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    Senators Push for Secret Service to Move Protests Away From G.O.P. Convention

    Peter Watson
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    Senators Push for Secret Service to Move Protests Away From G.O.P. Convention

    The director of the Secret Service met on Tuesday with Senate Republicans to discuss the party’s effort to push the expected protesters farther from the site of the Republican National Convention, set for July in Milwaukee.

    Republican officials and lawmakers have objected to the placement of a designated demonstration zone near the convention venue, arguing it would create conflict between protesters and attendees. A lawyer for the Republican National Committee proposed in a letter in late April that the Secret Service expand the security perimeter around the venue, the Fiserv Forum.

    The meeting came at the request of Senator Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, who warned in a letter on Friday of “a potentially volatile situation” and “a likely — and preventable — area of conflict” between attendees and demonstrators at the convention, where the party is set to officially make Donald J. Trump its 2024 presidential nominee.

    “As you know, this year has been a very challenging one for protests in the United States,” Mr. McConnell wrote, referring to a recent wave of pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses. “We must all take seriously that tensions are high and do our best to balance the right to express dissent while also keeping convention attendees as safe as possible.”

    Senator Ron Johnson, Republican of Wisconsin, said in an interview with local television in Milwaukee that he was one of the senators who met with Kimberly A. Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service.

    “I found it a little frustrating,” Mr. Johnson said on Fox6 News Milwaukee, adding that “she basically said she does not have the authority to change their assessment, and they based it on their criteria that they’ve been using for years. And as a result, doesn’t sound like she can change anything.”

    Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the Secret Service, confirmed that Ms. Cheatle “briefed members of the U.S. Senate” about the security plan for the convention, adding that the security perimeter was “based on security considerations, including protective intelligence, risk and threat assessments, and is developed to ensure the highest level of security, while minimizing impacts to the public.”

    The Secret Service has also said the security plan for the convention was developed and approved by a larger committee of city, state and federal agencies.

    Under the proposed security plan, according to the R.N.C., protesters would be confined to Pere Marquette Park, a small public park on the bank of the Milwaukee River about a quarter of a mile from Fiserv Forum, the arena where the convention will take place. That park is adjacent to the two streets designated as the main routes to get to the convention, and the Republican National Committee has argued that forcing attendees to pass by the protesters would heighten tensions and cause confrontation.

    Republicans have cited the recent campus protests, and Mr. Johnson on Tuesday mentioned the protests that followed the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in 2020, as well as the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

    A group known as the Coalition to March on the RNC has been organizing convention demonstrations. Posts on social media promoting the demonstrations suggest that in Milwaukee they would be protesting Republican policies on the war in Gaza, abortion rights and climate change, among other issues.

    “The Coalition to March on the RNC denounces these attempts by Republicans to strip us from our First Amendment rights,” the group said in a statement, adding, “We will be marching within sight and sound, regardless of these kinds of complaints by the Republicans.”

    Maggie Haberman contributed reporting.

    OpenAI’s Chief Scientist, Ilya Sutskever, Is Leaving the Company

    Peter Watson
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    OpenAI’s Chief Scientist, Ilya Sutskever, Is Leaving the Company

    Ilya Sutskever, the OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist who in November joined three other board members to force out Sam Altman, the company’s high-profile chief executive, before saying he regretted the move, is leaving the San Francisco A.I. company.

    Dr. Sutskever’s departure, which the company announced in a blog post on Tuesday, closes another chapter in a story that stunned Silicon Valley and that raised questions about whether Mr. Altman and his company were prepared to lead the tech industry into the age of artificial intelligence.

    After returning to OpenAI just five days after he was ousted, Mr. Altman reasserted his control and continued its push toward increasingly powerful technologies that worried some of his critics. Dr. Sutskever remained an OpenAI employee, but he never returned to work.

    “This is an emotional day for all of us,” Mr. Altman said in an interview. “OpenAI would not exist without him and certainly was shaped by him.”

    In a statement, Dr. Sutskever said: “I have made the decision to leave OpenAI. The company’s trajectory has been nothing short of miraculous, and I’m confident that OpenAI will build A.G.I. that is both safe and beneficial.” A.G.I., or artificial general intelligence, is an as-yet-unbuilt technology that can do anything the brain can do.

    Dr. Sutskever, 38, added that he was starting a new project, but did not elaborate.

    A key OpenAI researcher, Jakub Pachocki, will replace Dr. Sutskever as chief scientist at the company, which is valued at more than $80 billion, according to a recent fund-raising deal.

