Enormous demand for AI could lead to US and Canada blackouts
Growing demand for artificial intelligence could lead to blackouts across the United States and Canada as soon as next year. The warning on Tuesday, Dec. 17, came from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), an industry watchdog.
NERC predicts that electrical consumption will increase by 15% over the next decade. The report comes as AI resources like ChatGPT and Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers expect to see data center power usage double in just the next four years.
Electricity regulators are concerned that the U.S. and Canada’s power grids won’t be able to keep up with demand, saying “the shortfall” could lead to “blackouts during peak demand periods” in the United States and Canada in 2025.
The watchdog’s prediction comes as the U.S. is currently facing challenges with a slowly growing renewable energy market and as the country tries to cut its reliance on fossil fuels.
Expanding the grid to make room for expanding AI data centers has reportedly been a national security priority for the outgoing Biden administration. The White House says that it is pushing to get clean energy deployed quickly so it can meet the enormous energy needs of AI.
Industry experts say they expect a surge of new data centers with the incoming Trump administration.
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to cut regulations on fossil fuel energy, which would boost the tech sector, and as the surge in AI demand continues, some AI companies have turned to nuclear energy to power their expanding operations.
Congressional leaders unveil a stopgap bill to fund the government until March. And a mega-merger between Nissan and Honda might be revving up. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024.
Congressional leaders unveil stopgap government funding bill
With just days left to prevent a shutdown, Congress unveiled a stopgap bill to keep the government funded into March. It’ll be down to the wire with the Dec. 20 deadline, as House leaders are supposed to wait 72 hours before bringing proposed legislation to the floor for a vote. This practice allows lawmakers time to review the bill.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday, Dec. 17, that he believes in adhering to the 72-hour rule, but with the deadline approaching so quickly that might not be feasible.
This new stopgap bill includes more than $100 billion in disaster aid, a one-year extension to the farm bill, $10 billion in economic assistance to farmers, a bill to renew expiring health care programs and a measure to restrict U.S. investments in China.
Right now, the government is funded through Friday by a different stopgap measure approved by lawmakers in September.
I am particularly proud that this bill advances some of my key priorities including strong proposals to help the United States out-compete the Chinese Communist Party. pic.twitter.com/k73axXhUl0
In a statement last night, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he’s “pleased these negotiations led to a bipartisan government funding agreement free of cuts and poison pills, while also securing Democratic priorities like millions for child care, workforce training and job placement, assistance for the key bridge rebuild, additional disaster relief funding and more.”
If approved, this new stopgap bill would keep the government open through March 14, after the GOP has gained control of both the House and Senate.
Luigi Mangione charged with first-degree murder as an act of terrorism
In a press conference Tuesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg called the shooting outside a Manhattan hotel a “frightening, well-planned, targeted murder intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation.”
Mangione faces 11 counts, including two second-degree murder charges. If convicted, he faces life in prison without parole.
Mangione, who remains in a Pennsylvania prison, is set for two hearings on Thursday, Dec. 19. One for charges he faces in the Keystone State and another hearing for his extradition to New York.
Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough said officers responded to reports of shots fired at around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday and found a vehicle lying on its side in flames. McCullough said it appears the car was involved in an incident that caused it to crash and catch on fire but did not say how that was related to the shooting.
“We know that there are some additional scenes that we’re investigating right now where other gunfire took place throughout the neighborhood,” McCullough said. “And that was evidenced by the multiple calls for service from the neighbors who were calling 911 about the gunshots in the community.”
McCullough said the incident was “intentional and targeted.” No arrests have been made in connection with this case.
Madison school shooting motive appears to be ‘combination of factors’: Police
Wisconsin authorities provided more information on Tuesday about the shooting inside a Christian school classroom that left three dead: a teacher, a student and the 15-year-old suspect.
In a press conference, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said the motive appears to be “a combination of factors.” Barnes added investigators are speaking with other students to see if bullying was one of those factors.
“Some have asked if people were specifically targeted,” Barnes said. “Everyone was targeted in this incident, and everyone was put in equal danger.”
Barnes said investigators are looking into the suspect’s social activity. Police identified the suspect as Natalie Rupnow and asked anyone who knew her to contact them.
Police said Rupnow opened fire Monday morning, Dec. 16, during a study hall full of students from multiple grade levels at Abundant Life Christian School. She struck several people before shooting herself. Six others were injured in the shooting and two remain in critical condition.
