Free trade negotiations between the UK and the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council are “progressing well”

Scientists have been left baffled by the discovery of the wreck of a 2,000-year-old “computer” that is amazingly complex. The Antikythera mechanism – an astronomical calendar – has been dubbed “‘the first computer” and has baffled scientists for generations after it was first discovered inside a Greek shipwreck in 1901. The device is a hand-powered time-keeping instrument that used a wing-up system to track the sun, moon and planets’ celestial time. It also worked as a calendar, tracking the phases of the Moon and the timing of eclipses. Despite sounding relatively simple, the mechanism was actually ahead of its time, being more technically sophisticated than any other tool that was invented over the next 1,000 years. In its current condition, the mechanism is in 82 separate fragments with only a third of its original structure remaining, including 30 corroded bronze gearwheels. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Research into the device from experts at University College London involved 3D computer modelling and helped them solve the mystery of how the device worked, revealing a “creation of genius”. Adam Wojcik, a materials scientist at UCL said at the time: “We believe that our reconstruction fits all the evidence that scientists have gleaned from the extant remains to date.” They theorised that the device tracked the movement of the sun, moon and planets on concentric rings, as the ancient Greeks believed that the sun and planets revolved around Earth, rather than the sun. The researchers explained in Scientific Reports: “Solving this complex 3D puzzle reveals a creation of genius—combining cycles from Babylonian astronomy, mathematics from Plato’s Academy and ancient Greek astronomical theories.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

SAO PAULO Brazilian police on Monday arrested another suspect in connection with the 2018 murder of popular Rio

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 12, 2023--

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has sounded his fears about AI-powered election interference, telling a congressional hearing on Tuesday that the technology needs to be regulated to protect voting integrity. Artificial intelligence chatbots like his company’s ChatGPT were a “significant area of concern”, Mr Altman told the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law “I am nervous about it,” he said about elections and AI, adding rules and guidelines are needed. For months, companies large and small have raced to bring increasingly versatile AI to market, throwing endless data and billions of dollars at the challenge. Some critics fear the technology will exacerbate societal harms, among them prejudice and misinformation, while others warn AI could end humanity itself. “There’s no way to put this genie in the bottle. Globally, this is exploding,” said Senator Cory Booker, one of many lawmakers with questions about how best to regulate AI. Senator Mazie Hirono noted the danger of misinformation as the 2024 election nears. “In the election context, for example, I saw a picture of former President Trump being arrested by NYPD and that went viral,” she said, pressing Altman on whether he would consider the faked image harmful. Mr Altman responded that creators should make clear when an image is generated rather than factual. Speaking before Congress for the first time, Mr Altman suggested that, in general, the US should consider licensing and testing requirements for development of AI models. Mr Altman, asked to opine on which AI should be subject to licensing, said a model that can persuade or manipulate a person’s beliefs would be an example of a “great threshold.” He also said companies should have the right to say they do not want their data used for AI training, which is one idea being discussed on Capitol Hill. Mr Altman said, however, that material on the public web would be fair game. Mr Altman also said he “wouldn’t say never” to the idea of advertising but preferred a subscription-based model. The White House has convened top technology CEOs including Mr Altman to address AI. US lawmakers likewise are seeking action to further the technology’s benefits and national security while limiting its misuse. Consensus is far from certain. An OpenAI staffer recently proposed the creation of a U.S. licensing agency for AI, which could be called the Office for AI Safety and Infrastructure Security (OASIS). OpenAI is backed by Microsoft. Mr Altman is also calling for global cooperation on AI and incentives for safety compliance. Christina Montgomery, International Business Machines Corp chief privacy and trust officer, urged Congress to focus regulation on areas with the potential to do the greatest societal harm. Gary Marcus, a Professor Emeritus at New York University, was also on the panel, and expressed his concerns about the rapid development of artificial intelligence. “We have built machines that are like bulls in a china shop: Powerful, wreckless and difficult to control,” he said. Senator Blumenthal responded by saying it was more like “a bomb in a china shop”. Additional reporting from agencies. Read More ChatGPT is finally connected to the web after huge OpenAI update Regulation ‘critical’ to curb risk posed by AI, boss of ChatGPT tells Congress Watch as OpenAI CEO faces questions from Congress on potential AI regulation Sam Altman testifies before Congress saying there is ‘urgent’ need for regulation

