AI sector frustrated by Congress’ slow pace keeping up with the advanced tech
People close to the growing artificial intelligence (AI) sector say the industry is frustrated with the pace at which Congress is handling the issue. AI experts and those who work with the industry are particularly concerned with Election Day being less than a month away. With sophisticated AI technology becoming more accessible, instances of “deepfakes” and other misinformation are growing prevalent on social media, particularly as it relates to politics. “Congress has struggled to pass national technology laws,” said Craig Albright, senior vice president for U.S. government relations at The Software Alliance. He noted there was an appetite among lawmakers for more action but added “it’s also the case that Congress has really been almost entirely focused on things that are must-do. Like, keep the government open, increase the debt limit, reauthorize a program that helps keep the country safe from terrorists. And the tech policy has been in the ‘nice to do,’ category. … I think that’s really been one of the main impediments.” FOX NEWS AI NEWSLETTER: CREEPY, YET HELPFUL ROBOT IS READY TO ASSIST Tatiana Rice, deputy director for U.S. legislation at the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF), said, “In terms of the conversations I’ve had with the kind of companies that we work with, there certainly is a frustration there.” FPF works with figures in big tech, business, academia and civil service to help those sectors better understand and craft policy around AI. “In the absence of federal actions, we’re seeing more states enacting their own laws, and, therefore, you see businesses are concerned about a forthcoming ‘patchwork of regulation,’ which makes compliance really difficult,” Rice explained. PIONEERS OF AI WIN NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS FOR LAYING THE GROUNDWORK OF MACHINE LEARNING “I think especially in an election year and as we get closer to the election, it becomes much more difficult, of course, for Congress to push things through. “Congress has been trying to advance data privacy regulation for the past two decades. … The U.S. is one of the only G-20 nations that doesn’t have a federal privacy law,” she said. “So, there is reason to be pessimistic in how the lack of federal action really does have kind of consequences for businesses and consumers alike.” Leaders in both the House and Senate have emphasized that getting lawmakers up to speed on AI is a priority for the 118th Congress, though they’ve diverged somewhat on what that means. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has favored a more narrow, targeted approach focused on educating members on AI but has shown little appetite for the kind of large-scale regulatory framework desired by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Now, with less than three months before the end of this congressional term, it’s unclear whether the two sides can compromise on some kind of action. Dakota State University President José-Marie Griffiths, who has advised both the White House and the Senate on AI, noted there was progress being made with AI, particularly in the health and national security spheres, but noted that issues persist with misinformation, particularly as it relates to the election. EXPERT WARNS UN’S ROLE IN AI REGULATION COULD LEAD TO SAFETY OVERREACH “I do think that it’s been perhaps a little bit frustrating for the media and for the public that we haven’t seen as much quite as quickly,” Griffiths said. “There have been a number of efforts to bring things forward. “In fairness, I have to say, artificial intelligence – it’s not a single technology. It is actually very complex and has many different parts to the technology, and then enabling technologies as well. It’s moving very, very quickly. … It really cuts across every part of society.” All three experts who spoke with Fox News Digital brought the struggle back to Congress’ difficulties with privacy regulations, particularly since the rise of the internet. “Privacy went out of the window at that point in time for young people, totally unaware of the longer-term implications of their interactions on social media. I think in some respects we are somewhat in that stage with AI,” Griffiths said. Rice specifically brought up the issue of children’s online privacy. “We’re seeing some movement,” Rice said. “But even things that have broad consensus, even that is having difficulty moving forward. So, it is not surprising that a little bit more nascent technology like AI or generative AI is moving at a slower pace.”
