Tent rallies turn West Bank eviction into rallying cry

By AFP
August 24, 2024

Activists confront a settler (left) near the occupied West Bank village of Beit Jala - Copyright AFP HAZEM BADER

Robbie Corey-Boulet

Flanked by smartphone-wielding peace activists, members of an evicted Palestinian family marched onto land seized by armed Israeli settlers, shouting “Out! Out!” as they livestreamed the confrontation on Instagram.

After Israeli security forces turned them away, they retreated to their makeshift base: a fast-growing tented encampment for supporters of the family -– the Kisiyas -– that has spotlighted their plight amid widening settler attacks in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Violence in the West Bank has surged alongside the war in Gaza, with at least 640 Palestinians killed by Israeli troops and settlers since Hamas’s October 7 attack, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures.

At least 19 Israelis have also died in Palestinian attacks during the same period, according to Israeli officials.

Yet weeks of demonstrations at the tent near the Kisiyas’ home in Beit Jala, south of Jerusalem, have made their story stand out, attracting anti-settlement activists, lawmakers, rabbis and Palestinians from other communities facing similar incursions.

The daily gatherings feature meals, prayer, singalongs and lessons on non-violent resistance, usually followed by a caravan to the contested site to demand that the settlers leave.

During one such encounter on Thursday, Kisiya family members grabbed whatever they could -– mattresses, electrical cables, fruit from a pomegranate tree -– while activists tried to tear down settler-erected fences.

It is the kind of show of solidarity that was once more common but has become vanishingly rare during the war, organisers said.

“We will stay here until we get back our land,” 30-year-old Alice Kisiya told AFP.

The settlers “took advantage of the war. They thought it would end in silence, but it didn’t.”


– ‘Example to show the world’ –


Some details of the Kisiyas’ story have helped turn it into a rallying cry.

They are one of the area’s few Christian families, and the land’s stepped agricultural terraces sit in one of its few accessible green spaces.

Yet Knesset member Aida Touma-Suleiman told AFP that while the mobilisation around their struggle might be unusual, the challenges the Kisiyas face are common.

“I wish we can be able to stand near each family like this, but maybe this can be an example to show the world what is happening,” she said.

Earlier this month, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the approval of a new settlement in the same area of the Kisiya encampment that the United Nations says would encroach on the UNESCO World Heritage site of Battir.

The news drew international outcry, with Washington and the United Nations saying the settlement known as Nahal Heletz would jeopardise the viability of a Palestinian state.

All of Israel’s settlements in the West Bank, occupied since 1967, are considered illegal under international law, regardless of whether they have Israeli planning permission.

The Kisiyas have for years been threatened by settlement activity, and in 2019 the civil administration demolished the family’s home and restaurant.

The latest run-in occurred on July 31, when settlers from a nearby outpost accompanied by soldiers “raided the land, assaulting members of the Kisiya family and activists trying to force them to leave the area”, according to Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now.


– ‘Is it dangerous?’ –


The Kisiyas joined with activists to form the encampment just over a week later, although it got off to a slow start.

“I wish there was a camera when we first started. We were just sitting with chairs, had nothing in here. And we were discussing, like, ‘What are we doing?'” said Palestinian activist Mai Shahin of Combatants for Peace.

“The first week was really hard with people calling like, ‘What do you mean, is it dangerous?'”

As it has grown in size, Palestinians from elsewhere have come to see the encampment as a safe space.

“I have a lot of trauma from wearing my own keffiyeh (scarf) and wearing my identity for everyone to see,” said Amira Mohammed, 25, of Jerusalem.

In the encampment “we were able to actually be ourselves, wear our keffiyehs, sing our songs in our language with our Israeli counterparts”.

But some activists point out that despite the energy in the encampment, the current Israeli government appears set on expanding settlement activity.

“No anti-Israeli and anti-Zionist decision will stop the development of settlements,” Smotrich, who himself lives in a settlement, posted on X this month.

“We will continue to fight against the dangerous project of creating a Palestinian state by creating facts on the ground.”

Activist Talya Hirsch said such statements leave her with “no hope for this land” and “no vision of a better future”.

She added: “But I don’t move from this place. I have no hope but I have a high sense of responsibility.”

