Air New Zealand weighing passengers before flying
Air New Zealand is weighing passengers before they board international flights, as part of a survey to determine average passenger weight.
The weight will be anonymously recorded in a database but not be visible to airline staff or other passengers, the firm said.
Air New Zealand said knowing average passenger weight would improve fuel efficiency in the future.
Participation in the survey is voluntary, the airline added.
The airline previously weighed domestic passengers in New Zealand in 2021.
"Now that international travel is back up and running, it's time for international flyers to weigh in," the airline said in a press statement.
Before the pandemic, the airline flew more than 17 million passengers every year, with 3,400 flights per week.
Knowing the weight of everything that goes on its aircraft is a "regulatory requirement", airline spokesman Alastair James explained in a video.
"We know stepping on the scales can be daunting. We want to reassure our customers there is no visible display anywhere," Mr James said. "By weighing in, you'll be helping us fly safely and efficiently every time."
Air New Zealand will be asking more than 10,000 customers traveling on its international network to take part in the survey.
Passengers will be weighed at the gates of certain flights departing from Auckland International Airport between 29 May and 2 July.
The airline said that everything that goes on its aircraft - from cargo and onboard meals to luggage in the hold - is weighed and that for customers, crew, and cabin bags it used average weights based on survey data.
Air New Zealand is the national carrier of the country and has 104 operating aircraft.
Source- BBC
AI 'godfather' Yoshua Bengio feels 'lost' over life's work
One of the so-called "godfathers" of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has said he would have prioritized safety over usefulness had he realized the pace at which it would evolve.
Prof Yoshua Bengio told the BBC he felt "lost" over his life's work.
The computer scientist's comments come after experts in AI said it could lead to the extinction of humanity.
Prof Bengio, who has joined calls for AI regulation, said he did not think militaries should be granted AI powers.
He is the second of the so-called three "godfathers" of AI, known for their pioneering work in the field, to voice concerns about the direction and the speed at which it is developing.
AI describes the ability of computers to perform tasks so complex, they have previously required human intelligence to complete.
A recent example has been the development of AI-powered chatbots, like ChatGPT, which appear to give human-like responses to questions.
But some fear that advanced computational ability could be used for harmful purposes, such as the development of deadly new chemical weapons.
Prof Bengio told the BBC he was concerned about "bad actors" getting hold of AI, especially as it became more sophisticated and powerful.
"It might be military, it might be terrorists, it might be somebody very angry, psychotic. And so if it's easy to program these AI systems to ask them to do something very bad, this could be very dangerous.
"If they're smarter than us, then it's hard for us to stop these systems or to prevent damage," he added.
Prof Bengio admitted those concerns were taking a personal toll on him, as his life's work, which had given him direction and a sense of identity, was no longer clear to him.
"It is challenging, emotionally speaking, for people who are inside [the AI sector]," he said.
"You could say I feel lost. But you have to keep going and you have to engage, discuss, encourage others to think with you."
The Canadian has signed two recent statements urging caution about the future risks of AI. Some academics and industry experts have warned that the pace of development could result in malicious AI being deployed by "bad actors" to actively cause harm - or choosing to inflict harm by itself.
Fellow "godfather" Dr Geoffrey Hinton has also signed the same warnings as Prof Bengio, and retired from Google recently saying he regretted his work.
The third "godfather", Prof Yann LeCun, who along with Prof Bengio and Dr. Hinton won a prestigious Turing Award for their pioneering work, has said apocalyptic warnings are overblown.
Twitter and Tesla owner Elon Musk has also voiced his concerns.
"I don't think AI will try to destroy humanity, but it might put us under strict controls," he said recently at an event hosted by the Wall Street Journal.
"There's a small likelihood of it annihilating humanity. Close to zero but not impossible."
Prof Bengio told the BBC all companies building powerful AI products needed to be registered.
