World News Daily(2024-07-24) : China releases "National Carbon Market Development Report (2024)" to promote the development of the carbon emission trading market.
China releases "National Carbon Market Development Report (2024)" to promote the development of the carbon emission trading market.
The Chinese government has released the "National Carbon Market Development Report (2024)," advancing the policy refinement of the carbon emission trading market, expanding the sectors covered by the market, implementing both free and paid carbon allowance distribution, increasing trading varieties and participants, and enhancing market activity.
Concurrently, efforts are being made to develop a voluntary greenhouse gas emission reduction trading market, support projects related to ecosystem carbon sinks and renewable energy, deepen international exchange and cooperation, participate in global climate governance, and promote negotiations on global carbon market mechanisms.
Carbon Emission Trading Market: A market where companies buy and sell carbon emission allowances, aiming to reduce carbon emissions through economic means.
Carbon Sink: The ability to absorb and store carbon dioxide through methods such as afforestation.
ScoresPolitics
Secret Service Director Resigns After Trump Assassination Attempt
Kimberly Cheatle, US Secret Service director, resigned after a failed assassination attempt on Donald Trump. The incident, deemed the agency's "most significant operational failure" in decades, occurred at a Pennsylvania rally. Cheatle took full responsibility but faced criticism for not answering specific questions about the security lapse.
The 20-year-old assailant evaded security and opened fire from a nearby roof, injuring Trump and others. The attack shocked the nation amid heightened political tensions.
In her resignation letter, Cheatle acknowledged the security failure and emphasized the Secret Service's ongoing mission. President Joe Biden accepted her resignation, praising her integrity. An independent review is underway to prevent future incidents.
Trump, on his Truth Social network, blamed the Biden administration for the security breach. Cheatle's resignation followed demands from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, who questioned her ability to lead after the hearing.
ScoresSwitzerland Mandates Open Source for Government Software
Switzerland enacted the EMBAG law in 2023, which mandates that government software be open source. This means the code is publicly accessible, with the goal of enhancing transparency and security. The initiative began in 2011 with the release of court case software. The law also makes non-sensitive government data publicly available. This development could establish a benchmark for other nations, fostering digital openness and innovation.
Open Source Software (OSS): Software whose code is accessible for anyone to inspect, modify, and improve.
Open Government Data (OGD): Non-sensitive, non-personal government data that is publicly available.
ScoresCyabra to Go Public via SPAC to Combat Disinformation
Cyabra, a Tel Aviv startup, plans to go public via a SPAC. They detect fake social media accounts for clients like Warner Media and governments. The deal values Cyabra at $70 million.
SPACs, once popular, are now less common due to new SEC rules. Cyabra, however, sees potential in this route. They've worked with 19 governments in the past year, focusing on election security.
Their tech, developed by former Israeli special forces, uses algorithms to spot bot activity. This helps clients manage brand reputation and identify real influencers.
Elon Musk used Cyabra before buying Twitter. Dan Brahmy, Cyabra's CEO, emphasizes their role in combating disinformation.
Mike Pompeo, former CIA director, joined Cyabra's board. He views the company as vital in the fight against false narratives and AI manipulation.
In short, Cyabra aims to protect democracy and national security by exposing fake online accounts and misleading content. Their upcoming public listing via a SPAC marks a significant step in their mission.
ScoresSociety
Spotify Q2 2024: Record Operating Profit and Surpassing User Estimates
Spotify's Q2 2024:
- Paid users increased by 12% to 2.46 billion.
- Exceeded estimates of 2.452 billion.
- Stock surged by over 12% before the market opened.
- Operating profit reached a record 2.66 billion euros.
Insights:
- Price increases did not hinder growth.
- Robust financial performance bolstered investor confidence.
- Ongoing user expansion despite market saturation.
Mattel Introduces First Blind Barbie for Inclusive Play
Mattel, the US toymaker, has launched its first blind Barbie. This initiative aims to make its product line more inclusive for blind and low-vision children. The doll comes with a white and red cane, a distinctive eye gaze, and tactile clothing. The packaging also includes braille.
Krista Berger, senior vice-president of Barbie, highlighted the doll's significance in promoting self-expression and a sense of belonging. Mattel worked with the American Foundation for the Blind to ensure accurate representation.
Lucy Edwards, a blind disability activist, commended the doll, reflecting on her own teenage experiences of isolation and the potential positive influence of such a role model. The Royal National Institute of Blind People also supports the launch, emphasizing the importance of representation.
In addition to the blind Barbie, Mattel introduced a black doll with Down’s syndrome, following the release of a white version the previous year. This doll showcases physical characteristics of the condition and features braided hair texture.