    On Monday, OpenAI unveiled a new version of its ChatGPT chatbot that can receive and respond to voice commands, images and videos, joining tech giants like Google and Apple in a race toward a new kind of talking digital assistant.

    Founded in 2015 by Mr. Altman, Elon Musk and several young researchers, including Dr. Sutskever, OpenAI has long been at the forefront of A.I. research. Dr. Sutskever’s involvement provided the company with instant credibility. As a graduate student at the University of Toronto, he had been part of an A.I. breakthrough involving neural networks — the technology that has driven the field’s progress over the last decade.

    In late 2022, OpenAI wowed the world with the release of ChatGPT, an online chatbot that could answer questions, write poetry, generate computer code and chat a lot like people. The tech industry quickly embraced what is called generative artificial intelligence — technologies that can generate text, images and other media on their own.

    The result of more than a decade of research inside companies like OpenAI and Google, generative A.I. is poised to remake everything from email programs to internet search engines and digital assistants.

    Mr. Altman became a spokesman for the shift toward generative A.I., testifying before Congress and meeting with lawmakers, regulators and investors around the world. In November, OpenAI’s board of directors unexpectedly ousted him, saying he could no longer be trusted with the company’s plan to eventually create artificial general intelligence.

    The OpenAI board had six people: three founders and three independent members. Dr. Sutskever voted with the three outsiders to remove Mr. Altman as chief executive and chairman of the board, saying — without providing specifics — that Mr. Altman had not been “consistently candid in his communications.”

    Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s president and another co-founder, resigned from the company in protest. So did Dr. Pachocki.

    Days later, as hundreds of OpenAI employees threatened to quit, Dr. Sutskever said he regretted his decision to remove Mr. Altman and effectively stepped down from the board, leaving three independent members in opposition to Mr. Altman.

    Mr. Altman returned as chief executive after he and the board agreed to replace two members with Bret Taylor, a former Salesforce executive, and Lawrence Summers, a former U.S. Treasury secretary. Mr. Altman regained his board seat several months later, as the board expanded to seven people.

    Last year, Dr. Sutskever helped create a Super Alignment team inside OpenAI to explore ways of ensuring that future versions of the technology would not do harm. Like others in the field, he had grown increasingly concerned that A.I. could become dangerous and perhaps even destroy humanity.

    Jan Leike, who ran the Super Alignment team alongside Dr. Sutskever, has also resigned from OpenAI. His role will be taken by John Schulman, another company co-founder.

    In the weeks leading up to Mr. Altman’s ouster, Dr. Pachocki, who helped oversee the creation of GPT-4, the technology at the heart of ChatGPT, was promoted to director of research at the company. After occupying a position below Dr. Sutskever, he was elevated to a position alongside him, two people familiar with the moves said.

    After Mr. Altman was reinstated, Dr. Sutskever did not return to work. Mr. Altman indicated that he was hoping to negotiate his return, but ultimately that was not possible.

    Dr. Pachocki has effectively served as chief scientist since November. After Dr. Sutskever recruited him and others to join OpenAI, he was among the key researchers on several of the company’s most important projects, including, most notably, GPT-4.

    “I am grateful to Ilya,” Dr. Pachocki said in an interview. “We have different and in many ways complementary styles of leadership.”

    Mr. Altman said he talked with Dr. Sutskever on Tuesday. “He has pushed us — and will continue to push us — to, as he says, feel the A.G.I.,” Mr. Altman said.

    Blinken Visits Ukraine Amid Russian Military Gains

    Peter Watson
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    Blinken Visits Ukraine Amid Russian Military Gains

    Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken sought to reassure Ukrainians on Tuesday that they could weather an ominous new Russian military offensive and count on long-term support from the United States and its European allies.

    “You are not alone,” Mr. Blinken declared in remarks in the capital city, Kyiv, where he arrived by train on Tuesday morning for an unannounced visit at what he called “a critical moment” for Ukraine’s future as Russia makes fresh military gains around the northeastern city of Kharkiv.

    It is Mr. Blinken’s fourth trip to Kyiv since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the first by a senior U.S. official since President Biden signed a $60.8 billion aid package approved by Congress three weeks ago after months of infighting among House Republicans.

    Mr. Blinken’s trip was planned before the Russian offensive, which has only underscored the importance of the American support that he came to highlight.

    Hours after meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky at his presidential offices and hearing his pleas for still more military assistance, Mr. Blinken conceded that the delay in U.S. aid had “left you more vulnerable to Russia’s attacks.”

