Fact follows fiction, with a new documentary exploring the sci-fi scenario where loved ones are recreated using artificial intelligence to converse with from beyond the grave. When Angel asked the AI avatar where he was, the chatbot responded, “In hell.”Turning to technology to fill a void left by a partner, parent, or close friend is hardly new. The use of AI “thanabots” has prompted some mental health experts to warn that having a digital avatar of a deceased loved one gets in the way of the grieving process. As Dock explained, interacting with an AI avatar of a deceased person—particularly for a person who is still in the initial stages of denial or shock—may become emotionally dependent on their interactions with an AI avatar of their loved one. “A final consideration that is worth acknowledging is that the use of AI avatars to replicate the likeness of a deceased loved one can potentially be very upsetting for some individuals,” Dock said.
Source:The Nation
January 23, 2024 04:06 UTC
Source: phys.orgScientists and engineers have been pushing for the past decade to leverage an elusive ferroelectric material called hafnium oxide, or hafnia, to usher in the next generation of computing memory. A team of researchers including the University of Rochester's Sobhit Singh published a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences outlining progress toward making bulk ferroelectric and antiferroelectric hafnia available for use in a variety of applications.
Source:The Nation
January 22, 2024 20:04 UTC
police lights (FILE)(Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.) LAKELAND, Fla. – Police in Lakeland say a 61-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman are dead after what appears to be a murder-suicide Saturday. When they arrived they found the man and woman dead from gunshot wounds. Police say that based on their initial investigation, it appears the man shot the woman and then himself. Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily:Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.
Source:The Nation
January 21, 2024 20:01 UTC
The SJB was confident that except for those who had switched their allegiance to the government earlier there wouldn’t be any fresh crossovers, MP Kiriella said. A. H. M. Fowzie, who succeeded Mujibur Rahuman as Colombo District MP early last year when the latter resigned to contest local government polls has also joined the government. MP Kiriella pointed out that the NPP parliamentary group consisted of only three members, including one National List lawmaker. Prof. G. L. Peiris, Dilan Perea and Dr. Nalaka Godahewa of the dissident SLPP group recently followed Chandima Weerakkody to the SJB. The electorate wouldn’t tolerate the UNP with just one National List MP in Parliament tying up with the SLPP, MP Kiriella said.
Source:The Nation
January 21, 2024 12:13 UTC
Voters facing a confusing political landscape as country heads for elections View(s):Most Sri Lankans believe that 2024 will be election year although it is not very clear whether the presidential election will be held first or the parliamentary elections. The first is calling to account those who have governed the country and giving the voters’ verdict on their performance. This will relate to the record of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his SLPP cabinet when in office. However there are others like parliamentarian Gevindu Kumaratunga who believe that President Ranil Wickremesinghe is obliged to implement the policies of Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Kumaratunga in a recent media interview has accused President Ranil Wickremesinghe of blatantly abusing ousted predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s mandate.
Source:Sunday Times
January 21, 2024 11:08 UTC
The night after eking out that second-place finish, DeSantis flew straight to South Carolina, as Haley and others shifted their efforts to New Hampshire, where Republicans vote Feb. 24. DeSantis has been stumping in New Hampshire but has reportedly reallocated the majority of his staff to South Carolina, Haley’s home state. Both Trump and DeSantis have omitted a significant part of the gas tax proposal Haley floated as governor, in 2015. South Carolina lawmakers ultimately raised the gas tax under her successor, overriding a veto by Gov. Awaiting DeSantis, Julie Maid said that she was ready to support DeSantis in South Carolina, despite Trump's lead.
Source:The Nation
January 21, 2024 07:59 UTC
ONHCR insist revision of Anti-terrorism BillNewsThe UN human rights office has urged Sri Lankan authorities to revise the Anti-Terrorism Bill to align with the island’s international human rights obligations. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed concerns about the proposed Bill to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act in Sri Lanka, issuing a statement on Friday (19). The UN human rights office further criticizes the Anti-Terrorism Bill for broad definitions of terrorism, limited judicial guarantees, and limitations on the Human Rights Commission’s visit to detention sites. The OHCHR cautions that if passed, the Bill would grant excessive executive powers to restrict rights, with no safeguard against abuse. The authorities have been requested by the OHHCR to engage with civil society and stakeholders to revise the Bill in line with Sri Lanka’s international human rights obligations.
Source:Sunday Times
January 20, 2024 19:37 UTC
Afternoon showers likely todayNewsAfternoon showers are predicted for parts of Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western as well as Galle and Matara district today (20), the Department of Meteorology said. Easter and Uva Provinces along with Polonnaruwa and Matale Districts will see scattered rains, the Department added. A few showers are due in Northern Province and in Anuradhapura District. Moderately heavy rainfall over 75mm is likely in Western and Sabaragamuwa Provinces. In addition, several areas of Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces besides Galle and Matara Districts will have misty mornings.
