Comment on U.S. reports economic growth at 3.5%

Phoenix — The first heat wave of the season is bringing triple-digit temperatures earlier than usual to much of the Southwest U. S., where forecasters warned residents Tuesday to brace for “dangerously hot conditions” with highs expected to top 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) in the days ahead in Las Vegas and Phoenix. By Wednesday, most of an area stretching from southeast California to central Arizona will see “easily their hottest” weather since last September, and record daily highs will be in jeopardy throughout the region, the National Weather Service said. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Excessive heat warnings have been issued from 10 a.m.

Depending on your perspective, the conviction of Donald Trump on 34 counts in a Manhattan courtroom was either a refreshing affirmation of the rule of law or a miscarriage of justice in a politically motivated prosecution. A jury returned a verdict finding that Trump had caused the falsification of checks, invoices, and ledgers to conceal the payment of $130,000 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election, with intent to conceal the violation of campaign finance and tax laws. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] We are all entitled to our own views of the case, of course, but opinion should also be based on facts.

Damaran Baru, Indonesia — In a lush jungle at the foothills of a volcano in Indonesia’s Aceh province, the song of gibbons in the trees mixes with the laughter of the seven forest rangers trekking below them. An hour into their patrol, the rangers spot another mammal in the forest with them. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] “Where are you going?

President Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order Tuesday that would allow his Administration to halt asylum claims at the U. S.-Mexico border once apprehensions at the border reach 2,500 per day.

A group of current and former employees at leading AI companies OpenAI and Google DeepMind published a letter on Tuesday warning against the dangers of advanced AI as they allege companies are prioritizing financial gains while avoiding oversight. Thirteen employees, eleven of which are current or former employees of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, signed the letter entitled: “A Right to Warn about Advanced Artificial Intelligence.” The two other signatories are current and former employees of Google DeepMind.

NEW YORK — San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was banned from baseball for life for betting on the sport and four others were suspended for one year by Major League Baseball on Tuesday in the game’s biggest gambling scandal in decades. MLB said Marcano placed 387 baseball bets totaling more than $150,000 in October 2022 and from last July through November with a legal sportsbook.