    But he argued that American support for the country remained durable. Congress ultimately approved the aid package first proposed by Mr. Biden last fall with overwhelming bipartisan support, he noted, implicitly downplaying the significance of the minority of House Republicans who managed to tie up the package for months.

    “The American people’s support for Ukraine has been consistent over the course of the war,” he said. “It has never wavered.” That statement is supported by many polls that have shown enduring support for sending aid to the country.

    Mr. Blinken was unable to guarantee continued financial support for Ukraine of the kind he and Mr. Biden have overseen, given the unpredictable nature of the U.S. political system — and, in particular, the skepticism about arming Ukraine often expressed by Mr. Biden’s Republican challenger, Donald J. Trump.

    But he cited ways in which, he said, the country had enjoyed a “strategic success” since the war began more than two years ago, even though Russia occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine’s eastern territory.

    Despite efforts by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to “lay waste” to Ukraine’s economy, he said, the country’s gross domestic product grew by 5 percent last year, and its steel factories have doubled their output over the past six months.

    Mr. Blinken also reaffirmed the goal of Ukraine’s eventual membership in NATO. He said that “tangible steps” would be outlined at a NATO summit in Washington in July to help build its military and bring it closer to the alliance, including security agreements between Ukraine and each member country that extend for a decade and are not subject to political winds.

    “These agreements send a clear message that Ukraine can count on its partners for sustainable, long-term support,” Mr. Blinken said. Such agreements involve intelligence sharing and military planning and cooperation, not direct financial aid.

    “As the war goes on, Russia is going back in time,” Mr. Blinken said. “Ukraine is moving forward.”

    But Mr. Blinken also cautioned that if Ukraine wanted to integrate with the West, including by joining the European Union, it must adopt legal and political reforms and commit to “rooting out the scourge of corruption — once and for all.”

    “Winning on the battlefield will prevent Ukraine from becoming part of Russia,” he said. “Winning the war against corruption will keep Ukraine from becoming like Russia.”

    Mr. Blinken, who arrived on an overnight train from Poland, met earlier in the day with Mr. Zelensky, who profusely thanked him for the “crucial” aid package for his country. Yet Mr. Zelensky quickly added that Ukraine was still in need, pointing to the Russian military advances near Kharkiv in recent days. Russian forces captured another village, Lukiantsi, overnight and bombed Kharkiv on Tuesday morning, injuring four people.

    Calling air defense a “deficit for us,” Mr. Zelensky said, “We really need it today, two Patriots for Kharkiv.”

    Mr. Blinken did not specifically respond to that request for the U.S.-made surface-to-air missile system. But he told Mr. Zelensky that incoming American aid — some of which he said had already arrived — would “make a real difference on the battlefield.”

    Mr. Biden and Mr. Blinken had warned for months that Congress’s delay in approving critically needed U.S. arms would leave Ukraine’s military vulnerable along an eastern battlefront that has been at a stalemate for months. A senior U.S. official declined on Tuesday to draw a direct connection between the delayed aid and Russia’s gains near Kharkiv. But the official, who spoke of the condition of anonymity, said it was clear that the gap in funding had left Ukraine weakened as its military awaited ammunition and other critical equipment.

    The official added that Ukrainian forces had held their positions and were exacting a toll on the Russians, and that they were likely to make gains as U.S. assistance flowed into the country.

    A second senior U.S. official would not say whether Russia had been notified in advance of Mr. Blinken’s visit. Russian forces have frequently attacked Kyiv with missiles and drones.

    Earlier, Mr. Blinken dined with Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, at a pizza restaurant founded and staffed by veterans of the war. He planned to make more stops around the city on Wednesday before returning to Washington.

    Maria Varenikova contributed reporting.

    Israel-Hamas War and Rafah News: Latest Updates

    Peter Watson
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    Israel-Hamas War and Rafah News: Latest Updates

    With Israeli troops returning to clear Hamas for the second or third time from parts of northern Gaza, and fighting farther south in Rafah, too, Israel’s government has found itself confronting more vocal discontent from an important constituency: its own military leaders.

    Current and former senior military officers have begun to argue more openly that because the government has failed to roll out a plan for what follows the fighting in Gaza, Israeli troops are being forced — in the eighth month of the war — to battle again for areas of the territory where Hamas fighters have reappeared.

    Two Israeli officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid professional repercussions, said some generals and members of the war cabinet were especially frustrated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to develop and announce a process for building an alternative to Hamas to govern Gaza.

