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BRUSSELS -- EU industry chief Thierry Breton will meet OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in San Francisco next month to discuss how the company will implement the bloc's world-leading rules on artificial intelligence (AI), EU officials said Tuesday, May 30. Breton will also discuss an AI pact with Altman with the goal of getting OpenAI to join a group of European and non-European companies to apply the AI rules ahead of their enforcement in 2026, the EU officials said, asking not to be named. Altman last week irked Breton after threatening to quit Europe if it becomes too hard to comply with the bloc's upcoming AI laws. READ: OpenAI CEO's threat to quit EU draws lawmaker backlash In ...

Keep on reading: EU’s Breton to discuss AI rules with OpenAI CEO in June

Ukraine is working with major British defense company BAE Systems to set up a Ukrainian base to both produce and repair weapons from tanks to artillery, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Tuesday, May 30. Zelenskiy spoke after talks with senior officials from BAE, including Chief Executive Charles Woodburn. "It is indeed a massive manufacturer of weaponry, the kind of weaponry that we need now and will continue to need," Zelenskiy said in an evening video address. READ: War in Asia would be far more damaging than Ukraine war, says Singapore defense chief "We are working on establishing a suitable base in Ukraine for production and repair. This encompasses a wide range of ...

Keep on reading: Ukraine says it’s working with BAE to set up weapons production facility

An all-private astronaut team of two Americans and two Saudis, including the first Arab woman ever sent into orbit, headed for splashdown off Florida's coast on Tuesday, May 30, capping an eight-day research mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The SpaceX Crew Dragon vessel carrying the foursome, undocked from the ISS late on Tuesday morning to begin its 12-hour return flight. If all goes as planned, the capsule will parachute into the Gulf of Mexico off Panama City, Florida, about 11 p.m. EDT (0300 GMT on Wednesday) following a fiery re-entry through Earth's atmosphere. The return flight concludes the second space station mission organized, equipped and tra...

Keep on reading: Private astronaut crew, including first Arab woman in orbit, heads for splashdown

As China continues to assert its claim over the South China Sea, it may be time for the Philippines to bring the issue to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to let Beijing "feel the international pressure," according to retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio. "We must sponsor a resolution, submit it to the General Assembly that China must comply with the arbitral award of July 12, 2016. That will be put to a vote. I think we will win there," he said during an online forum of 1Sambayan on Monday. Earlier, Carpio was asked whether the Philippines should campaign among UN member states for support for the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that rejected China's...

Keep on reading: Carpio confident of PH win if sea dispute with China is brought to UN

STOCKHOLM --- A harness-wearing beluga whale that turned up in Norway in 2019, sparking speculation it was a spy trained by the Russian Navy, has appeared off Sweden's coast, an organization following him said on Monday. First discovered in Norway's far northern region of Finnmark, the whale spent more than three years slowly moving down the top half of the Norwegian coastline, before suddenly speeding up in recent months to cover the second half and on to Sweden. On Sunday, he was observed in Hunnebostrand, off Sweden's southwestern coast. "We don't know why he has sped up so fast right now," especially since he is moving "very quickly away from his natural environment," Se...

Keep on reading: Russian ‘spy’ whale surfaces in Sweden

Dennis Anthony Uy, the CEO of Converge which owns a franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association, issued a statement on Tuesday denying that his team has called on three other squads to bolt the league, saying "the company is not in the business of basketball and that he is not interested in participating in such histrionics." The statement also took a shot at "the SMC-MVP (San Miguel Corp. --- Manny V. Pangilinan group) duopoly resulting in declining live gates, with the UAAP getting more ticket sales, and new talents snubbing the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) draft to play overseas." The leadership of the PBA just ended its annual planning session in Paris, wh...

Keep on reading: Converge owner denies recruiting PBA deserters

Showing up as a fine-tuned machine despite an 11-day lull, Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda on Tuesday secured a semifinal berth in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup after an 81-72 victory over Centro Escolar University (CEU) at Filoil EcoOil Centre. Composed and sharp in their decision making, the Red Lions started out hot, settled for a comfortable lead at halftime, before thwarting all last-ditch attempts of a rally by CEU to rise to 5-1 and claim No. 1 spot in the playoffs. "All throughout, we really focused on our decision making, shot selection, passes. [In our early games,] it was because of our early shots and turnovers that we lost," San Beda coach Yuri Escueta, praising his ...