"Governments need to track what they're doing, they need to be able to audit them, and that's just the minimum thing we do for any other sector like building airplanes or cars or pharmaceuticals," he said.
"We also need the people who are close to these systems to have a kind of certification... we need ethical training here. Computer scientists don't usually get that, by the way."
But not everybody in the field believes AI will be the downfall of humans - others argue that there are more imminent problems that need addressing.
Dr. Sasha Luccioni, the research scientist at the AI firm Huggingface, said society should focus on issues like AI bias, predictive policing, and the spread of misinformation by chatbots which she said were "very concrete harms".
"We should focus on that rather than the hypothetical risk that AI will destroy humanity," she added.
There are already many examples of AI bringing benefits to society. Last week an AI tool discovered a new antibiotic and a paralyzed man was able to walk again just by thinking about it, thanks to a microchip developed using AI.
But this is juxtaposed with fears about the far-reaching impact of AI on countries' economies. Firms are already replacing human staff with AI tools, and it is a factor in the current strike underway by scriptwriters in Hollywood.
"It's never too late to improve," says Prof Bengio of AI's current state. "It's exactly like climate change.
"We've put a lot of carbon in the atmosphere. And it would be better if we hadn't, but let's see what we can do now."
Source- BBC
Musk echoes Apple, Mercedes CEOs on importance of China ties
Tesla Inc.'s Elon Musk joined Apple Inc.'s Tim Cook, Mercedes-Benz Group AG's Ola Källenius, and other car and technology company bosses in emphasizing the importance of maintaining ties with China in his first visit to the country since before the pandemic.
Musk met with Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Beijing on Tuesday and said the interests of China and the U.S. are intertwined, according to a government statement. The release cited him saying that Tesla opposes decoupling from China and is willing to keep expanding in the country.
The remarks are reminiscent of Mercedes' Källenius telling a German newspaper last month that unbundling from China is "an illusion," and Apple's Cook emphasizing the symbiotic nature of the iPhone maker's relationship with the country during a visit in March. Just last week, General Motors Co.'s Mary Barra said China remains a key market for the company and that she was looking forward to continuing to develop clean cars with local partners.
The comments run counter to efforts by leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to gain a geopolitical upper hand over Chinese President Xi Jinping by exerting greater influence over the trade of key components, including electric-car batteries and semiconductors.
Musk also is expected to visit Tesla's Shanghai factory, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. The Tesla chief executive officer potentially will meet Premier Li Qiang, as well, to discuss automated-driving technology that Tesla is seeking to introduce in China, one of the people said.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning earlier Tuesday welcomed Musk and other business leaders, saying the government would like to see foreign investors "sharing in the dividends of the development of China."
Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Representatives from Shanghai's government press office and the State Council Information Office of China also didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Bloomberg reported earlier this month that Tesla was nearing the start of trial production for its revamped Model 3 in Shanghai, which Musk is betting will compete more effectively with Chinese rivals. The refreshed sedan is slightly longer than the current version and sportier, with a sleeker interior design.
Tesla's Shanghai plant accounted for more than half its global production in 2022, and the facility can now produce as many as 1.1 million cars a year. Shipments from Tesla's Shanghai facility have been running well short of that pace, despite the company dropping prices and exporting to new markets including Canada.
The U.S. automaker accounted for almost one-quarter of Shanghai's total automotive production value last year. Local authorities pledged earlier this month to continue to boost ties with the company through automated driving and robot modules.
Source- Automotive News
Al Pacino, The Godfather, star expecting fourth child, aged 83
Actor Al Pacino is expecting his fourth child at the age of 83, his representatives have confirmed.
The Godfather star has announced his 29-year-old girlfriend Noor Alfallah is eight months pregnant.
According to US media reports, Pacino and Alfallah have been together since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pacino already has three children - two with Beverly D'Angelo and one with Jan Tarrant.
In a career spanning more than five decades, Pacino has appeared in The Irishman, The Godfather, Scarface, and Scent of a Woman, winning an Oscar for best actor for the latter.
