Tag Archives: chinese

Toxic: How the search for the origins of COVID-19 turned politically poisonous – Albuquerque Journal

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BEIJING (AP) The hunt for the origins of COVID-19 has gone dark in China, the victim of political infighting after a series of stalled and thwarted attempts to find the source of the virus that killed millions and paralyzed the world for months.

The Chinese government froze meaningful domestic and international efforts to trace the virus from the first weeks of the outbreak, despite statements supporting open scientific inquiry, an Associated Press investigation found. That pattern continues to this day, with labs closed, collaborations shattered, foreign scientists forced out and Chinese researchers barred from leaving the country.

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Toxic: How the search for the origins of COVID-19 turned politically poisonous - Albuquerque Journal

Toxic: How the search for the origins of COVID-19 turned politically poisonous – El Paso Inc.

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BEIJING (AP) The hunt for the origins of COVID-19 has gone dark in China, the victim of political infighting after a series of stalled and thwarted attempts to find the source of the virus that killed millions and paralyzed the world for months.

The Chinese government froze meaningful domestic and international efforts to trace the virus from the first weeks of the outbreak, despite statements supporting open scientific inquiry, an Associated Press investigation found. That pattern continues to this day, with labs closed, collaborations shattered, foreign scientists forced out and Chinese researchers barred from leaving the country.

The investigation drew on thousands of pages of undisclosed emails and documents and dozens of interviews that showed the freeze began far earlier than previously known and involved political and scientific infighting in China as much as international finger-pointing.

As early as Jan. 6, 2020, health officials in Beijing closed the lab of a Chinese scientist who sequenced the virus and barred researchers from working with him.

Scientists warn the willful blindness over coronavirus origins leaves the world vulnerable to another outbreak, potentially undermining pandemic treaty talks coordinated by the World Health Organization set to culminate in May.

At the heart of the question is whether the virus jumped from an animal or came from a laboratory accident. A U.S. intelligence analysis says there is insufficient evidence to prove either theory, but the debate has further tainted relations between the U.S. and China.

Unlike in the U.S., there is virtually no public debate in China about whether the virus came from nature or from a lab leak. In fact, there is little public discussion at all about the source of the disease, first detected in the central city of Wuhan.

Crucial initial efforts were hampered by bureaucrats in Wuhan trying to avoid blame who misled the central government; the central government, which muzzled Chinese scientists and subjected visiting WHO officials to stage-managed tours; and the U.N. health agency itself, which may have compromised early opportunities to gather critical information in hopes that by placating China, scientists could gain more access, according to internal materials obtained by AP.

In a faxed statement, China's Foreign Ministry defended Chinas handling of research into the origins, saying the country is open and transparent, shared data and research, and made the greatest contribution to global origins research. The National Health Commission, China's top medical authority, said the country invested huge manpower, material and financial resources and has not stopped looking for the origins of the coronavirus.

It could have played out differently, as shown by the outbreak of SARS, a genetic relative of COVID-19, nearly 20 years ago. China initially hid infections then, but WHO complained swiftly and publicly. Ultimately, Beijing fired officials and made reforms. The U.N. agency soon found SARS likely jumped to humans from civet cats in southern China and international scientists later collaborated with their Chinese counterparts to pin down bats as SARS natural reservoir.

But different leaders of both China and WHO, Chinas quest for control of its researchers, and global tensions have all led to silence when it comes to searching for COVID-19s origins. Governments in Asia are pressuring scientists not to look for the virus for fear it could be traced inside their borders.

Even without those complications, experts say identifying how outbreaks begin is incredibly challenging and that its rare to know with certainty how some viruses begin spreading.

Its disturbing how quickly the search for the origins of (COVID-19) escalated into politics, said Mark Woolhouse, a University of Edinburgh outbreak expert. Now this question may never be definitively answered.

Secrecy clouds the beginning of the outbreak. Even the date when Chinese authorities first started searching for the origins is unclear.

The first publicly known search for the virus took place on Dec. 31, 2019, when Chinese Center for Disease Control scientists visited the Wuhan market where many early COVID-19 cases surfaced.

However, WHO officials heard of an earlier inspection of the market on Dec. 25, 2019, according to a recording of a confidential WHO meeting provided to AP by an attendee. Such a probe has never been mentioned publicly by either Chinese authorities or WHO.

In the recording, WHOs top animal virus expert, Peter Ben Embarek, mentioned the earlier date, describing it as an interesting detail. He told colleagues that officials were looking at what was on sale in the market, whether all the vendors have licenses (and) if there was any illegal (wildlife) trade happening in the market.

A colleague asked Ben Embarek, who is no longer with WHO, if that seemed unusual. He responded that it was not routine, and that the Chinese must have had some reason to investigate the market. Well try to figure out what happened and why they did that.

Ben Embarek declined to comment. Another WHO staffer at the Geneva meeting in late January 2020 confirmed Ben Embareks comments.

The Associated Press could not confirm the search independently. It remains a mystery if it took place, what inspectors discovered, or whether they sampled live animals that might point to how COVID-19 emerged.

A Dec. 25, 2019, inspection would have come when Wuhan authorities were aware of the mysterious disease. The day before, a local doctor sent a sample from an ill market vendor to get sequenced that turned out to contain COVID-19. Chatter about the unknown pneumonia was spreading in Wuhans medical circles, according to one doctor and a relative of another who declined to be identified, fearing repercussions.

A scientist in China when the outbreak occurred said they heard of a Dec. 25 inspection from collaborating virologists in the country. They declined to be named out of fear of retribution.

