United States

July 26, 2024 2:47 PM

Meta oversight board tells company to clean up rules on AI-generated pornography

Meta's Oversight Board on Thursday said the company's rules were "not sufficiently clear" in barring sexually explicit AI-generated depictions of real people and called for changes to stop such imagery from circulating on its platforms. The board, which is funded by the social media giant but operates independently, issued its ruling after reviewing two pornographic fakes of famous women created using artificial intelligence and posted on Meta's Facebook and Instagram. Meta said it would revie...

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA - MARCH 23: A Tomahawk Land Attack Missile is launched on Iraq from the guided missile cruiser USS Cape St. George March 23, 2003 in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The Cape St. George is operating in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of the U.S. and British coalition forces' attack on Iraq. (Photo by Kenneth Moll/U.S. Navy/Getty Images)

July 18, 2024 11:51 AM

How dangerous is the new US-Russia missile race?

Four decades ago, the United States deployed cruise and Pershing II nuclear missiles in Europe to counter Soviet SS-20s - a move that stoked Cold War tensions but led within years to a historic disarmament deal. "We can be proud of planting this sapling, which may one day grow into a mighty tree of peace," Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev told U.S. President Ronald Reagan in December 1987 as they agreed to dismantle the rival systems under a treaty that scrapped all ground-based shorter-range ...

July 9, 2024 4:57 PM

Novo Nordisk shares down after analysis finds Lilly drug leads to better weight loss

Shares in Novo Nordisk, maker of the wildly popular obesity drug Wegovy were down 1.1% on Tuesday after the publication of a data analysis showing rival Eli Lilly's own treatment Mounjaro leads to faster and greater weight loss. The analysis was published on Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, a medical journal. It examined health records and other data to assess the pace and percentage of weight loss for overweight and obese people taking tirzepatide - the active ingredient in Lilly's Mounjaro a...

July 3, 2024 4:24 PM

Israel conducts new strikes in Gaza, families seek shelter after evacuation order

Many Palestinians were seeking shelter on Wednesday after fleeing their homes in southern Gaza and complained of water shortages as Israel pressed on with its military offensive in the densely populated enclave. Israeli forces carried out new military strikes in the southern city of Rafah amid fierce fighting with Palestinian militants overnight, residents said. At least 12 people were killed in new strikes in central and northern Gaza, health officials said. Israel's leaders have said they ar...

June 25, 2024 9:40 AM

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange strikes a deal with US that could allow him to walk free

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has agreed to enter a plea deal with the Joe Biden administration that could pave the way for him to avoid imprisonment in the United States, according to recently filed federal court documents. The WikiLeaks founder has reportedly consented to plead guilty to a felony charge connected to his alleged involvement in one of the largest breaches of classified US government material. This agreement, if approved by a federal judge, would see Assange receiving a 62-mo...

June 21, 2024 3:03 PM

China threatens death penalty for ‘diehard’ Taiwan separatists

China on Friday threatened to impose the death penalty in extreme cases for "diehard" Taiwan independence separatists, a ratcheting up of pressure even though Chinese courts have no jurisdiction on the democratically governed island. China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, has made no secret of its dislike of President Lai Ching-te who took office last month, saying he is a "separatist", and staged war games shortly after his inauguration. Taiwan has complained of a pattern of ramped u...

June 10, 2024 12:31 PM

US military confirms Houthi missile strikes on two ships in Gulf of Aden

Yemen's Houthi damaged two commercial vessels in missile attacks in the Gulf of Aden in the last 24 hours as part of the militia group's ongoing campaign against international ocean shipping, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday. The Iran-backed Houthis hit the Tavvishi, a Liberian-flagged and Swiss-owned container ship with an anti-ship ballistic missile, CENTCOM said. The vessel was damaged, but no crew were injured, according to CENTCOM. Two missiles fired by the Houthis struck the...

SOUTHERN ISRAEL, ISRAEL - MAY 17: An Israeli tank moves along the border with the Gaza Strip as seen from a position from the Israeli side of the border on May 17, 2024 in Sourhern Israel, Israel. Negotiations over a ceasefire deal that would halt the war in Gaza are once again stalled, while Israel appears to be preparing for an expanded ground offensive around Rafah, despite international concern. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

June 7, 2024 10:14 AM

Russia, China wrangle with US over UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire plan

Russia and China, which hold veto powers in the U.N. Security Council, raised concerns on Thursday with a U.S. draft resolution that would back a proposal - outlined by President Joe Biden - for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas. The council's only Arab member, Algeria, also signaled it was not ready to back the text, diplomats said. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the U.S., France, Britain, China or Russia to pass. Biden laid out a t...

June 5, 2024 4:09 PM

Hamas wants Israel to commit to permanent ceasefire, full withdrawal from Gaza

Hamas cannot agree to any deal unless Israel makes a "clear" commitment to a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, a senior official from the Palestinian militant group said on Tuesday. Qatar, which alongside the United States and Egypt has been mediating talks between Hamas and Israel, has also urged Israel to provide a clear position that has the backing of its entire government to reach a deal. "We cannot agree to an agreement that doesn't secure, guarantee, and...

May 31, 2024 10:24 AM

Biden allows Ukraine limited use of U.S. arms to strike inside Russia

President Joe Biden quietly has authorized Kyiv to launch U.S.-supplied weapons at military targets inside Russia that are supporting an offensive against the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, four U.S. officials said on Thursday. The decision marks a policy shift by Biden, who had steadfastly refused to allow Ukraine to use American weaponry for strikes inside Russia. Russia's embassy in Washington and Russia's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to ...