Latest news with #Hoffman
Irish Independent
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Holly White: ‘I had a disappointment in my personal life and I completely crumbled. What terrified me was how quickly you can fall apart.'
The vegan chef and writer talks bouncing back from burnout, break-up and anxiety, and the Hoffman Process Holly White, vegan chef and writer, could not look anymore the maven of a perfect life. She's just turning 42 and has bought a house in the past year – she's full of the joys of TikTok house-cleaning hacks – and today she's giving a talk at Bloom, listed alongside the likes of Diarmuid Gavin and Rachel Allen. Her vegan recipes are available at the Merrion Hotel and she has collaborated with, among others, Insomnia and Camile Thai. Right now, she looks settled and happy in her life. But she would be the first to admit that the last few years have been challenging.
The South African
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The South African
Dale Steyn to be a FATHER 'any day now'
Proteas great Dale Steyn will soon have changing nappies among his daily duties after confirmation he'll soon be a FATHER for the first time. Steyn's long-time partner, South African professional surfer Tanika Hoffman, took to Instagram to post that she was 'about to pop'. Hoffman wrote: 'Been a little quiet on here lately….but here I am 🙋🏽♀️ about to pop 🙂 living life in a slight state of anticipation. We can't wait to meet you little one 🥰❤️' The post included a series of images of Steyn and Hoffman as well as members of her family. Steyn replied to the post saying: 'The most beautiful ❤️' In early January, Hoffman posted 'Ended 2024 on a high 🥰 Looking forward to our most exciting journey yet ❤️' which quickly led to a flood of congratulatory messages. Dale Steyn, who will turn 42 on 27 June 2025, played the last of his 93 Tests for South Africa in February 2019. He took a record 439 wickets at an average of 22.95. He also played 125 ODIs and 47 T20Is, taking 196 and 64 wickets, respectively. The South African website extends its congratulations to Steyn and Hoffman. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
LinkedIn co-founder slams Trump administration for stopping student visa interviews: Completely forgotten how…
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman recently criticized the Trump administration 's recent move to temporarily suspend all interviews for student visas, calling it a step backward for America's long-standing tradition of attracting global talent. Responding to the policy shift, Hoffman said, 'Unfortunately, the truth. Other countries are moving to fill the gap and acquire top talent. We've completely forgotten how America prospered.' Hoffman quoted an X post that read: 'Blowing a $50 billion hole in the budget of every state flagship and top private university in America. Gunshot wound to the head of the best education system in the world and the crown jewel of American soft power. Absolute madness.' Hoffman's remarks highlight growing frustration among Silicon Valley leaders who say restricting educational access undermines America's ability to compete globally. Many point to countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia, which are streamlining student immigration policies to attract talent that might otherwise have chosen the U.S. US halts student visa interviews Earlier this week, the Trump administration said it has stopped scheduling new student visa interviews at embassies across the embassies. The order was issued by a diplomatic cable sent by US Secretary Marco Rubio . 'Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued,' Rubio wrote The Trump administration has defended the decision as part of a broader effort to reassess visa processing and prioritize national interest, but critics argue the suspension sends a chilling message to the world's best and brightest. While the administration has not clarified how long the hold on interviews will last, universities and businesses are bracing for potential fallout in upcoming academic cycles. Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025) | 10 Features You Need to Know AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
American Military News
2 days ago
- Politics
- American Military News
China targeting US military members for spy operations, fmr. CIA chief warns
A former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) station chief recently warned that U.S. military members and employees of the federal government are in the 'crosshairs' of China's spy operations as China tries to access information related to the U.S. military. Dan Hoffman, a former CIA station chief, told Fox News that China is likely targeting anyone in the U.S. military or the federal government to participate in various Chinese espionage operations. 'I think anybody who serves in the U.S. government is in the crosshairs. And China will do it,' Hoffman stated. 'Sometimes they'll run their recruitment operations posing as someone else. So maybe somebody doesn't want to go spy for China, but they might pretend to be somebody else. Or they might contact you on social media, on LinkedIn or some other site and pose as someone not so nefarious when in fact they are.' The former CIA station chief told Fox News that one of the Chinese government's 'highest requirement' is acquiring intelligence from the U.S. military. 