WHO said in an email that it was not aware of the Dec. 25 investigation. It is not included in the U.N. health agencys official COVID-19 timeline.

When health officials from Beijing arrived in Wuhan on Dec. 31, they decided to disinfect the market before collecting samples, destroying critical information about the virus. Gao Fu, head of the China CDC, mentioned it to an American collaborator.

His complaint when I met him was that all the animals were gone, said Columbia University epidemiologist Ian Lipkin.

Robert Garry, who studies viruses at Tulane University, said a Dec. 25 probe would be hugely significant, given what is known about the virus and its spread.

Being able to swab it directly from the animal itself would be pretty convincing and nobody would be arguing about the origins of COVID-19, he said.

But perhaps local officials simply feared for their jobs, with memories of firings after the 2003 SARS outbreak still vivid, said Ray Yip, the founding head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outpost in China.

They were trying to save their skin, hide the evidence, Yip said.

The Wuhan government did not respond to a faxed request for comment.

Another early victim was Zhang Yongzhen, the first scientist to publish a sequence of the virus. A day after he wrote a memo urging health authorities to action, Chinas top health official ordered Zhangs lab closed.

They used their official power against me and our colleagues, Zhang wrote in an email provided to AP by Edward Holmes, an Australian virologist.

On Jan. 20, 2020, a WHO delegation arrived in Wuhan for a two-day mission. China did not approve a visit to the market, but they stopped by a China CDC lab to examine infection prevention and controlprocedures, according to an internal WHO travel report. WHOs then-China representative, Dr. Gauden Galea, told colleagues in a private meeting that inquiries about COVID-19s origins went unanswered.

There are a few cadres who have performed poorly, President Xi Jinping said in unusually harsh comments in February. Some dare not take responsibility, wait timidly for orders from above, and dont move without being pushed.

The government opened investigations into top health officials, according to two former and current China CDC staff and three others familiar with the matter. Health officials were encouraged to report colleagues who mishandled the outbreak to Communist Party disciplinary bodies, according to two of the people.

Some people both inside and outside China speculated about a laboratory leak. Those suspicious included right-wing American politicians, but also researchers close to WHO.

The focus turned to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a high-level lab that experimented with some of the worlds most dangerous viruses.

In early February 2020, some of the Wests leading scientists, headed by Dr. Jeremy Farrar, then at Britains Wellcome Trust, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, then director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, banded together to assess the origins of the virus in calls, a Slack channel and emails.

They drafted a paper suggesting a natural evolution, but even among themselves, they could not agree on the likeliest scenario. Some were alarmed by features they thought might indicate tinkering.

There have (been) suggestions that the virus escaped from the Wuhan lab, Holmes, the Australian virologist, who believed the virus originated in nature, wrote in a Feb. 7, 2020, email. I do a lot of work in China, and I can (assure) you that a lot of people there believe they are being lied to.

American scientists close to researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology warned counterparts there to prepare.

James DeLuc, head of a Texas lab, emailed his Wuhan colleague on Feb. 9, 2020, saying hed already been approached by U.S. officials. Clearly addressing this will be essential, with any kind of documentation you might have, he wrote.

The Chinese government was conducting its own secret investigation into the Wuhan Institute. Gao, the head of the China CDC, and another Chinese health expert revealed its existence in interviews months and years later. Both said the investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing, which Holmes, the Australian virologist, also heard from another contact in China. But Gao said even he hadn't seen further details, and some experts suspect they may never be released.

WHO started negotiations with China for a second visit with the virus origins in mind, but it was Chinas Foreign Ministry that decided the terms.

Scientists were sidelined and politicians took control. China refused a visa for Ben Embarek, then WHOs top animal virus expert. The itinerary dropped nearly all items linked to an origins search, according to draft agendas for the trip obtained by the AP. And Gao, the China CDC head who is also a respected scientist tasked with investigating the origins, was left off the schedule.

Instead, Liang Wannian, a politician in the Communist Party hierarchy, took charge of the international delegation. Liang is an epidemiologist close to top Chinese officials and China's Foreign Ministry who is widely seen as pushing the party line, not science-backed policies, according to nine people familiar with the situation who declined to be identified to speak on a sensitive subject.

Most of the WHO delegation was not allowed to go to Wuhan, which was under lockdown. The few who did learned little. They again had no access to the Wuhan Institute of Virology or the wildlife market and obtained only scant details about China CDC efforts to trace the coronavirus there.

On the train, Liang lobbied the visiting WHO scientists to praise Chinas health response in their public report. Dr. Bruce Aylward, a senior adviser to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, saw it as the best way to meet Chinas need for a strong assessment of its response.

The new section was so flattering that colleagues emailed Aylward to suggest he dial it back a bit.

It is remarkable how much knowledge about a new virus has been gained in such a short time, read the final report, which was reviewed by Chinas top health official before it went to Tedros.

As criticism of China grew, the Chinese government deflected blame. Instead of firing health officials, they declared their virus response a success and closed investigations into the officials with few job losses.

There were no real reforms, because doing reforms means admitting fault, said a public health expert in contact with Chinese health officials who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.

In late February 2020, the internationally respected doctor Zhong Nanshan appeared at a news conference and said that the epidemic first appeared in China, but it did not necessarily originate in China.

Chinese officials told WHO that blood tests on lab workers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology were negative, suggesting they hadnt been previously infected with bat coronaviruses. But when WHO pressed for an independent audit, Chinese officials balked and demanded WHO investigate the U.S. and other countries as well.

