The blame for the success of populist politicians such as Donald Trump cannot be laid entirely at the door of the elites, according to Janan Ganesh, writing in the Financial Times. The media, political parties and neoliberalism are all cited by critics as enabling factors, but all in reality downplay the role of ordinary people in the rise of politicians who embrace populism. Ganesh argues that populism is often driven by civic irresponsibility and nihilism among voters. To treat them simply as powerless recipients of the media or other outside factors is to infantilise them.
The CEO of OpenAI will testify before a Senate judiciary subcommittee on the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI). Sam Altman will be asked about how his company and rivals are racing to create a new generation of AI technologies and how these should be regulated. This comes as US lawmakers are looking for ways to rein in the rapidly-growing sector, while allowing innovation to flourish. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have stressed the importance of curbing the technology, which can now generate realistic-looking text and images, along with computer code. Altman has been frank about the potential dangers of AI, having stated in March: "It’d be crazy not to be a little bit afraid, and I empathize with people who are a lot afraid." The hearing is being seen as an indicator of the future regulatory environment of the AI sector.
Canadian bank investors have been urged to play defense rather than focus on credit risk alone, according to Meny Grauman, an analyst at Scotiabank. SIVB, Signature Bank and FRC's failures should be viewed as vindication of the Canadian banking model, he said. Bank of Montreal and Bank of Nova Scotia kick off the earnings season on 24 May. Analysts predict the sector will generate a core cash EPS of $2.25 in Q2/23. Meanwhile, BMO Chief Economist Doug Porter said the Canadian housing market could be poised for sustained growth due to a lack of sellers.
Chinese comedian Li Haoshi is being investigated by authorities following a controversial joke referring to a military slogan used by President Xi Jinping in relation to his adopted dogs. Mr Li, also known as House, compared the behaviour of two energetic stray dogs to the work style promoted by Mr Xi in 2013, known among the military as being “able to fight and win battles”. The joke was widely condemned by social media users, and by the People’s Liberation Army, while the comedian has issued a full apology and promised to stop all shows to reflect on his actions.
NorthStar Bets is backing the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals game against the Los Angeles Lakers tonight. The betting firm is supporting Denver on the spread, which is reduced for the contest, and taking the over on the point total. It is also predicting a low performance for the Lakers' D'Angelo Russell on the rebounding prop. The bookmaker has placed the Nuggets' chance of victory at 80.9%.
An 18-year-old gunman in Farmington, New Mexico who killed three people and injured six others while firing randomly at cars and houses on Monday, was armed with an AR-15 style rifle. The unnamed suspect was later killed by police after he had injured two officers and was armed with two other firearms. Police have not revealed a possible motive and Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe confirmed that the shootings “appears to be purely random”. Following the shooting, local and state law enforcement agencies are investigating the attack and Governor Michelle Lujan Graham is calling for a ban on assault weapons in the state.
Elon Musk claims George Soros ‘hates humanity.’ The ADL says Musk’s attacks ‘will embolden extremists’
CNN
23-05-16 16:34
Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, has come under fire for baseless comments on Twitter that accused philanthropist George Soros of hating humanity and eroding the fabric of civilisation. Soros, a Holocaust survivor, is frequently targeted by conspiracy theorists and antisemites. Musk's remarks have been criticised by the Anti-Defamation League and others for potentially fueling further attacks on Soros. Recent data suggests that the volume of hate speech on Twitter has grown significantly under Musk's ownership of the social media network. Soros disclosed, shortly before Musk’s attack, that he had disposed of a modest stake in Tesla. Both men had been targets of short sellers.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a six-week abortion ban, stating that he is now "proud" of the measure, which was initially passed in Florida and all but outlaws abortions in the state. The move has helped DeSantis to draw a contrast with former President Donald Trump, who suggested that the six-week ban is overly restrictive. DeSantis did not advocate for the six-week abortion ban during the recent Florida legislative session and signed it last month without much publicity. Some Republican donors have expressed unease with DeSantis' stance.
Tuition, fees at Georgia public universities to hold steady in fall 2023 despite budget worries
The Toronto Star
23-05-16 16:13
The cost of attending Georgia's public universities and colleges will remain mostly flat in the 2023-2024 academic year, despite concerns that declining enrollment and a legislative funding cut are stressing school budgets. Regents voted Tuesday to increase tuition or fees at only four of the system’s 26 schools — Middle Georgia State University, Georgia College and State University, the University of West Georgia and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Costs to rent dormitory rooms or buy meal plans will rise systemwide by 4% on average.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been accused of sparking anti-Semitic sentiment after likening George Soros to the Jewish X-Men villain Magneto and alleging that the billionaire philanthropist "hates humanity". His comments attracted criticism, including from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which said Soros was often "held up by the far-right, using anti-Semitic tropes, as the source of the world’s problems”. Documents filed last week revealed that Soros Fund Management had sold its entire $16m allocation of Tesla shares in Q1 2023.
The UK Conservative Party is no longer conservative and has been captured by atheists, according to speakers at the National Conservatism Conference held in London on 24 and 25 July. The event featured figures from the political and media worlds, and discussion topics ranged from ancient skeletons to levelling up. While the event was championed by some critics of the current Conservative Party, liberal Conservatives were opposed to the conference. Attendees attacked modern Conservative politics while Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove failed to receive applause during his speech at the conference.