Massachusetts town issues cease and desist to resident projecting political signs on town water tower
A resident of Hanson, Massachusetts has been asked to stop projecting political signs onto the town’s municipal water tower or face fines, according to a statement released by Hanson Town Administrator Lisa Green. Green issued the statement after she became aware the resident was projecting the image from his residence. “On Friday, Oct. 11, the Town of Hanson became aware that a resident was projecting the image of a political sign from their property onto the Town of Hanson municipal water tower at 228 High St. This misleads the public into believing that this activity is sanctioned by or condoned by the Town,” the statement from Green read. COURT RULES PENNSYLVANIA BOROUGH ORDINANCE CRACKING DOWN ON LAWN SIGNS IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL Green went on to say the Town “does not endorse candidates for any office from any political party.” Town officials are combating the visibility of the “Trump 2024” campaign logo being projected onto the water tower with a floodlight; however, it was still visible as of Friday evening. And the Cease and Desist order being prepared for the violator will impose a $100 per day fine until the activity stops. “Highway Department employees have positioned a spotlight to shine on the water tower to dim the projection. Further measures are being considered at this time,” the statement said. “This individual’s actions have the potential to cost a significant amount of taxpayer dollars, including attorney fees, overtime to pay Highway Department workers to turn the spotlight on and off each day, and the potential for having to rent or purchase stronger lighting equipment. The $100 per day fine will likely not cover these expenses.” Hanson officials wanted to be clear that they respect everyone’s rights and expression of political views as long as they do not insinuate that they are views of the town as a whole. NEW YORK COMPANY UNVEILS 100-FOOT ‘VOTE FOR TRUMP’ SIGN, GETS SUED BY DEMOCRATIC MAYOR “The Town of Hanson respects the free speech rights of all residents, and the right of all residents to express their political views, but not on Town property or in a manner that makes it appear that the Town of Hanson is endorsing any political candidate,” said the statement. No further information is available at this time.
After Air India, Mumbai-bound IndiGo flight gets bomb threat
“Customers were provided with assistance and refreshments, and we sincerely regret the inconvenience caused,” the airlines said in a statement.
Air India Mumbai-New York flight diverted to Delhi after bomb threat
“We request your cooperation and refrain from spreading unverified information. Further updates will be shared in due course,” said a senior police officer at Delhi airport.
Tamil Nadu Rain: Orange alert issued in Chennai, neighbouring states likely to see heavy downpour
Meteorological officials indicate that a developing weather system over the Bay of Bengal is likely to bring rainfall to several districts this week.
Catholics hold ‘Rosary Rally’ outside Gretchen Whitmer’s house after Doritos video sparks backlash
A group of Catholics held a Rosary Rally outside the home of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Sunday, after the Democrat sparked backlash with a Doritos video that critics alleged made mockery of a sacred Christian rite. The “Rosary Rally for Religious Respect” was organized by CatholicVote. The rally comes in response to a controversial social media video in which Gov. Whitmer wore a Harris-Walz campaign hat and fed Doritos to a kneeling liberal podcaster named Liz Plank. The video followed a TikTok trend whereby someone, acting in a sensual manner, is fed by another person who stares uncomfortably into the camera while “Dilemma” by Nelly and Kelly Rowland plays in the background. MICHIGAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONDEMN WHITMER’S DORITOS VIDEO STUNT AS OFFENSIVE The bizarre clip was intended to spotlight the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act that allocated nearly $53 billion towards efforts to bring semiconductor supply chains back to the U.S. But religious groups felt the clip made a mockery of the sacrament of Holy Communion. The Democratic governor apologized in response to the backlash, insisting the video was not meant to mock people of faith. Whitmer told FOX 2 that in more than 25 years of public service, “I would never do something to denigrate someone’s faith.” “I’ve used my platform to stand up for people’s right to hold and practice their personal religious beliefs,” Whitmer said. CNN AVOIDS ASKING GRETCHEN WHITMER ABOUT BIZARRE VIRAL DORITOS VIDEO On Sunday, a group of around 100 Catholics recited the rosary in front of the governor’s residence near Moores River Drive in the Michigan capital of Lansing. One of the participants told The Lansing State Journal she participated because of the governor’s “blasphemous and offensive video mocking the Holy Eucharist.” “It’s our most sacred sacrament,” she said. “So, we came to pray. We came to pray for her, and we are also praying out of mercy to pray for our Lord.” MICHIGAN GOV. WHITMER SAYS PEOPLE SHOULDN’T ‘GIVE