By the time WHO led a third visit to Wuhan in January 2021, a year into the pandemic, the atmosphere was toxic.

Liang, the Chinese health official in charge of the first two WHO visits, continued to promote the questionable theory that the virus was shipped into China on frozen food. He suppressed information suggesting it could have come from animals at the Wuhan market, organizing market workers to tell WHO experts no live wildlife was sold and cutting recent photos of wildlife at the market from the final report. There was heavy political scrutiny, with numerous Chinese officials who werent scientists or health officers present at meetings.

Despite a lack of direct access, the WHO team concluded that a lab leak was extremely unlikely. So it came as an infuriating surprise to Chinese officials when, months later, WHO chief Tedros said all origins hypotheses, including the lab leak theory, remained on the table.

China told WHO any future missions to find COVID-19 origins should be elsewhere, according to a letter obtained by AP. Since then, global cooperation on the issue has ground to a halt; an independent group convened by WHO to investigate the origins of COVID-19 in 2021 has been stymied by the lack of cooperation from China and other issues.

Chinese scientists are still under heavy pressure, according to 10 researchers and healthofficials. Researchers who published papers on the coronavirus ran into trouble with Chinese authorities. Others were barred from travel abroad for conferences and WHO meetings. Gao, the China CDC director, was investigated after U.S. President Joe Biden ordered a review of COVID-19 data, and again after giving interviews on the virus origins.

New evidence is treated with suspicion. In March 2023, scientists announced that genetic material collected from the market showed raccoon dog DNA mixed with COVID-19 in early 2020, data that WHO said should have been publicly shared years before. The findings were posted, then removed by Chinese researchers with little explanation.

The head of the China CDC Institute of Viral Disease was forced to retire over the release of the market data, according to a former China CDC official who declined to be named to speak on a sensitive topic.

It has to do with the origins, so theyre still worried, the former official said. If you try and get to the bottom of it, what if it turns out to be from China?

Other scientists note that any animal from which the virus may have originally jumped has long since disappeared.

There was a chance for China to cooperate with WHO and do some animal sampling studies that might have answered the question, said Tulane Universitys Garry. The trail to find the source has now gone cold.

Cheng reported from Geneva.

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Toxic: How the search for the origins of COVID-19 turned politically poisonous - El Paso Inc.

COVID-19 Virus Outbreak Hong Kong | | smdailyjournal.com – San Mateo Daily Journal

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The Chinese government froze meaningful efforts to trace the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, despite publicly declaring that it supported an open scientific inquiry, an Associated Press investigation has found. The AP drew on thousands of pages of undisclosed emails and documents, leaked recordings and dozens of interviews that showed the freeze began far earlier than previously known in the first weeks of the outbreak and involved political and scientific infighting in China as much as international finger-pointing. That pattern continues to this day, with labs closed, collaborations shattered, foreign scientists forced out and Chinese researchers barred from leaving the country.

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COVID-19 Virus Outbreak Hong Kong | | smdailyjournal.com - San Mateo Daily Journal

GGRAsia Over 425k visitor entries to Macau in Ching Ming period – GGRAsia

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Apr 08, 2024 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck

The number of tourist arrivals to Macau during a four-day period encompassing the Ching Ming Festival, stood at above 425,428, according to data released by the citys Public Security Police. The local authorities did not provide any year-on-year comparison.

On the day of the Ching Ming Festival this year April 4 Macau recorded a total of 136,363 visitor arrivals. In Macau, mainland China, and Hong Kong, that day also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day in English is a public holiday. The timing for it is calculated under the lunar calendar.

The mainland takes some additional days as public holiday during the period. There, the authorities had designated this years Ching Ming holiday period as running from April 4 (a Thursday) to April 6 (a Saturday) inclusive.

During the four days from April 4 to April 7 inclusive, Macau received an average of 106,357 visitors per day.

That was slightly above the daily average of 100,000 visitor arrivals observed during the four-day Easter period, from Friday (March 29) to Monday (April 1) inclusive. The aggregate of Macau arrivals for the March 29 to April 1 period inclusive was 406,329.

Regionally, Easter Monday is only a public holiday in Hong Kong, while Easter Friday is a holiday in Hong Kong and Macau. The Easter season is not a break period on the Chinese mainland.

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GGRAsia Over 425k visitor entries to Macau in Ching Ming period - GGRAsia

Macau Casino Win Tops Expectations, Revenue Climbs to $2.42B – Casino.Org News

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Posted on: April 1, 2024, 09:43h.

Last updated on: April 1, 2024, 09:50h.

The Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau reported Monday that the enclaves casinos won MOP19.5 billion (US$2.42 billion) from gamblers in March.

March 2024 marked a more than 53% year-over-year boost and was 5.5% better than February when the city hosted many Chinese New Year travelers. March outpaced the consensus forecast among analysts focused on the region the only place under Chinas control where slot machines and table games are allowed which predicted a 49% year-over-year improvement.

March was Macaus second-richest monthly casino win since the city reopened its borders in January 2023.

Through three months of 2024, GGR in what was the worlds richest gaming market before the COVID-19 pandemic a title since reclaimed by Nevada has rebounded 65.5% from the same period in 2023. The regions six casino licensees Sands, Galaxy, MGM, Wynn, SJM, and Melco won $7.11 billion in the first quarter.