Nissan shares surge amid rumors of merger with Honda
Shares for Nissan surged following reports of potential merger talks with Honda. Both automotive giants released a statement to media confirming the whispers of a possible “business integration,” but not confirming any decisions set in stone yet.
The two have already collaborated on electric vehicles and battery technology, but the companies could benefit from deepening ties as both have seen challenges this year.
Nissan and Honda have seen dwindling sales in China, the world’s largest car market. Additionally, both automakers are navigating a slow shift to the electric vehicle market amid growing competition.
Talks of the potential merger saw Nissan shares notch their best day in more than 40 years with a 24% surge, though Honda saw a dip.
Some reports suggested the two will sign “a memorandum of understanding” on the potential deal soon. Mitsubishi is said to be a potential third player in the mix.
Tom Cruise receives Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award
Nearly 40 years after he first starred as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in the film “Top Gun,” actor Tom Cruise was awarded the U.S. Navy’s top civilian honor on Tuesday.
“I admire all of the servicemen and women,” Cruise said during the ceremony. “I know in life something that is very true to me is that is to lead is to serve, and I know that to my core. And I see that in the servicemen and women. I see that in you, and you understand that. And I appreciate everyone’s dedication. And it’s a true honor to represent them. And I’m just very proud.”
The Navy said the 62-year-old actor’s efforts in the film industry have increased public awareness and appreciation for its “highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform.”
As for what’s next for Cruise, his film “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” is set to be released in theaters in May.
Google’s former CEO Eric Schmidt warns of rapid AI innovation, urges caution
Google’s former CEO Eric Schmidt has warned the innovation of artificial intelligence is happening at a rapid pace, and the proper safeguards are not yet in place. Schmidt cautions that we may eventually have to consider “unplugging it all” if AI systems continue to evolve unchecked.
“We’re soon going to be able to have computers running on their own, deciding what they want to do,” Schmidt told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. “And the way that happens is a series of decisions. We go from agents to then more powerful goals and eventually you say to your computer ‘learn everything and do everything,’ and that’s a dangerous point. When the system can self-improve, we need to seriously think about unplugging it.”
Schmidt also shared his concerns with Axios last year. Back then, he stated that computers making their own decisions could be just two to four years away.
He emphasized the need for guardrails to protect human dignity, especially as the sophistication of AI systems grows and their potential impact remains unknown.
“Because the systems move so quickly,” Schmidt said, “look at what social media has done in terms of the overall zeitgeist in our country and around the world, and now imagine a much more intelligent, much stronger way of sending messages and inventing things, the rate of innovation, drug discovery and all of that, plus also to bad things like weapons and cyberattacks and things like that, it’s happening very, very fast.”
Schmidt warned China is rapidly catching up in the AI race, describing its progress as “remarkable.” He stressed the need for the United States to secure its leadership in the global AI competition. Schmidt called for more funding, hardware and personnel.
Schmidt recommended that tech companies take proactive measures to safeguard AI systems.
“Humans will not be able to police AI, but AI systems should be able to police AI,” he said.
Despite these concerns, Schmidt noted that governments aren’t doing enough to regulate AI as of now. However, he believes governments will eventually be forced to take action.
Amazon to donate $1 million to Trump inauguration fund
Amazon will make a large donation to Trump’s inauguration fund. And more allegations of sexual assault against entertainer Sean “Diddy” Combs. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Dec. 13, 2024.
Amazon to donate $1 million to Trump inauguration fund
Another big tech company has announced a large donation to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. Amazon confirmed Thursday night, Dec. 12, it is planning to donate $1 million to the fund.
This marks another sign of tech companies working on forming a closer relationship with Trump than they had during his first term in office. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is reportedly set to visit Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida next week.
The Trump and Bezos relationship has been rocky in the past with the president-elect taking issue with reporting in the Washington Post –– another one of Bezos’ companies.
In addition to the $1 million cash donation, various reports indicate Amazon also offered a $1 million in-kind donation to stream the inauguration on its Prime Video service.
Amazon’s move comes a day after Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced a similar donation. Its founder, Mark Zuckerberg visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago just weeks ago.
Both Zuckerberg and Bezos were among the big tech executives to congratulate Trump on his election win in November.
After ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, President-elect Trump spoke with CNBC’s Jim Cramer on the trading room floor about working alongside major tech companies and their leaders during his second administration.