Joe Lewis, the billionaire owner of Tottenham Hotspur, has been indicted in the US on charges of insider trading. Lewis has been accused of “abusing his access to corporate boardrooms” to provide information to lovers, friends and even his private pilots. Lewis has denied the charges. In a statement, his lawyers said they would “vigorously fight” to clear his name. Who is Joe Lewis and how did he make his money? Lewis made his fortune primarily in foreign exchange and investment. He is ranked 39th among the UK’s wealthiest people, according to the Sunday Times Rich List, with a net worth of £5bn. Born in the East End of London in 1937, Lewis left school at 15 to work for his father’s catering company. He took over and rapidly expanded the business into a series of themed restaurants aimed at tourists, before selling in 1979, giving him more money to invest in his new venture, currency trading. Lewis gave Robert Earl, who later founded Hard Rock and Planet Hollywood, his first job. He was ferociously successful at working the currency markets during the 1980s and 1990s, notably betting that Britain would be forced to exit the European Monetary System, which it did in September 1992 amid the ‘Black Wednesday’ financial crisis. He earned the nickname The Boxer, a reference both to his power in the investment ring and his legendary almost namesake, Joe Louis. But he endured bruising defeats too, and lost $1bn – then a third of his fortune – in a single day when the American bank Bear Stearns collapsed at the start of the 2008 financial crisis. His $1.2bn stake was reduced to $22m in a matter of hours. Lewis owns the Tavistock Group, first set up in 1975 and now one of the most renowned and powerful private equity organisations in the world. He founded the business in the Bahamas to escape UK tax laws. Along with his Bahamian mansion, Lewis owns a ranch in Argentina (which has caused conflict with local residents), multiple homes in Florida and more property across the world. The 86-year-old is married to his long-term secretary Jane, and has two children by his first wife, Esther Browne. His son Charles lives in Argentina and is largely disconnected from the family business, but his daughter Vivienne is heavily involved. She serves on Tavistock’s board of directors and is president of the prestigious Isleworth Golf and Country Club in Florida, which Lewis owns. He has a waterfront mansion on the 600-acre Isleworth property, which is surrounded by heavy security. Lewis almost never makes public statements or conducts media interviews. Lewis loves golf, and counts Tiger Woods not only as a close friend and neighbour but also a business partner. Together they embarked on a 600-acre luxury resort called Albany on New Providence Island in the Bahamas, alongside fellow golfer Ernie Els and the singer Justin Timberlake. Albany features a mega-yacht marina, lavish villas and a championship golf course which hosts Tiger Woods’ invitational tournament, the Hero World Challenge. What has Lewis spent his fortune on? Lewis has a diverse portfolio of investments all over the world, including luxury resorts in the Americas, property in Bulgaria and even an Australian agriculture company. The development arm of Tavistock is building a 17 square-mile community at Lake Nona near Orlando, Florida, where Disney is to move its headquarters. He owns a superyacht called Aviva, which is 98m long and took three years to build. It’s most striking feature is an indoor paddle tennis court, Lewis’s daily activity, at the heart of the boat. His wardrobe is particularly decadent, described by designer Andrew Langton as “bigger than my house in France”. Lewis owns one of the most expensive private art collections in the world, including original works by Picasso and Matisse, many of which are aboard Aviva. Through Tavistock, via the ENIC Group, Lewis also owns Tottenham Hotspur. He bought 29.9% of Tottenham in 1991, and increased his stake to a majority holding in February 2001, buying out most of Lord Sugar’s shares. Despite appearing to have little interest in football, rarely showing up at Tottenham’s training ground or matches, Lewis has invested in a number of clubs including Rangers – supposedly encouraged by his former neighbour in the Bahamas, Sean Connery – and Slavia Prague. After 21 years in charge of Tottenham, Lewis is the Premier League’s longest-serving owner. The club have since moved into a world-leading stadium and reached the Champions League final in 2019, but they have won only one trophy during Lewis’s ownership and his man in charge – Spurs chairman Daniel Levy – is under increasing pressure to deliver results on the pitch. The charges brought against Lewis could disqualify him from owning Spurs under Premier League rules, should he be found guilty. What has he been charged with? Lewis has been indicted in New York for “orchestrating a brazen insider trading scheme”. Damian Williams, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a video released by his office: “We allege that for years Joe Lewis abused his access to corporate boardrooms and repeatedly provided inside information to his romantic partners, his personal assistants, his private pilots and his friends. “Those folks then traded on that inside information and made millions of dollars in the stock market, because thanks to Lewis those bets were a sure thing.” Williams described Lewis’s behaviour as “classic corporate corruption”. He said: “Now, none of this was necessary. Joe Lewis is a wealthy man. But as we allege, he used inside information as a way to compensate his employees or to shower gifts on his friends and lovers... It’s cheating, and it’s against the law. Laws that apply to everyone, no matter who you are. That’s why Joe Lewis has been indicted and will face justice here in the Southern District of New York.” A Tottenham club spokesperson said: “This is a legal matter unconnected with the club and as such we have no comment.” Read More Billionaire and Tottenham Hotspur owner Joe Lewis indicted in US for ‘brazen insider trading’

Four teams have already been eliminated from the postseason. Here's how the Brewers, Rays, Marlins and Blue Jays should go about upgrading their rosters this winter.