Macau has a vastly different operating climate for the six casino concession holders than it did pre-pandemic. China used the global health crisis to improve its national security, and a pillar of the undertaking was preventing large amounts of money stop fleeing the Communist Partys control.

During the health crisis, Beijing instructed Macau to more closely scrutinize casino junket groups that for years had brought the mainlands wealthiest VIP gamblers to the Special Administrative Region (SAR) to gamble in private high-roller rooms. China President Xi Jinping levied accusations that junkets facilitated the transfer of large amounts of cash through the tax haven. The Chinese leader says that poised national security risks.

Macau, a tax haven that operates under Chinas One Country, Two Systems policy that gives the region a high degree of governance autonomy, agreed to crack down on the VIP travel industry to limit the illicit flow of money from the mainland to Macau for the specific purpose to gamble. As a result, junkets are largely gone from Macau.

That has forced the six casino companies, which have invested many billions of dollars each into their resorts around town, to switch their focus to the general and premium mass public.

Some Macau analysts believe the casinos have already successfully pivoted to the general and coveted premium mass-public demographics.

Those market observers are optimistic about 2024 and the years ahead. Analysts at JPMorgan said last week there are no signs of an impending slowdown. Other brokerages arent so convinced.

March GGR was a significant improvement from March 2023, but the $2.42 billion represents 75% of the pre-pandemic March 2019 revenue. Since China and Macau began reopening their borders to international traffic by ending zero-COVID in late 2022, the best month related to 2019 was December 2023 when GGR returned to 81% of the pre-pandemic level.

Macaus post-COVID recovery path is slowing as Chinas economic growth loses momentum, Shirley Zhao and Katia Dmitrieva, economics correspondents for Bloomberg, said Monday. Slowing growth came despite rising numbers of tourists, suggesting per person spending weakened amid deteriorating consumer sentiment.

Paired with the public possibly scaling back their spending are ongoing rising costs for the casinos. Along with inflation, the casinos continue to meet their nongaming investment obligations as dictated through their 2022 relicensing terms.

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Macau Casino Win Tops Expectations, Revenue Climbs to $2.42B - Casino.Org News

Meet Kimi AI, The Chinese ChatGPT – Dataconomy

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Moonshot AI has introduced a Chinese ChatGPT: Kimi AI, backed by Alibaba, an advanced chatbot designed to revolutionize how we interact with technology, even if you put 2 million characters or tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of words in the chatbox. But what exactly is Kimi, and what sets it apart in the world of AI? Lets dive in and explore the marvels of this innovative creation.

Kimi is a large language model (LLM) chatbot developed by Moonshot AI, a Beijing-based startup. Essentially, a large language model is an artificial intelligence (AI) system trained on vast amounts of text data to understand and generate human-like text responses. These models have become increasingly sophisticated, enabling them to process and generate natural language with remarkable accuracy. In Kimi AIs case, its like a smart robot that can talk to people using written words on a computer or phone screen. You can connect to the web or upload PDFs on the AI chatbot.

What makes Kimi AI special is that its really good at understanding what people say and responding in a way that makes sense. Recently, the team behind Kimi made it even smarter by teaching it to understand really long messagesup to 2 million Chinese characters in one go!

Kimi Smart Assistant is a versatile tool designed to cater to the diverse needs of various groups of people. Heres how Kimi can lend a helping hand:

Kimi makes life easier for all these people by helping them complete tasks quickly and get things done better, especially in Chinese. However, if you want to use Kimi AI, you should have a WeChat account.

Claude 3 vs ChatGPT: Are Claude 3 models better than ChatGPT?

Moonshot AI is a Beijing-based startup specializing in advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Founded in April 2023, the company has quickly become a leader in AI innovation, particularly in the development of large language models (LLMs) and conversational AI solutions.

Their flagship product, Kimi AI chatbot, has gained widespread acclaim for its ability to understand and generate human-like text responses. Moonshot AIs mission is to harness AIs power to solve real-world problems and enhance human-machine interactions.

Through strategic partnerships like Alibaba and products like Kimi, we probably hear their name more soon.

Featured image credit: Eray Eliak/Bing

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Meet Kimi AI, The Chinese ChatGPT - Dataconomy

iOS 18 won’t have a big focus on ‘ChatGPT-like generative AI features’ New leak says we should expect ‘ a slew of AI … – iMore

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A new report into Apples rumored iOS 18 AI shift has revealed that Apple will focus on tools to improve the daily life of iPhone users, rather than its answer to ChatGPT, when the software is unveiled in June.

Ever since the explosion of AI in the public domain last year, rumors have indicated that Apple is frantically trying to play catch up to rivals like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI, allegedly spending millions of dollars a day on its own answer to ChatGPT. Bloombergs Mark Gurman has been at the forefront of these rumors, most recently reporting that Apple is in discussions with Google to bring Gemini AI to iPhone in a landmark deal. Now, Gurman has tempered expectations.

In his latest Power On Newsletter, Gurman states that while iOS 18 is still considered internally to be the biggest update to iOS since the original iPhone, and while the main event will be artificial intelligence, iOS 18 wont have a big focus on ChatGPT-esque generative AI.

According to Gurman we shouldnt expect a big focus on ChatGPT-like generative AI features. To be clear, this doesnt necessarily mean that Apple wont have any generative AI features. Indeed, earlier on in his report Gurman indicates that Apple could open up iOS so any developer could build a generative AI system deep into the iPhone, building on swirling rumors of the Google partnership, and reported discussions with Chinese multinational and AI company Baidu.