A DAMN’ IF TAYLOR SWIFT IS FRIENDS WITH BRITTANY MAHOMES CatholicVote National Political Director told Fox News Digital that Sunday’s rally was motivated by “deep concern over recent actions that undermine the dignity of the Eucharist and the rising tide of anti-Catholic sentiment promoted by some in the progressive left. “We find it profoundly troubling that our faith and its sacred beliefs are so openly mocked. As Catholics, we believe in the power of prayer, especially for our nation’s leaders. Our rally served as a call for the conversion of Governor Whitmer’s heart and mind, urging her to recognize and respect our religious convictions,” Church said. “We also hope this serves as a reminder to our elected officials that Catholics vote.” Republican State Rep. Josh Schriver of Oxford wrote a post on X promoting the “Rosary Rally for Religious Respect.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the governor’s office for a response to the rally. Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Trump receives unanimous endorsement from Border Patrol Union
The official union of the U.S. border patrol announced its full support of former President Trump during a rally in Prescott Valley, Arizona on Sunday. During the rally, Trump told the crowd that he was “honored to receive…the endorsement” of the union of the entire union of the border patrol agents, the National Border Patrol Council. “It’s a great honor,” Trump said. “They said it was unanimous. Thousands of people.” He then invited Paul Perez, the president of the National Border Patrol Council, onto the stage. HOUSE COMMITTEE RAMPS UP PRESSURE TO OBTAIN IMPORTANT DOCS ON HARRIS’ ROLE IN BORDER CRISIS Perez said he had a message for everyone in the crowd. “If we allow border czar Harris to win this election, every city, every community in this great country is going to go to hell,” Perez said. “The untold millions of people unvetted, who she has allowed into this country that are committing murders, rapes, robberies, burglaries and every other crime will continue to put our country in peril. “Only one man can fix that. That is Donald J. Trump,” he continued. “He has always stood with the men and women who protect this border, who put their lives on the line for the country.” OVERSIGHT GROUP SUES FOR COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN HARRIS; CBP AS CONGRESS GETS STONEWALLED The union president told the crowd they have a choice to make this November. He said the chaos can continue, and criminal cartels can continue to be allowed to control the border which will allow for drugs and fentanyl to filter into the U.S., or voters can put an end to the chaos. “On behalf of the 16,000 men and women represented by the National Border Patrol Council, we strongly support and endorse Donald J. Trump for President of the United States,” Perez said. IMMIGRANT MURDER CONVICTIONS ‘TENS OF THOUSANDS’ HIGHER THAN ICE’S BOMBSHELL FIGURES: DATA EXPERT Trump appeared pleased with the endorsement from what he called an “incredible group of people” he will always stand with. After announcing the endorsement, Trump continued to rally for votes from the people of Arizona, a key swing state on the border. He made numerous digs toward his opponent, Vice President Harris, and vowed to never allow the U.S. military to become woke. Trump then told those in attendance to watch a video on a screen behind him. MIGRANT CRIME WAVE DURING BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN UNDER SCRUTINY AMID SERIES OF ASSAULTS, MURDERS: A TIMELINE The feed featured clips from Stanley Kubrick’s movie, “Full Metal Jacket,” which features a brash drill sergeant played by the late actor, R. Lee Ermey. Ermey’s character was featured shouting at his new soldiers, telling them they will not laugh or cry, before the video took a turn. “Happy pride. Happy pride month, and actually, let’s declare it a sunny day,” the video showed. Trump also addressed the changing of the names of bases before later telling the crowd his administration will crush violent crime and support police. Trump will continue to campaign up to election day on Nov. 5. TRUMP, HARRIS LOCKED IN DEAD HEAT IN 7 BATTLEGROUND STATES, POLL FINDS: ‘COULD NOT BE CLOSER’ According to a Wall Street Journal poll released last week, there was little separation between Trump and Harris in seven battleground states, which prompted a Democratic pollster to say that the 2024 election “really could not be closer.” The survey of 600 registered voters in each of the states, which was conducted Sept. 28-Oct. 8 with a margin of error of +/-4 percentage points, found that in a head-to-head contest, Trump and Harris are tied in North Carolina and Wisconsin. Harris leads Trump 48%-46% in Arizona and Georgia, and 49%-47% in Michigan, according to the poll. In Nevada, Trump has his biggest swing state lead of 49%-43%, while he leads Harris in Pennsylvania 47%-46%, the poll also found. On the issues, voters say they trusted Trump more to handle the economy, inflation and immigration and border security. They preferred Harris when it comes to housing affordability, abortion, health care and having someone in the Oval Office who cares about you. Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.
