Category: International

COVID-19 Fines in Victoria Totalled $100 Million: Attorney-General

Victorians are being warned not to ignore $100 million (US$67 million) of COVID-19 fines issued by authorities during the pandemic years. In a state Budget Estimates hearing, Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes revealed that 50,150 fines were issued, but only 5,500 were paid (in full or in part). Another 14,319 fines were unpaid and have passed their…


NZ Government Agency Bans Staff Form Using AI Platforms

In what appears to be a world first, a government agency in New Zealand has banned employees from using AI technology over data and privacy concerns. The New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) issued the ban on tools like ChatGPT after concerns sensitive information inputted into such platforms could be later retrieved, reported…


NZ Government Agency Bans Staff From Using AI Platforms

In what appears to be a world first, a government agency in New Zealand has banned employees from using AI technology over data and privacy concerns. The New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) issued the ban on tools like ChatGPT after concerns sensitive information inputted into such platforms could be later retrieved, reported…


Mr. Bean Actor Says the Electric Car ‘Honeymoon’ Is Over

The actor and comedian behind the popular Mr. Bean character has called on drivers to hold off buying an electric vehicle (EV), saying the environmental benefits do not stack up. Rowan Atkinson, a long-time motor enthusiast with a degree and master’s in electrical engineering, said current EV technology was more harmful to the environment than…


Surfers at Amazon’s Mouth Ride Some of World’s Longest-Lasting Waves

CHAVES, Brazil—Surfers from all over Brazil gathered this week at the Amazon River’s mouth to ride some of the world’s longest-lasting waves, when the incoming tide roars upriver in a broad band that can keep surfboards afloat for kilometers (miles). “You have to throw yourself in that vibe and integrate yourself with nature. Never try…


Receding Polar Ice Cap Opening Arctic Trade Routes, Creating New Realm for Naval Conflict

Military competition in the Arctic has primarily been the province of submarines and air power for almost a century, but with a receding ice cap leaving this previously inaccessible ocean open to surface ships for longer spans, new trade routes are emerging. These new sea lanes, which directly link three continents, promise to dramatically shorten…


Receding Polar Ice Cap Opens Arctic Trade Routes, Creating New Realm for Naval Conflict

Military competition in the Arctic has primarily been the province of submarines and air power for almost a century, but with a receding ice cap leaving this previously inaccessible ocean open to surface ships for longer spans, new trade routes are emerging. These new sea lanes, which directly link three continents, promise to dramatically shorten…


Attack on Russian Pipeline in Kharkiv Puts Black Sea Grain Deal at Risk

A pipeline for the transport of ammonia, a key fertilizer ingredient, was intentionally breached this week by saboteurs in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. “On the evening of June 5, a Ukrainian subversive and reconnaissance group blew up the Togliatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline near the settlement of Masiutivka in Kharkiv,” the…


Wind Knocked out of New Zealand Flatulence Tax as Opposition Withdraws Support

The world-first flatulence tax appears to have been derailed after the main opposition party in New Zealand pulled its support for the legislation. The National Party has said it will no longer support the He Waka Eke Noa, a partnership between agriculture leaders and the government that proposes farmers individually calculate and pay for their…


UK to Host 1st Global Summit on AI

The UK will host the first major global summit on AI safety this autumn, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced, vowing to take a “coordinated approach” on emerging tech with U.S. President Joe Biden. The announcement came ahead of the meeting between the two leaders in Washington on Wednesday. The UK will be at the…