Keep on reading: Lions trim Scorpions, sew up semis berth

MANILA, Philippines --- A heavily reconstructed version of the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund bill secured the nod of the Senate on its second and third reading, eight days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had certified the measure as urgent. Straight out of the period of amendments, Senate Bill No, 2020, or the proposed "Maharlika Investment Fund Act," was approved in the upper chamber during a session that extended until the wee hours of Wednesday. It got 19 votes in the affirmative, one negative, and one abstention. Opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros voted against the measure, while Sen. Nancy Binay abstained. The Senate explicitly banned investments in the p...

Keep on reading: Senate votes to pass bill creating controversial Maharlika Investment Fund

I feel so invincible," said actress Andrea Brillantes when asked what it was like to dress up---and act---in drag, particularly for her latest project, the romantic-comedy series "Drag You & Me." Inquirer Entertainment also asked her to give three important things that she discovered about drag queens and their lifestyle while she was working on the series. "First was that 'tucking it in' for drag queens is really tough. It's done in such a way that it will be really difficult for you to use the toilet [to pee]. You should really reduce your water intake. That would be a major adjustment for me if I were in their shoes, because I get thirsty often," Andrea pointed out. "The strugg...

Keep on reading: What Andrea, JC and Christian discovered about dressing in drag for ‘Drag You & Me’

They may not be as good at dancing or as svelte as other P-pop girl groups, but if there's one thing XOXO is absolutely confident about, it's their vocal abilities. They can belt, harmonize, rap and tackle different styles or genres with ease. And that doesn't really come as a surprise because the act's four members, Riel Lomadilla, Lyra Micolob, Dani Ozaraga and Mel Caluag, are former konteseras and "The Clash" finalists. "'Di kami kasing galing sumayaw at balingkinitan nila!" Riel quipped at a recent media conference. "But I think what sets us apart from other P-pop groups is our vocal abilities. That's where we excel. We know we can hold our own." And they make sure that ...

Keep on reading: SG-bound XOXO on what sets them apart from other P-pop girl groups

TACURONG CITY, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines -- Two village councilors were killed in separate gun attacks Sunday and Monday in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat province, and Paglat, Maguindanao del Sur. Maj. Davis Dulawan, police chief of President Quirino, identified one slain councilor as Mahadi Khalipapa of Barangay Malingon, who was with his wife when attacked. He Khalipapa and his wife on a motorbike driven by Khalipapa when ambushed by unidentified gunmen on May 29. The village official died on the spot and his wife was slightly injured and was taken to a local hospital. In an interview, Dulawan appealed to the town residents to help the police identify the culprits...

Keep on reading: 2 village councilor killed in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat

Alitheon announces a new AI-powered app, FeaturePrint, which allegedly detects counterfeit with a single iPhone photo. Its Optical Artificial Intelligence analyzes and converts the intricate characteristics of an item into a unique numerical identity. Then, the app identifies specific qualities that distinguish an item from counterfeits. The FeaturePrint app is another triumph for artificial intelligence and humanity as they forge a digitalized future. It could revolutionize supply chains by ensuring nobody swaps or fakes your items during distribution. Moreover, small businesses could enjoy the same benefits because you only need the mobile app. This article will discuss how to us...

Keep on reading: FeaturePrint App Spots Counterfeits By Taking Pictures

Software development company Sightful launches the world's first augmented reality laptop: Spacetop. The device replaces the conventional screen with AR glasses to give you an immersive view of your favorite programs. It is a suitable device for remote work, becoming a standard worldwide. It is exciting to discuss how these innovations will become viable mainstream products. Will the Spacetop be a handy device for working anywhere? Or will the augmented reality feature become an inconvenient gimmick? Nevertheless, the Spacetop will show how AR technology expands to more facets of daily life. Let's find out by discussing the first-ever augmented reality laptop. I will explain its fe...