Instead, Gurmans report seems to indicate that Apples focus for consumers at WWDC 2024 (when we should see iOS 18 unveiled) will be on a slew of AI tools that help manage your daily life. Previously, weve heard that there are six iPhone applications Apple plans to improve with AI, including its Xcode development software, Messages, Pages, and Keynote.

Alongside these AI incursions, Gurman also reports that Apples iPhone Home Screen will offer more customizability in iOS 18, including the option to have blank spaces and columns, just like Android. iOS 18 will likely debut in September alongside Apple's next best iPhone, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.

iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!

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iOS 18 won't have a big focus on 'ChatGPT-like generative AI features' New leak says we should expect ' a slew of AI ... - iMore

Things to Do This Weekend in The Palm Beaches – The Palm Beaches

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Events for Friday, February 2 Lake Worth Beach Bonfire, Lake Worth Beach

Pack up your smores kits and enjoy roasting marshmallows around a mini bonfire in Lake Worth Beach. This is a family-friendly event!

Featured artists: The Leafy Greens.

Time: 6 pm 10 pm.

Location: Lake Worth Beach and Casino Complex, 10 South Ocean Blvd, Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460.

Each Friday night from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm, the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach organizes Art After Darka fun mix of art and entertainment featuring a docent-led tour, an open studio, live music, and more! This Friday, join a tour that will highlight African American artists whose work is on view.

Clickhere for more details.

Location: Norton Museum of Art, 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.

Get ready for The Art of Laughter: A Hysterical Stand-Up Comedy Series at Arts Garage!

Come see some of the best touring comedians from South Florida and beyond, the first Friday of every month.

Time: 8 pm 10 pm

Cost: $35

Get tickets.

Location: Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444.

Learn the dance of passion from professional dance instructors. If you are looking to socialize, get your dance on, and make new friends, then join us. Monthly dance workshops are FREE to attend from 6:30 8 p.m. Walk-up registration is also welcomed starting at 5:30 p.m. Click Here to view instructors.

Register here.

Location: City Hall Courtyard, 407 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.

Mark your calendars to celebrate Manatee Lagoons 8th anniversary at ManateeFest 2024! This FREE, family-friendly event is an annual celebration where you can explore the wonders of manatees, the Lake Worth Lagoon, and environmental conservation.

Experience a day packed with activities for everyone, including face painting, live music, photo opportunities with Mia the Manatee, a KidsFunZone, food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, eco-conscious exhibitors, and more!

Manatee Lagoonoffers a dedicated area for viewing manatees up close and a robust year-round program and event schedule.

Time: 9 am 4 pm.

Location: Manatee Lagoon, 6000 North Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, FL 33407.

Visit The Square for the third annual Black History Month Kickoff Eventpresented by Rohis Readery. Enjoy a series of events celebrating African Diasporic peoples multifaceted history and culture. The Spirit of this event is to uplift a narrative that will include live music, vendors, classes for children, and workshops for adults.

Location: The Square, 700 South Rosemary AvenueWest Palm Beach,FL33401.

Roll out your mats with the community as Natalie Addison guides you through an all-levels Vinyasa class. Start your weekend off right, enjoy a fresh playlist, move your body and set intentions for the day. All levels, bodies and people are welcome. The class takes place on Rosemary Ave in front of True Food Kitchen.

Bring: A Yoga mat, towel and water.

Time: 10 am

$10 suggested donation. Donations can be made on site via Venmo or cash.

Advanced registration is not required.

Location: The Square, 700 South Rosemary Avenue West Palm Beach, FL 33401.

Visit the West Palm Beach GreenMarket and shop over 125 vendors selling various products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, coffees and teas, flowers and plants, homemade specialty items, desserts, and treats, and so much more.

Time: 9 am 1 pm

Location: Great Lawn, 100 N. Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.

The Delray Green Market is a Saturday morning destination. At the Green Market youll find more than 50+ vendors featuring Palm Beach County farm-to-fork produce, just picked citrus and juice, farm fresh eggs, raw milk, and butter, 100% grass-fed and finished (antibiotic and hormone free). Florida beef, poultry, pork and lamb, fragrant artisan baked goods, plenty of gluten-free, vegan and sugar-free products, fresh cut flowers, plants and other unique gourmet fare along with live musical entertainment each week.

Time: 9:00 am 2:00 pm

Location: Old School Square, 96 N.E. 2nd Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33444.

Every Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm, shop 30 incredible local vendors at a real farmers market on a real farm! The market offers not only the best produce that you expect from Swank Farm, but also bakers, growers, gardeners, and sellers of the best Farm Market products that you can possibly want.

Location: Swank Farm, 14311 North Road, Loxahatchee Groves, FL 33470.

Celebrate the Lunar New Year by exploring artworks in the Chinese Collection and become inspired by the symbolic meanings behind the creatures depicted in these artworks. In the studio, explore calligraphy, stamps, sculptures, and paintings, using similar ancient techniques. Children ages 5 12, and their accompanying grown-ups, participate in a thematic tour, followed by a related art workshop. Every Saturday is a new experience!

Space is limited: online registration required.

Cost: Free admission for children and adults.

Time: 11 am 1 pm

Location: Norton Museum of Art, 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.

American Tune: Simon, Croce & Taylor takes you on a magical trip back to the 1970s to experience the timeless music and prolific songwriting of Paul Simon, Jim Croce and James Taylor. Relive the intimate storytelling, intricate chord changes and breathtaking melodies of these gifted artists, their work building on and transcending the more traditional folk-influenced acoustic music of the previous decade.