    There was little expectation, among officials or experts, that a new government would be formed while combat raged. But “clear, hold and build” is the widely accepted practice for fighting an insurgency. And to a growing number of critics, Israel appears to be simply stuck in clearing mode, increasing the risks for Israeli soldiers and Gazan civilians while cease-fire talks remain stalemated.

    The two officials said Mr. Netanyahu’s unwillingness to have a serious conversation about the latter phases of the Gaza campaign — the “day after” the fight — has made it easier for Hamas to reconstitute itself in places such as Jabaliya in northern Gaza.

    Israel first attacked Hamas’s ranks there in October — and returned this week with another air and ground assault.

    Much of the global criticism of Israel over the war has focused on the ever-rising civilian death toll. But Eran Lerman, Israel’s deputy national security adviser from 2006 to 2015, said it also stemmed in part from “the lack of coherent vision for the day after.”

    A Palestinian man carrying the body of a child from the rubble of a collapsed building after a strike in Nuseirat, central Gaza, on Tuesday.Credit…Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

    Israel’s generals should have asked tougher questions months ago, according to some analysts.

    “Hamas or some organization like it is going to survive — unless you’d have started much earlier to align the sun, the moon and the stars into something that would create a counter,” said Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “There is no counter. That’s the problem.”

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted calls to bring the fighting to an end, arguing that there can be no civilian government in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed. On Monday, in a podcast interview, he said the territory needed “sustained demilitarization by Israel” first, because “no one’s going to come in until they know that you either destroyed Hamas, or you’re about to destroy Hamas.”

    But with a growing number of analysts and officials questioning whether Israel can accomplish such a broad goal, the more vocal critique from parts of the military reflects a gradually widening rift with the Netanyahu government.

    Military officials, along with the White House and other countries, have grumbled privately for months about a lack of postwar strategy, but the volume of discord is now rising internally and externally as the scale of the counterinsurgency campaign becomes more visible.

    While Israeli strategists have always said they expected troops to go back to some areas of Gaza in later phases of the war to stamp out pockets of resistance, there is a growing sense of it being more difficult now than it needed to be.

    The two Israeli officials said that without an alternative to Hamas for administering the basic needs of the people, or to offer hope for a return to normal life, it is easier for Hamas to slip back into its old haunts or create new ones, making the fight harder for Israeli troops.

    An Israeli military helicopter lifts wounded soldiers near the border with northern Gaza on Tuesday.Credit…Atef Safadi/EPA, via Shutterstock

    The military’s leaders “are frustrated that they have been given a military assignment that ends up repeating like Groundhog Day, because the larger strategic and political questions haven’t been answered by the government,” said Michael Koplow, an analyst at Israel Policy Forum. “If the military frustrations and the angst of military families becomes louder, it will compound the government’s problems and put even more strain on the coalition.”

    For Mr. Netanyahu, the political considerations involve trying to hold together a government with right-wing parties that have demanded an all-out assault on Gaza over American objections, and are unwilling to support what Arab countries have demanded as a prerequisite for their help in Gaza: a path to a Palestinian state.

    If Mr. Netanyahu veers too far from the demands of his coalition partners, they have threatened to topple the government, which could leave Mr. Netanyahu to face a series of corruption allegations without the powers he has as prime minister.

    Dr. Lerman, the former deputy national security adviser, recently published a proposed plan with other scholars at the Wilson Center that calls for a multinational authority to administer and police Gaza, led by the United States, Egypt and other nations. It has been shared with Israeli authorities.

    Other proposals have included efforts to strengthen the Palestinian Authority that now governs part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, but the Israeli government has also rejected that idea, arguing that the authority is not a competent, credible partner.

    American officials over the weekend and on Monday repeated their argument that without a diplomatic solution, Israel would face what the United States confronted in Iraq and Afghanistan: a bloody war of attrition that drags on for years.

    A Palestinian woman being comforted as she grieves over the body of her child after a strike in Nuseirat, central Gaza, on Tuesday.Credit…-/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

    “They will be left holding the bag on an enduring insurgency because a lot of armed Hamas will be left, no matter what they do in Rafah, or if they leave and get out of Gaza, as we believe they need to do,” Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said over the weekend. “Then you’re going to have a vacuum, and a vacuum that’s likely to be filled by chaos, by anarchy, and ultimately by Hamas again.”

    Former Israeli officials sounded warnings about a lack of postwar planning even before the ground assault in Gaza began. On Oct. 14, a week after the devastating Hamas-led attack that killed about 1,200 people, Israeli officials say, and touched off the Israeli military offensive, Tzipi Livni, a former foreign minister, called on the government to consider Gaza’s postwar future.