Trump camp rips Harris over unearthed comments on renaming Columbus Day: ‘Stereotypical leftist’
The Trump campaign slammed Vice President Kamala Harris for allegedly wanting to “cancel American traditions,” citing her 2019 comments supporting efforts to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. “Kamala Harris is your stereotypical leftist. Not only does she want to raise taxes and defund the police – she also wants to cancel American traditions like Columbus Day,” Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt exclusively told Fox News Digital. “President Trump will make sure Christopher Columbus’ great legacy is honored and protect this holiday from radical leftists who want to erase our nation’s history like Kamala Harris.” Leavitt was referring to Harris’ 2019 comments when she spoke to voters in New Hampshire about a month after launching her ultimately failed 2020 bid for the White House. DEFACED COLUMBUS STATUE THAT WAS THROWN INTO A VIRGINIA POND FINDS MORE WELCOMING HOME IN NYC SUBURB “Count me in on support,” Harris told a voter when asked if she supports renaming Columbus Day “Indigenous People’s Day,” footage of the event shows. Harris cited recent legislation she helped author that makes lynching a federal crime as she delivered her response to the New Hampshire voter. “People did not want to deal and accept and most importantly admit that we are the scene of a crime when it comes to what we did with slavery and Jim Crow and institutionalized racism in this country, and we have to be honest about that,” she said, the Washington Times reported in 2019. “If we are not honest, we are not going to deal with the vestiges of all of that harm, and we are not going to correct course, and we are not going to be true to our values and morals.” “Similarly, when it comes to indigenous Americans, the indigenous people, there is a lot of work that we still have to do, and I appreciate and applaud your point and your effort, and count me in on support,” she said, marking her support of renaming the holiday. Columbus Day is a federal holiday that officially celebrates and recognizes Italian explorer Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas in 1492. The holiday will be celebrated on Monday this year. COLUMBUS REMAINS, VERIFIED AFTER 500 YEARS, SHOW HE WAS JEWISH: DOCUMENTARY Activists in recent years have worked to disassociate the day from Columbus, claiming it celebrates colonialism and genocide of indigenous people, in favor of celebrating Native Americans. Activists have also worked to remove Columbus statues from cities, including toppling such statues during the riots of 2020. WILL JULY 4TH, LIKE COLUMBUS DAY, SOON SIMPLY DISAPPEAR? President Biden was the first president to formally recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2021, but states have taken different approaches to how to celebrate the day. In 2021, Harris’ first year as vice president, she said that the U.S. “must not shy away” from its “shameful past” of European explorers ushering “in a wave of devastation for tribal nations.” “Since 1934, every October the United States has recognized the voyage of the European explorers who first landed on the shores of the Americas,” she said. “But that is not the whole story. That has never been the whole story. “Those explorers ushered in a wave of devastation for tribal nations – perpetrating violence, stealing land, and spreading disease,” she said. FOX NATION’S ‘UNCANCELLING COLUMBUS’ EXPLORES LEFT’S EFFORT TO WARP CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’ LEGACY “We must not shy away from this shameful past, and we must shed light on it and do everything we can to address the impact of the past on native communities today.” A review of Harris’ X account for her vice presidency shows she has exclusively celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day over Columbus Day each year she has been in the office. Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment on her previous statements and Leavitt’s comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Prepping for the worst: Election workers anticipate threats in US vote
Across the country, in Rochester Hills, Michigan, Tina Barton had her own brush with election-related violence. For more than three decades, Barton, a Republican, served in government, eventually landing the role of city clerk. That office required her to administer elections and maintain voter files, among other duties. But over the years, she had seen tensions rise. There were early signs of discord in the 2000 election between Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W Bush, a race decided by a few thousand votes in Florida. Barton also noticed election denialism years later, in 2016. At the time, Green Party candidate Jill Stein pushed for long-shot recounts in three battleground states, including Michigan, after she finished fourth in the presidential race. As that effort fizzled, Stein decried, “We do not have a voting system we can trust.” In Georgia, Democrat Stacey Abrams was also defiant after her 2018 gubernatorial loss to Brian Kemp, accusing Republicans of “rigging” the system in their favour, though she acknowledged they were acting within the laws in place at the time. But those nascent signs of increased scepticism turned into something different following the 2020 vote, Barton said. “Up to that point, the attack had been more on the process and the doubts on the process and how we do elections in our country,” she told Al Jazeera. “We really hadn’t had the attention on us individually.” For Barton, that newfound spotlight on election workers came with threats. After Trump’s defeat in 2020, much of the scrutiny fell on battleground states that Republicans narrowly lost, including Michigan. Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel referred to Barton by name when she falsely claimed that 2,000 votes had been wrongfully diverted to Democrat Joe Biden. In reality, Barton and her team had discovered a clerical error in the vote tally, correcting it to ensure accurate results as part of normal election procedures. But the damage had been done. Hearing Barton’s name falsely associated with election fraud sparked an onslaught of scrutiny and threats. One caller — citing Trump’s false claims about the election — even left death threats on her voicemail just a few days after the race. “I did not expect to go to my office and pick up my own phone, my own voicemail, and have someone call me by name and say: ‘When you least expect it, we will kill you,’” Barton said. Barton lost her race for city clerk that year and has since focused on training other election officials. But she has a message for powerful political figures. “When you’re an individual with a platform and who has followers … you have to take responsibility for the words that you’re saying,” Barton said. Members of the public, she underscored, “may take those words as directives to take action”. Adblock test (Why?)