Could ‘zero trust’ have prevented the Halliburton cyberattack?

By Dr. Tim Sandle
August 22, 2024

DIGITAL JOURNAL

The average annual emissions for the 2013-2022 period was 53 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide -- primarily from the use of fossil fuels like oil and gas, the report said - Copyright AFP SAUL LOEB

Halliburton is grappling with a significant computer system issue and media reports indicate that the oil industry giant is investigating a potential cyberattack. According to Reuters: “Halliburton said it was aware of an issue affecting certain systems at the company and was working to determine the cause and impact of the problem.”

“We are aware of an issue affecting certain company systems and are working diligently to assess the cause and potential impact,” a Halliburton spokesperson said in a statement reported on by CNN. “We have activated our pre-planned response plan and are working internally and with leading experts to remediate the issue.”

Looking at the significance of the cyber-incident for Digital Journal is Roman Arutyunov, Co-Founder at Xage Security.

Arutyunov is especially concerned about the rise of cyber threats facing both the oil and gas industry and the broader critical infrastructure sector.

Arutyunov sees a potential solution. This path forward is with implementing a zero trust cybersecurity framework across all U.S. infrastructure.

Arutyunov begins his analysis by outlining the events that have taken place: “The alleged cyberattack on Halliburton, the second-largest oil service company in the U.S., underscores the urgent need to strengthen our infrastructure against increasingly sophisticated cyber adversaries. Securing our infrastructure is not just about protecting individual companies; it’s about safeguarding the fabric of our society, economy, and global supply chain.”

In terms of the implications of these types of cyber-warfare, Arutyunov takes the issue down to the level of the average citizen: “Hits to our critical infrastructure have outsized impacts on everyday people. They can have environmental and safety risks.”

Furthermore: “They can also disrupt everyday life – as we saw with the most recent high-profile attack in oil and gas – the Colonial Pipeline attack of 2021. They also hurt the economy, which in turn, hurts us all. With regulations, oil and gas has made leaps to be more secure (other industries cannot boast 3 years between major attacks), but there’s a lot of work still left to do.”

At the heart of the ease of some of these attacks are internal weaknesses, which Arutyunov pinpoints: “Many companies still rely on outdated cybersecurity measures.”

There are measures that can should be taken, observes Arutyunov: “All critical infrastructure operators must adopt zero trust cybersecurity solutions, as this model has become essential in the fight against evolving threats.”

By this Arutyunov means: “Zero trust emphasizes robust authentication, continuous monitoring, and least privilege access, ensuring that every user and device is thoroughly verified and every access request is meticulously scrutinized.”

This comes together, citing back to the recent issue, as: “By embracing this approach, organizations like Halliburton can significantly bolster their cyber defences, reduce risks, and safeguard their critical systems and data from potential breaches.”

Experts meet as final global plastic treaty talks near


By AFP
August 23, 2024

Negotiators hope to agree the world's first binding treaty on plastic pollution this year - Copyright AFP/File TIMUR MATAHARI

Sara HUSSEIN

With months until crunch talks on the world’s first binding treaty on plastic pollution, experts are meeting in Bangkok to discuss financing options and problematic plastics.

The four-day gathering is a largely technical waypoint on the road to final negotiations in late November in South Korea’s Busan.

There, countries are hoping to seal a potentially groundbreaking deal to tackle the gargantuan problem of plastic pollution.

The scale of the issue is almost unprecedented — microplastics have been found in the deepest ocean trenches, highest mountain peaks, in clouds and even breastmilk.

Plastic production has doubled in 20 years and at current rates it could triple by 2060, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Yet over 90 percent of plastic is not recycled, with much of it dumped in nature or buried in landfills.

Negotiators have already met four times to discuss a deal that could include production caps, unified rules on recyclability, and even bans on certain plastics or chemical components.

But significant gaps remain, including on whether the treaty will be adopted by consensus or a majority vote.

Other flashpoints include whether plastic production will be addressed, Eirik Lindebjerg, global plastics policy lead at WWF, told AFP.

“Is it within the scope to talk about production, or does the value chain start after plastic products are made? And then if we can regulate production… is it with a cap, is it with a reduction target, what are the measures?” he said.

