Author: News Desk

Montreal: Artificial intelligence pioneer Yoshua Bengio has launched LawZero, a non-profit initiative focused on developing safe and transparent AI systems that can identify and flag deceptive behavior in autonomous AI agents. Bengio, widely regarded as one of the ‘godfathers’ of AI and a 2018 Turing Award laureate, will serve as the organisation’s president. LawZero launches with $30 million in initial funding and a team of more than a dozen researchers. Its flagship project, Scientist AI, is designed not to replace existing generative AI agents but to monitor them for potentially harmful or deceptive actions. According to Bengio, current AI agents…

Paris: Jonathan Anderson, the Northern Ireland-born designer, has been officially named the new creative director for both women’s and men’s collections at Dior, becoming the first individual in the brand’s history to lead both lines simultaneously. The 40-year-old from Magherafelt, County Londonderry, announced the news on Instagram, calling it a ‘great honour’ and expressing his admiration for the French fashion house. Anderson stated that, “I have always been inspired by the rich history of this House, its depth, and empathy, and I look forward to working alongside its legendary Ateliers to craft the next chapter of this incredible story.” …

Warsaw: Poland’s National Electoral Commission has officially declared Karol Nawrocki the winner of the country’s presidential run-off election, defeating liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski in a razor-thin contest. With all votes counted, Nawrocki, a staunch conservative and nationalist candidate backed by the opposition, secured 50.89 percent of the vote, while Trzaskowski received 49.11 percent. Nawrocki, 42, a historian and amateur boxer who previously led Poland’s national remembrance institute, campaigned on a populist platform that emphasized prioritizing native Poles in economic and social policies over foreign nationals, including refugees from neighboring Ukraine. Nawrocki will take office on August 6, succeeding Andrzej…

London: The United Kingdom has officially enacted a nationwide ban on the sale and supply of disposable vapes starting 1 June 2025. The measure, originally announced in January 2024, applies to all forms of retail, including online platforms and physical stores, as part of a comprehensive effort to address environmental hazards and restrict access to vaping products among children and teenagers. This legislative move targets disposable or single-use vapes, which have grown enormously in popularity in recent years. According to UK government data, vape usage increased by more than 400 percent between 2012 and 2023. Despite their convenience, disposable vapes…

Munich: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has finally achieved their long-obsessed goal of winning the UEFA Champions League, demolishing Inter Milan 5–0 in a historic and emotionally charged final. The win comes after more than a decade of near-misses and painful collapses, marking a triumphant breakthrough for the French club. Since Qatar Sports Investments acquired the club in 2011, PSG has qualified for the knockout stages 12 times, only to be met with heartbreak each year. But on this, their 13th attempt, the French champions were unstoppable and finally triumphant. From the first whistle, it was clear PSG had come to claim their…

Washington DC: Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, claimed victory at the 97th Scripps National Spelling Bee, after confidently spelling the French-derived word ‘éclaircissement,’ meaning clarification or enlightenment, in the 21st round. Zaki’s swift and precise delivery, without pausing to inquire about the word’s origin or pronunciation, won him the championship, a trophy, and a $50,000 prize. Being the runner-up in last year’s competition, Zaki had secured his win by correctly spelling ‘Chaldee’ in round 20 before entering a solo round, as per bee rules, where he successfully tackled ‘éclaircissement.’ https://twitter.com/ScrippsBee/status/1928277668509737007 The closest competitorof Zaki, 14-year-old Sarvadnya Kadam from…

Starbase, Texas: Elon Musk has stated that there is a 50 percent chance that SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft will complete its first uncrewed Mars mission Mars by the end of 2026. The announcement came just two days after a significant setback, when Starship lost control and disintegrated mid-flight approximately 30 minutes after launch, failing to complete crucial test milestones. In a detailed video posted by SpaceX, Musk outlined the Starship development roadmap, noting that the mission’s feasibility hinges on passing several technical challenges, most notably a complex post-launch refueling maneuver in Earth’s orbit. https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1928234802135847063 Musk emphasized that if Starship isn’t ready…

Manitoba: Canada’s western province of Manitoba is grappling with one of its worst wildfire seasons in years, prompting the evacuation of more than 17,000 people as fires rage across the region. Wab Kinew declared a province-wide state of emergency, calling it ‘the largest evacuation Manitoba will have seen in most people’s living memory.’ Premier Kinew confirmed he requested help from Prime Minister Mark Carney, urging the federal government to deploy the Canadian military to support evacuation efforts and fire suppression. https://twitter.com/WabKinew/status/1927898103379546410 Military aircraft are set to be deployed imminently to evacuate residents from remote and vulnerable northern communities. Additional firefighting…

Washington DC: A US federal trade court has issued a significant ruling blocking US President Donald Trump from enforcing sweeping tariffs under emergency powers granted by the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The three-judge panel from the New York-based Court of International Trade found that Trump exceeded his legal authority, concluding that the use of such emergency powers to impose tariffs was unlawful. The court’s decision comes in response to several lawsuits arguing that Trump’s administration had unleashed economic uncertainty by relying on unilateral trade decisions driven by presidential discretion rather than congressional approval. https://twitter.com/ORDOJ/status/1927905967401738539 “The Worldwide and…

Austin, Texas: Governor Greg Abbott has signed a new online child safety bill mandating app store giants Apple and Google to implement user age verification measures in Texas. The law, aimed at protecting minors online, requires that anyone under 18 must obtain parental consent before downloading apps or making in-app purchases. It goes into effect on January 1. The legislation passed despite opposition from both Apple and Google, makes Texas the latest state to push for child safety rules amid stalled federal legislation. Utah passed a similar law earlier this year, and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a bipartisan…