In his office on one of the upper floors of the headquarters of the Paris Olympic organizing committee, Franz Regoul has no doubt about what is coming.”We will be attacked,” said Mr Regoul, who heads the team responsible for preventing cyber threats against this year’s Summer Games in Paris.Companies and governments around the world now have teams like Mr. Regul’s that operate in spartan rooms equipped with banks of computer servers and displays with telltale lights that warn of incoming hacking attacks. In the Paris operations center, there is even a red light to alert staff of the most serious…
Author: newsintel365.com
A 16th-century Spanish romance tells of an earthly paradise “to the right of the Indies,” with steep cliffs and rocky shores. In this island utopia, which like Atlantis and El Dorado is full of riches, “there was no metal but gold” and the rulers were all strong black women.The name of this imaginary Eden was California.The novel, “Las Sergas de Espandián,” by Garci Rodriguez de Montalvo and published around 1510, is believed to be the first time the word “California” appears in print, and so I came across this old story in my reporting.The novel is believed to be where…
Book bans in public schools continued to rise during the first half of the current school year, according to a report released Tuesday by PEN America, a free speech organization.From July to December 2023, PEN found that more than 4,300 books were removed from schools in 23 states — a number that exceeded the number of bans from the entire previous academic year.The rise in book bans has accelerated in recent years, driven by conservative groups and new laws and regulations that limit the kinds of books children can access. As of summer 2021, PEN has been tracking book removals…
For people in eastern Ukraine, where nightly drone barrages from Russia overcome the army’s shaken air defenses, the response of Western allies to Iran’s airstrike against Israel this weekend produced uncomfortable comparisons.The militaries of the United States, Britain, France and others intervened to help Israel defend against a barrage of more than 300 Iranian drones and missiles, almost all of which were intercepted. A similar number of aerial weapons are launched against Ukraine on a weekly basis, its officials say, with many of the drones in these attacks being designed by Iran and now produced by Russia.Since the beginning of…
Flying with a pet can be expensive and confusing, with fees, weight limits, carrier size rules and the need to make sure there’s no loud barking (or meowing) on board.American Airlines recently relaxed its pet policy, allowing passengers to bring one carry-on bag in addition to a pet on a carrier, and in recent years more private flight options have emerged for pet owners who can afford it.However, flying with large or medium-sized dogs can be difficult, and many travelers are wary of leaving a pet in the hold of an airplane.For those traveling on the major airlines with their…
Being an influencer can be a lot of work. Instagram believes AI can lend a big hand.Instagram is bringing popular influencers to an AI-based program to engage with fans, the latest example of how Meta, Instagram’s parent company, is trying to extend the technology into its products.The program, which is in the early stages of testing and is known as “Creator AI,” will allow influencers to chat with fans via direct messages on the social network and possibly through Instagram comments in the future, according to five people who were informed about the company. designs. The program will essentially be…
Since February, thousands of pro-Palestinian activists have tried in vain to get the Venice Biennale, one of the world’s most prestigious international art fairs, to ban Israel for waging war on Gaza.But on Tuesday, when the Biennale’s international pavilions open for a media preview, the doors to the Israel pavilion will nevertheless remain locked, at the behest of the artist and curators representing Israel.”The artist and curators of the Israeli pavilion will open the exhibition when a ceasefire and hostage release agreement is reached,” reads a sign the Israeli group taped to the pavilion’s door.”I hate it,” Ruth Patir, the…
President Biden will begin a three-day tour of Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, with a speech on Tuesday that focuses on taxes and aims to contrast his policies with those of former President Donald J. Trump.In his hometown of Scranton, Mr. Biden is expected to talk about the tax code in the context of economic justice, arguing that Mr. Trump’s tax cuts benefited billionaires while his own agenda helped working and middle-class families. .The president “will outline how Trump’s tax plan is a handout for the rich and leaves the middle class holding the bag,” Michael Tyler, the Biden campaign’s…
It may be the ultimate experience of drinking a crisp, fizzy drink through a straw. Maybe it’s the rise of Stanley Cups or the supremacy of cold brew even in the winter months. Whatever it is, straws have evolved beyond single-use plastic straw man argument for environmental personal responsibility to much more.There are paper straws, glass straws, metal straws and durable, reusable plastic straws. Many come with their own silicone accessories, cleaning systems and custom carrying cases.Our endless enthusiasm for drinking things through narrow tubes has spawned many innovations in the straw market. It has also created a new anxiety:…
Two weeks ago, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was facing a barrage of calls to freeze arms shipments to Israel over its disastrous war in Gaza. On Monday, Mr Sunak hailed British warplanes that had shot down several Iranian drones in a successful campaign to deter Iran from attacking Israel.It was a prime example of how the conflict between Israel and Iran has messed up the equation in the Middle East. Faced with a barrage of Iranian missiles, Britain, the United States, France and others rushed to Israel’s aid. They put aside their anger over Gaza to defend it from…