    “Otherwise,” she said then, “we would get stuck there unnecessarily and with a heavy price tag.”

    In an interview Tuesday, she said this was exactly what had happened.

    “Just imagine if we had decided this before, and started working earlier with the U.S., the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, the U.A.E. and the Saudis,” she said, referring to the United Arab Emirates. “It would be much easier.”

    Johnatan Reiss and Gabby Sobelman contributed reporting.

    — Damien Cave and Adam Rasgon

    Here What’s Coming to Gemini AI for Android

    Peter Watson
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    Here What’s Coming to Gemini AI for Android

    Google’s best new Android feature in years is Circle to Search, which is why it took center stage at today’s Google I/O opening keynote. Google announced new updates to Gemini, the AI that powers the Android operating system. Most of the new features sound helpful, though they might seem more subtle than you were expecting.

    No Google AI Search, I Don’t Need to Learn About the “Benefits of Slavery”

    Google says it will reveal more about Android on Wednesday, May 15, on the second day of its developer conference. Stay tuned for those announcements.

    Circle to Search your homework

    Screenshot: Google

    The first big Gemini update is now available through the Circle to Search gesture. Starting today, you can use the long-press shortcut to look up answers to various physics and math word questions. Google Search will return step-by-step instructions upon query. Note that you’ll have to opt-in for help with math and word problems from the Search Labs menu for the feature to work.

    Google lauds in its blog that this is all possible with its LearnLM, its “new family of models fine-tuned for learning.” Honestly, my elder millennial self is jealous you kids have help like this these days. Google plans to release more STEM homework help later in the year, including the ability to identify graphs and diagrams.

    Gemini gains more context

    A photo showing how you can drag and drop generative images

    Drag and drop generative images between Gemini and other apps.
    Image: Google

    If it’s more context that you wanted for Google Gemini, it’s getting even more of it this year. Google announced at I/O that in an upcoming update, you will call Gemini to interact with the app you’re using. For instance, you can drag and drop a Gemini-generated image into another app like Messages or go deeper on a YouTube video without navigating away. Gemini Advanced subscribers will also have the option to query a PDF for a quick summary. This particular update will roll out “over the next few months.”

    Gemini Nano goes multimodal on device

    A screenshot showing what the phone app shows when there's a scam happening

    An example of a dialog window that Gemini will pop up when it suspects a scam call is in progress.
    Image: Google

    Gemini Nano—the smallest model in Google’s Gemini family and the one that runs on-device the Pixel hardware—will also see an update on compatible Pixel devices later this year. First, Gemini Nano will become multimodal. The AI will finally be able to process text input and audio or video simultaneously. It will benefit Android features like TalkBack, where Nano can generate descriptions for images and interface elements that don’t offer details.

    Gemini Nano is also powering the scam detection feature in the Phone app that Google announced during the keynote. This feature scans the conversation on-device to determine if there’s a scam happening in real-time. Google says the conversation is processed on the hardware side and doesn’t go to a server. Instead, Nano listens for trigger words and phrases and then provides feedback that you may be involved in a scam.

    Gemini for developers

    Steve Ballmer of Microsoft fame said it first: the developer conference is all about the developers, developers, developers! Google reminded its developers that Gemini is available for use in Android Studio. Developers get early access to Gemini 1.5 Pro, which can help with coding and compiling.

    Apple Makes Worldwide Deal For ‘Tenzing’ With Tom Hiddleston

    Peter Watson
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    Apple Makes Worldwide Deal For ‘Tenzing’ With Tom Hiddleston

    Michael Buckner/Chris Chapman for Deadline/Alfred Gregory/Royal Geographical Society via Getty Images

    In a big deal that closed in the days leading into this week’s Cannes market, Apple Original Films has landed worldwide rights to Tenzing, the new package we told you about last week starring Tom Hiddleston and Willem Dafoe.

    The question we asked today was whether the U.S. buyers would come to play for the Cannes market projects and we have an answer already.

    Oscar-winning producer See-Saw Films (The King’s Speech) is producing Tenzing, about the inspirational life of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and his summit of Mount Everest in 1953 alongside fellow outsider New Zealander Edmund Hillary.

    A search is underway to cast the lead role of Tenzing Norgay who will star alongside BAFTA-nominated Tom Hiddleston (Loki) as Sir Edmund Hillary and four-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (Poor Things) as the English expedition leader, Colonel John Hunt.

    Tenzing comes from filmmaker Jennifer Peedom who has the exclusive rights to tell Tenzing’s story via his family and has a close relationship with the Sherpa community after making acclaimed documentary Sherpa.