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) is facing a crisis with unimpressive results from its football franchise, Toronto FC (TFC). Having signed Lorenzo Insigne as the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, expectations were high — especially with the Canadian men's soccer team reaching the World Cup, the Olympic team succeeding, and the next men's World Cup due to take place in Canada in 2026. However, TFC is bottom of the Eastern Conference, with injured captain Michael Bradley and underperforming Insigne, who is "meekly shirking challenges." A failure to beat the visiting New York Red Bulls on Wednesday night may well lead to action from MLSE.
The United States Department of the Treasury has warned that it could run out of funds to cover the country’s bills by June 1, heightening fears over the threat of a possible US default. Republican lawmakers are looking to cut social program spending, such as food assistance, in order to raise spending limits. Democrats have said that the situation is particularly galling as the same Republican lawmakers raised spending limits with little resistance when their party was in power. A default in US debt would stump the global economy; leading experts to call for a solution.
Campaigners are calling upon Charles, Prince of Wales, to help to bring back the name of Middlesex as a ceremonial county. The group, Middlesex Heritage, is urging the Prince to appoint a lord lieutenant to represent the county in an effort to establish a historic identity. The county has been gradually eroded by the growth of London. It was abolished as an administrative entity in 1965 with the creation of Greater London, although small parts subsequently became parts of Hertfordshire and Surrey. Middlesex dates back to at least the eighth century, and its 1,300-year history has been an inspiration to those seeking to re-establish it. The Prince of Wales was born and crowned in Middlesex, which is also home to famous offspring including Elton John and Keira Knightley.
Tesla will launch advertising for its electric vehicles for the first time, said CEO Elon Musk at the company’s investor day. Tesla has previously relied on word of mouth and incentivised referrals for marketing. Musk said that the Tesla ads would be aesthetically pleasing and informative. In a follow-up interview with CNBC’s David Faber, Musk also stated that Tesla’s “full self-driving” technology will allow for vehicle leasing within a robotaxi fleet in 2021. The Tesla founder also argued that remote working was “morally wrong” and that China needed to be taken at its word that it views Taiwan as integral to the country. He suggested that if China took Taiwan, it would harm all international businesses and companies that rely on the nation for manufacturing. Musk also noted that Twitter, which he acquired last year, had recently experienced a $40m loss due to ads being checked for accuracy and subsequently labelled “misleading”.
Fox Sports journalist Paul Kent pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting a 33-year-old woman, but faces a further charge of assault. Stood down from his role with NRL 360, Kent, 52, sat in silence in Downing Centre Local Court as his lawyer submitted submissions denying the common assault charge and a further count of intentionally choking a person without consent. The journalist faces a hearing in December. Kent was also stood down from his weekly column for The Daily Telegraph, and his back catalogue of shows on NRL 360 were deleted from Kayo.
Several letters published in The Telegraph this week have seen landlords from across the UK complain about the negative impact they believe the Renters’ Reform Bill, proposed by UK Housing Secretary Michael Gove, will have on the private rented sector. Criticisms include that the bill will favour tenants over landlords and will lead to fewer landlords entering the property market, thus causing a shortage of rental properties for those looking to live in the sector. Previously, rents had steadily risen at rates around the same as inflation, however, following recent legistlation, rental prices have begun to soar, with one landlord claiming that his most recent let was 45% higher than its going rate several years ago. It is thought the RRB is a way of coercing more young voters into leaning towards the Labour party as the proposed legislation was thought to be more appealing to them and thus unlikely to secure Conservative support in the general election. A spokesperson for Gove has yet to make an official statement regarding the criticisms.
Meanwhile, academics at the University of Oxford have condemned the decision by the Oxford University Student Union to sever its relationship with the Oxford Union, which was due to the latter’s decision not to back down on an invitation it made to feminist Kathleen Stock. Saying that Professor Stock’s views were “illicit” had dangerous connotations, and calling outright for her prohibition was an “unacceptable” alternative, the academics argued. Instead, they said universities needed to remain places of open discussion, even for contentious views that could be questioned and debated.
Tesla will advertise for the first time, according to CEO Elon Musk, following the rise in competition from major automakers and the company's decision to heavily discount its e-vehicle offerings alone. Tesla has previously not advertised, with Musk claiming that demand outstripped supply of the vehicles. However, greater competition is driving Tesla to devote more money to advertising its brand to maintain its lead in the market. Musk's purchase of Twitter may have also affected his decision following a decline in advertising revenues for the social media platform.
Hundreds of people have been feared dead after the Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar, including Rohingya Muslims, as rescue efforts remain hampered by damage to infrastructure. The region has a large population of Rohingya Muslims, a persecuted minority that successive Myanmar governments have refused to recognise. Myanmar has been gripped by political and economic chaos since the military overthrow in a coup in 2021. The storm was the worst since Cyclone Nargis swept across parts of southern Myanmar killing nearly 140,000 people in 2008 while being one of the few times the region has experienced a storm of cyclonic strength.
Midlist author and novelist, Amanda Craig, who has been dubbed a modern-day Anthony Trollope, has spoken out about the difficulties of making waves as a midlist author of traditional socio-political novels. Craig said that in a market saturated by debut novelists, the novels of midlist authors could be perceived by readers as a "lecture". Craig believes that the state of the nation novel is an unfashionable genre these days and said that she is "lucky my publisher has always stood by me, albeit recently somewhat nervously.” Increasingly, Craig suggests that writers are under pressure not to include characters who could be seen as being offensive, especially in the US.