“That’s been a very contentious issue.”

Environmental groups have long argued that the treaty must include curbs on new plastic, a position backed by dozens of countries who call themselves the “high ambition coalition”.

They may now have a powerful ally in the form of the United States, which has reportedly thrown its backing behind some production limits.

That shift has been welcomed by environmental groups, though Lindebjerg warned it was not yet clear if Washington would back mandatory caps or weaker voluntary limits.



– ‘Unresolved matters’ –



Just how binding the deal will be is another source of contention.

Some countries want measures like a unified timeline for phasing out certain plastics, while others back vaguer language that would let nations decide how and when to regulate.

And, as with climate negotiations, finance for implementing whatever is agreed remains hugely controversial.

“Some countries want money, and some countries don’t want to give money, very simply put,” said Lindebjerg.

Two expert groups are meeting in Bangkok, with one focused on financing, including technical details on waste management systems and how to implement “polluter pays” principles.

The second group will focus on a framework and criteria for chemicals, plastic materials and plastic products that could be targeted for bans or reductions in the treaty.

The meetings are advisory and are being held behind closed doors, to the dismay of some environmental groups and industry.

“There are still a lot of unresolved matters,” warned Chris Jahn, council secretary of the International Council of Chemical Associations, which represents the global chemical industry.

The group opposes language that would regulate chemicals or cap plastic production.

“Plastics are essential in order for the world to achieve its sustainable development and climate change goals,” Jahn said, pointing to uses from solar energy to food preservation.

The American Chemistry Council last week warned US backing for production caps would “betray” US manufacturing and risk jobs.

The industry does back efforts to promote the reuse of plastics and new designs to make recycling easier, Jahn said, as well as rules to make producers pay for plastic pollution.

And despite the remaining gaps, there is cautious optimism that a robust deal is possible.

“I think that we’re really at a historic opportunity here,” said Lindebjerg.

Sicily opens manslaughter probe as last movements of yacht victims revealed


By AFP
August 24, 2024

Divers bring a body back from the luxury yacht Bayesian after it sank killing seven people - Copyright AFP/File Alberto PIZZOLI

Sicilian prosecutors said Saturday they were investigating possible manslaughter after a superyacht sank killing seven people, as it emerged that trapped passengers scrabbled for air pockets after it went down.

UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, four friends and the yacht’s cook died when the British-flagged Bayesian sank in a storm before dawn on Monday.

“The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Termini Imerese has registered a file with the state against unknown persons, hypothesising the crimes of negligent shipwreck and multiple negligent manslaughter,” state prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio told reporters on the Italian island.

But he said he was only announcing the probe due to the huge international interest in the case, stressing: “We are only in the initial phase of the investigations.

“At this stage, precisely because the investigation could develop in any way, we are absolutely not ruling anything out.”

Lynch, 59, had invited friends and family onto the boat to celebrate his recent acquittal in a massive US fraud case.

But the 56-metre (185-foot) yacht was struck by something akin to a mini-tornado before dawn on Monday as it was anchored off Porticello, near Palermo.

Fifteen people were rescued and the body of the yacht’s chef was found shortly afterwards. Six passengers were reported missing.

A major search operation including specialist divers subsequently identified the bodies of four of Lynch’s friends on Wednesday.

Lynch’s body was found on Thursday and that of his daughter, who had been preparing to go to Oxford University, on Friday.



– Scrabbling for air –



The bodies were found in two cabins on the side of the ship closest to the surface, and officials said they believed the trapped passengers had moved there in a bid to find pockets of air.

The ship sank by its stern — the back — and came to rest on its right side on the sea bed, some 50 metres down, Girolamo Bentivoglio Fiandra of the fire service said.

He told reporters the passengers inside “took refuge to seek safety in the cabins on the left side where somehow the last air bubbles formed”.

“We found the first five bodies in the first cabin on the left side, and the last body in the third cabin on the left side,” he said.

Bayesian’s emergency flare had gone up at 4.38 am (0238 GMT) on Monday morning, and the coastguard immediately deployed — but when they got there, it had already sunk.