    Script comes from Oscar-nominated Luke Davies (Lion) and producers are Liz Watts, Emile Sherman and Iain Canning for See-Saw Films, alongside Jennifer Peedom and Luke Davies. Executive producers are Simon Gillis, David Michôd and Norbu Tenzing.

    Rocket Science was handling international sales in partnership with Cross City Films, See-Saw’s in-house sales arm. UTA Independent Film Group and Cross City Films were co-repping the U.S. sale and brokered the Apple deal. We understand filming is being lined up for spring 2025.

    The project was being touted to buyers as having a budget in the $25M range. We hear it skews more intriguing character piece than an action-packed Everest-type but there will be a number of climbing sequences.

    Tibetan born Tenzing Norgay, alongside New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary, both outsiders on a British Expedition, defied insurmountable odds to achieve what was once thought impossible, reaching the summit of the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest. After six previous attempts, Tenzing risked everything for one final venture. He had to navigate treacherous politics and perilous weather as he embarked on the most significant climb of his life. Through it all, he did so with humor, warmth, and generosity towards his fellow climbers, but also deep reverence and respect for the sacred Mother Goddess of his Mountain, Chomolungma.

    Peedom is known for her intimate portraits against epic landscapes, including documentaries Solo, Sherpa and Mountain.

    20 Things to do Before 9 A.M. For a Better Lifestyle

    Peter Watson
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    20 Things to do Before 9 A.M. For a Better Lifestyle

    Here are a few things you can incorporate into your mornings to set yourself up for success during the day!

    1. Hydrate with lemon water: Starts your digestion and provides a vitamin C boost.
    2. 10 min morning stretch/yoga: Activates your muscles and enhances flexibility.
    3. Gratitude journaling: Promotes a positive mindset and helps you appreciate the good in life.
    4. Nutritious breakfast: Include proteins, whole grains, and fruits for a balanced meal.
    5. Plan your day in a to-do list: Lowers stress and aids in time management for a productive day.
    6. 5 min mindful meditation: Alleviates stress, enhances focus, and brings clarity.
    7. Energizing shower: Alternate between warm and cool water for a refreshing effect.
    8. Listen to uplifting music/podcast: Choose something positive or informative.
    9. Light exercise/walk: Releases endorphins, boosting your mood and energy levels.
    10. Read book/news for 15 min: Engages your mind and offers new insights.

    Click here for the full list!

    Rory McIlroy files for divorce from wife Erica

    Peter Watson
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    Rory McIlroy files for divorce from wife Erica

    Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce from his wife Erica Stoll ahead of this week’s PGA Championship.

    The PGA Tour star filed divorce documents in Florida on Monday, according to TMZ Sports, seven years after they got married.

    McIlory, 35, shares 3-year-old daughter Poppy with Stoll.

    Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce from his wife Erica. EPA
    Rory McIlroy celebrates his 2021 Wells Fargo Championship win with wife Erica and daughter Poppy. Getty Images
    Rory McIlroy and wife Erica with their daughter Poppy in 2021. Getty Images

    The four-time major winner was first romantically linked to Stoll in late 2014, months after he broke off his engagement with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.

    They met two years prior at the Ryder Cup, where Stoll worked as a PGA transport official, according to People.

    “Erica that week was always the one that was checking us in and out. She was there at transportation, so she was always in the car park over there (by the clubhouse),” McIlroy said in a 2019 interview, according to NBC Sports. 

    “But yeah, it’s still cool to look around and think about that week, and obviously everything that’s happened since then. It’s pretty cool.”

    Rory McIlroy poses for a photo with his wife, Erica Stoll and daughter Poppy McIlroy during the Par 3 contest prior to the 2023 Masters. Getty Images
    Rory McIlroy and wife Erica Stoll ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome. Getty Images
    Rory McIlroy and his wife Erica on the final day of the Ryder Cup on Oct. 1, 2023. Sportsfile via Getty Images

    McIlroy married Stoll in a star-studded ceremony at Ashford Castle in Ireland in 2017, with Stevie Wonder, Ed Sheeran and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin among those in attendance, according to E! News.

    Stoll supported McIlroy at various events on the golf circuit, including last year’s Ryder Cup in Italy.

    Poppy, whom Stoll and McIlroy welcomed in 2020, also took part in the Par 3 Contest at the Masters in 2023.

    McIlroy’s camp confirmed Monday to the Irish Independent a divorce has been filed and “they stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible.”

