Fifty-three people are dead or missing after a migrant boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast, the UN migration agency reported on Monday. The boat overturned north of Zuwara on Friday, leaving only two survivors. This tragedy is the latest in a string of incidents this year, with hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers having already died attempting to cross the central Mediterranean route.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed the details of the capsizing. The incident underscores the dangers faced by those seeking to reach Europe via the perilous sea route.
In other news, the European Union has told Meta to allow rival AI firms' chatbots access to WhatsApp. According to the EU, Meta breached its rules by blocking other AI firms from the messaging app and must make "urgent" changes. The tech giant had changed the popular messaging app on January 15th, and since then, only its AI assistant, Meta AI, could access it. The European Commission stated that WhatsApp was an "important entry point" for AI chatbots like ChatGPT to reach people, and claimed Meta was abusing its dominant position by blocking them. A Meta spokesperson told the BBC the EU had "no reason" to intervene, and claimed it had "incorrectly" assumed WhatsApp Business was a key way that people use chatbots.
Meanwhile, businesses are facing warnings of potential extinction if they fail to protect and restore the natural world. A major new report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Ipbes) highlights the urgent need for action. The report, based on contributions from leading scientists and approved by 150 governments, sets out how companies can shift from harmful approaches to ones that help restore nature. Experts are calling for urgent action to restore the natural systems that keep the economy running.
In the tech sector, some companies are embracing extreme work schedules. One New York-based tech business, Rilla, is advertising positions with the warning, "Please don't join if you're not excited about working 70 hrs/week in person with some of the most ambitious people in NYC." The company, which sells AI-based systems, offers perks like competitive compensation, free meals, and gym memberships.
Finally, Palestinians, Arab countries, and Israeli anti-occupation groups have condemned new steps approved by Israel's security cabinet for the occupied West Bank, saying they amount to de facto annexation. Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the moves, which would make it easier for Jewish settlers to take over Palestinian land. "We will continue to kill the idea of a Palestinian state," he said. All settlements are seen as illegal under international law. The measures are expected to be signed off by Israel's top military commander.
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