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Polls to open for local government elections in Northern Ireland
P olling stations will open later as voting begins in Northern Ireland’s local government elections. Voters will be electing 462 councillors across the 11 councils in Northern Ireland. Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday. It is the first electoral test for the parties since lastContinue Reading
Stories of kindness may counteract the negative effects of looking at bad news – new research
Looking at positive news — and in particular, kind acts — may help people feel more uplifted. Cast Of Thousands/ Shutterstock “If it bleeds, it leads” has long been a saying used in the media to describe how news stories featuring violence, death and destruction grab readers’ attention – andContinue Reading
ChatGPT can’t think – consciousness is something entirely different to today’s AI
Illus_man / Shutterstock There has been shock around the world at the rapid rate of progress with ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence created with what’s known as large language models (LLMs). These systems can produce text that seems to display thought, understanding and even creativity. But can these systems reallyContinue Reading
Sunak to unveil agreement with Japan on closer defence, security and cyber ties
R ishi Sunak will unveil a new agreement with Japan to foster closer defence, security and cyber ties amid growing concerns about the threat from China. Visiting Tokyo, the Prime Minister will commit to deploying a naval battle fleet in the Indo-Pacific in 2025 and to double UK troop numbersContinue Reading
O’Gorman says he has Cabinet support but more asylum accommodation needed
Minister for Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman has said he has Cabinet support to meet the accommodation demands of international protection applicants, but added the “Government collectively needs to do more”. Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Mr O’Gorman said his department hopes to make an additional 350 beds available forContinue Reading
Maïwenn Le Besco profile: the ‘eyebrow-raising’ director behind Johnny Depp’s comeback
Cannes Film Festival has come under fire for selecting a film starring Johnny Depp as its opener this year, less than a year after the actor won a bitter defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard. Just as controversial as the film’s place at the top of the famed festival’sContinue Reading
Phil and Holly: is this the end for the nation’s favourite duo?
Speculation is rife that the relationship between “This Morning” darlings Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby is on the rocks, with rumours of behind-the-scenes tension. The “golden couple of daytime TV” are having a “relationship crisis”, said Anita Singh, arts and entertainment editor of The Telegraph. “This is the duo whoContinue Reading
Is Eurovision finally cool? | The Week UK
Vanessa Brown, from Nottingham Trent University, on Eurovision as a vehicle for promoting greater acceptance. With an aesthetic dependent on novelty and spectacle, and a structure that’s both disjointed and drawn-out, Eurovision – for some – cannot fail to fail. In its “failed seriousness” (the phrase writer Susan Sontag usedContinue Reading
Discovering Picasso’s roots in Málaga, Andalusia – Spain travel
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Pablo Picasso’s death, and museums across Europe and the US are “pulling out all the stops” to celebrate his life and work. Among the most essential destinations on any “immersion tour” is Málaga, says Andrew Ferren in The New York Times. Picasso wasContinue Reading
Obesity speeds up loss of immunity from COVID vaccines – new research
iiiNooMiii/Shutterstock COVID vaccines are very effective, but for some groups they don’t generate as strong an immune response. These groups include older adults and people with weakened immune systems, for example due to cancer or other medical conditions. They tend to already be at heightened risk from COVID. Likewise, obesityContinue Reading