– Sudden, unexpected –



Contrary to previous reports, Raffaele Macauda, from the Sicilian coastguard, said there had been no storm warning that night.

“It was a sudden and unexpected event,” added Raffaele Cammarano, another state prosecutor.

The officials said the crew were free to leave Sicily during the investigation.

Information on whether the yacht’s doors were open — which might explain why it sank so fast — would not be possible to confirm until the wreck was recovered, the officials said.

This could take weeks.

Lynch, once dubbed the British “Bill Gates”, founded software firm Autonomy in the 1990s. Its $11 billion sale to Hewlett-Packard in 2011 saw him face fraud charges in the United States.

A jury in San Francisco acquitted the 59-year-old and a co-defendant of all charges in June.

After Hannah’s body was brought ashore on Friday, her family issued a statement describing their “unspeakable grief”.

“The Lynch family is devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends,” it said.

US lawyer Chris Morvillo, a partner at top law firm Clifford Chance who worked on the US trial, also died along with his wife Neda.

The bodies of Jonathan Bloomer, the chair of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife Judy, were also found.

The chef was named in various media reports as Canadian-Antiguan Recaldo Thomas.

WWIII

Philippines says China fired flares at its South China Sea plane

By AFP
August 23, 2024

A handout photo taken and released by the Philippine Coast Guard on August 19 shows damage to a coast guard following a collision with a Chinese vessel - Copyright Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)/AFP/File Handout

The Philippine government accused China on Saturday of firing flares at one of its aircraft as it flew patrols over the South China Sea this month.

Beijing claims most of the strategic waterway and has been involved in tense maritime confrontations with Manila in recent months, sparking fears of armed conflict that could draw in the United States, a Filipino military ally.

A Chinese fighter jet “engaged in irresponsible and dangerous manoeuvres” on August 19 as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) plane made a “maritime domain awareness flight” near Scarborough Shoal, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said.

The unprovoked Chinese “harassment” included “deploying flares multiple times at a dangerously close distance of approximately 15 metres from the BFAR Grand Caravan aircraft”, the task force added in a statement.

Flares were also launched near the same plane from the China-held Subi Reef on August 22 as the patrol craft was “monitoring and intercepting poachers encroaching upon the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone and the territorial seas” of the Philippines, it added.

Flares are usually employed by military aircraft as decoys to protect them from missiles, but also for illumination.

China’s foreign ministry said on Friday that two Philippine military aircraft flew into its airspace over Subi Reef, which Manila also claims, on August 22.

The Chinese side undertook “necessary countermeasures in accordance with the law, in order to protect its own sovereignty and security”, it said in a statement.

The Philippine government said the BFAR plane was a civilian Cessna aircraft.

The Chinese statement did not mention any August 19 incident over Scarborough Shoal, which China seized from the Philippines at the end of a 2012 standoff.

The Scarborough Shoal incident occurred hours after Philippine and Chinese coast guard vessels collided near Sabina Shoal, with the Filipino side reporting structural damage on both of its patrol ships.

The shoal is located 140 kilometres (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200 kilometres from Hainan island, the nearest Chinese landmass.

The Philippines has also accused a Chinese air force plane of making a “dangerous manoeuvre” and dropping flares in the path of a Filipino air force plane that was patrolling over Scarborough on August 10.

In June, the Philippine military said one of its sailors lost a thumb in a confrontation off Second Thomas Shoal when the Chinese coast guard, wielding sticks, knives and an axe, also confiscated or destroyed Philippine equipment including guns.

Beijing has blamed the escalation on Manila and maintains its actions to protect its claims are legal and proportional.

It has continued to press its claims to almost the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

Manila on Saturday urged Beijing to “immediately cease all provocative and dangerous actions that threaten the safety of Philippine vessels and aircraft engaged in legitimate and regular activities within Philippine territory and Exclusive Economic Zone”, as well as freedom of navigation and overflights.

“Such actions undermine regional peace and security, and further erode the image of the PRC (People’s Republic of China) with the international community,” the task force statement said.