Source:Sunday Times
January 20, 2024 19:37 UTC
ReutersA Japanese spacecraft touched down on the moon early Saturday, Tokyo time, making Japan the fifth country to reach the moon. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing: The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said the mission may not be a complete success because the spacecraft’s solar cell is not generating electricity as it should. Hitoshi Kuninaka, head of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, said the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon was relying on batteries. At a press conference, when asked to rate the landing operation, he said he would give it a “60 out of 100,” dubbing it a “minimum success.”Read more at The Daily Beast. Source: www.thedailybeast.com
Source:The Nation
January 20, 2024 05:32 UTC
Number of closed farms in the country exceeds 14000: COPANewsThe Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) revealed that more than 14000 farms in Sri Lanka havebeen closed and this has been identified according to the data received from the provinces. Theofficials who testified before the Committee pointed out that most of these farms are small-scale farms and most of these farms have been closed due to animal theft. COPA pointed out that it is not acceptable to say that farms are closing down only because of thefrustration of small-scale farmers due to animal theft. Thus, the COPA pointed out that the Department of Animal Production and Health should maintain accurate and clear data. This was discussed at the COPA meeting held recently (11) under the Chairmanship of Hon.
Source:Sunday Times
January 20, 2024 02:24 UTC
Petition filed against proposed Anti-Terrorism BillNewsCentre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director, Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, filed a Petition in the Supreme Court yesterday challenging the Constitutionality of the Bill titled “Anti-Terrorism”. The Bill was published in the Gazette on the 15th of September 2023 but was only tabled in the Parliament [the first reading of the Bill] on the 10th of January 2024. CPA has raised concerns over the vague definitions in the Bill which may be a tool for abuse. "CPA argues that the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill must be looked at through the lens of the legacy of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which has been a source of terror over the past decades. Considering the abuse that minorities, journalists, and dissenters have faced under the PTA, any new counter-terror law must contain sufficient checks and balances, to prevent similar abuses from taking place in the future."
Source:Sunday Times
January 20, 2024 02:24 UTC
WKMG Insider Feedback Friday(WKMG CSD)CENTRAL FLORIDA, U,S.A. We created the Insider program to give viewers access to exclusive content, contests and offers you can only get from News 6. Every week, we’re giving you a chance to let us know how you feel about the Insider program. We’re curious about what you’re looking for from the program, so we’ll throw different questions your way to gather your thoughts. Your honest feedback is crucial – whether it’s about improvements we can make or things we might be overlooking.
Source:The Nation
January 20, 2024 00:02 UTC
In response to a recent Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack, HTX, a prominent cryptocurrency exchange, and its decentralized autonomous organization (HTX DAO) have successfully reinstated their services. HTX and HTX DAO: Swift Recovery Post-AttackThe DDoS attack on HTX and its DAO lasted approximately 15 minutes, causing a temporary suspension of services. HTX DAO is committed to user-driven governance as a multi-chain decentralized autonomous organization. This exchange integration into the HTX DAO ecosystem emphasizes a shift towards decentralization, reflecting a broader trend within the cryptocurrency sector. Read Also: Tron Founder Justin Sun Counters UN Report, Upholds USDT IntegrityThe post HTX Overcomes DDoS Hurdle, Assures User Fund Safety appeared first on CoinGape.
Source:The Nation
January 19, 2024 23:31 UTC
Michaël van de Poppe, the founder and CEO of MN Trading, has suggested that Bitcoin might test lower values before a potential rebound. BTC/USD price chartMoreover, another analyst, Rekt Capital, suggests that Bitcoin’s current trajectory mirrors historical patterns before block subsidy halvings. Bitcoin’s Whale MovementsThe market has also witnessed notable activity from Bitcoin ‘whales‘ – large volume holders. The dynamics between Bitcoin and Ethereum remain a focal point for market observers, especially considering Ethereum’s attempt to end an 18-month losing streak against Bitcoin. Read Also: Coinbase Has 70% Victory Odds Against SEC – Bloomberg Legal AnalystThe post Bitcoin Prepares for Potential Pre-Halving Correction appeared first on CoinGape.
Source:The Nation
January 19, 2024 16:31 UTC
As per on-chain data surfacing over the crypto horizon, two prominent whales appear to be on a buying spree, accumulating Ethereum at price dips. These whales have previously been observed accumulating ETH at price lows, thereafter selling them at price highs, nabbing noteworthy profits. Meanwhile, as the accumulations emerge amid the token’s price plunge, market sentiments for Ethereum are taking a thrilling twist, hinting at bolstered prices shortly ahead. Meanwhile, the whale 0x347 was noted, accumulating ETH during last year’s bear market, further depositing it to CEXs amid price rises. Also Read: Oaktree Co-Founder Deems Bitcoin And Gold Equals In Intrinsic Value DebateThe post Ethereum Accumulations Soar As ETH Price Slips Below $2,500 appeared first on CoinGape.
Source:The Nation
January 19, 2024 15:40 UTC