New Delhi (AFP) – Sam Altman, head of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, tells a global artificial intelligence conference that the world “urgently” needs to regulate the fast-evolving technology. An organisation similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could be set up to coordinate these efforts, he says.
London (AFP) – Britain’s disgraced royal Andrew, the scandal-hit brother of King Charles III, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct during his time as a UK trade envoy, according to police. The unprecedented arrest of a royal family member comes as UK investigations into allegations emerging from the Jeffrey Epstein files gather pace, including new revelations that appeared to show Andrew sent Epstein potentially confidential documents.
New Delhi (AFP) – Tech bro rivalry is real — or at least it is for Sam Altman and Dario Amodei, the CEOs of two leading US artificial intelligence startups, OpenAI and Anthropic. During a group photo at a global AI summit in New Delhi, the two former colleagues, standing to the right of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the centre of the picture, awkwardly refuse to hold hands.
Mexico City (AFP) – For centuries, farmers in southern Mexico City have cultivated “chinampas”, agricultural islands first developed in pre-Hispanic times and still in use today. But water contamination is an increasing concern for them. In these wetlands, environmental NGO Matter of Trust is testing human hair as a tool to reduce pollution and improve soil health. “Hair has an adhesive quality and the ability to capture certain contaminants,” says Mattia Carenini, Global Hubs Director at Matter of Trust.
Lima (AFP) – Peru’s Congress elects Jose Maria Balcazar as new interim president, the eighth in a decade, following the removal of interim leader Jose Jeri over clandestine meetings with a Chinese businessman and the controversial hiring of women, in a context of chronic political instability. IMAGES
Chalonnes-sur-Loire (France) (AFP) – A search is underway after a man went missing when his canoe capsized on the river Loire in Chalonnes-sur-Loire, France. Police say there is little hope of finding him in the cold water and strong currents. The country’s western regions are flooded after its 35th consecutive day of rain – the longest streak since records began in 1959. Four departments are under red alerts for flooding, with the situation expected to get worse as Storm Pedro hits western Europe.
Kinshasa (AFP) – Congolese rumba has long been a source of national pride, with the UNESCO-listed musical genre keeping the country dancing for generations. But now, as younger Congolese listen more to Afropop and RnB, many fear its future is under threat.
Deir el-Balah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Palestinian artist Yazeed Abu Jarad sculpts the words ‘Welcome Ramadan’ with sand on the beach in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip a day ahead of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, for the majority of faithful around the world.
At sea (AFP) – A video released on X by US Southern Command shows US strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats. The strikes late on February 16 killed “four on the first vessel in the Eastern Pacific, four on the second vessel in the Eastern Pacific, and three on the third vessel in the Caribbean. No US military forces were harmed,” US Southern Command said in a post on X.
Caracas (AFP) – Relatives of political prisoners gather in Caracas to protest the delays in releases promised by the government of Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodriguez — who took charge following the ouster of Nicolas Maduro in a US military operation. Rodriguez has promised to free hundreds of government detractors while the country’s congress is considering a law that is meant to grant amnesty to political detainees, but several postponements have prompted outrage. IMAGES
Manila (AFP) – Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte announces she will run to become president of the Southeast Asian nation of 116 million people in 2028. Duterte, who is embroiled in a bitter feud with President Ferdinand Marcos, was impeached last year only to see the country’s Supreme Court throw the case out over procedural issues. The announcement comes days before her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, begins a pre-trial hearing at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during his brutal crackdown on drugs.
Lima (AFP) – Chanting and dancing, protesters gathered outside the Peruvian Congress in Lima celebrate the decision to impeach interim president Jose Jeri, accused in the irregular hiring of several women in his government, and of suspected graft. IMAGES