Keep on reading: Spacetop: The World’s First Augmented Reality Laptop

MANILA, Philippines --- A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck the province of Quezon on Tuesday night, said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). The epicenter of the quake was located 14 kilometers northeast of Infanta, Quezon, and was recorded at 11:22 p.m. The earthquake was tectonic in origin and had a depth of focus of 5 kilometers. Intensity II was felt in Makati City, Quezon City, Manila, and San Juan City. Meanwhile, Instrumental Intensity V was felt in Polillo, Quezon Province. Phivolcs said no damage and aftershocks should be expected after the quake. RELATED STORIES Earthquake preparedness saves lives: What to do Look Through: Wha...

Keep on reading: Magnitude 4.9 quake jolts Quezon, felt in parts of Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday warned the public of diseases that would likely become prevalent in the extreme heat caused by the El Nio. According to the state weather, there is an 80 percent chance that El Nio will begin sometime in June and August of 2023 and that it would last until the first quarter of 2024. In a statement, DOH listed several diseases which may be caused by "scarcity of clean water and frequent rains." The DOH listed the following possible diseases: diarrhea sunburns fatigue, heat cramps, stroke food poisoning asthma nausea and other diseases due to eating food affected by red tide cholera typ...

Keep on reading: DOH warns of several diseases during looming El Niño

MANILA, Philippines --- Former Social Welfare and Development Secretary Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday joined the House of Representatives after swearing in as the partylist representative for the Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS). Tulfo took his oath at the House of Representatives before House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe. He was originally set to be proclaimed as the ACT-CIS nominee, but this was suspended by the Commission on Elections due to the disqualification case filed against him. On May 25, however, the Comelec announced that it had dismissed the case. Tulfo was also previously appointed as the secretary of the Department of Soc...

Keep on reading: Erwin Tulfo sworn in as ACT-CIS party-list rep

KORONADAL CITY -- A total of 111 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Sarangani province are now certified and legal owners of lands they have been tilling after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) released on Monday their electronic land titles, officials said. On Tuesday, Hadji Roldan Ali, Al-Haj, DAR-Soccsksargen assistant regional director, said the e-title distribution was in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's directive to DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III to improve the ARBs' security of tenure. He said the distribution of e-titles was part of the agency's land parcelization activities to strengthen ARBs' individual ownership of the lands they are actually ...

Keep on reading: Sarangani farmers get proof of land ownership from DAR

MANILA, Philippines - Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, Miss Grand International 2016 first runner-up Nicole Cordoves, and Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2014 MJ Lastimosa were among the standouts at the Binibining Pilipinas 2023 coronation night, as pageant fans were astounded by their commanding presence and queenly ensembles. During the pageant, the former titleholders were a sight to behold in their respective ensembles as seeming reflection of their own charms --- Catriona being glamorous, Nicole being edgy, and MJ being sexy. Take a look at what the beauty queens wore during the national tilt's culminating event: Catriona Gray Catriona's first look was a more mature take...

Keep on reading: LOOK: Catriona Gray, Nicole Cordoves, MJ Lastimosa stun in dazzling gowns during Binibining Pilipinas 2023 coronation

Reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek says the Ukraine war has caused "chaos" in the world of sport. In an interview with French daily Le Monde on Tuesday, the Pole also hit out at the ruling bodies of tennis, the ATP and WTA, saying they had failed to provide leadership on the issue of Ukrainian players facing Russians on the court. "There are indeed tensions among the players, sometimes the atmosphere in the locker room is quite heavy," the 21-year-old said. "At the beginning of the conflict, there was a lack of leadership on the part of the tennis authorities, we were not brought together to explain how we were supposed to manage this complex situation and how to beha...

Keep on reading: Iga Swiatek says Ukraine war has caused ‘chaos’ in sport

MANILA, Philippines --- Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Sec. Rex Gatchalian has ordered an assessment of all privately owned care facilities nationwide after the agency ordered a cease and desist order against Gentle Hands orphanage in Quezon City due to numerous violations. "I have issued an instruction to our standards bureau to conduct a rapid assessment test of all privately ran care facilities, not just ones for the young children, but for all care facilities. We also simultaneously wrote the Bureau of Fire Protection and furnished them a list of all our care facilities so that they can do their own inspection and refer to us if they see any fire traps...

Keep on reading: DSWD to assess private care facilities nationwide after QC orphanage closure