'They want to recruit U.S. military because there's a probability we might go to war with China, and not just U.S. military, but NATO members as well, and throughout Asia,' Hoffman said. 'So they've got a massive intelligence apparatus.' READ MORE: Chinese naval activity increases in the Pacific: Report In March, the Department of Justice announced that two active-duty U.S. Army soldiers, identified as Jian Zhao and Li Tian, and one former U.S. Army soldier, identified as Ruoyu Duan, had been arrested and charged for allegedly selling secret military information to China. According to the Department of Justice, Tian and Duan were charged for conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property, and Zhao was charged for conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an individual not authorized to receive the information, for theft of government property, and for bribery. Fox News reported that prosecutors said the espionage efforts involving Tian, Duan, and Zhao reflect China's use of individuals trusted by Chinese intelligence organizations to obtain information that could benefit the Chinese government. According to Fox News, those individuals, known as 'cut-outs,' are then used to recruit people with access to sensitive U.S. government information. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel previously addressed China's espionage operations, saying, 'While bribery and corruption have thrived under China's Communist Party, this behavior cannot be tolerated with our service members who are entrusted with sensitive military information, including national defense information. The FBI and our partners will continue to work to uncover attempts by those in China to steal sensitive U.S. military information and hold all accountable who play a role in betraying our national defense.'
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
'AI can't be your friend and pretending so is dangerous': LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman
Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and a prominent investor in artificial intelligence, has cautioned against the growing trend of portraying AI systems as emotional companions, arguing that such framing risks undermining human relationships and emotional well-being, reported Business Insider. Speaking on a recent episode of thePossible podcast, Hoffman asserted that no current AI tool possesses the emotional depth required to qualify as a friend, and that suggesting otherwise could be psychologically harmful, added the publication. 'I don't think any AI tool today is capable of being a friend,' he said. 'And I think if it's pretending to be a friend, you're actually harming the person in so doing.' You may be interested in As per the report, his remarks follow a wave of AI companion rollouts by Meta across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Ray-Ban smart glasses. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently claimed that AI chatbots might help address the United States' growing loneliness crisis, pointing to research indicating that many Americans have fewer than three close friends. However, Hoffman drew a clear distinction between companionship and authentic friendship. He stressed that genuine relationships are built on mutuality — both giving and receiving emotional support. 'Friendship is a two-directional relationship,' he explained. 'It's not only, 'Are you there for me?', but also 'I am here for you'.' Reportedly, the tech entrepreneur warned that blurring the line between simulated and real emotional bonds risks diluting the value and understanding of human connection. While AI systems can imitate empathy and responsiveness, he noted that they lack the true reciprocity required to sustain meaningful relationships. He praised Inflection AI's design of its 'Pi' assistant, which explicitly refers to itself as a companion rather than a friend. Hoffman commended the tool's emphasis on encouraging users to engage with real-world relationships. 'Helping you go out into your world of friends is, I think, an extremely important thing for a companion to do,' he added. Although he acknowledged that AI tools can offer utility and support — particularly for individuals facing social isolation — Hoffman warned against using them as a replacement for real-life human interaction. He expressed particular concern about the impact on children and vulnerable users who may struggle to differentiate between digital simulation and genuine emotion. Hoffman also called for stronger industry standards and possible government intervention to address what he views as a growing ethical concern. 'We as a market should demand it, we as an industry should standardise around it,' he said. 'And if there's confusion around this, I think we as government should say, 'Hey, look, if you're not stepping up to this, we should.'' He concluded with a broader reflection on the implications of emotionally misleading AI systems. 'I think that's a degradation of the quality of elevation of human life,' Hoffman said. 'And that should not be what it's doing.'