Alfallah works in the film industry and has produced films such as Billy Knight, Little Death, and Brosa Nostra.
She previously dated musician Mick Jagger in 2017.
Pacino's co-star from The Godfather Part II, Robert de Niro, recently announced he had welcomed his seventh child at the age of 79.
Source- BBC
2023 Women's World Cup has sold over 850,000 tickets
Organizers of the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup, which starts in 50 days, say they are closing in on one million ticket sales.
More than 850,000 have been sold for the event in Australia and New Zealand.
"2023 is going to be a landmark moment for women's football," said Fifa secretary general Fatma Samoura.
The World Cup, which features 32 nations, including England and the Republic of Ireland, starts on 20 July with the final on 20 August.
A Fifa spokesperson told BBC Sport that the one million tickets sold milestone were expected to be reached "over the next few weeks".
2023 is the ninth edition of the Women's World Cup and organizers are targeting a record 1.5 million ticket sales as well as a global television audience of two billion viewers.
The opening ceremony will take place before the first of the tournament's 64 matches between co-hosts New Zealand and former world champions Norway at Eden Park, Auckland, on 20 July (08:00 BST).
The final takes place on 20 August at Stadium Australia in Sydney (11:00 BST).
Defending world champions the United States will be based in New Zealand for their three group games, while England and the Republic of Ireland are both in Australia.
England launch their campaign against World Cup debutants Haiti in Brisbane on 22 July (10:30), with Sarina Wiegman's European champions facing Denmark in Sydney six days later (09:30). They round off Group D against China in Adelaide on 1 August (12:00).
The Republic of Ireland is among eight debutants at the World Cup.
They open against co-hosts Australia at Stadium Australia on 20 July (11:00) and then play Canada in Perth on 26 July (13:00). They round off Group B against Nigeria on 31 July in Brisbane (11:00).
The United States, who are looking to win it for the third successive time, play Vietnam in Auckland on 22 July (02:00), and the Netherlands in Wellington on 27 July (02:00) before returning to Auckland to face Portugal on 1 August (08:00).
Source- BBC
INVEST TCI GRABS SPOTLIGHT AT THE CARIBBEAN HOTEL & RESORT INVESTMENT SUMMIT
Invest Turks and Caicos (Invest TCI) continues to grab the spotlight at the annual Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS).
A most noteworthy hotel investment conference, CHRIS, was held on March 22nd and 23rd at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel, Coral Gables, FL. The two-day event saw over 350 persons from North and South America and the Caribbean join together for an exciting agenda with 20+ informative sessions and unbeatable networking opportunities.
Invest TCI was once again a platinum sponsor of the event for the 6th year. In attendance from the Agency were the CEO of Invest TCI, Angela Musgrove, and Investment Executive Salik Garland. Invest TCI hosted a session, "Opportunities in the Turks and Caicos," which gave attendees an in-depth look into the Turks and Caicos Islands and highlighted investment opportunities in the islands. The presentation by Invest TCI's CEO, Angela Musgrove, encouraged attendees to consider investment opportunities in the family islands, which are relatively untouched and have much to offer. Her presentation drew attention to the islands outside of Providenciales. She noted that a world of untapped opportunities lies in the unspoiled, picturesque "family islands," a collection of ecological magnificence waiting to be transformed.
Most noteworthy for the Turks and Caicos Islands at this year's event was the announcement of The Rock House, Turks, and Caicos Resort, as CHRIS Development of the Year 2023 and Ms. Julianna Musgrove, Regional Learning and Development Manager, Sandals Resorts International as the 2023 Rising Star Award Caribbean recipient.
