Author: Reporter

Unable to govern: How the GOP came to embody dysfunction, internal conflicts, and power struggles

After Ohio Republicans bolstered their statehouse majority in 2022 due to their dominating showing in the midterm elections, they split into rival camps over who should lead the lower chamber. The division between younger, more impatient conservatives and more traditional ones was only settled when Democrats crossed party lines to end a standoff over who would become speaker of the Ohio House. Since then, despite their power over all levels of state government, Ohio Republicans have been convulsed by infighting as party leaders censured everyone who had voted for their new speaker, Republican Jason Stephens. Amid the divisions, the...

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President Biden’s early certitude on Israel gives way to Netanyahu’s belligerence and innocent casualties

In the early days and hours after the horrific Hamas attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, President Joe Biden spoke with stark declarations and unqualified support for the longtime U.S. ally. Now, a month on, that unambiguous backing has given way to the complexities and haunting casualties of the war, and the Biden administration is imploring Israel to rein in some of its tactics to ease civilian suffering in Gaza. As condemnation of the conflict has grown around the world, stoking anti-Israel sentiment, the Democratic president is also confronting the limits of the U.S. ability to direct the...

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Flood of war video from Gaza is proving to be both illuminating and troubling for news organizations

A camera livestreaming the skyline of Gaza City captures streaks of light. Dash-cam video from a car in Israel spots a killer coming into view. A satellite identifies tank tracks in the dirt, and a mall security camera catches the moment a bomb in Gaza detonates. While journalists’ access to the war in Gaza is limited, a flood of video from all sorts of sources documents what is — and is not — going on. At news organizations, sifting through material found online to determine what is real, and to unearth the sometimes unexpected clues that can be used...

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Chatbot bans: Colleges revert to paper exams in effort to create “ChatGPT-proof” assignments

When philosophy professor Darren Hick came across another case of cheating in his classroom at Furman University last semester, he posted an update to his followers on social media: “Aaaaand, I’ve caught my second ChatGPT plagiarist.” Friends and colleagues responded, some with wide-eyed emojis. Others expressed surprise. “Only 2?! I’ve caught dozens,” said Timothy Main, a writing professor at Conestoga College in Canada. “We’re in full-on crisis mode.” Practically overnight, ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence chatbots have become the go-to source for cheating in college. Now, educators are rethinking how they will teach courses this fall from Writing 101...

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World’s mind on AI: United Nations finally takes up the issue of regulating artificial intelligence

Just a few years ago, artificial intelligence got barely a mention at the U.N. General Assembly’s convocation of world leaders. But after the release of ChatGPT last fall turbocharged both excitement and anxieties about AI, it has been a sizzling topic this year at diplomacy’s biggest annual gathering. Presidents, premiers, monarchs, and cabinet ministers convened as governments at various levels are mulling or have already passed AI regulation. Industry heavy-hitters acknowledge guardrails are needed but want to protect the technology’s envisioned benefits. Outsiders and even some insiders warn that there also are potentially catastrophic risks, and everyone said there...

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Associated Press joins handful of news organizations to develop standards for using AI in journalism

The Associated Press has issued guidelines on artificial intelligence, saying the tool cannot be used to create publishable content and images for the news service while encouraging staff members to become familiar with the technology. AP is one of a handful of news organizations that have begun to set rules on how to integrate fast-developing tech tools like ChatGPT into their work. The service will couple this with a chapter in its influential Stylebook that advises journalists how to cover the story, complete with a glossary of terminology. “Our goal is to give people a good way to understand...

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