Money: US states with the worst debt records revealed

ByDr. Tim Sandle
August 24, 2024
DIGITAL JOURNAL

New York City: — Photo: © Digital Journal

A new study shows that the U.S. state where people struggle with personal finances the most is Massachusetts, with the average card debt growing $2,999 in the last three years. New York is second in the list, with the credit card debt summing up to 33.93 percent of the residents’ disposable income.

In contrast, the District of Columbia stands out with the smallest disposable income of only $1,089.

The recent study comes from the firm The Stock Dork. who analysed all U.S. states and the District of Columbia to identify the states that struggle with personal finances the most. The information about average card debt and its growth over the last 3 years was collected and compared with average salary, cost of living and disposable income. The data was collected from Forbes, US Census and Experian. The debt to salary and debt to disposable income rates were calculated and used for the final score.

The data summary indicates:

State	Average card debt 2023	Card debt growth 2021	Average salary	Debt to salary rate	Disposable income	Debt to disposable income rate	Score
Massachusetts	$8,447	$5,448	$76,600	11.03%	$22,740	37.15%	69.34
New York	$8,566	$5,583	$74,870	11.44%	$25,247	33.93%	69.09
New Jersey	$8,909	$6,115	$70,890	12.57%	$21,379	41.67%	65.02
California	$8,366	$5,567	$73,220	11.43%	$20,049	41.73%	64.28
District of Columbia	$7,536	$7,062	$79,898	9.43%	$1,089	692.01%	63.47
Maryland	$8,626	$6,164	$69,750	12.37%	$21,515	40.09%	61.03
Connecticut	$8,640	$6,516	$69,310	12.47%	$22,398	38.57%	59.09
Colorado	$8,134	$5,915	$67,870	11.98%	$21,939	37.08%	56.09
Rhode Island	$7,872	$5,324	$64,530	12.20%	$20,049	39.26%	53.45
Washington	$7,088	$5,560	$72,350	9.80%	$25,119	28.22%	52.42

As described above, the state that struggles with personal finances the most is Massachusetts, getting a composite score of 69.34 which reflects high average debt and its role in personal finances. The average credit card debt increased by $2,999, the biggest growth in the ranking. Massachusetts offers one of the highest salaries but cost of living cancels this advantage, leaving $22,740 of disposable income.

New York takes the second place in the ranking of the states that struggle with personal finances the most, scoring 69.09. The average card debt here is only $119 higher than in Massachusetts and the debt growth is similar. While New York offers a smaller average salary of $74,870, the disposable income is bigger than in Massachusetts, summing up to $25,247.

New Jersey is third, with a score of 65.02. The state hasthe highest average card debt, summing up to $8,909. A lot of income in New Jersey is spent on the cost of living, making the debt 41.67% of the disposable income, third-highest debt to disposable income ratio in the ranking.

California follows closely with fourth place and a score of 64.28. The card debt increased here a lot in the last three years, raising $2,799. The cost of living in California is similar to Massachusetts and it leaves people with a little over $20,000 in disposable income. The rate of credit card debt to disposable income in California ends up at 41.73 percent, the second highest in the list.

The District of Columbia takes fifth place in the ranking of the states that struggle with personal finances the most. The average card debt had the smallest growth over the last few years. The District of Columbia offersthe highest salaries in the top ten but the cost of living is only $1,089 less than the average salary which leaves people with almost no disposable income. In that situation the credit card debt becomes 692 percent of the disposable income while debt to overall salary ratio is the lowest in the list.

‘Sick and scared’: Burundi treats mpox patients


By AFP
August 24, 2024

A patient with mpox in Burundi is among roughly 170 cases confirmed by the East African country - Copyright AFP Tchandrou NITANGA

“I felt very sick and scared, I couldn’t even walk any more,” said mpox patient Samuel Nduwimana in Burundi’s economic capital Bujumbura, one of around 170 confirmed cases in the small African country.

Talking to AFP from an isolation ward in the city’s King Khaled Teaching Hospital, Nduwimana’s face and upper body are scattered with painful-looking marks.

“I started to lose my appetite, I had a fever and I felt a small pimple on my genitals that hurt a lot,” he said, describing the onset of symptoms, which he hoped was malaria.

“I didn’t even know what I was suffering from,” said Nduwimana, but as his conditions worsened he eventually sought treatment.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals that can also be passed between humans through close physical contact.

