Solar flares sparked the biggest geomagnetic storm in two decades, causing spectacular auroras around the world.

Masked police are filmed storming the premises of the Bar Association's Lawyers' House to arrest lawyer Sonia Dahmani.

An exclusive interview with the Indonesian president-elect as he prepares to take the reins of power.

Lynne Neagle admits new role is "quite hard" in reply to a question posed by a primary school pupil.

Lynne Neagle admits new role is "quite hard" in reply to a question posed by a primary school pupil.

Baltic state of 2.8 million people fears it could be next in Russia's crosshairs if Moscow wins its war against Ukraine.

Israel’s performance at Eurovision was booed by spectators inside the venue, while protesters were outside the venue.

Kami Rita and fellow Sherpa guide Pasang Dawa have been competing for the title of most climbs of Everest.

Opinion polls suggest a comfortable lead for a candidate backed by Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Two-time Olympic gold medallist 'Loma' stopped home favourite George Kambosos in the 11th round of the fight in Perth.

As the war enters its 808th day, these are the main developments.

Amandeep Singh was already in custody for unrelated gun charges before being charged in Hardeep Singh Nijjar's murder.

sacramento, california — California could soon deploy generative artificial intelligence tools to help reduce traffic jams, make roads safer and provide tax guidance, among other things, under new agreements announced Thursday as part of Governor Gavin Newsom's efforts to harness the power of new technologies for public services.  The state is partnering with five companies to create generative AI tools using technologies developed by tech giants such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Google- and Amazon-backed Anthropic that would ultimately help the state provide better services to the public, administration officials said.  "It is a very good sign that a lot of these companies are putting their focus on using GenAI for governmental service delivery," said Amy Tong, secretary of government operations for California.  The companies will start a six-month internal trial in which state workers test and evaluate the tools. The companies will be paid $1 for their proposals. The state, which faces a significant budget deficit, can then reassess whether any tools could be fully implemented under new contracts. All the tools are considered low risk, meaning they don't interact with confidential data or personal information, an administration spokesperson said.  Newsom, a Democrat, touts California as a global hub for AI technology, noting 35 of the world's top 50 AI companies are located in the state. He signed an executive order last year requiring the state to start exploring responsible ways to incorporate generative AI by this summer, with a goal of positioning California as an AI leader. In January, the state started asking technology companies to come up with generative AI tools for public services. Last month, California was one of the first states to roll out guidelines on when and how state agencies could buy such tools.  Generative AI, a branch of AI that can create new content such as text, audio and photos, has significant potential to help government agencies become more efficient, but there's also an urgent need for safeguards to limit risks, state officials and experts said. In New York City, an AI-powered chatbot created by the city to help small businesses was found to dole out false guidance and advise companies to violate the law. The rapidly growing technology has also raised concerns about job losses, misinformation, privacy and automation bias.  While state governments are struggling to regulate AI in the private sector, many are exploring how public agencies can leverage the powerful technology for public good. California's approach, which also requires companies to disclose what large language models they use to develop AI tools, is meant to build public trust, officials said.  The state's testing of the tools and collecting of feedback from state workers are some of the best practices to limit potential risks, said Meredith Lee, chief technical adviser for the University of California-Berkeley's College of Computing, Data Science and Society. The challenge is determining how to assure continued testing and learning about the tools' potential risks after deployment.  "This is not something where you just work on testing for some small amount of time and that's it," Lee said. "Putting in the structures for people to be able to revisit and better understand the deployments further down the line is really crucial."  The California Department of Transportation is looking for tools that would analyze traffic data and come up with solutions to reduce highway traffic and make roads safer. The state's Department of Tax and Fee Administration, which administers more than 40 programs, wants an AI tool to help its call center cut wait times and call length. The state is also seeking technologies to provide non-English speakers information about health and social services benefits in their languages and to streamline the inspection process for health care facilities.  The tools are to be designed to assist state workers, not replace them, said Nick Maduros, director of the Department of Tax and Fee Administration.  Call center workers there took more than 660,000 calls last year. The state envisions the AI technology listening along to those calls and pulling up specific tax code information associated with the problems callers describe. Workers  could decide whether to use the information. Currently, call center workers have to simultaneously listen to the call and manually look up the code, Maduros said.  "If it turns out it doesn't serve the public better, then we're out $1," Maduros said. "And I think that's a pretty good deal for the citizens of California."  Tong wouldn't say when a successfully vetted tool would be deployed, but added that the state was moving as fast as it can.  "The whole essence of using GenAI is it doesn't take years," Tong said. "GenAI doesn't wait for you."