“Mark Zuckerberg’s been over to see me,” Trump said. “I can tell you that Elon [Musk] is another, and Jeff Bezos is coming up next week. I want to get ideas from them. We want them to do well. We want everybody [to do well] and we want great jobs. Fantastic salaries. We want people to love, and when they wake up in the morning, get up and [say,] ‘I love to go to work.’ We want people working and we want them working for a lot of money.”
Despite their strained history, Bezos in recent weeks has changed his tone when it comes to the president-elect. Last week, during a New York Times conference, he said Trump is “calmer than he was the first time and more confident, more settled.”
Inspector general’s probe finds FBI not involved in Jan. 6 attack
A new report released by the Justice Department inspector general Thursday found no federal agents were directly involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The long-awaited report found no evidence undercover FBI employees were among the thousands of Trump supporters who stormed the building.
The report also found 26 confidential informants for the FBI were among the crowd that day, but only three were assigned by the FBI to attend the rally. The report said none of them were directed by the bureau to “break the law” or “encourage others to commit illegal acts.”
One of the confidential human sources assigned by the FBI to be there was among four sources in total who entered the Capitol building that day. The other two assigned by the FBI entered the restricted area around the Capitol.
Republican Congressman Jim Jordan told Fox News, “The FBI had encouraged and tasked confidential human sources to be at the Capitol that day. Four entered the Capitol and weren’t charged, which is not the same treatment that other Americans received.”
The report said the bureau should have done a better job communicating with field offices nationwide before Congress met that day to certify the 2020 election results.
Trump made immigration and immigration enforcement a centerpiece of his 2024 presidential campaign, vowing mass deportations.
New York is the country’s largest sanctuary city and has laws in place limiting how local agencies cooperate with federal deportation efforts.
While the sanctuary city status is determined by the city council, not the mayor, Adams has said he supports a bill to roll back parts of the city’s sanctuary policies.
“We’re going to protect the rights of immigrants in this city that are hardworking, giving back to the city in a real way,” Adams said after his meeting with Homan Thursday. “We’re not going to be a safe haven for those who commit repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and longstanding New Yorkers.”
We are a city of immigrants, and we will always be true to those roots, but we also have to be honest and be clear that our immigration system is broken and a small number of repeat, violent offenders are taking advantage of that broken system. pic.twitter.com/Rp0ZITJNJt
Adams added, “We’re going to tell those who are here, who are law-abiding, to continue to utilize the services that are open to the city, the services that they have a right to utilize: educating their children, health care, public protection and the things that we have long been proud for in doing so. But we will not be a safe haven for those who commit violent acts.”
After the meeting with Adams, Homan sat down for an interview with TV personality Dr. Phil. Homan said he believes the things he and Adams discussed “may save lives.”
“This isn’t going to be neighborhood sweeps and military vehicles going through the city,” Homan told Dr.Phil. “I’m not asking him to be an immigration officer. I’m not asking NYPD to be immigration officers. I want them to be cops that work with cops to take public safety threats off the streets of New York and make New York safer. Migrant crime is sky high here.”
Just days after winning the election, Trump tapped Homan to serve as border czar. Homan is a former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a proponent of tough border policies, such as rounding up and deporting migrants, who are in the country illegally and have committed crimes.
Adams seemed to agree on Thursday, saying, “it’s important to go after those who are committing serious crimes, particularly those dangerous gangs that have come from Venezuela and now we’re finding them on the streets of our country.”
UN: More than 1.1. million Syrians displaced since fall of Assad regime
More than one million people have been displaced since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria less than a week ago, according to the United Nations. It’s also reporting food shortages are now widespread in Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city.
This weekend, Jordan will host a summit including foreign ministers from Western and Arab nations to discuss ways to support a smooth transition of power after rebels ousted the country’s long-time leader in a coup last Sunday, Dec. 8.
It also comes as the U.N. chief has voiced concerns over the country’s sovereignty after Israel launched hundreds of air strikes and deployed ground troops in Syria. Israeli officials claim they’re trying to prevent arms from falling into “the wrong hands” by destroying military installations and weapons sites.
Meanwhile, a man from Missouri reported missing in Hungary has been found in Syria. Missionary Travis Timmerman, 29, was reportedly found walking the streets of Damascus barefoot Thursday after being held in a prison there for several months. You can read Karah Rucker’s full report here.
3 men accuse Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs of sexual assault
There are new accusations against hip hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Three men accused Combs of drugging and raping them during incidents that took place between 2019 and 2022 at a nightclub and ritzy New York hotels.