While it has been known for decades, a new more deadly and more transmissible strain — known as Clade 1b — has driven the recent uptick in cases.

Cases in East Africa have surged, with Burundi confirming 171 earlier this week, Kenya finding its second case on Friday and neighbouring Uganda reporting four cases in total.

Globally, cases have also been reported in Europe and Asia, with the World Health Organization declaring an international health emergency over the latest outbreak.

Burundian authorities are scrambling to combat the outbreak, with doctor Odette Nsavyimana treating those infected.

“Sometimes patients come in a severe, critical condition with a fever of 39 degrees Celsius,” she told AFP, swathed in protective gear including gloves and a mask.

The disease causes “very painful and itchy lesions that need urgent treatment”, she said.



– ‘It hurts a lot’ –



The centre provides free treatment and has a capacity for around 50 patients, according to Liliane Nkengurutse, national director for the Centre for Public Health Emergency Operations.

Cases of the disease were increasing, after it spread from “hot zones” on the country’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with “cases (now) almost all over the country”, she told AFP.

The DRC has recorded 16,700 cases and more than 570 deaths this year, according to the central African country’s health minister.

In Burundi, Nkengurutse said, they were acting quickly to identify, isolate and then treat patients.

“We still don’t have any deaths, because we’re lucky enough to be able to detect cases quickly and take care of them early,” she said.

In the ward, Nduwimana, who praised the free treatment he had received, had a message for those who are worried they might have mpox.

“They need to rush to hospital for treatment,” he said.

“This epidemic is very serious, it hurts a lot, you’re in too much pain, and you don’t know what to do.”

Intruders try to board Trinidad and Tobago mystery tanker

By AFP

August 24, 2024

Workers refloat the Gulfstream oil tanker off the coast of Tobago on August 20, 2024 - Copyright TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO`S MINISTRY OF ENERGY/AFP/File Handout

Coast guard officers in Trinidad and Tobago have fired on intruders who attempted to board the wreck of a mysterious oil tanker that capsized off the Caribbean country months ago, its energy ministry said Saturday.

The ship, named the Gulfstream and sailing under an unidentified flag, had spilled 50,000 barrels of oil near Tobago’s southern coast when it capsized in February and was found abandoned.

“There was an attempted unauthorized boarding of a support vessel by unidentified individuals” on Friday night, the energy ministry said.

“Officers attached to the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard were on-site and intervened. There was an exchange of gunfire, and one member of the response crew sustained a non-life-threatening injury.”

The Gulfstream had recently been refloated and taken for salvaging to the Sea Lots area near Trinidad’s Port of Spain, where the attempted boarding took place.

Police say Sea Lots is a hot spot for gang activity. The ministry said it is working with police and the army to protect the site.

The Gulfstream’s ownership remains a mystery. The “Solo Creed,” a barge that had been towing it at the time it capsized, had turned off its tracking beacon and then vanished, along with the crew.

The energy ministry said in May that official requests had been made to Tanzania, Nigeria, Panama, Aruba and Curacao to help track down those responsible.

Trinidad and Tobago, famous for its beaches and carnival, is an archipelago of 1.4 million inhabitants.

Its proximity to Venezuela has made it a favored stopping point for a variety of illicit trafficking.

California AI bill divides Silicon Valley


By AFP
August 23, 2024

A California bill seeks to regulate the development of AI models though critics say the measure can threaten innovation in the nascent field

 - Copyright AFP/File Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV

Glenn CHAPMAN

A bill aimed at regulating powerful artificial intelligence models is under consideration in California’s legislature, despite outcry that it could kill the technology it seeks to control.

“With Congress gridlocked over AI regulation… California must act to get ahead of the foreseeable risks presented by rapidly advancing AI while also fostering innovation,” said Democratic state senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco, the bill’s sponsor.

But critics, including Democratic members of US Congress, argue that threats of punitive measures against developers in a nascent field can throttle innovation.

“The view of many of us in Congress is that SB 1047 is well-intentioned but ill-informed,” influential Democratic congresswoman Nancy Pelosi of California said in a release, noting that top party members have shared their concerns with Wiener.

