Issue 29
January 16, 2024
FLASH Republican Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy ends campaign, endorses Trump
1. Trump dominates snowy Iowa caucus, Desantis distant second, Haley third
2 In escalation, Iran strikes targets in Iraq, Syria
3 India plans fully AI-generated film
4 AI could affect 40% of jobs: report
5 In state v federal clash, Texas National Guard troops barricade federal agents along border
Sports
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1. Trump dominates snowy Iowa caucus, Desantis distant second, Haley third
After nearly a year of campaigning, more than $123 million in advertising and an inglorious, frozen-over finish, the Iowa caucuses ended much as the race began: Donald J. Trump, the dominant front-runner, was declared the winner before most of the votes had even been cast. Trumps 30 percent victory margin beats the record 12 percent victory margin (in a competitive caucus) previously set by Bob Dole in 1988.
NYT
2 In escalation, Iran strikes targets in Iraq, Syria
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles at what it claimed were Israeli “spy headquarters” in Iraq’s Kurdish region and hit targets allegedly linked to ISIL (ISIS) in northern Syria, saying it was defending its security and countering terrorism. At least eight explosions were heard in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, early on Tuesday, including near the American consulate. Four people were killed and six were wounded, according to the regional security council.
Al Jazeera
3 India plans fully AI-generated film
When Indian writer Khushwant Singh in 2014 published his novel, Maharaja in Denims, he did not foresee that it would one day be adapted for the big screen – much less that it would make history as a film with no sets, actors, or even cameras. The story – about a Punjab teenager who believes he is a reincarnation of a prominent historical figure – may well be the world’s first feature-length film generated entirely by artificial intelligence (AI), and its production marks a potentially huge shift for India’s massive film industry.
SCMP
4 AI could affect 40% of jobs: report
Artificial intelligence could affect 40% of jobs around the world, according to a new report by the IMF. The fund said that in rich countries the share could be 60%, with AI replacing human labour in about 30% of jobs. The report also warned of a “digital divide” where poor countries struggle to reap the benefits of the technology.
Economist
http://espresso.economist.com/f14e3a6ee7be3b52ad152791d821faa5
5 In state v federal clash, Texas National Guard troops barricade federal agents along border
State officials in Texas barricaded federal agents off from a busy section of the border with Mexico—a significant escalation in the broken relationship between the state and federal governments. Greg Abbott, Texas’s governor, has irked federal officials by installing buoys and razor-wire fencing along the Rio Grande river.
Economist
https://www.economist.com/in-brief/2024/01/15/trump-leads-ahead-of-iowa-congress-to-vote-on-funding-bill
Today in history
1919 Prohibition is ratified by the states
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NFL playoff Divisional round set