Both dolls are part of the Barbie Fashionistas range, which has expanded to include various body types, skin tones, and hairstyles. The range also features a doll with a prosthetic leg, a wheelchair user, and a deaf Barbie.
ScoresSaudi Arabia's $100 Billion Shale Gas Investment
Saudi Arabia plans a $100 billion push into shale gas with the target of becoming the world's third-largest producer by 2030. The Jafurah field, the largest in the Middle East, holds 229 trillion cubic feet of reserves.
Saudi Aramco is leading the charge, investing heavily in Jafurah, with production slated to start in 2025. Techniques from the U.S. shale revolution—horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing—make this possible.
Domestic usage will shift from oil to gas and renewables. Plans include potential LNG exports. Saudi Arabia halts oil capacity expansion, redirecting $40 billion to gas.
Investments span the globe: U.S., Australia, and partnerships in LNG projects. The UAE follows suit, boosting LNG capacity.
Gas gains favor as the world decarbonizes. Oil demand could drop 70% by 2050, while gas sees only a 50% decline. Saudi Arabia and the UAE aim to secure energy diplomacy through gas.
Diversification into renewables and carbon capture technologies bolsters their strategy. A domestic gas supply ensures longevity for state-owned energy firms.
ScoresEconomy
Temu's Rapid Growth and Strategic Market Expansion
Temu, the cross-border e-commerce platform under Pinduoduo, has surpassed its sales target for the first half of the year, achieving over $20 billion in sales, far exceeding the annual goal of $18 billion. This growth rate has outpaced its competitors, SHEIN and TikTok, which took nine and three years respectively to reach $20 billion in sales.
Temu's expansion strategy has transitioned from a "full consignment" to a "semi-consignment" model. Under the "semi-consignment" model, sellers are responsible for logistics, whereas the "full consignment" model was managed by Temu. This change has expanded the variety of products and reduced costs.
The platform has benefited from the U.S. "de minimis" rule, which exempts import duties on goods under $800. However, with potential policy changes under the Trump administration, Temu is diversifying its market focus, planning to reduce its U.S. sales ratio from 60% to 30%.
Temu is also expanding its "semi-consignment" model globally, starting with Europe, following initial success in the U.S. This model targets Amazon sellers with mature logistics capabilities, providing them with a platform to clear inventory.
Competition with Amazon is intensifying, as Amazon has launched a "low-price store" similar to Temu's "full consignment". This move not only directly competes with Temu but also exacerbates the tension in international shipping resources, potentially leading to increased costs.
Temu's strategy to expand its "semi-consignment" model is crucial for its continued growth and adaptation to market and policy changes.
ScoresWiz Rejects Google's $23 Billion Offer, Plans IPO
Wiz, a cloud security startup, has turned down a $23 billion buyout offer from Google. Instead, Wiz plans to go public, aiming for a $1 billion annual revenue. The decision reflects antitrust and investor concerns.
Founded in 2020, Wiz quickly reached $100 million in annual revenue within 18 months and $350 million in 2023. Backed by major investors like Sequoia and Index Ventures, Wiz specializes in cloud security, a critical area as more companies move operations online.
Google, keen to bolster its cloud services against rivals like Microsoft and Amazon, has faced setbacks in acquisitions, including the recent collapse of talks to buy HubSpot. Wiz's rejection marks a significant departure from typical tech acquisition trends, highlighting the startup's confidence and market potential.
ScoresTechnology
Vozo Rewrite & Redub: AI-Powered Video Editing Tool
Vozo Rewrite & Redub is a new video editing tool that enables users to rewrite scripts and redub voices using straightforward prompts. This tool generates new videos from existing ones.
The term "Redub" involves replacing the original audio in a video, while "Rewrite" pertains to modifying the script. Both functionalities offer substantial customization options.
This tool has the potential to revolutionize video editing by making it more accessible and fostering creativity.
ScoresAdobe Enhances Creative Tools with Firefly AI
Adobe has introduced new AI tools, Firefly, for Photoshop and Illustrator. These tools enable designers to describe what they want, and AI swiftly generates textures or images. Adobe trained Firefly on creative work and compensated the contributors. They provide free generative credits to Creative Cloud users.
Illustrator's new "Generative Shape Fill" tool, currently in beta, adds details and textures through text prompts. Photoshop now widely offers text-to-image generation. Adobe has observed customers upgrading to higher-priced plans for more credits. Since March, Firefly has created over 9 billion images.
Illustrator also received non-AI updates: a Dimension Tool for measuring, a Mockup tool for logo placement, and Retype for font recognition. Photoshop introduced new brush tools to simplify tasks.
