern Indiana district due to health issues. Attorney J. Alex Zimmerman was chosen to complete Frye’s term. After Republican state Sen. Jack Sandlin unexpectedly died in September, former Inspector General Cyndi Carrasco was sworn into the Senate in November to fill the Indianapolis seat.