Author: aliakhan00901

Two American cities are also acknowledged by UNESCO.In 2004, UNESCO created a network of creative cities around the world to promote cities that had “identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.” The cities are recognized for their creativity in seven different fields: Crafts and Folk Arts, Music, Literature, Media Arts, Film, Design, and Gastronomy. Today, there are 249 names on the list, each highlighted for its distinctive culture, legacy, and sustainable food practices.  Creative tourism is an excellent way to understand people and their cultures, and this network can be your go-to to discover new destinations depending…

China’s AI models are quickly gaining traction in Silicon Valley, becoming integral to the operations of American companies and earning the praise of a growing list of tech leaders.Their rapid ascent has highlighted the competitive edge that Chinese developers such as Alibaba, Z.ai, Moonshot, and MiniMax have been able to gain by offering so-called “open” language models at much lower costs than their rivals in the United States.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listThe trend has also cast a critical glare on the US’s efforts to stunt China’s tech sector with export controls on advanced chips, which have not…

Skims, founded by reality TV star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian along with CEO Jens Grede, said on Wednesday it had raised $225m in new capital, valuing the shapewear label at $5bn.Kardashian’s ventures, including her cosmetics brand SKKN, have attracted young shoppers and benefited from her vast social media following. Similarly, other celebrity-backed brands have also drawn venture capital investment, as firms bet on the marketing power and built-in audiences of high-profile founders to drive consumer demand.Elf Beauty agreed to buy Hailey Bieber’s makeup and skincare brand, Rhode, for about $1bn earlier this year, while Rihanna-backed Fenty Beauty and Khloé Kardashian’s…

On Wednesday, OpenAI released GPT-5.1 Instant and GPT-5.1 Thinking, two updated versions of its flagship AI models now available in ChatGPT. The company is wrapping the models in the language of anthropomorphism, claiming that they’re warmer, more conversational, and better at following instructions. The release follows complaints earlier this year that its previous models were excessively cheerful and sycophantic, along with an opposing controversy among users over how OpenAI modified the default GPT-5 output style after several suicide lawsuits. The company now faces intense scrutiny from lawyers and regulators that could threaten its future operations. In that kind of environment,…

Tory Lanez lost his appeal in his criminal case Wednesday when a three-judge panel upheld his conviction and 10-year prison sentence for the 2020 roadside shooting that landed Megan Thee Stallion in the hospital. Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, tried to overturn the 2022 conviction and sentence on numerous grounds. He claimed his right to testify was unfairly chilled by the prospect his song lyrics and other damaging evidence might become fair game under cross-examination. He also claimed the trial court erred in allowing prosecutors to play their recorded interview with Megan’s former best friend, Kelsey Harris, in…

Georgina Rannard,Climate reporter, Belém, Brazil and Tabby WilsonWatch: Protesters clash with security at COP30 venue in BrazilProtesters carrying signs reading “our forests are not for sale” broke through security lines of the COP30 climate talks on Tuesday night in Belém, Brazil.BBC journalists saw United Nations security staff running behind a line of Brazilian soldiers shouting at delegates to immediately leave the venue.The UN told BBC News that the incident caused minor injuries to two security staff, in addition to limited damage to the venue.Social media videos showed protesters that appeared to be from indigenous groups and others waving flags with…

The resurgence of sleeper trains on the continent hit a kink in the tracks in September, when the Austrian state operator ÖBB announced that it would be axing its two Nightjet services – Paris to Vienna and Paris to Berlin – from 14 December. ÖBB cited the French government’s ending of subsidies, dealing a blow to the night-train renaissance.However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. European Sleeper has told the Guardian that it will be taking over the route from Paris to Berlin, with the first train to run on 26 March 2026. The train will operate…

In this week’s edition of InnovationRx, we look at BillionToOne’s IPO, China’s biotech power couple and Lilly’s eye drug deal. To get it in your inbox, subscribe here. A deal between defecting Democrats and the Republicans may end the government shutdown, but it punted on subsidies for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, the key demand of Democrats in the shutdown fight. These tax credits are designed to keep ACA plans affordable and are slated to expire at the end of the year. The agreement was reached after eight Democratic Senators broke ranks on Sunday to reopen the…

Most people who really love video games have the capacity to be obsessive. Losing weeks of your life to Civilization, World of Warcraft or Football Manager is something so many of us have experienced. Sometimes, it’s the numbers-go-up dopamine hit that hooks people: playing something such as Diablo or Destiny and gradually improving your character while picking up shiny loot at perfectly timed intervals can send some people into an obsessional trance. Notoriously compulsive games such as Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, meanwhile, suck up hours with peaceful, comforting repetition of rewarding tasks.What triggers obsession in me, though, is a…

Home insurance is getting less affordable, and less available, as insurers raise prices and pull back from areas with extreme weather. That is changing communities, including those in Southwest Florida that were damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022. Ryan Kellman/NPR hide caption toggle caption Ryan Kellman/NPR Home insurance is getting more expensive in the United States, and insurers are pulling back from some regions as the cost of disasters grows. That trend is stretching the limits of what ordinary Americans can afford to protect their homes. Community leaders across the country are sounding the alarm about a nascent, but growing,…