One of the men has been identified as a former employee of Combs. Their lawyer, who filed the anonymous lawsuits Thursday night, said Combs used his power and wealth to take advantage of them.
The men are seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages.
In a statement, Combs attorneys said the claims are full of lies.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. He remains in federal prison in Brooklyn after being denied bail.
Look up! Geminid meteor shower peaks this weekend
Stargazers, it’s the time of the year again to look up for the Geminid meteor shower. The annual December display will light up the night sky as it peaks this weekend.
Unlike most meteor showers which originate from comets, the Geminids come from an asteroid.
NASA said the Geminid is considered one of the best opportunities for young viewers since it starts around 9 or 10 p.m.
To best view the meteor shower, experts said you should find a dark spot and leave the binoculars at home and just watch with the naked eye. NASA said it may take around 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark before you can see the shower, but the show will last hours, and you will have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.
Chinese hack of 8 US telecom companies prompts FBI warning
There are new details in what’s being called one of the worst cyber hacks in history. Federal officials revealed the scope of the attack is wider than first thought, impacting multiple U.S. communication networks.
Chinese government affiliated hackers are accused of stealing records, intercepting voice calls and getting into the wiretap system used by the Justice Department to investigate people suspected of crimes or spying.
Officials said most of the private communication the hackers accessed involved people affiliated with the government or politics.
They advise people to make calls or send messages over encrypted apps like WhatsApp or iMessage. That’s because the issue isn’t resolved.
Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger said the hackers are still believed to be lurking in some systems.
“There is a risk of ongoing compromises to communications until U.S. companies address the cybersecurity gaps, the Chinese are likely to maintain their access,” Neuberger said.
In addition to the U.S. companies, White House officials said the Chinese hackers infiltrated dozens of companies across Asia and Europe over the last one to two years.
The group allegedly responsible for the hack is Salt Typhoon. This is the same group behind the hacks of the Trump and Harris campaigns before the election.
The Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. denied accusations that it’s responsible for the hack.
Meta announces new AI data center, to be fueled by nuclear energy
Meta continues making moves in the AI space, announcing two big steps as it develops tech infrastructure across the country. The company said Wednesday, Dec. 4, it will be opening a $10 billion AI data center in northeastern Louisiana.
AI products like search assistants or image generators need massive facilities to house servers and computers that keep their AI services running. To power those AI advances, Meta is going nuclear and inviting developers to send in their proposals.
Tech companies are looking for space for new, larger AI data centers. Elon Musk’s xAI is also expanding its supercomputer project in Memphis, Tennessee, according to the city’s chamber of commerce.
In Louisiana, Gov. Jeff Landry, R, celebrated the announcement of Meta’s largest AI data center yet, calling it “game-changing.” And with AI set to potentially strain energy infrastructure, companies are turning to the renewable but pricey nuclear option.
Amazon ran into issues this year when it bought a Pennsylvania data center from energy company Talen Energy. It planned to power it with Talen’s nuclear plant next to the center.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected the proposal, worrying about the potential effect on energy prices and electric grid reliability.
Microsoft reached an agreement earlier this year to revive the Three Mile Island nuclear plant, with plant owner Constellation Energy, planning to bring it back online in 2028.
OpenAI has also signaled it’s looking to move forward with a massive data center expansion plan. In September, CEO Sam Altman pitched to the White House a plan that would build data centers that each require the same amount of energy as a major city.
Meta’s Louisiana plant announcement is raising concerns from environmental groups. They worry the plant is too reliant on fossil fuels and that plans to help power it through natural gas could lead to higher energy prices for local residents.
Google’s AI weather model outperforms traditional forecast models: Study
The artificial intelligence revolution is transforming weather forecasts and may potentially save lives. Google DeepMind unveiled its new AI weather prediction model on Wednesday, Dec. 4, known as GenCast, which researchers say improves the accuracy and speed at which forecasts are delivered. They say it could give those in harm’s way added time to prepare.
The AI model reportedly outperforms traditional forecasting methods and can predict extreme weather more accurately.
The study published in Nature on Wednesday, Dec. 4, reveals that GenCast formulates its predictions through four decades of data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF).
Researchers revealed the Google model outperformed the ECWMF 15-day forecast on 97.2% in 1,320 different scenarios and also outperformed the European model in determining temperature, wind speed and humidity.