Mrs. Musgrove, CEO of Invest TCI, commented on the summit, "Invest TCI is pleased to be a platinum sponsor of CHRIS once again. Over the past years, our involvement in the summit has created significant exposure for the TCI and has generated viable leads and projects for the islands. This year was most outstanding as the Turks and Caicos Islands took home two awards. We congratulate the Rock House and Ms. Julianna Moore on their achievements. We look forward to next year's event and more great achievements from the TCI".
About Invest Turks and Caicos
Invest Turks and Caicos is the Islands’ Investment Promotion Agency, responsible for enhancing the economy through the attraction, growth, and retention of overseas investment; and supporting the growth of local businesses.
We provide a free and confidential service to overseas businesses looking to expand and will work with a company project team throughout the investment process, providing advice and support. This can include:
Information on the local business climate;
facilitating contact with relevant Government Departments throughout the investment process;
advice on Government incentives and concessions to investors;
introductions to local service providers/suppliers;
advice on work permits and permanent residency procedures;
ongoing support following set up.
We also work actively to support local business's grow, including managing and delivering the Micro Small and Medium Enterprise program, which provides concessions and relief to locally owned businesses.
13 percent of firefighters in Jamaica are now women
Thirteen percent of the workforce of the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is female, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Desmond McKenzie has revealed.
Speaking Tuesday in the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, McKenzie said Jamaica is way ahead of the United States and Canada which have five percent and 4.5 percent of female firefighters in their respective fire brigade ranks.
McKenzie said that based on job application data, the number of female firefighters in the JFB is set to increase. He also said the strategic development of the fire brigade includes its expansion with highly skilled personnel.
He also boasted about the quality of the recruits joining the ranks of the fire brigade.
“In the last financial year, an additional 188 recruits joined the brigade as full-fledged firefighters. Their areas of specialty include nuclear and radiation emergencies, water rescue, electric hybrid motor vehicle response, and emergency medical technician training,” McKenzie said.
He noted that in the last financial year alone, more than 80 of the applicants for the job of firefighter came with first degrees and associate degrees in disciplines ranging from electrical engineering to environmental studies.
Source- Jamaica Observer
Gunman driven by 'malice and hate'
A gunman who killed 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue, in the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history acted with "malice and hatred", a court has heard.
Prosecutors described how the attacker barged into the synagogue in 2018 and shot every worshipper he could find.
His "malice and hate can only be proven in the broken bodies" of the victims, said the lead prosecutor.
If convicted, Robert Bowers, 50, could get the death penalty.
Eight men and three women - ranging in age from 54 to 97 - died in the attack inside the Tree of Life synagogue on 27 October 2018.
The gunman, who has pleaded not guilty, is on trial for more than 60 federal charges including obstruction of free exercise of religion resulting in death, and hate crimes resulting in death.
The defendant's lawyers had offered to plead guilty on all counts, in exchange for a sentence of life in prison instead of the death penalty, but federal prosecutors rejected such a deal.
Most families of those killed have voiced support for the death penalty.
"The defendant had moved methodically through the synagogue to find the Jews he hated and kill them," Soo Song, the lead prosecutor, said in her opening statement on Tuesday.
The court heard audio of the 911 call one of the victims made to emergency dispatcher Shannon Basa-Sabol, who was the first witness in the trial.
She received Bernice Simon's desperate call from inside the Tree of Life synagogue.
"Tree of Life, we're being attacked… We're being attacked!" Ms. Simon said on the phone.
"My husband's shot, oh dear God, my husband's bleeding, he's shot in the back."
Ms. Simon and her husband, Sylvan, were both killed.
Some survivors cried in court.
Tree of Life rabbi and attack survivor Jeffrey Myers testified how he prayed while on the line with a police dispatcher as the attack unfolded.
"I thought about the history of my people, how we've been persecuted and hunted and slaughtered for centuries, and how all of them must have felt the moments before their death, and what did they do," Mr. Myers told the court.
Three congregations - Dor Hadash, New Light, and the Tree of Life - shared the synagogue.