Adobe maintains a balance between innovation and user concerns, ensuring that the tools enhance rather than replace creative work.
ScoresNew 3D Material Design Method Could Revolutionize Engineering
Scientists have solved a longstanding issue in material design: the absence of a mathematical foundation for three-dimensional conformal methods. A team led by Professors Qiu Chengwei and Huang Jiping has developed a new technique called Conformality-Assisted Tracing (CAT). This method enables the precise and efficient design of intricate 3D structures, surpassing previous geometric constraints.
CAT operates by utilizing steady-state heat flow to generate a 3D network of lines and surfaces. This grid, which preserves angles and scale, can be employed to design materials that manage heat, light, and other physical properties. The method is forward-looking, focusing on designing materials based on desired outcomes rather than modifying existing ones.
This advancement could transform areas such as military stealth technology and industrial applications. The team is now exploring the expansion of CAT's applications to fluid dynamics and elasticity, with the goal of addressing challenges like chip cooling and aircraft insulation.
The name CAT is a whimsical allusion to the method's tracking capabilities, akin to a cat pursuing its target. This innovation not only resolves a significant scientific hurdle but also opens new pathways for material science and engineering.
ScoresMeta Releases Powerful Open-Source AI Model Llama 3.1 405B
Meta has launched Llama 3.1 405B, a powerful open-source AI model. Trained on 15 trillion tokens across 1.6万个H100 GPUs, it rivals top proprietary models like GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet.
Key features include a 128K token context length and improved multilingual capabilities. Meta has optimized the training stack for scalability and efficiency, using techniques like FP8 quantization and iterative post-training adjustments.
The model supports various applications, from image editing to coding assistance, and is integrated into Meta's platforms like WhatsApp and Meta AI. It's part of a broader open-source ecosystem, with over 25 partners contributing to its development and deployment.
Mark Zuckerberg emphasizes the benefits of open-source AI: greater developer control, lower costs, and broader accessibility. He argues that open-source models are safer and more equitable, ensuring technology benefits are distributed widely.
This release marks a significant step in the competition between open-source and proprietary AI models. Meta's commitment to open-source innovation could reshape the industry landscape, making advanced AI more accessible and adaptable.
ScoresVideo Game
The International Olympic Committee approves the first e-Sports Olympic Games, scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia in 2025.
The International Olympic Committee unanimously approved the hosting of the first e-Sports Olympic Games in Saudi Arabia, scheduled for 2025. The cooperation agreement spans 12 years.
The e-Sports Olympic Games, abbreviated as e-Olympics, is a new digital competition event established by the International Olympic Committee. This initiative aims to attract a younger audience and strengthen the influence of the Olympic brand in the new era.
The Saudi Olympic Committee will provide professional expertise in the field of e-sports, with the collaboration based on the Olympic Charter and values.
ScoresEntertainment
Joker: Folie à Deux Trailer Reveals Musical Sequel
Joker: Folie à Deux trailer reveals a musical sequel. Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga sing as Joker and Harley Quinn. The film follows the 2019 original.
"Folie à Deux" means "madness shared by two." It hints at the Joker and Harley Quinn's twisted bond. The musical aspect adds a new layer to their chaotic world.
ScoresHealth
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's Delayed Reporting of Health Issues Causing Concern
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical failed to promptly report consumer health issues caused by their products, leading to hospitalizations and deaths. The company's delayed response and internal mismanagement have raised concerns. The products contained harmful substances from mold, resulting in severe kidney diseases and fatalities. The Ministry of Health in Japan discovered unexpected components in the problematic ingredients. The company's negligence has led to over 100 suspected deaths, highlighting the critical need for transparency and accountability in the pharmaceutical industry.
ScoresGraphene Brain Implant for Parkinson's Treatment Set for Human Trials
Inbrain Neuroelectronics is preparing a graphene brain implant for human trials this summer. Targeted at treating Parkinson's disease, the device utilizes graphene, a pure carbon material, instead of traditional metal electrodes. Graphene is resistant to degradation in brain fluids, enhances charge capacity by 200 times, and allows for precise communication with individual neurons. The chip, only 10 micrometers thick, features a wirelessly charged neural processor. Preliminary tests on animals have been successful, setting the stage for potential advancements in neurological treatments.
ScoresAddressing Complex Health Needs in Canada: A Call for Team-Based Care
Canada's health care system is under strain due to complex patient needs and a shortage of doctors. Six million Canadians do not have a family physician. Emergency rooms are overwhelmed, and wait times for surgeries are increasing.