    Rory McIlroy’s wife Erica Stoll looks on during the Masters Par 3 contest on April 5, 2023. Getty Images
    Rory McIlroy celebrates winning the Wells Fargo Championship on May 12, 2024. Getty Images

    McIlroy “will not be making any further comment,” per the Irish Independent.

    The news of McIlroy’s divorce comes days before the opening round of the PGA Championship, which begins Thursday at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.

    McIlroy won the major in 2012 and ’14.

    He is coming off a win at last weekend’s Wells Fargo Championship, where he finished at 17-under par.

    US suffers radio blackouts after being hit by ANOTHER solar storm, NOAA says

    Peter Watson
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    US suffers radio blackouts after being hit by ANOTHER solar storm, NOAA says


    By Stacy Liberatore For Dailymail.com

    19:12 14 May 2024, updated 19:53 14 May 2024



    The sun has released another powerful stream of energized particles toward Earth – after an earlier round caused blackouts across the U.S.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) showed disruptions over all of North America on Tuesday at about 12:51pm ET.

    The solar flare, classified as an X8.8, was the the strongest to come from this cycle which started in 2017. On Friday, they clocked a radio blackout level 3 (R3) on a scale from one to five.

    The stream launched from a sunspot that has been pummeling our planet for the last few days, which NOAA had said is the size of the spot that caused the worst solar storm in history.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) showed communication disruptions over North and South America at around 12:51pm ET

    Space weather physicist Dr Tamitha Skov told DailyMail.com: ‘As for the big X-flare, it’s the biggest of the cycle thus far. 

    ‘It would have been our first R4-level radio blackout, but it was partially blocked by the sun. 

    ‘The region that fired the flare is now mostly behind the sun’s west limb so we can’t even see it anymore.’

    The current solar cycle started in mid-December 2016.

    ‘We are now in the solar maximum phase,’ Skov said.

    ‘It is hard to tell if we have passed through the peak of solar maximum or not. (I doubt it because I think this cycle will have two peaks, just like last cycle.) Time will tell.’

    The sunspot causing chaos in space is AR 3664, which grew to the size of the one that caused the 1859 Carrington event, which set telegraph stations on fire and cut communications worldwide.

    AR 3664 rotated out of the view from Earth Tuesday, but said goodbye with one final blast.

    The solar flare, classified as an X8.8, was the the strongest to come from this cycle yet, which began in 2017, clocking in as a high radio blackout level 3 (R3) on a scale from one to five
    The powerful X-class flare erupted from the sun a little more than two hours before blackouts were reported over the US

    Subatomic debris of electrons and protons from the flare could also hit our planet, which would cascade on the the surface.

    The particles have the ability to disrupt satellite communications, cause radiation hazard for astronauts and interfere with power grids on the ground. 

    NOAA had predicted a 60 percent chance of that happening Tuesday.

    The event, called a radiation storm, is guided by a magnetic field that curls out of the sun into our solar system.

    As the sun rotates, the magnetic fields that emanate from it bend as they flow passed the planets in its orbit, creating a spiral structure known as the Parker Spiral.

    Charged particles from a solar flare can become caught in these spirals, shooting them around back to Earth — when they would have otherwise missed our planet.

    Tuesday’s flare follows days of solar activity that caused NOAA had warned could have been the worst solar storm in 165 years.

    Is the ‘Godzilla’ weight loss jab REALLY the best? MailOnline’s graphic reveals all… and how it truly compares against rivals Ozempic and Mounjaro

    Peter Watson
    -
    0
    Is the ‘Godzilla’ weight loss jab REALLY the best? MailOnline’s graphic reveals all… and how it truly compares against rivals Ozempic and Mounjaro


    By Emily Stearn, Health Reporter For Mailonline

    16:04 14 May 2024, updated 16:48 14 May 2024



    A new weight loss jab nicknamed ‘Godzilla’ could be the best so far, research has suggested. 

    Exciting trials of the drug, retatrutide, revealed it helped people shed a quarter of their body weight in under a year. 

    Unlike other slimming injections, retatrutide not only suppresses the appetite but also speeds up the metabolism.

    Yet is it the most effective? A fascinating MailOnline graphic demonstrates exactly how it stacks up against its rivals. 

    Click here to resize this module

    Semaglutide 

    Semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, mimics a hormone called GLP-1 that makes people feel full.

    Ozempic is currently only available on the NHS for managing blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes patients.

    Its dramatic slimming effects, shown in trials and real-life scenarios, saw doctors and pharmacists dish it out ‘off-label’ for people wanting to lose weight. 