Time: 8 pm 10 pm

Cost: $45 $50

Get tickets.

Location: Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444.

Break a sweat with fellow runners in the community during this run club led by lululemon ambassador Alex Celis. Meet in front of lululemonto mingle, stretch and warm up before setting off on a 2-mile loop around Downtown West Palm Beach, ending back atThe Saltyfor a cool down and sweet treat.

Time:Warm-up at 8:45AM; run begins in at 9AM

Register Here to Run

Location: The Square, 700 South Rosemary Avenue West Palm Beach, FL 33401.

Shop at the market at Harbourside Place every Sunday, from 10 am 4 pm! Stroll along the Intracoastal while shopping local artisan and handmade goods!

Time: 10:00 am 4:00 pm

Location: Harbourside Place, 200 N US Highway One, Jupiter, FL 33477.

Enjoy a multi-course dinner at Swank Farm. Wear something in the Carnival colors (purple, green, gold) bring your favorite Mask and lets get into the Mardi Gras Spirit.

Benefiting: Connections Education Center of the Palm Beaches.

Clickhereto see the participating chefs and to get tickets.

Location: Swank Farm, 14311 North Rd, Loxahatchee, FL 33470.

Get onboard The Brunch Club Experience presented by The Palm Beaches for vibes, bites, and delights. Your Brunch experience lets you enjoy a one-way PREMIUM ride on a themed coach with complimentary snacks on your ride up, and plenty of bubbly from exclusive partners like MOET, and Ruffino Prosecco Rose for you and your friends. Plus, Guests get free entry to the Historical Society of Palm Beach County with their Brightline ticket.

Leave room for seconds. Brunch Club riders can enjoy a complimentary drink, appetizers and other perks from these participating restaurants at The Square:

Brunch Club trains run three times a day on February 4 and February 11 from MiamiCentral Station to West Palm Beach Station at 9:45 am, 10:50 am, and 11:45 am. Guests are responsible for their return trip.

BOOK NOW

Janes quartet program, her most frequent offering, is as varied as her twelve studio albums. Featuring some of the worlds finest musicians, her band expertly accompanies her as she interprets iconic songs from the Great American Songbook, famed Brazilian composers, and the singer-songwriters of the twentieth century.

Time: 7 pm 8:30 pm

Cost: $55 $60

Get tickets.

Location: Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444.

When: January 30 February 3, 2024

Now celebrating its 29thanniversary, FOTOfusion is a popular cultural festival where creativity and technology fuse. The festival attracts thousands of professional and hobbyist photographers to West Palm Beach for a series of workshops, lectures, panel discussions, multimedia presentations, portfolio reviews, hands-on computer classes, demonstrations, and photo shoots taught by world renowned photographers, digital imaging artists and picture editors all of whom donate their time and expertise to educate, mentor and encourage creativity among participants of all levels and ages.

The 29th annual FOTOfusion will celebrate distinguished photojournalist David Burnett, the recipient of the prestigious FOTOmentor Award 2024.

To register or for more information, clickhere.

Location: Palm Beach Photographic Centre, Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.

When:

Get ready to hold your breath and unleash your appetite because the Best Stinkin Party in South Florida is back, and its more aromatic and exciting than ever!

Mark your calendars for February 3rd and 4th as this internationally acclaimed event returns to Wellington, ready to tantalize your taste buds and thrill your senses. From the moment you step foot into this culinary wonderland, youll be swept away by the vibrant atmosphere that surrounds you.

The aroma of garlic-infused delicacies will waft through the air, leading you to the renowned Gourmet Alley. Brace yourself for an incredible selection of over 100 garlicky menu items that will leave you craving more. From classic favorites to bold and innovative creations, prepare to embark on a flavorful journey like no other.

The Best Stinkin Party is more than just food! Its a full-blown entertainment extravaganza! Prepare to be mesmerized by the electrifying performances of nationally acclaimed musical acts that will take the stage.Learn more.

Location: 12100 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington, FL 33414.

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Things to Do This Weekend in The Palm Beaches - The Palm Beaches

Chinas Big Tech firms cut external investments further in 2023 – South China Morning Post

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Chinas internet giants from Alibaba Group Holding to Tencent Holdings slashed external investments last year amid an economic slowdown, regulatory headwinds and geopolitical tensions, according to data compiled by a Chinese consultancy.

Total investment deals made by Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu plunged by nearly 40 per cent to 102 in 2023, with Tencent known for its expansive holdings in Chinas internet sector seeing the largest reduction in deals, data from ITJuzi showed.

The social media and video gaming titan struck 39 investment contracts with 37 companies last year, a sharp decline from the 95 and 299 deals it made in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Web search and artificial intelligence (AI) firm Baidu participated in 24 investment deals last year, down from 52 in 2021. E-commerce giant Alibaba, which owns the South China Morning Post, took part in 39 deals, a fall from 91 in 2021, according to ITJuzi.

2021 was a watershed year for Chinese internet firms, as Beijing kicked off a campaign to rein in the disorderly expansion of capital. Amid a series of regulatory tightening moves, the countrys internet champions - whose market sizes were once on a par with their American counterparts - have virtually stopped expanding.

Tencents investments last year were mainly related to corporate services, healthcare and video games. Advanced manufacturing firms were Alibabas top picks, with eight related deals being struck by the Hangzhou-based company and its affiliates during the year.

Alibaba, which is grappling with anaemic consumer spending at home, made four investment deals in the e-commerce sector, three of them outside China.