A small group of enterprising, local climbers has a bold cause - to attract more Malawians to the sport.

Heavy rain triggers a flash flood and a cold lava flow from Mount Marapi, resulting in the disaster in West Sumatra.

Celtics score 106-93 comeback win over Cavs, while Luka Doncic-led Mavericks beat OKC Thunder 105-101.

People from across 10 states and union territories will vote on May 13 to elect 96 MPs for the Lok Sabha.

NEW YORK — A newly released ad promoting Apple's new iPad Pro has struck quite a nerve online. The ad, which was released by the tech giant Tuesday, shows a hydraulic press crushing just about every creative instrument artists and consumers have used over the years — from a piano and record player, to piles of paint, books, cameras and relics of arcade games. Resulting from the destruction? A pristine new iPad Pro. "The most powerful iPad ever is also the thinnest," a narrator says at the end of the commercial. Apple's intention seems straightforward: Look at all the things this new product can do. But critics have called it tone-deaf — with several marketing experts noting the campaign's execution didn't land. "I had a really disturbing reaction to the ad," said Americus Reed II, professor of marketing at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. "I understood conceptually what they were trying to do, but ... I think the way it came across is, here is technology crushing the life of that nostalgic sort of joy (from former times)." The ad also arrives during a time many feel uncertain or fearful about seeing their work or everyday routines "replaced" by technological advances — particularly amid the rapid commercialization of generative artificial intelligence. And watching beloved items get smashed into oblivion doesn't help curb those fears, Reed and others note. Several celebrities were also among the voices critical of Apple's "Crush!" commercial on social media this week. "The destruction of the human experience. Courtesy of Silicon Valley," actor Hugh Grant wrote on the social media platform X, in a repost of Apple CEO Tim Cook's sharing of the ad. Some found the ad to be a telling metaphor of the industry today — particularly concerns about big tech negatively impacting creatives. Filmmaker Justine Bateman wrote on X that the commercial "crushes the arts." Experts added that the commercial marked a notable difference to marketing seen from Apple in the past — which has often taken more positive or uplifting approaches. "My initial thought was that Apple has become exactly what it never wanted to be," Vann Graves, executive director of the Virginia Commonwealth University's Brandcenter, said. Graves pointed to Apple's famous 1984 ad introducing the Macintosh computer, which he said focused more on uplifting creativity and thinking outside of the box as a unique individual. In contrast, Graves added, "this (new iPad) commercial says, 'No, we're going to take all the creativity in the world and use a hydraulic press to push it down into one device that everyone uses.'" In a statement shared with Ad Age on Thursday, Apple apologized for the ad. The outlet also reported that Apple no longer plans to run the spot on TV. "Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it's incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world," Tor Myhren, the company's vice president of marketing communications, told Ad Age. "Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we're sorry." Cupertino, California-based Apple unveiled its latest generation of iPad Pros and Airs earlier this week in a showcase that lauded new features for both lines. The Pro sports a new thinner design, a new M4 processor for added processing power, slightly upgraded storage and incorporates dual OLED panels for a brighter, crisper display. Apple is trying to juice demand for iPads after its sales of the tablets plunged 17% from last year during the January-March period. After its 2010 debut helped redefine the tablet market, the iPad has become a minor contributor to Apple's success. It currently accounts for just 6% of the company's sales.

The rapid melting of Pakistan’s icy giants is creating hardships and challenges for vulnerable communities.

Pro-Palestinian protesters in Malmo, Sweden say Israel should be excluded over its conduct in its war on Gaza.