Researchers say AI forecasting is also faster than traditional methods. They claim GenCast can generate a weather prediction in eight minutes compared to hours with traditional weather forecasting methods.
Scientists also note that GenCast could be enhanced to predict storm severity and can be upgraded over time.
The ECMWF called the innovation a “significant milestone in the evolution of weather forecasting,” and says it’s adding “key components” of the GenCast method to its own version of AI weather forecasting.
Meteorologists also appear to be embracing the new technology. Most are reportedly pursuing a hybrid approach between human predictions and AI models.
Donors beware, the season of giving often leads to scams
Six former Apple employees are now facing felony charges in California. They are accused of scamming the tech giant out of charitable matching donations and then keeping the money.
One of the suspects is an executive at a nonprofit organization that supports children and teenagers living in poverty called Hop4Kids. The prosecutor in Santa Clara said that particular suspect was the ringleader and carried out the scheme for almost three years between 2018 and 2021.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen accused the unnamed top official of using his status in the nonprofit to keep matching contributions from Apple, then returning the initial donations to the employees.
The DA believes they stole about $150,000 and wrote off about $100,000 on their tax deductions. When arraigned, they will face charges of theft, perjury and tax fraud.
The New York State Division of Consumer Protection is urging donors to do research on any organization they plan on giving to this holiday season. The agency said donors are motivated by generosity this time of year and end of the year tax benefits.
Check databases, such as the Better Business Bureau or Give.org, before contributing. Beware of phony charities that have similar names to the real ones. Keep a close eye on the specific name, website and contact information for an organization.
Do not give out credit card numbers or Social Security numbers in response to an unsolicited request for money.
Beware of anybody who wants you to wire money or purchase gift cards for them.
It’s a first-person shooter game resembling series like Call of Duty, Medal of Honor and Battlefield. This game, however, unfolds in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and puts players in Palestinians’ shoes.
A recent update out last month allows players to re-create parts of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. A trailer for the update showed Hamas fighters using paragliders to enter an Israeli base and a Hamas fighter shooting a female Israeli soldier.
Video game news outlet 404 Media reported on British authorities blocking the game in the U.K.
The outlet spoke to the game’s creator, Nidal Njim, a Brazilian of Palestinian heritage. He told 404 shooting a soldier on their knees is actually an action the game doesn’t allow players to do. He added the game penalizes players if they do it.
404 Media obtained emails between Njim and Valve, operators of the Steam marketplace, where a representative said they blocked the game using country restrictions on orders from the U.K.’s Counter-Terrorism Internet Referral Unit, or CTIRU.
It also gave a statement to 404 Media. “The CTIRU works closely with a range of technology, social media and online service providers, but we do not comment on specific content or any communication we may have with specific platforms or providers.”
Njim accused British regulators of being hypocritical.
“On their flawed logic, the most recent Call of Duty Black Ops 6 should be banned as well. As you play as an American soldier and go to Iraq to kill Iraqi people. What I can say is that we see clearly the double standards,” Njim said.
The game has also been blocked from sale in Brazil and Australia but for a different reason. The game doesn’t have a specific age rating, something the creator says is down to cost. Each country requires payment of a few thousand dollars to obtain a rating.
Mexico’s president refutes Trump’s claim she promised to close the border
President-elect Donald Trump said Mexico has agreed to stem the tide of migrants flowing into the United States, but Mexico’s president is now saying that’s not quite accurate. And Amazon workers are using Black Friday to make a statement about their labor situation. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 29, 2024.
Mexico’s president refutes Trump’s claim she promised to close the border
As President-elect Donald Trump gets ready to return to office, he’s already making moves to follow through on some of his biggest campaign promises. After announcing this week his plans to impose tariffs on goods from China, Canada and Mexico, he turned his attention to another hot-button issue: immigration.
It’s a bit of a case of “he said, she said” after Trump had a call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday, Nov. 27. President-elect Trump posted on his Truth Social platform after the call saying Sheinbaum agreed to stop migration into the U.S. through Mexico, “effectively closing our southern border.”
Sheinbaum appeared to contradict Trump in a post of her own on X, saying in part, “Mexico’s position is not to close borders…”
She did, however, lay out Mexico’s “comprehensive strategy” for addressing the migration issue. In a separate post on X, Sheinbaum said during the call, she told President-elect Trump, “No caravans are arriving at the border because they are being attended to in Mexico.”
