Dutch government commits 70 million euros for AI factory
FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words "Artificial Intelligence AI" in this illustration taken, February 19, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
China bans uncertified and recalled power banks on planes
Lithium batteries in devices such as power banks can produce fire or extreme heat when manufacturing faults or damage cause them to short circuit. -- PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: UNSPLASH via The Straits Times/ANN BEIJING (Reuters): China's aviation regulator will from Saturday ban passengers from carrying power banks without Chinese safety certification markings, as well as those recently recalled by manufacturers because of safety concerns. The move, which applies to anyone boarding a flight in China, follows a series of incidents globally involving lithium battery products, including power banks, overheating on planes. South Korea said a spare power bank was a possible cause of a fire that engulfed an Air Busan plane in January, and in March a Hong Kong Airlines flight from China to Hong Kong was forced to land in China due to a fire in an overhead baggage compartment. Lithium batteries in devices such as laptops, mobile phones, electronic cigarettes and power banks can produce smoke, fire or extreme heat when manufacturing faults or damage cause them to short circuit. They are a growing concern for aviation safety as passengers carry more battery-powered items on flights. Last year three incidents every two weeks of overheating lithium batteries on planes were recorded globally by the US Federal Aviation Administration, compared to just under one a week in 2018. China's Civil Aviation Administration said on Thursday power banks must be clearly marked with "3C" certification, short for China Compulsory Certification, which authorities require for products that could impact health, safety, and environmental protection. Several leading power bank manufacturers in China including Anker and Romoss have this month recalled batches of battery products due to safety concerns. China's market regulator has revoked or suspended the 3C certification of several power bank and battery cell manufacturers. Since the Air Busan incident, airlines globally have been tightening power bank rules. Aviation rules generally say power banks should be carried in cabin baggage, but increasingly airlines are banning their use on board and say they must be kept within view to spot any problems. China has since 2014 forbidden passengers from charging devices using power banks during flights. Southwest Airlines at the end of May became the first US airline to say portable charging devices must be visible while in use during flight. (Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Aidan Lewis) - Reuters
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Tennis-Wimbledon's human touch yields to electronic eyes but officials embrace new role
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 4, 2024 Line judge is pictured during the second round match between Madison Keys of the U.S. and China's Wang Yafan REUTERS/Matthew Childs/File Photo BENGALURU (Reuters) -The All England Club's decision to jettison line judges in favour of technology carries an air of inevitability as the world embraces AI but the human arbiters of the boundaries of the tennis court are hoping to continue playing a key role. Convention has almost been a religion during Wimbledon's 148-year history but advancements in technology have been impossible to resist with live Electronic Line Calling (ELC) set to take over from impeccably-attired line judges when action begins at the grasscourt major on Monday. The tournament's once-robust pool of around 300 line judges has been cut to 80 and they will serve as "match assistants", who support chair umpires and step in should the ELC - powered by more than 450 cameras - fail in any of the 18 courts in use. The Association of British Tennis Officials (ABTO) said the new position, which will be adopted at events that use live ELC, provided a fresh avenue for its officials with strong interest expressed in the role. "Whilst this evolution has resulted in a reduction in the overall officiating days for line umpires, the impact has been partially offset by the creation of the match assistant position," the ABTO told Reuters via email. The body noted that although line judges will no longer be used at Wimbledon or ATP tournaments, there were still opportunities for them at other levels including at many WTA events and ITF World Tennis Tour tournaments. Interest in the traditional role is likely to be sustained with the pathway to becoming a match assistant on the grandest stage involving training as line umpires. First deployed as an experiment at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan in 2017, the ELC system was adopted more widely during the COVID-19 pandemic before eventually being used across all ATP Tour events from this year. The Australian Open and U.S. Open have also replaced line judges with ELC, but the French Open has not favoured the switch despite the availability of technology specific to claycourts as traces left by the ball help umpires with their decision-making. LARGELY POPULAR The ELC system is largely popular among the players even if some, including world number one Aryna Sabalenka and three-times Grand Slam finalist Alexander Zverev, expressed their disbelief at decisions during the recent claycourt season. Tournaments relying on the human eye are not entirely immune to controversial calls, however, and the All England Club's move that comes after extensive testing last year is likely to only ruffle the feathers of the most staunch traditionalists. Britain's Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) said it understood the decision amid changes to officiating globally and expressed its commitment to continue developing officials in the country going forward. "We are working with the ABTO to develop a joint strategy that will ensure officials can be retained within the sport, new officials can be recruited and the officiating community will be supported through the changes," the LTA said. Line judges often bring their own theatrical element to the sport with their distinctive voices, postures, and interactions with players but All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton said many of them understood that change would come. "The time is right for us to move on," said Bolton. "We absolutely value the commitment that those line umpires have provided to the Championships over many years. "We do have a significant number of them coming back in a new role ... so we're really pleased to have many of them still involved with delivering the Championships." (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Dutch government commits 70 million euros for AI factory
FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words "Artificial Intelligence AI" in this illustration taken, February 19, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
