Tuesday, September 26 — 6 significant news stories

Today ChatGPT read 1213 top news stories. After removing previously covered events, there are 6 articles with a significance score over 7.

[7.9] Antarctic sea ice hits record low, raising climate change concerns. — Reuters

Antarctic sea ice reached record low levels this winter, according to the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), raising concerns about the impact of climate change on the region. The extent of sea ice peaked on September 10 at 16.96 million square kilometers, the lowest winter maximum since satellite records began in 1979. This is about 1 million square kilometers less than the previous winter record set in 1986. The reduction in sea ice can have negative consequences for animals like penguins and can also contribute to global warming by reducing the amount of sunlight reflected back into space.

[7.4] COVID-19 drug molnupiravir may cause harmful virus mutations. — The Hill

A study published in the Nature science journal suggests that the COVID-19 antiviral drug molnupiravir, developed by Merck, may be linked to the emergence of new mutations of the virus. The researchers found that the drug induces high rates of mutations in the virus, with a "high proportion" of these mutations likely to be harmful to the virus. They also found that many of the mutations observed in sequenced COVID-19 genomes in 2022 were consistent with mutations found in patients treated with molnupiravir.

[7.2] New Covid variant "Pirola" with 30+ spike protein mutations detected. — The Independent

A new Covid variant called "Pirola" is spreading in the United States and has more than 30 mutations to its spike protein compared to the XBB.1.5 variant of Omicron, according to Yale Medicine. The variant has been found in 10 states and has also been detected in several other countries. Experts are closely monitoring the variant and its potential impact on transmission and immunity.

[7.2] Global trade volumes decline due to rising interest rates and inflation. — Financial Times

Global trade volumes fell at their fastest annual pace in almost three years in July, with a 3.2% decrease compared to the same month last year, according to the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis. The decline in trade volumes is seen as a result of rising interest rates impacting global demand for goods, as well as higher inflation and reduced spending on global goods exports. The figures suggest that global growth is slowing and sentiment indicators indicate that world trade will remain weak in the coming months.

[7.1] Tech platforms backtrack on misinformation policies, raising concerns for elections. — The Straits Times

Tech platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter are rolling back policies aimed at curbing misinformation and falsehoods ahead of the upcoming global election season, raising concerns about their ability to tackle the expected deluge of misinformation during over 50 major elections next year. These changes come amidst layoffs, cost-cutting measures, and pressure from right-wing groups accusing the platforms of suppressing free speech. Critics argue that these moves have left democracies vulnerable to election interference, hate speech, and violent coup attempts.

[7.2] ChatGPT gets voice and image support, bringing it closer to AI assistants like Siri. — The Guardian

OpenAI's ChatGPT is receiving an update that will allow the chatbot to have voice conversations with users and interact using images, bringing it closer to popular AI assistants like Siri. The voice feature has various applications, including creative and accessibility-focused uses, while the image support enables users to troubleshoot, analyze data, and plan meals. The new features will be rolled out to subscribers of ChatGPT's Plus and Enterprise plans in the next two weeks.

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Vadim