“While we want California to lead in AI in a way that protects consumers, data, intellectual property and more, SB 1047 is more harmful than helpful in that pursuit,” Pelosi said.

Pelosi pointed out that Stanford University computer science professor Fei-Fei Li, whom she referred to as the “Godmother of AI” for her status in the field, is among those opposing the bill.

– Harm or help? –

The bill, called the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act, will not solve what it is meant to fix and will “deeply harm AI academia, little tech and the open-source community,” Li wrote earlier this month on X. Little tech refers to startups and small companies, as well as researchers and entrepreneurs.

Weiner said the legislation is intended to ensure safe development of large-scale AI models by establishing safety standards for developers of systems costing more than $100 million to train.

The bill requires developers of large “frontier” AI models to take precautions such as pre-deployment testing, simulating hacker attacks, installing cyber security safeguards, as well as providing protection for whistleblowers.

Recent changes to the bill include replacing criminal penalties for violations with civil penalties such as fines.

Wiener argues that AI safety and innovation are not mutually exclusive, and that tweaks to the bill have addressed some concerns of critics.

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has also come out against the bill, saying it would prefer national rules, fearing a chaotic patchwork of AI regulations across the US states.

At least 40 states have introduced bills this year to regulate AI, and a half dozen have adopted resolutions or enacted legislation aimed at the technology, according to The National Conference of State Legislatures.

OpenAI said the California bill could also chase innovators out of the state, home to Silicon Valley.

But Anthropic, another generative AI player that would be potentially affected by the measure, has said that after some welcome modifications, the bill has more benefits than flaws.

The bill also has high-profile backers from the AI community.

“Powerful AI systems bring incredible promise, but the risks are also very real and should be taken extremely seriously,” computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton the “Godfather of AI,” said in a Fortune op-ed piece cited by Wiener.

“SB 1047 takes a very sensible approach to balance those concerns.”

AI regulation with “real teeth” is critical, and California is a natural place to start since it has been a launch pad for the technology, according to Hinton.

Meanwhile, professors and students at the California Institute of Technology are urging people to sign a letter against the bill.

“We believe that this proposed legislation poses a significant threat to our ability to advance research by imposing burdensome and unrealistic regulations on AI development,” CalTech professor Anima Anandkumar said on X.

Iceland's volanic eruption expands as lava flows from second fissure

Agence France-Presse
August 23, 2024 

The Icelandic Meteorological Office said a new eruption had started on Thursday following a series of earthquakes (AFP)

Icelandic authorities said Friday that a second fissure had formed on the southwestern Reykjanes peninsula after lava started spewing forth for the sixth time in the region since December.

After weeks of warnings, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said Thursday that a new eruption had started at 9:26 pm (2126 GMT) that evening, following a series of earthquakes.

Video images showed orange lava bursting out of a long fissure, which the IMO estimated to be 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles).

Early Friday, the IMO announced on social media that a second fissure had opened up to the north of the original one.

However, it said the volcanic activity mostly remained on the first crack.

The weather agency, which also monitors geological events, had previously reported that there was "considerable seismic activity" at the northern end of the fissure.

About an hour after the eruption started an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.1 was recorded in the area.

This is the sixth eruption to hit the area since December, coming just two months after the end of a previous eruption that lasted more than three weeks.

The chief of police of the Sudurnes region, Ulfar Ludviksson, told Icelandic media that the evacuation of the nearby fishing village of Grindavik had gone well.

He added that 22 or 23 houses in the village were currently occupied.

Most of Grindavik's 4,000 residents had evacuated in November, prior to a December eruption, and while residents have since been allowed to return in between eruptions, only a few have opted to stay overnight.

According to the IMO, there was no lava flowing towards Grindavik in the latest eruption.

Iceland's famed Blue Lagoon thermal spa tourist attraction said late Thursday that it had taken "the precautionary measure of evacuating and temporarily closing all our operational units."

The Reykjanes peninsula had not experienced an eruption for eight centuries until March 2021.

Further eruptions occurred in August 2022 and in July and December 2023, leading volcanologists to warn that a new era of seismic activity had begun in the region.


Iceland is home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest number in Europe.

It straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a crack in the ocean floor separating the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.