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Live updates | Gaza loses communications again as Israeli troops set to enter Hamas-ruled enclave

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:04:30 GMT

Israeli troops divided the northern and southern parts of Gaza ahead of an expected advance into the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave, as communications in the territory were cut Monday for a third time since the war started. The troops will enter Gaza City in the coming 48 hours, Israeli media reported.The developments came after Israeli airstrikes hit two refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing scores of people, health officials said. Israel has so far rejected U.S. suggestions that it take a humanitarian pause from its relentless bombardment of Gaza amid rising civilian deaths. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Ramallah in the West Bank on Sunday for a previously unannounced meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Blinken later flew to Baghdad for talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war surpassed 9,700 with more than 4,000 of them children and minors, according to the Hamas...

With the end of Daylight Saving Time, the loss of daylight really hits home; Chicago area is losing 2 minutes and 22 seconds of daylight each day

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:04:30 GMT

We've already noticed the days have been getting shorter, but with the end of Daylight Saving Time the loss of daylight really hits home.  Right now, the Chicago area is losing 2 minutes and 22 seconds of daylight each day.  The region will have lost more than 50 minutes of daylight over the next month.  By the time we reach the winter solstice, December 21, Chicago will have lost more than an hour of daylight. Our days will continue to shorten-- all the way until the Winter Solstice next month-- though today is the day you might notice it the most. The length of day yesterday was about 10 hours and 14 minutes-- today we'll have 10 hours and 12 minutes of daylight-- but we've moved an hour of that daylight back to the morning with the jump to standard time. Both sunrise and sunset are an hour earlier than yesterday. We'll stay on standard time until March 10th next year. While there's been small moves in Congress to stop doing the twice annual clock-changing rout...

The effect of AI on identity

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:04:30 GMT

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved in recent years, fundamentally transforming various aspects of our lives. One of the profound and often overlooked consequences of this transformation is its impact on human identity. As AI becomes more integrated into our daily routines, work, and social interactions, it shapes and challenges our understanding of who we are. In this article, we will explore the multifaceted effect of AI on identity, discussing both the positive and negative aspects of this technological revolution, writes Colin Stevens.Redefining work and professional identityAI has disrupted traditional career paths and job roles. Automation and machine learning have led to the displacement of certain tasks, creating new opportunities and challenges. This shift has required individuals to adapt and often redefine their professional identities. Many jobs have evolved to incorporate AI, with employees now working alongside intelligent machines. This has led to a fusio...

Live updates | Israeli troops surround Gaza City ahead of expected advance into Hamas-ruled enclave

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:04:30 GMT

Israeli troops divided the northern and southern parts of Gaza ahead of an expected advance into the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave, as communications across the territory were temporarily cut Monday for a third time since the war started. The troops are expected to enter Gaza City on Monday or Tuesday, Israeli media reported.The developments came after Israeli airstrikes hit two refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing scores of people, health officials said. Israel has so far rejected U.S. suggestions that it take a humanitarian pause from its relentless bombardment of Gaza amid rising civilian deaths. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Ramallah in the West Bank on Sunday for a previously unannounced meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Blinken later flew to Baghdad for talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war surpassed 9,700 with more than 4,000 of them children and minor...

South Korea plans to launch its first military spy satellite on Nov. 30

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:04:30 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea said Monday it plans to launch its first domestically built spy satellite at the end of this month to better monitor rival North Korea as it expands its arsenal of nuclear weapons.The plan was unveiled days after North Korea failed to follow through on a vow to make a third attempt to launch its own reconnaissance satellite in October, likely because of technical issues.Jeon Ha Gyu, a spokesperson for the South Korean Defense Ministry, told reporters Monday that the country’s first military spy satellite will be launched from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base on Nov. 30.The satellite will be carried by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Under a contract with SpaceX, South Korea plans to launch four more spy satellites by 2025, according to South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration.South Korea currently has no military reconnaissance satellites of its own and relies on U.S. spy satellites to monitor moves by North Korea. The possession...