AI was another investment favourite among Chinese tech giants last year, as they raced to build and promote their local rivals to OpenAIs ChatGPT.

Tencent and Alibaba each backed seven and four AI start-ups developing large language models (LLMs), the technology which underpins chatbots like ChatGPT, which can understand complex questions and give humanlike responses.

Last year, Alibabas in-house research facility Damo Academy also launched a research laboratory to recruit more than a hundred postdoctoral candidates to work on cutting-edge areas, including AI and semiconductors.

Other major Chinese tech companies made even fewer investments.

TikTok owner ByteDance struck five external investment deals last year, while online shopping platform operator JD.com made just two.

Meanwhile, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi emerged as the top investor by number of investments, with 82 deals made during the year.

In that same month, Xiaomi invested in three start-ups in the vehicle and transport industry, according to ITJuzi.

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Chinas Big Tech firms cut external investments further in 2023 - South China Morning Post

CNMI proposal to legalize online gambling is another desperate attempt to source new revenue – Asia Gaming Brief

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The new proposal by the authorities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to legalize online gambling appears to be yet another desperate attempt to source new revenue for their pension black hole, notes IGamiX Managing Partner Ben Lee.

According to recent reports, lawmakers in CNMI are pushing for a new revenue stream, looking to online gaming.

This comes as the multi-billion-dollar Imperial Pacific International (IPI) casino-resort operator faces calls for dissolution, with investors and creditors coming calling. The operator currently holds a monopoly for casino gaming on the island.

But the new bid for alternative income could bring more woes than benefits, as other jurisdictions, such as the Philippines, have already encountered.

The Philippines POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) as well as Cambodias Sihanoukvilles descent into unmitigated regulatory and policing disasters both appear to hold no lessons for the CNMI, notes Lee.

The Philippines endures an ongoing spat over the worth of offshore online gaming operation (POGOs), after multiple crackdowns, raids and charges linked to human trafficking and money laundering.

Meanwhile, Sihanoukville shut down its online gaming operations entirely after operators, mainly linked to China, set up shop and conducted operations that ran them abreast of authorities.

The CNMI, Saipan inclusive, still falls under United States jurisdiction, with increased scrutiny over activities such as gambling.

Lee notes that the CNMI [] remains subject to certain US Federal Laws, however it is unclear and untested if the CNMI falls outside the grasp of the Federal Wires Act.

The expert questions even if it does, will the CNMI government have sufficient resources to ensure that its online operators do not transgress the boundaries?

The overreach by some online operators has put the Philippines in the spotlight recently, calling for reapplication of POGO licenses and increased oversight of the sector.

And looking at their missteps, Lee outlines a possible way forward for CNMI.

To have a truly credible online gaming industry, the CNMI will have to put in place the proper IT and legal resources to monitor and regulate the operators. Only then can they incubate a transparent and sustainable industry.

One of the primary roadblocks for Saipan is their focus on Chinese clientele. Early within their operations, IPI published monthly rolling chip values that topped even those of Macau the biggest casino hub in the world.

Now, the operators must shift focus, notes Lee, pointing out that the Philippine justified their POGOs by denying that they targeted China and all the other countries that have outlawed online gaming by their nationals within their borders.

Looking to mitigate this problem: ring fencing would have been the solution but was never truly enforced nor was there any real auditing of the POGO servers and revenues.

This has led to particular oversight of the regulatory body in the Philippines, PAGCOR, and calls for the elimination of POGOs altogether, citing a lack of taxation payments and malfeasance.

While online gaming is prevalent in many countries, Asian operators have taken a relaxed or highly stringent approach, with little wiggle room in the more regulated vicinities.

Given its track record of oversight on casinos and video poker clubs, it will be interesting to see how CNMI aims to approach online gaming legislation and how strict (or lax) it may be.

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CNMI proposal to legalize online gambling is another desperate attempt to source new revenue - Asia Gaming Brief

This Cartoonish New Robot Dog Somehow Looks Even Scarier

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Chinese robotics company called Weilan recently showed off a creepy, cartoonish-looking robot dog called

Dog Days

We've come across plenty of robot dogs over the years that can dance, speak using ChatGPT, or even assist doctors in hospitals.

But they all have one thing in common: they look like lifeless machines on four stilts.

In an apparent effort to put the "dog " back into "robodog," a Chinese robotics company called Weilan recently showed off an entirely new class of robotic quadruped called "BabyAlpha" — essentially half cartoon dog and half robot.

The company may have overshot its goal a little bit, though, ending up with an even more terrifying-looking machine that looks like it belongs in a "M3GAN"-esque horror flick.

Robot's Best Friend

The small robot canine has a spotted head, a cute little nose, and two floppy-looking ears.

According to the company's website, which we crudely translated using Google, the robot is "especially designed for family companionship scenarios."

"BabyAlpha likes to be by your side," the website reads adding that the little robot has "endless technological superpowers" thanks to AI. Not creepy at all!

Weilan is also targeting its pet as a way to teach children either English or Chinese or keep track of younger family members through a video call tool.

But we can't shake the feeling that BabyAlpha is exactly the kind of thing that kickstarts a series of unfortunate events in a shlocky horror movie.

In case you do trust your children to be around a BabyAlpha, the companion will cost the equivalent of around $1,700 when it goes on sale.

More on robot dogs: Oh Great, They Put ChatGPT Into a Boston Dynamics Robot Dog

The post This Cartoonish New Robot Dog Somehow Looks Even Scarier appeared first on Futurism.