Judy Clarke, the defense lawyer, acknowledged to jurors on Tuesday that there was no disputing her client carried out the attack, but she questioned whether he had acted out of hatred.
She argued that the death penalty sentencing option was unconstitutional because she said the former truck driver suffers from serious mental illnesses, including schizophrenia.
She also said he was "a socially awkward man who didn't have many friends" and that he had "misguided intent" and "irrational thoughts".
The 12 jurors were told that the defendant frequently posted antisemitic slurs online, on sites like Gab, and prosecutors said he shouted "All Jews must die" during the attack.
Investigators said he was carrying multiple weapons on him, including a semi-automatic rifle.
Police shot the gunman three times before subduing him. Five of the injured included police officers who responded to the scene.
The trial in the US District Court in Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania is expected to last several weeks.
Source- BBC
Amazon to offer parents term-time-only working
Parents and grandparents who work in Amazon warehouses will be able to choose to work in term-time only.
Amazon said the new contract will mean people with children to look after can take six weeks of holiday in summer and two weeks at Easter and at Christmas.
But the GMB union, which is fighting Amazon for recognition, said that while flexible working is welcome, most workers want better wages.
"What they're telling us is they can't live on poverty pay," said the GMB.
Amazon's regional operations director, Neil Travis, said he hopes the flexible working will encourage more people back into the workplace.
"We spent a lot of time listening to our employees and one of the things that we were learning is that they really wanted more flexible opportunities," Mr Travis said.
He added that the contract still entitles people to full-time benefits.
Claire McCartney at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development said that only 4% of workers have term-time work.
''With the cost and availability of childcare causing huge challenges for working parents, term-time working is likely to have a positive impact on attraction and retention at a time when organizations are struggling with skills shortages," said Ms. McCartney.
Amazon is offering the new contract just as it is trying to fight a bid by the GMB to be the first trade union in Europe to be recognized by the company.
The company employs more than 70,000 people in the UK. Amazon said that it does not believe that union recognition is appropriate.
It said that it prefers to talk directly with its employees rather than go through a union.
Workers at Amazon in Coventry have been on strike for 16 days this year. They are calling for an increase in their hourly wage to £15 an hour.
The GMB's senior organizer, Amanda Gearing, said that more flexible staff contracts are positive but the priority for the workforce is improved pay.
"I don't think this is what they're looking for right now," she said. "They want more money in their pocket, what they're telling us is they can't live on poverty pay."
Amazon said the rates of pay are competitive and that it recently increased wages by 10%.
The GMB said that a majority of workers in the Amazon Coventry warehouse want union representation and it has applied to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) for statutory recognition.
The union said that 800 Coventry employees are now members and that this represents a majority of the workforce.
Mr. Travis would not be drawn on whether the company would be prepared to recognize the GMB if they could prove majority support among the Coventry workforce.
"The GMB has made a formal application to CAC and we are working with the CAC as part of that process. We continue to focus on engaging directly with our employees and we continue to offer a really attractive rate of pay and comprehensive benefits," Mr Travis said.
But in its submission to the CAC, Amazon could argue that there are more people working in the warehouse than GMB calculates, and this could lead the CAC to deny the GMB recognition.
The committee could take several weeks to reach a decision.
Source- BBC
Artificial intelligence could lead to extinction, experts warn
Artificial intelligence could lead to the extinction of humanity, experts including the heads of OpenAI and Google Deepmind warn.
Dozens have supported a statement published on the Centre for AI Safety webpage.
"Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war" it reads.
But others say the fears are overblown.
Sam Altman the chief executive of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, Demis Hassabis chief executive of Google DeepMind, and Dario Amodei of Anthropic have all supported the statement.
Geoffrey Hinton, a so-called "godfather of AI", who issued an earlier warning about risks from super-intelligent AI, has also supported the call.
However some experts believe that fears of AI wiping out humanity are unrealistic, and a distraction from issues such as bias in systems that are already a problem.
Source- BBC