Inconsistent Bills have already surpassed last season’s loss total

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:04:30 GMT

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Buffalo Bills entered their prime-time matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals holding an early playoff spot in the AFC. Another inconsistent offensive performance in a 24-18 loss Sunday night dropped the Bills (5-4) out of postseason position — and gave them more regular-season losses already than they had all last year. Still, Sean McDermott isn’t concerned about the confidence level of his team.“These guys are invested,” the Bills coach said. “It’s tough to win in the NFL. When you go up against a good football team, you have to do things right. We didn’t do enough things right tonight to win.” And it cost the Bills a chance to tie the Dolphins for first place in the AFC East after Miami lost to Kansas City earlier Sunday. It was a rematch of last season’s AFC divisional playoff round when the Bills, who went 13-3 in the regular season, lost 27-10 to the Bengals. This one got off to an encouraging for the Bills, who drove 85 yards in seven plays on their f...

Matan a tiros a un locutor de radio filipino mientras transmitía en vivo en su casa

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:04:30 GMT

(CNN) —  Matan a tiros a un locutor de radio mientras transmitía en vivo su programa en Facebook desde su casa en el sur de Filipinas el domingo, lo que provocó una búsqueda de sus asesinos y la condena del presidente del país.El locutor Juan Jumalon, también conocido como “DJ Johnny Walker”, fue baleado por asaltantes no identificados en un “asesinato descarado”, dijo el Sindicato Nacional de Periodistas de Filipinas (NUJP) en un comunicado en X, antes Twitter .The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemns the brazen killing of Juan Jumalon, also known as DJ Johnny Walker, of 94.7 Calamba Gold FM in Calamba, Misamis Occidental this morning.> pic.twitter.com/Dg1eYNT3Dx— NUJP (@nujp) November 5, 2023“El ataque es aún más condenable ya que ocurrió en la propia casa de Jumalon, que también servía como estación de radio”, dijo, y agregó que Jumalon es el cuarto trabajador de los medios asesinado desde que el presidente Ferdinand Marcos Jr. llegó al p...

Israeli troops surround Gaza City and cut off northern part of the besieged Hamas-ruled territory

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:04:30 GMT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli troops early Monday had surrounded Gaza City and cut off the northern part of the besieged Hamas-ruled territory as communications lost for several hours across Gaza overnight were being restored.Troops are expected to enter the city Monday or Tuesday, Israeli media reported, and militants who have prepared for years are expected to fight street by street using a vast network of tunnels. Casualties will likely rise on both sides in the month-old war, which has already killed more than 9,700 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.Some 1.5 million Palestinians, or around 70% of the population, have fled their homes since the war began with a bloody Hamas incursion into Israel that killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians. Food, medicine, fuel and water are running low, and U.N.-run schools-turned-shelters are beyond capacity, with many sleeping on the streets outside.Israel has so far rejected U.S. suggestions for a pause in f...

Live updates | Israeli troops surround Gaza City. Communications being restored to territory

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:04:30 GMT

Israeli troops divided the northern and southern parts of Gaza, as communications across the besieged territory were temporarily cut Monday for a third time since the war started. The troops are expected to enter Gaza City on Monday or Tuesday, Israeli media reported.The developments came after Israeli airstrikes hit two refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing scores of people, health officials said. Israel has so far rejected U.S. suggestions that it take a humanitarian pause from its relentless bombardment of Gaza amid rising civilian deaths. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Ramallah in the West Bank on Sunday for a previously unannounced meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Blinken later flew to Baghdad for talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war surpassed 9,700 with more than 4,000 of them children and minors, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. In...

EU allocates more than €26 million in additional humanitarian aid to East Africa

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:04:30 GMT

The Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes regions continue to face multiple and overlapping humanitarian crises, aggravated by conflict and climate-related disasters. To help mitigate the consequences, the Commission has allocated additional humanitarian funding of €26.7 million to South Sudan, Uganda, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, primarily to support newly displaced people fleeing conflicts and climatic events.In South Sudan, where around 2,000 people arrive daily from neighbouring Sudan, the additional funding of €6.4m will support humanitarian response in the border areas. Out of the new arrivals – refugees and South Sudanese returnees – 70% are women and children, and 1 in 5 are malnourished.In Somalia, around 2 million people will require emergency humanitarian assistance as a result of conflict, floods and cholera outbreak before the end of 2023. The additional €5.5m will support the overall humanitarian response in the country.€1.5m will strengthen food sec...