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This Cartoonish New Robot Dog Somehow Looks Even Scarier

‘Cities for Action’ to address Caribbean asylum seeker crisis Caribbean Life – Caribbean Life

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With the unrelenting influx of Caribbean and other migrants crossing the southern border of the United States and travelling to major cities, such as New York City and Chicago, Mayor Eric Adams and the Mayors Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Manuel Castro on Monday disclosed that the city will host the Eighth Annual Cities for Action.

Officials say many of the immigrants arriving in New York City from the southern border are nationals from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and Guatemala.

Adams told a press conference that representatives from over 20 cities are expected to participate in the two-day event.

Since the founding of Cities for Action in 2014, immigration issues have only become more urgent. And, in the 20 months since we began managing a national asylum seeker crisis almost entirely on our own, cities have been the ones to step up and lead the way, the mayor said.

As we continue to tackle the current humanitarian crisis, New York City is proud to host this convening of municipal leaders who are working on the frontlines and advocating for the federal government to finish the job they started by providing more financial and logistical support to cities across the country, he added.

As a city of immigrants, we look forward to continuing the work with our municipal partners to advance compassionate solutions on-the-ground and immigrant-inclusive policies nationwide, Adams continued.

Castro said he looked forward to strategizing with other municipal leaders.

Its incredibly powerful to have so many city offices of immigrant affairs from across the nation come together in New York City this week, he said.

In a time where cities are leading the way in responding to the asylum seeker humanitarian crisis, it is timely we are coming together to strategize and advocate together on behalf of our cities and our immigrant communities, he added.

Adams said 23 jurisdictions from across the nation will participate in the event. They include: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, and Santa Clara Counties, CA; Aurora and Denver, CO; Miami-Dade County, FL; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Louisville, KY; Boston and Somerville, MA; Baltimore City and Baltimore County, MD; Saint Paul, MN; Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA; Austin, Houston, and El Paso County, TX; and Seattle, WA.

The mayor said more than 140,000 migrants and asylum seekers have converged on New York City, seeking shelter, since the crisis started.

He said his administration has adopted fast and urgent action in addressing the humanitarian crisis, with smaller-than-expected aid from the federal government.

Meantime, as Republicans in the US Senate continue attempts to block aid for Caribbean and other migrant and asylum seekers, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) is appealing to lawmakers in the nations capital to support critical asylum protections and push back against the Republicans radical agenda.

Recently, US immigration authorities reported an influx of Chinese migrants crossing the border in attempting to seek asylum in the US.

NYIC, an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York, prides itself in serving one of the largest and most diverse newcomer populations in the United States.

NYICs Executive Director Murad Awawdeh noted on Tuesday that US Senate Republicans, in their weeks-long budget negotiations on President Joe Bidens emergency supplemental funding request to support the war in Ukraine, are unrelenting in attempting to block aid to Caribbean and other migrants and asylum seekers, unless the budget includes extreme changes in immigration policy, including barriers to seeking asylum in the United States, humanitarian parole and enforcing stricter border policies.

As cities across the country continue to welcome newly-arrived asylum seekers, it is crucial that lawmakers in Washington support critical asylum protections and push back against the Republicans radical agenda, including cutting back on humanitarian parole, resuming construction on parts of the southern border wall, reinstating remain in Mexico, as well as the safe third country banall of which would ultimately result in the end of our asylum system, Awawdeh told Caribbean Life.

There is no reason to include increased use of inhumane policies like family separation as part of a foreign budget package, except pure cruelty, he added. Instead, lawmakers must expand effective and humane measures that will alleviate the pressure from the southern border, allow for more secure processing of asylum seekers, and ensure that localities like New York City, which have received thousands of new arrivals, are able to support and integrate them into our communities.

After embarking on a treacherous journey to the United States, immigrant communities deserve to feel protected and thrive in our country to live out their American dream, Awawdeh continued.

In his continuing efforts to manage, as best as he can, the expanding asylum seeker crisis, Adams recently launched the broadening of the Asylum Application Help Center.

With funding from New York State, Adams said he will open two new satellite sites in aiding asylum seekers in submitting applications for asylum, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and work authorization.

Last month, the mayor launched the citys first satellite sites for immigration application assistance in Harlem and Lower Manhattan.

While we continue to call for a national strategy to solve a national crisis, New York City continues to do its part to support asylum seekers, he said. For over a year, we have asked the federal government to put forward a resettlement strategy, expedite work authorizations for asylum seekers, and provide New York City with much needed and meaningful financial support.

In the absence of that national strategy, New York City continues to lead building out the legal and resettlement infrastructure needed to address this crisis, the mayor added. We hope the federal government will join us in these efforts and finish the job they started.

Since its launch this summer, bolstered by aid from state partners, Adams said the citys help center has supported the filing of over 7,200 asylum applications, about 2,900 work authorization applications and nearly 2,900 TPS applications.

He said New York City has also helped Caribbean and other asylum seekers file over 3,100 work authorization applications during two clinics hosted in partnership with the federal government and city-based nonprofits, totaling more than 16,000 asylum, work authorization and TPS applications.

As he continues to prioritize helping asylum seekers live independently, without significant or timely state and federal assistance, Adams said he plans to proceed, in January 2024, with a 20 percent reduction in spending on the migrant crisis in his Fiscal Year 2024 Preliminary Budget.

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'Cities for Action' to address Caribbean asylum seeker crisis Caribbean Life - Caribbean Life