Scientists making significant progress in advancing climate-smart crops (Anders Lorenzen)

A study released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences has unveiled that a new breeding strategy to create climate-smart crops rapidly has seen significant progress. The new varieties created using this strategy show higher yields under normal climatic conditions and when being exposed to heat stresses they rescue and limit yield losses both for staple grain and …

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An unprecedented surge [in Immigration] (David Leonhardt)

My colleagues and I worked with government officials and outside experts in recent weeks to analyze the magnitude of the recent immigration surge in the United States. We published the results of that analysis this morning. In today’s newsletter, I’ll give you seven highlights, with help from charts by Albert Sun, a graphics editor at The Times. …

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Humanity May Reach Singularity Within Just 6 Years, Trend Shows (Darren Orf)

In the world of artificial intelligence, the idea of “singularity” looms large. This slippery concept describes the moment AI exceeds beyond human control and rapidly transforms society. The tricky thing about AI singularity (and why it borrows terminology from black hole physics) is that it’s enormously difficult to predict where it begins and nearly impossible to …

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Elon Musk’s Starlink a wolf in sheep’s clothing, says thinktank (The Economic Times)

Read more at:https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/elon-musks-starlink-a-wolf-in-sheeps-clothing-says-thinktank/articleshow/115254871.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst Amid talk of Elon Musk’s Starlink seeking to offer satellite broadband internet service in India, think tank Kutniti Foundation has highlighted the US giant’s deep ties with US intelligence and military agencies that could impede national interests. Calling Starlink “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”, the foundation said Starlink is a dual-use technology …

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‘Wolf in sheep’s clothing’: Research report raises alarm over Elon Musk’s Starlink’s ties to US intelligence and military as it seeks to enter India (

As Elon Musk’s Starlink eyes to enter the Indian market for satellite broadband services, think tank Kutniti Foundation has raised red flags, pointing to the company’s extensive ties with U.S. intelligence and military agencies—a connection it claims could threaten India’s national interests. In a recent report, as reported by PTI, Kutniti described Starlink as “a …

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Offensive, racist texts now being sent to high-schoolers, Latinos and LGBTQ community, FBI says (Ken Dilanian and Dennis Romero, U.S. News)

The agency said that reports have grown since last week when Black people were targeted with messages from anonymous phone numbers.The FBI on Friday said reports of racist and offensive text messages sent from anonymous phone numbers are now being sent to members of Latino and LGBTQ communities. “Some recipients reported being told they were selected for deportation or …

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Generative AI and Political Power (Eugene Volokh)

As people come to rely on AI tools to answer questions, they will likely use those tools to answer political questions as well. The answers that the AI companies choose to provide, the author argues, may thus subtly but substantially influence public attitudes and, therefore, elections—especially to the extent Big Tech has been shifting from …

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Global Threat Report 2024 (Elastic Security Lab)

Introduction: With the best technologies, the most widespread information distribution, and the greatest public awareness of threats all in motion, the security environment is stronger than ever. Yet, almost in spite of these things, threat ecosystems are thriving like never before. Read More

Partisanship by family income, home ownership, union membership and veteran status (PEW Research Center)

Economic indicators such as family income, home ownership and union membership are all associated with partisanship. Partisanship by income groups Democrats have a substantial advantage over Republicans among voters in the lowest income tier, and a modest advantage among those at the highest income tier: But Republicans have a modest edge among upper-middle-income voters. Voters in the lower-middle tier …

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