LITTLETON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 28, 2023--

Goldman Sachs Group Inc is preparing another round of layoffs, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing

Rasmus Hojlund is fit to make his debut this weekend and Erik ten Hag says Sergio Reguilon could feature at Arsenal after his deadline-day loan switch from Tottenham. Denmark international Hojlund joined United at the start of August for a fee rising up to £74million from Atalanta, but the 20-year-old has yet to feature due to a back complaint. However, Ten Hag says the striker is fit to face Arsenal on Sunday, when goalkeeper Altay Bayindir – signed from Fenerbahce on Friday morning – and fellow deadline day arrival Reguilon will also be available for selection. “Yes (Hojlund will be available),” the United manager said. “He had a good training week so tomorrow we have the final training. “But he is doing well, responding well, so, yeah, he will be available for Sunday’s game. “(Bayindir) will be in the squad as well, Altay, so happy. Now we have the keeper group fully there. We covered every position so I think we have a very good keeper group with the arrival of Altay.” Asked if Reguilon could be involved at the Emirates Stadium, the United boss said: “He is here, he trained. Yes (he will also be available for Sunday).” Ten Hag confirmed Reguilon’s arrival before the announcement was made confirming his loan switch from Tottenham. The 26-year-old has joined on a season-long loan to help deal with United’s issues at left-back after Luke Shaw’s muscle injury compounded the absence of Tyrell Malacia and recent exits. “In life you have to be ready for everything and the chance to represent this great club with such an illustrious history is one that I could not turn down,” said Reguilon, who could return to Spurs in January due to an option in the deal. “Having spoken to the manager, I know what he needs from me, and I am ready to play my part in helping the team to achieve success.” “I know that I can contribute to Manchester United this season; I am ready to fight for this group and show everyone my qualities.” Reguilon spent last season on loan at Atletico Madrid and three years ago was linked with a move to Old Trafford, where Ten Hag believes the Spain international will succeed. “He’s a very experienced player, played for big clubs, played already a lot of games in LaLiga, Premier League, so, yes, I think very good background,” Ten Hag said. “We have seen he can play very intense football, so we are happy while we had a problem with Luke Shaw injured, Tyrell Malacia injured, therefore long-term out. So I think we responded very well on that emergency situation.” Jonny Evans, a three-time Premier League winner with United, became their third signing on deadline day. The 35-year-old academy graduate left Old Trafford in 2015 and, after spells with West Brom and Leicester, returned in the summer on a short-term contract covering pre-season. Evans impressed Ten Hag and the Northern Ireland international has now signed a deal until June 2024. “I am delighted to join Manchester United, a place which has always felt like home,” he said. “This club and the fans have shaped me as a player and as a person since I was 15 years-old, and I am delighted to be back where it all began as part of this talented squad. “I’ve really enjoyed working under the manager and his coaching staff since the start of pre-season, and I’m looking forward to helping this group achieve success together at this fantastic football club.” On top of deadline-day deals for Bayindir, Reguilon and Evans, United completed their loan move for Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat on Friday evening. Fiorentina received a 10m euros (£8.6m) loan fee, with United having the option to make it permanent for 20m euros (£17.1m) plus up to 5m euros (£4.3m) add-ons. Amrabat starred at the World Cup for Morocco and previously played under Ten Hag at Utrecht. Mason Greenwood, who United confirmed would recommence his career away from the club completed a season-long loan move to Getafe on deadline day, but Donny van de Beek and Eric Bailly remained. The PA news agency understands both are subject of interest from Turkey where the window remains open. Alvaro Fernandez joined Granada on loan and Marc Jurado joined Espanyol on a permanent deal, while Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay stayed put having been subject of interest this summer. “If you see the schedule, it’s tough, it’s really condensed,” United boss Ten Hag said. “When you see last season the World Cup, crazy season, the season takes longer, two weeks longer. We played (the) FA Cup final one week longer. “We had a short break, we had a really condensed pre-season again, so we need numbers. But also we need not only numbers, the numbers have to be quality. “I think, yeah, with this squad we have depth and we have quality players and we can be in a variety of systems and we are happy with it. “We are ready to go into the fight.”

Asylum-seekers transported from Texas to California's capital city of Sacramento two weeks ago say they were misled by people who convinced them to travel with promises of work and shelter.

'The Bachelorette' is a spin-off from the American competitive reality dating game show 'The Bachelor'