US deploying THAAD missile defence system, troops to Israel
US says move underscores ‘ironclad commitment’ to Israel’s defence against ‘further missile attacks by Iran’. The United States is sending an advanced anti-missile system to Israel, the Pentagon has announced, as President Joe Biden’s administration continues to provide “ironclad” support for one of its top allies amid mounting tensions with Iran. The US Department of Defense said on Sunday that Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin had authorised the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) “battery and associated crew of US military personnel to Israel” to help boost the country’s air defences. “The THAAD Battery will augment Israel’s integrated air defense system. This action underscores the United States’ ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel, and to defend Americans in Israel, from any further ballistic missile attacks by Iran,” the Pentagon said in a statement. The announcement comes less than two weeks after Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel on October 1 in retaliation for the assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders and an Iranian general. Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have vowed to retaliate — spurring fears that the Middle East could be dragged into an all-out regional war. Earlier this month, Biden suggested that Israel should refrain from striking Iran’s nuclear facilities or oilfields, but the Israeli government has repeatedly defied the US president’s public warnings in the past. It is unclear when exactly the US’s THAAD system will be deployed to Israel. An unnamed US official told CBS News that “around 100 troops” will go to the country. Earlier on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that Washington was “putting [the] lives of its troops at risk by deploying them to operate US missile systems in Israel”. “While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region, I say it clearly that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests,” Araghchi wrote on social media. While the US has said it favours diplomacy and a de-escalation in the region, critics have noted that Washington offers Israel unwavering military and diplomatic support. The US provides Israel with at least $3.8bn in military aid annually, and the Biden administration has authorised $14bn in further assistance to its ally since the Israeli military began its war on the Gaza Strip in October of last year. Israel also recently expanded its bombing campaign in Lebanon, after exchanging fire with Lebanese group Hezbollah across the Israel-Lebanon border for months. As tensions continue to mount, the Biden administration has rebuffed calls to suspend weapons transfers to Israel to pressure the country to end the wars in Gaza and Lebanon. [Al Jazeera] Israel already uses three integrated missile defence systems to intercept incoming rockets and missiles fired towards the country. But the THAAD system that the US will deploy to Israel has a greater range than other systems and marks a “step up”, Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna reported from Washington, DC, on Sunday. “The important point, too, is that the [THAAD] systems are so complex that it requires a crew of 94 to operate — a trained crew of 94 — and these will be US soldiers,” Hanna said. “This is a system being put in place and it is a significant step up of the US support for Israel as this crisis continues.” Speaking to Al Jazeera, military analyst Elijah Magnier said he believed the THAAD system announcement meant that the expected Israeli attack on Iran is “not imminent”, as the Israelis would want the missile defence system to be in place before any attack, which will likely be followed by another Iranian attack on Israel. The US previously deployed a THAAD battery to Israel in 2019 for training and an air defence exercise, the Pentagon said on Sunday. Biden also directed the military to send one to the Middle East “to defend American troops and interests in the region” after last year’s October 7 attacks by Hamas on southern Israel. Adblock test (Why?)