Dr. Kathleen Ross, president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), advocates for team-based care. Her clinic refers patients to counselors and dietitians to address various health needs. British Columbia funds six counseling sessions, while dietitian services are limited and specific to certain conditions.
High demand forces patients to seek care at crowded walk-in clinics and emergency rooms, which lack comprehensive follow-up care. Long waits for MRIs and surgeries have led provinces to expand private surgical centers and virtual care options. Quebec plans to restrict private nursing agencies.
The CMA proposes a combination of public and private funding, with equity in care being a priority. Goals include expanding interprofessional primary care teams to serve half of Canadians within five years. The CMA opposes user fees for publicly insured primary care.
Dr. Danielle Martin supports broader access to team-based care, highlighting the role of physiotherapists in managing conditions such as lower-back pain. She emphasizes the importance of reducing wait times, which is crucial for aging Canadians needing complex care.
Norma Luks appreciates the comprehensive care provided by her family health team, contrasting it with the challenges of solo practice. Despite these advantages, her team is not accepting new patients.
The CMA is seeking further consultation to refine its recommendations, aiming for a finalization by fall.
ScoresSports
Global Interest in Middle East Peace: A Call for International Action
Former US Ambassador to the UN, Andrew Young, emphasizes the global interest in Middle East peace. Not just Israel and Palestine, but countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, the US, and Egypt seek resolution. Young, 92, recalls past efforts to unite Israelis and Palestinians during his UN tenure (1977-1979). He advocates for a "no-fault solution," avoiding past conflicts' recriminations.
Young highlights the destructive costs of the ongoing Gaza conflict, where Israeli strikes have killed over 39,000 and injured nearly 90,000. He calls for international action to halt violence and foster a better world.
The upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, according to Young, offer a platform for peace initiatives, echoing the original Olympic spirit of peacebuilding. His experience includes serving as mayor of Atlanta and co-chair of the 1996 Olympic Games committee.
ScoresBirmingham to Host 2027 Invictus Games
Birmingham has won the bid to host the 2027 Invictus Games, defeating Washington DC. The event, established in 2014 by Prince Harry, showcases injured military personnel and veterans participating in various sports. This marks the first time the UK will host the games since their inception in London.
The games will take place at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC). Birmingham's robust military connections and facilities such as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre played crucial roles in securing the win. The hospital has previously treated severely injured military personnel from Afghanistan.
Prince Harry commended Birmingham's support for the armed forces community. A flag-raising ceremony at the NEC signified the announcement.
The 2027 games will introduce three new sports: pickleball, laser run, and esports. Helen Helliwell, CEO of Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, aims to make the event the most cohesive and sustainable in the series, with enduring benefits for communities across the nation.
The Invictus Games have grown internationally, with the next event scheduled for Vancouver and Whistler in 2025, expecting 550 competitors from up to 25 nations.
ScoresFood
Eating More Fruit Linked to Lower Depression Risk in Seniors
New research from Singapore indicates that consuming more fruit reduces the risk of depression in older adults. The study followed 13,738 individuals over a period of 20 years. Participants who consumed three or more servings of fruit daily experienced a 21% lower incidence of depression. Common fruits included apples, bananas, and oranges. There was no notable difference between fruits with high and low glycemic indexes. The beneficial effects are likely due to the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds present in fruit. Vegetables did not exhibit a similar correlation. This study corroborates earlier findings from Japan and Australia. Further research is required to fully understand the mechanisms by which fruit aids in reducing depression. The findings were published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging.
ScoresHalal Meat: A Growing Market Beyond Religion
Halal meat is a significant issue. It's not just about religion; it's a $3.3 trillion market growing rapidly. Muslims require halal food, but so do many non-Muslims. Halal, meaning "permitted" in Arabic, involves specific slaughter rules for meat.
Cluck N Cleaver, a fried chicken chain, transitioned to halal for improved quality and to attract more customers. They found a trustworthy halal supplier. Prices remained consistent, and they maintained their diverse menu.
KFC experimented with halal in Ontario and encountered backlash. Some believed it was exclusively for Muslims. Other chains like Popeye's and Mary Brown's also provide halal options.
Boston Pizza has offered halal options for a decade. Salima Jivraj, a halal consumer, notes that halal meat is identical to regular meat. A decade ago, halal options were scarce. Now, they are ubiquitous.
Maple Lodge Farms, a major halal meat supplier, observes increasing demand. Omar Subedar from the Halal Monitoring Authority states that halal certification can be costly but is worthwhile for the market share.
More companies are adopting halal, expanding choices for businesses like Cluck N Cleaver. Halal is here to stay, and it benefits everyone.
Scores