En nuestra conversación con el presidente Trump, le expuse la estrategia integral que ha seguido México para atender el fenómeno migratorio, respetando los derechos humanos. Gracias a ello se atiende a las personas migrantes y a las caravanas previo a que lleguen a la frontera.…
The two leaders also talked about how they’re addressing the U.S. fentanyl crisis.
The call was scheduled after Trump unveiled plans to slap 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico to the U.S. as part of the effort to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. through Mexico.
Not only would that impact the prices of avocados and agave — both very popular in the U.S. — Mexico’s economy secretary said Wednesday 88% of all North American pickup trucks come from Mexico. Sheinbaum then suggested Mexico could retaliate with tariffs of its own.
“I hope he rethinks it,” Biden said. “I think it’s a counterproductive thing to do. You know, one of the things you’ve heard me say before is that we are – we have an unusual situation in America. We’re surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and two allies: Mexico and Canada. The last thing we need to do is begin to screw up those relationships.”
Economists forecast Trump’s planned tariffs would increase prices for American shoppers, costing the average U.S. household about $2,600 per year, according to an estimate from the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Israel and Hezbollah both claim ceasefire violations
Barely three days into a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, both sides are claiming violations.
Yesterday, Hezbollah had a precision-guided missile manufacturing site—today, they don’t.
Hezbollah’s largest precision-guided missiles manufacturing site, 1.4km wide and 70m underground, was struck and dismantled by IAF fighter jets yesterday.
Lebanese authorities also said two people, who were trying to return to southern Lebanon, were shot and wounded by Israeli forces. Lebanon’s health ministry said they were civilians, but the IDF claimed they were suspected of violating terms of the truce.
The agreement, brokered by the United States and France, includes an initial two-month ceasefire during which Hezbollah militants will withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border.
Thousands of Amazon workers to strike from Black Friday to Cyber Monday
Amazon workers in more than 20 countries, including the U.S., are on strike on some of the busiest pre-Christmas shopping days across the world. It started on Black Friday, Nov. 29, a day for bargain hunters to score some of the biggest discounts from stores across the country as holiday shopping kicks into high gear.
Organizers told the United Nations the so-called “days of resistance” are to hold Amazon accountable for alleged labor abuses, as well as “environmental degradation and threats to democracy.” According to ABC News, the strike could delay holiday deliveries.
The organizers said this is their fifth year of labor action against Amazon during the beginning of the holiday shopping season.
In a statement, Amazon said the group that organized the strikes is being “intentionally misleading” and promoting a “false narrative.” Management said the company offers great pay and benefits.
Canada sues Google over control of online ads
Canada’s antitrust watchdog said it is suing Google over alleged anti-competitive conduct in the company’s online advertising business. They’re calling for Google to sell off two of its ad tech services and pay a penalty.
The Competition Bureau said it’s necessary because an investigation into Google found the company “unlawfully” tied together its ad tech tools to maintain its dominant market position. Google insists the online advertising market is a highly competitive sector and is fighting the allegations.
This comes just a week after the U.S. Department of Justice asked a federal judge to force Google to sell its Chrome web browser, saying it continues to crush the competition through its dominant search engine.
America facing a live Christmas tree shortage again
As millions of Americans get ready to begin their search for the perfect Christmas tree, growers are having historic challenges getting them to sale lots, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The day after Thanksgiving is usually the biggest day for live tree sales, but since Thanksgiving came so late this year, it’s a very short selling season. On top of that, a nationwide shortage is expected thanks to severe weather across the country this year, such as a northeastern drought and North Carolina floods caused by Hurricane Helene. North Carolina is the second-biggest supplier of Christmas trees in the country.
Shoppers bought roughly 21.6 million real Christmas trees in the U.S. last year, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. The Department of Agriculture said the number of trees harvested in the U.S. has declined 30% since 2002, while the American population has grown 16% over the same period.
Alaska native air drops Thanksgiving turkeys to families in remote areas
In the most remote parts of Alaska a Thanksgiving turkey is hard to come by. So, one woman made sure families in roadless parts of the state had their holiday feast.
Pilot Esther Keim calls it “Alaska Turkey Bomb.” She flies in a small plane to off-the-grid homes and air drops frozen turkeys for families to enjoy for Thanksgiving.
Keim said it’s a tribute to a family friend who did the same thing for her family when she was growing up.
She started the tradition in 2022 after somebody that she knew told her they did not have much of a holiday dinner — and no turkey at all. Since then, she has delivered 30 to 40 turkeys every year to families living in remote areas of Alaska.