More from Jake Maslo
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Oregon rethinking drug decriminalization as majority of voters want change
Oregon voters who supported decriminalizing illicit drug possession with the 2020 Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act (Measure 110) are rethinking their vote. Reuters found that 56% of Oregonians now support the repeal of the law, and 64% want it reformed. The current law, Measure 110, features a new approach to combating the drug crisis… -
Tractors take over downtown Prague as farmer protests continue in Europe
Farmers in tractors took to the streets of downtown Prague on Monday, Feb. 19, to protest rising energy prices and stringent climate change regulations. Hundreds of Czech farmers drove their tractors into town, blocking some lanes of traffic in the process. One farmer who talked to Reuters said he came out to signal his disapproval… -
Navy commissions latest warship, the USS John L. Canley
The Navy commissioned the USS John L. Canley, its newest warship, in a ceremony held in Coronado, California, on Feb 17. The 784-foot Expeditionary Sea Base class ship serves as a flexible tool for a broad spectrum of maritime operations, according to the Navy. “This crew is proud to serve on the newest warship in… -
Climate protest closes National Archives’ Constitution display for third day
The National Archives Museum, the keeper of America’s many valued historical documents, has been closed for three consecutive day following a protest by two climate activists. The activists, identified as Donald Zepeda and Jackson Green, targeted the U.S. Constitution display with pink powder, leading to charges of defacing and destroying federal property. On Feb. 14,… -
OpenAI teases text-to-video technology as FTC warns of dangers
A video circulated on X that showed a picturesque Tokyo from above with snowflakes falling and people bustling along the sidewalk. However, the imagery didn’t come from a photographer, drone or anywhere someone has physically been. The video was completely AI-generated by Sora, a new text-to-video model created by OpenAI. Thursday, Feb. 15, OpenAI announced… -
Surgeons complete remote simulated surgery on International Space Station
The University of Nebraska’s spaceMIRA, a compact robotic surgical assistant, made a historic debut on the International Space Station, situated 250 miles above Earth. On Feb. 10, surgeons on Earth remotely controlled the device to perform simulated surgical procedures in space for the first time. This two-hour simulation involved six surgeons using spaceMIRA to dissect… -
Heavier EV crash tests expose guardrail vulnerabilities, could ‘save lives’
Recent studies conducted by researchers at the University of Nebraska’s Midwest Roadside Safety Facility have shed light on a concerning issue regarding guardrails, a staple of road safety infrastructure which may not be adequately equipped to handle the increasing weight of electric vehicles (EVs). This finding has raised questions about whether a nationwide update is… -
Visa, Amex, others will provide codes to track gun purchases in California
Major credit card companies are preparing to equip California firearm retailers with a merchant code to track gun and ammunition purchases. The move comes after a bill passed that allows banks to keep tabs on what lawmakers call “suspicious” transactions. Merchant codes are four-digit numbers used by credit card companies to classify purchases from businesses,… -
Ukraine says it sank another warship, disabled 1/3 of Russian Black Sea fleet
Ukraine’s military claims its attack drones sank a Russian warship in the Black Sea. The announcement on Wednesday, Feb. 14, came following the release of a video allegedly showing three Magura V5 drones attacking the Caesar Kunikov — an amphibious Russian ship — resulting in an explosion and plume of smoke coming from the vessel.… -
Ride share drivers to strike on Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is almost here, and those looking to catch a ride to a fancy restaurant using Uber or Lyft — or maybe a date in with DoorDash — may have their plans derailed by a strike. Thousands of drivers working for the ride share companies and food delivery services are walking off the job… -
Nebraska looks to bolster cybersecurity by hiring white-hat hacker
The United States faces a relentless wave of cyber attacks, with an incident occurring every 39 seconds. The Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that in 2022, these breaches inflicted a financial toll of $10 billion. Digital breaches not only risk the exposure of sensitive personal information of millions of Americans but also threaten to disrupt… -
Images show Venezuela military buildup along border with oil-rich Guyana
Tensions are escalating between Venezuela and Guyana over claims to the oil-rich region of Essequibo, with both nations accusing each other of violating a recent peace agreement signed in December. Satellite imagery confirms that Venezuela is strengthening its military operations along the disputed border, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Essequibo… -
FCC bans AI-generated robocalls after fake Biden call urges Dems not to vote
As the 2024 election cycle begins, an unprecedented challenge looms on the horizon, demanding heightened vigilance from voters. The emergence of robocalls and AI-generated deepfakes poses a serious threat to election integrity, pushing authorities to confront these issues with newfound urgency. As an example of this new challenge, a robocall sounding eerily similar to President…