    Health chiefs, however, have repeatedly urged against doing so due to supply issues, warning it put diabetics’ lives at risk. 

    Wegovy, packed with the same active ingredient, was approved last year specifically for weight loss. Although it is also being hit by global shortages. 

    Click here to resize this module

    Trials pivotal to getting Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide approved show it can help users shed up to 15 per cent of their body weight over 68 weeks.

    A month’s supply is available privately in the likes of Boots and Superdrug for around £200. 

    Eligibility criteria for people wanting the get the drug on the NHS — for the standard prescription rate of £9.90 in England — is strict. 

    And the drugs are not without side effects.  

    Users commonly complain of nausea, constipation and diarrhoea after taking the medication. 

    Tirzepatide 

    Mounjaro, as it is branded, also mimics GLP-1, as well a second appetite-controlling hormone called GIP. 

    Studies have found the drug, made by US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, could help obese people lose up to 22.5 per cent of their body weight in 72 weeks.

    It is self-injected once a week, just like semaglutide. 

    The stark difference in results led US diabetes expert Dr Julio Rosenstock to declare Mounjaro ‘King Kong’ compared to ‘the gorilla’ of its rival Wegovy. 

    Some patients already taking the drug have shared their results on social media, with one overweight man claiming it helped him shed 100lb (45.4kg).

    Similar to semaglutide, side effects of tirzepatide (Mounjaro’s generic name) include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting — which usually goes away over time — and constipation.

    It was given the green light by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) for NHS use in September for patients with type 2 diabetes who do not have the condition under control.

    It is not yet used by the health service for obesity. 

    But in February was made available privately in Britain, with clinics charging around £40 for a week’s supply. 

    Click here to resize this module

    Retatrutide 

    Retatrutide, meanwhile, adds a third hormone called glucagon, which triggers the body to burn more fat, increasing the rate of calorie burning.

    Trial results, presented yesterday at the European Obesity Congress in Venice, showed it achieved even greater average weight loss — 24 per cent of body weight — over a shorter period of 48 weeks.

    Its phase two study of 338 obese people also found results were even more stark in women, helping them lose 28.5 per cent of their body weight.

    By comparison, men lost an average of 21.2 per cent.

    And more obese participants lost an even greater percentage of their body weight at 26.5 per cent in 48 weeks. 

    Unusually, 100 per cent of trial participants lost at least 5 per cent.

    Like all previous GLP-1 drugs, retatrutide — taken once a week — has led to side effects including nausea, diarrhoea and constipation. 

    But the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that the drug also had other health benefits. 

    Participants saw significant improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Four in ten participants were able to come off medication for high blood pressure.

    Manufactured by American pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly, larger trials are now underway with results expected in 2026. 

    It means the treatment could be available on the NHS within around three years, pending final regulatory hurdles.

    According to the latest data digestive problems were the most commonly reported side effects of tirzepatide, the active ingredient of Mounjaro. These included about one in five participants suffering from nausea and diarrhoea, and about one in 10 reporting vomiting or diarrhoea

    Orlistat   

    Orlistat is a pill already available on the NHS for weight loss. 

    Taken up to three times a day with a meal, it prevents fat being absorbed by the digestive system.

    The undigested fat is instead passed out of the body as faeces.

    While this stops people gaining more weight, it doesn’t help them lose it by itself.

    Side effects include fatty or oily poo, oily discharge from the rectum, and high levels of flatulence.

    Manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Roche, early studies suggest patients taking 120mg could lose up to (22.7lbs) 10.3kg over 52 weeks. 

    Its prescription on the NHS is limited to those who are obese or overweight and have another health problem such as high blood pressure. 

    Sold under the brand name Saxenda, the daily self-administered jab is another weight loss treatment already available on the health service

    Liraglutide 

    Sold under the brand name Saxenda, the daily self-administered jab is another weight loss treatment already available on the health service.

    It works in a similar way to semaglutide by altering the body’s metabolism, making people feel fuller and less hungry.

    This leads them to eat less and, in theory, lose weight.

    Saxenda, however, is one of a number of similar drugs that are experiencing a global supply shortage.

    Liraglutide is generally only prescribed on the NHS after a GP refers you to a specialist weight loss management service and when orlistat hasn’t worked.

    Side effects include aches and pains, diarrhoea, fever, frequent urination, and trouble sleeping.

    Manufactured by Novo Nordisk, trials have found users lose an average of 6.4 per cent of their body weight over 68 weeks. 

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