Heavy snowfall across Japan has claimed at least 45 lives and injured over 500 people since January 20, according to reports from the Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency and Euronews. The northwestern region of Niigata Prefecture was hit hardest, recording 17 deaths and over 170 injuries. The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned of further heavy snow in western and northern coastal regions.
The severe weather has caused widespread disruption, with many vehicles stranded in snowy conditions, as seen in Aomori City and Wakkanai, according to Euronews. The agency is monitoring the situation as the country braces for more snow over the weekend.
In other news, the 2026 Winter Olympic Games are set to begin, with new technologies promising unprecedented experiences for both athletes and fans, according to Wired. Yiannis Exarchos, the managing director of Olympic Broadcasting Services and executive director of Olympic Channel Services, stated that the Milano Cortina games will feature more technology than ever before.
However, the games have also been marred by controversy. Rumors have surfaced that male ski jumpers may have injected their penises with fillers to gain a flight advantage, according to Ars Technica. A 2025 study suggested that even a small increase in jumpsuit size could significantly impact performance.
Meanwhile, in the United States, enforcement of environmental laws under the Trump administration saw a significant decline, according to a report from the Environmental Integrity Project, as reported by Ars Technica. Civil lawsuits filed by the US Department of Justice in cases referred by the Environmental Protection Agency dropped dramatically in the first year of Trump's second term. This was a 76 percent decrease compared to the first year of the Biden administration.
Finally, a New York federal judge took the rare step of terminating a case due to a lawyer's repeated misuse of AI in drafting filings, according to Ars Technica. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla ruled that the sanctions were warranted after the attorney, Steven Feldman, continued to submit documents with fake citations. Some filings were noted for their "conspicuously florid prose."
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment