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NFL Suspends Lions WR Jameson Williams For Gambling; Four Others Banned - profootballrumors.com
1. NFL Suspends Lions WR Jameson Williams For Gambling; Four Others Banned profootballrumors.com
2. Detroit Lions dismiss Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore for betting on NFL games | The Noon FOX 2 Detroit
3. NFL's gambling suspension of Jameson Williams shouldn't hurt Detroit Lions too much Detroit Free Press
4. What is the NFL’s policy on sports betting? MLive.com
5. Jameson Williams among 4 Lions plus Washington DE suspended for betting ESPN
6. View Full Coverage on Google News
? How do you sustain it? How do you get him spare parts and food and water and fuel, the kinds of things that they need to maintain operations in a continuous way? So that's got to be front and center as well.
VOA: Last question, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg this week said that Ukraine's rightful place is in the Euro-Atlantic family. At this point, do you see Ukraine to be closer toward becoming a NATO member?
KIRBY: Nothing's changed about our support for the Open Door Policy of NATO. Nothing's changed about that. We continue to support an open door for NATO. But we've also said that any conversation about coming into the alliance has got to be a conversation between the nation in question and the alliance itself.
VOA: But do you see that Ukraine itself has improved on the criteria that it must meet?
KIRBY: Our focus right now with respect to Ukraine is making sure that they can beat back the Russian aggression. That they can be successful on the battlefield so that President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, if and when he's ready to negotiate, he can be successful at the table. That's our focus. We'll let the secretary-general speak for the alliance.
Voice of America
US Officials, Lawmakers Concerned About China Becoming the World’s Third Nuclear Power
China is expanding its nuclear weapons capacity with Russia's help. This leaves top US officials and lawmakers in the position of having to decide how to respond to a new era in which the world has three major nuclear powers. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from the State Department.
Voice of America
Q&A: US Troops Positioned for Diplomats' Evacuation out of Sudan
American citizens told to shelter in place
Voice of America
Did the AI-Generated Drake Song Breach Copyright?
A viral AI-generated song imitating Drake and The Weeknd was pulled from streaming services this week, but did it breach copyright as claimed by record label Universal?
Created by someone called @ghostwriter, Heart On My Sleeve racked up millions of listens before Universal Music Group asked for its removal from Spotify, Apple Music and other platforms.
However, Andres Guadamuz, who teaches intellectual property law at Britain's University of Sussex, is not convinced that the song breached copyright.
As similar cases look set to multiply — with an uncanny AI replication of Liam Gallagher from Oasis causing buzz — he spoke to AFP about some of the issues being raised.
Did the song breach copyright?
The underlying music on Heart On My Sleeve was new, only the sound of the voice was familiar, "and you can't copyright the sound of someone's voice," Guadamuz said.
Perhaps the furor around AI impersonators may lead to copyright being expanded to include voice, rather than just melody, lyrics and other created elements, "but that would be problematic," Guadamuz added.
"What you're protecting with copyright is the expression of an idea, and voice isn't really that," he said.
He said Universal probably claimed copyright infringement because it is the simplest route to removing content, with established procedures in place with streaming platforms.
Were other rights breached?
An AI-generated impersonator may be breaching other laws.
If an artist has a distinctive voice or image, this is potentially protected under "publicity rights" in the United States or similar image rights in other countries.
Bette Midler won a case against Ford in 1988 for using an impersonator of her in an ad. Tom Waits won a similar case in 1993 against the Frito-Lays potato chips company.
The problem, said Guadamuz, is that enforcement of these rights is "very hit and miss" and taken much more seriously in some countries than others.
And streaming platforms currently lack straightforward mechanisms for removing content seen as breaching image rights.
What comes next?
The big upcoming legal fight is over how AI programs are trained.
It may be argued that inputting existing Drake and Weeknd songs to train an AI program may be a breach of copyright, but Guadamuz said this issue was far from settled.
"You need to copy the music in order to train the AI and so that unauthorized copying could potentially be copyright infringement," he said.
"But defendants will say it's fair use. They are using it to train a machine, teaching it to listen to music, and then removing the copies,” he said. "Ultimately, we will have to wait and see for the case law to be decided."
But it is almost certainly too late to stem the flood.
"Bands are going to have to decide whether they want to pursue this in court, and copyright cases are expensive," said Guadamuz.
"Some artists may lean into the technology and start using it themselves, especially if they start losing their voice."
Newsweek
What Justice Samuel Alito Said in Abortion Drug Ruling Dissent
Two conservative Supreme Court justices dissented from the decision to halt a lower-court ruling that would have restricted access to mifepristone.
Newsweek
Alvin Bragg, Jim Jordan at Odds Over Who Won Subpoena Fight
Bragg reached an agreement with House Republicans on Friday to allow a former Manhattan prosecutor's congressional testimony under granted concessions.
Punch Newspapers
Sickle cell and name calling
Back in the day and I am referring to the 70s or 80s (and some might say even now), anyone who lived with sickle cell was called all kinds of negative names. I wonder what was responsible for this. At this time, survival rates and life expectancy were high for people living with sickle cell.
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Punch Newspapers
Flying Eagles in ‘Group of Death’ at U-20 World Cup
…to play Brazil, Italy and Dominican Republic Football-loving Nigerians have raised concerns over the chances of the Flying Eagles qualifying from the ‘Group of Death’ at the forthcoming 2023 U-20 World Cup in Argentina next month, Saturday PUNCH reports. The U-20 World Cup kicks off May 20 and ends June 11 in Argentina, after Indonesia
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Punch Newspapers
Kidnapped ex-NBA president’s whereabouts unknown four days after
Four days after he was kidnapped by gunmen at the Obiri-Kwere axis of the East-West Road, near Port Harcourt, the whereabouts of a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Okey Wali, is still unknown. Wali, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was kidnapped by gunmen who intercepted his vehicle, opened fire and killed his driver
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Punch Newspapers
Good Samaritan saved me from collapsed Lagos stadium floodlight – Para-powerlifter
PETER AKINBO writes on how death was averted at the National Stadium, Lagos, on Wednesday after a dilapidated floodlight pillar came crashing down The tremors were felt all around the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos and the environs, after one of the floodlights inside the edifice split in two and collapsed following a heavy windstorm
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Punch Newspapers
God, technology made me president – Buhari
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Friday described himself as a lucky man given the various offices he had held even before he eventually became the President. The President also asked Nigerians hurt by his policies for a pardon, saying he is also human. The President has about 36 days to leave office.
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Punch Newspapers
Going, almost gone! Ondo community’s last-gasp battle with ocean surge
Residents of the coastal community of Aiyetoro in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State are living in palpable fear following the recent incursion of the Atlantic Ocean into the community. Aiyetoro, which is mainly occupied by the Ilaje ethnic extraction of Ondo State, has been experiencing sea incursion for over a decade, with
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Punch Newspapers
Buhari eager to welcome Tinubu May 29 – Presidency
The President, Major Genera Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, on Friday morning, exchanged Sallah pleasantries in a phone call marking the end of the Ramadan fast. “Both leaders thanked God Almighty for seeing this day and prayed for the stability and the wellbeing of the nation,” read a statement signed late Friday
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Punch Newspapers
Joshua to face Wilder in December
Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has said that a potential fight with Deontay Wilder is ‘95 per cent done’ on his side and could take place in December if the deal goes through. Talks are ongoing over a proposed ‘tournament’ in Saudi Arabia which could also involve Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk fight on the
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Top Stories - Google News
Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia get HEATED ahead of their fight | SportsCenter - ESPN
1. Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia get HEATED ahead of their fight | SportsCenter ESPN
2. Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia rehydration clause mars otherwise wonderful matchup | Opinion MMA Junkie
3. Conor McGregor offers financial tip for fighters Bloody Elbow
4. Ryan Garcia explains mental health struggles ahead of comeback - 'I couldn't find a way out' dazn.com
5. DEVIN HANEY SHADES GERVONTA REHYDRATION CLAUSE & PURSE BET; WANTS RYAN TO BEAT TANK Fight Hub TV
6. View Full Coverage on Google News
Voice of America
Suspect in Leaked Documents Case Shared Them Sooner, More Widely, Report Says
The U.S. Air National Guardsman accused of leaking classified documents to a small group of gamers had been posting sensitive information months earlier than previously known and to a much larger chat group, The New York Times reported on Friday, citing online postings reviewed by the newspaper.
In February 2022, soon after the invasion of Ukraine, a user profile matching that of Airman Jack Teixeira began posting secret intelligence on the Russian war effort on a previously undisclosed chat group on social platform Discord, the newspaper reported, adding the group had about 600 members.
This chat room was publicly listed on a YouTube channel and was easily accessible, the newspaper said.
The Pentagon declined to comment on the new information reported by the Times.
The 21-year-old U.S. Air National Guardsman facing criminal charges for leaking top-secret military intelligence records online was arrested last week.
The Times said the newly discovered information posted on the larger chat group included details about Russian and Ukrainian casualties, activities of Moscow's spy agencies, and updates on aid being provided to Ukraine.
The user claimed to be posting information from the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and other intelligence agencies, according to the Times.
The case is believed to be the most serious U.S. security breach since more than 700,000 documents, videos and diplomatic cables appeared on the WikiLeaks website in 2010. The Pentagon has called the leak a "deliberate, criminal act."
The leaks did not come to light until they were reported by the Times in early April, even though the documents were posted earlier.
Teixeira was charged with one count of violating the Espionage Act related to the unlawful copying and transmitting of sensitive defense material, and a second charge related to unlawful removal of defense material to an unauthorized location. He will likely face more charges, legal experts have said.
South Korean president's visit next week. One of the leaks showed that there is concern from the South Koreans that President [Joe] Biden might push President Yoon [Suk Yeol] to supply military weapons, munitions particularly to Ukraine. Has this leak complicated the visit at all?
KIRBY: We are very excited about having our second state visit be the Republic of Korea. President Biden and President Yoon have a terrific relationship. We as a nation have a great relationship with the Republic of Korea, our South Korean allies. And it is an alliance. We have actual alliance commitments with South Korea. And there's an awful lot on the agenda and it won't just be Ukraine.
But there's an awful lot of other things on the agenda, everything from high technology to climate change to certainly threats inside the Indo-Pacific region. Obviously, North Korea will be on the agenda. There's a lot to talk about. And this is a terrific relationship.
VOA: President Yoon said he may be open to providing military support to Ukraine under some circumstances. Is this something that President Biden will push President Yoon for?
KIRBY: This isn't about pushing South Korea at all. It's about having a meaningful conversation about items of mutual shared concern and interest and certainly the war in Ukraine is something that South Korea shares that concern with. I'll let President Yoon speak to what he is or isn't willing to do.
We have said from the very beginning that what a nation decides to do with respect to supporting Ukraine is up to them to decide. It's a sovereign decision. The whole idea of supporting Ukraine, this whole fight is about sovereignty. It's about independence. And how ironic and hypocritical would it be for the United States to dictate terms to a sovereign nation about what they should or shouldn't do.
VOA: Can we expect any kind of announcements in terms of extended deterrence, increasing U.S. strategic assets, any kind of joint operations of nuclear scenarios in the region?
KIRBY: We routinely talk to the South Koreans about the extended deterrence. I'm not going to get ahead of the president or any specific announcements or anything going forward.
VOA: On semiconductors, now that China cannot access U.S. technology but also Japanese and Netherlands technology for semiconductors, they are reaching out to South Korean companies. Is this something that the president will also discuss?
KIRBY: I have no doubt that they'll talk about high technology and the need to keep improving, preserving, maintaining resilient supply chains when it comes to semiconductors. But I won't get ahead of the conversation.
VOA: You mentioned today's meeting in Ramstein, Germany, which marks one year that the Defense Contact Group has been meeting. Secretary [of Defense Lloyd] Austin said this morning that the focus will be on air defense, ammunition and logistics. What does that say in terms of where we are in the war right now and the strategy going forward?
KIRBY: We have evolved the capabilities that we are providing Ukraine ... as the war itself has evolved over time. Here we are past a year. And we know that in the spring when the weather improves, and it's already starting to improve, that we can expect the Russians to want to go on the offensive in some areas, and we don't know exactly where or how they'll do that. But we want to make sure that the Ukrainians are able to better defend themselves against that and if they choose offensive operations of their own, that they've got the capabilities to conduct those.
And you heard Secretary Austin talk about air defense, talk about armor capabilities because we believe that one of the things and they say they need to be better at is combined arms warfare, which is maneuver warfare in open terrain. That means, that requires armor, that requires artillery, that requires some air defense. But he also talked about logistics because that's really the lifeblood of any army in the field, is how do you keep it in the field[...]
Voice of America
Q&A: US Troops Positioned for Diplomats' Evacuation Out of Sudan
The United States is deploying more troops at its base in Djibouti as it considers whether to evacuate diplomats from Sudan, where a power struggle between two military factions has led to days of violence that has killed more than 330 people.
John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, spoke Friday with VOA's White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara about the ongoing fighting in Sudan. He also previewed next week's White House state visit by President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea.
This transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.
VOA WHITE HOUSE BUREAU CHIEF PATSY WIDAKUSWARA: I'd like to start with Sudan. What's the latest on the evacuation of American diplomats and the deployment of troops to the base in Djibouti?
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS JOHN KIRBY: There's been no decision to evacuate our diplomats. We're still focused right now on pre-positioning appropriate military capabilities nearby in the region, not in Sudan, just in case there is a decision made to evacuate our embassy.
The bottom line is the situation on the ground in Khartoum is not good. The violence continues, the fighting continues despite both sides calling or urging the other to abide by cease-fires. There's still a lot of violence inside Khartoum, and so it's a very tenuous, very dangerous situation. And as we've said, if you are an American citizen, and you didn't take our warning to leave Sudan and particularly Khartoum, you need to take care of your own safety and security, shelter in place, find a place to stay where you can stay safe and not be moving around.
VOA: So there's no evacuation for American citizens at this point?
KIRBY: There is no expectation that there's going to be a U.S. government evacuation of American citizens. That remains the case right now.
VOA: Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken has called the leaders of both warring parties to push for a cease-fire. Obviously, that hasn't happened. The U.S. has very limited leverage because we have pulled U.S. assistance since the coup in Sudan in 2021. Which countries in the region are you reaching out to, to help push for a cease-fire?
KIRBY: We're talking to the African Union, we're talking to the Arab League. Clearly, we're talking bilaterally with other nations around Sudan in the region who obviously have a stake in making sure that peace and security, stability has a chance there in Sudan. And yes, we are reaching out directly. You've mentioned Secretary Blinken, but there are other lines of communication reaching out directly with the leaders on both sides there, General [Abdel Fattah] Burhan of the Sudanese Armed Forces and General [Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo] "Hemedti" of the RSF and to urge them to put down their arms, actually put in place a sustainable cease-fire so that humanitarian aid and assistance can get to the people that need it.
VOA: Would the U.S. administration consider any kind of punitive measures to push for a cease-fire?
KIRBY: I don't have any muscle movements to speak to right now. We are focused right now on communicating to both sides they need to put their arms down, they need to stop the fighting. We need to get the ability for people to get access to food and water and medicine and again, to have a discussion about a transition to civilian authority.
VOA: And how concerned are you that this would turn into a proxy war, where outside groups such as the Wagner Group that's already in the region might take opportunity from the chaos?
KIRBY: Obviously, we don't want to see this conflict expand or broaden, and we certainly wouldn't want to see additional firepower brought to bear; that will just continue the violence and continue to escalate the tensions.
VOA: I want to move on to the[...]
Voice of America
VOA Newscasts
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.
Newsweek
Ohio GOP Candidate Suggests Reparations for White Civil War Union Soldiers
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno asked "where are the reparations" for white people who "died to free Black people."
Newsweek
Did Bud Light Fire Its Marketing Vice President? What We Know
Anheuser-Busch executive Alissa Heinerscheid has been under fire from conservatives over Bud Light's sponsorship of transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Punch Newspapers
Floodlight collapse: Dare orders immediate closure of stadium
Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare has ordered the immediate close of the National Stadium, Lagos, Saturday PUNCH reports. Dare visited the stadium Friday, after the collapse of the floodlights on Wednesday, and inspected the remaining three floodlights and other facilities. The minister ordered the immediate temporary closure of the stadium and the
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Punch Newspapers
Kwara man returning from Sallah prayer dies in crash
Tragedy struck in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Friday, when a middle-aged man lost his life and three others were injured in a road accident. The accident reportedly involved four persons, who were riding on a motorcycle on Eid-el-Fitr day in Ilorin. The three other people on the bike, which rammed into a vehicle, sustained serious
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Punch Newspapers
ECWA laments killings in Benue, Kaduna, Plateau
The Evangelical Church Winning All on Friday expressed shock over the killing of 472 persons in three states of Benue, Kaduna, and Plateau by terrorists in one month. In a statement issued at the end of its 70th General Church Council Meeting which lasted for five days in Jos, Plateau State, ECWA condemned the activities
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Punch Newspapers
I won’t accept apology, my husband’s corpse must be produced –Wife
Rhoda Omirenya, wife of Joel, a farmer whose corpse got missing in a mortuary, tells EMMANUEL OJO about the trauma the family is facing over the development What came to your mind on hearing the news that your husband’s corpse was missing? I haven’t recovered since I heard that my husband’s corpse was missing at
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Punch Newspapers
Census risks postponement over funding, logistic problems
Twelve days to the commencement of the national population and housing census, uncertainties have continued to trail the planned headcount and there are indications that it may be shifted due to funding and other logistic challenges. It was gathered on Friday that the National Population Commission might again postpone the census as it struggled to
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Punch Newspapers
Seven ways to ensure safety during flash floods
Flash flooding, according to Scientific American, an American science magazine, is a specific type of flooding that occurs in a short time frame after heavy rainfall or high-intensity rainstorms. Such floods typically occur in areas near rivers or lakes but they can also occur in places with no water nearby. They are often characterised by
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Punch Newspapers
Lagos motorists lament extortion as traffic officers exploit faulty road marking
Some residents of Lagos State have lamented the continued extortion of motorists by traffic officers attached to the Central Business District, Agidingbi, Ikeja. In a viral video posted by a popular blogger, Tunde Ednut @Kingtundeednut, on Instagram, on Wednesday, an unidentified motorist accused the traffic officers of taking an advantage of the zebra crossing at
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Punch Newspapers
Suspended Adamawa REC ignored summons, location unknown – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission has disclosed that it has no information of the whereabouts of the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner of Adamawa State, Hudu Ari. The commission disclosed this after his action during the supplementary governorship election in Adamawa. INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye disclosed this on Friday while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise
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