Author: KnowledgeHippo

Elon Musk is not just involved in German politics. He is trying to break a political deadlock that has kept the nation’s most prominent far-right party out of government even as it has gained strength with voters.Mr. Musk will host a live interview Thursday with Alice Weidel, who is the chancellor candidate for that party, the Alternative for Germany, known as AfD, in the country’s snap election scheduled for Feb. 23. on X, the social networking platform owned by Mr. Musk, has raised alarms and threats of legal consequences in Germany’s political class.This means, in large part, because Mr. Musk…

The history profession has many questions to confront at this time. Between those on the right who want to emphasize America’s uniqueness and “greatness” and those on the left who want to emphasize America’s weaknesses and blind spots, how should historians tell the nation’s story? What is the role of history in a society with very short attention spans? And what can the field do—if anything—to halt the decline in history majors, which, at the most recent count, were an abysmal 1.2 percent of American students?But the most pressing question at the annual conference of the American Historical Association, which…

The next big race for offshoring is happening in Washington, and this time it’s about artificial intelligence.The Biden administration, in its final weeks in office, is rushing to issue new regulations to try to ensure that the United States and its close allies are in control of how artificial intelligence is developed in the coming years.The rules have sparked a fierce battle between tech companies and the government, as well as among executives.The regulations, which could be issued as early as Friday, would dictate where American-made chips critical to artificial intelligence could be shipped. Those rules would then help determine…

When the Supreme Court hears arguments Friday about whether protecting national security requires selling or shutting down TikTok, the justices will be operating in the shadow of three First Amendment precedents, all influenced by the climate of their time and by how much the judges trusted. the government.During the Cold War and Vietnam era, the court refused to credit the government’s claims that national security required limiting what newspapers could publish and what Americans could read. More recently, however, the court deferred to Congress’ decision that the fight against terrorism justified criminalizing certain types of speech.The court will likely act…

Water fluoridation is widely regarded as one of the great public health achievements of the 20th century, credited with significantly reducing tooth decay. However, there is growing controversy among scientists about whether fluoride may be linked to lower IQ scores in children.A comprehensive federal analysis of dozens of previous studies, published this week in JAMA Pediatrics, has added to those concerns. It found a significant inverse relationship between exposure levels and cognitive function in children.Higher fluoride exposures were linked to lower IQ scores, researchers working for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences concluded.None of the studies included in the…

When Donald J. Trump won a return to the White House, many countries thought they knew what to expect and how to prepare for what was coming.Diplomats in world capitals said they would zero in on what his government does, not what Mr. Trump. Major nations have developed plans to mitigate or counter his threat of punitive tariffs. Smaller countries hoped they could just hide from another four years of America First storm forces.But it’s getting harder and harder for people to keep calm and carry on.At Tuesday’s press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump refused to rule out the use…

Four members of a fraternity at San Diego State University face felony charges after setting it on fire during a skit at a party last year, leaving him hospitalized for weeks with third-degree burns, prosecutors said Monday.The fire occurred on Feb. 17, 2024, when Phi Kappa Psi fraternity held a large party at her home despite being on probation, court documents show. While on probation, the fraternity was required to “demonstrate exemplary compliance with university policies,” according to college guidelines.Instead, prosecutors said, fraternity members planned a skit in which a pledge would be set on fire.After drinking alcohol in the…

Dockers on the East and Gulf coasts reached a tentative labor agreement with employers on Wednesday, averting a strike that could have crippled the economy days before President-elect Donald J. Trump.The International Longshoremen’s Association, the longshoremen’s union, and the United Maritime Alliance, the employers’ bargaining group, have overcome their differences on a major sticking point in their talks: the introduction of automated cargo handling machines at ports.”This agreement protects current ILA jobs and creates a framework for implementing technologies that will create more jobs while modernizing Eastern and Gulf Coast ports,” the two sides said in a joint statement Wednesday…

Ann Altman, the younger sister of OpenAI CEO and founder Sam Altman, filed a lawsuit in Missouri federal court on Monday accusing him of sexually abusing her when she was a minor.The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, said the abuse occurred at the Altman family’s home outside St. Louis from 1997 to 2006 and began when Ms. Altman was 3 years old.The lawsuit stated that Ms. Altman was physically harmed and “experienced PTSD, severe emotional distress, mental anguish and depression, which is expected to continue into the future,” as a result of…

The United Automobile Workers union is seeking approval from federal labor regulators for a union election among workers at a Ford Motor battery plant in Kentucky, providing a major test of organized labor’s strength after the election of Donald J. Trump.The union asked the National Labor Relations Board on Tuesday to allow workers at the new plant in Glendale, about 55 miles south of Louisville, to vote on whether they want to join the UAW. The plant, which is expected to start production this year, is a joint venture between Ford and SK On, a South Korean battery company.In a…