You are welcome to join us for:
- Global Crisis Watch 231
- Friday, June 9th 2023, 10:00 /BST/
- Registration >>
The highlighted topics will include:
Russian bombing of UA dam and follow up attacks
On June 6th, 2023, a major dam in southern Ukraine was blown up, causing water to gush out and risking massive flooding. Ukraine points the finger at Russian forces, although Russia claims it was the Ukrainian military that damaged the dam. The stakes are high, with homes and businesses at risk of being flooded, water levels that help cool a nuclear power plant being depleted and drinking water supplies being drained. Over 40,000 people are in danger and more than 17,000 were already being evacuated from flooded areas. The situation is tense and the international community is watching closely.
Warning that AI could wipe out humanity
Max Tegmark, a physicist and AI expert at MIT, thinks there’s a 50% chance that AI will wipe out humanity. He draws parallels with the demise of extinct species, such as the Dodo, which were wiped out by humans because we were smarter. If and when AI becomes smarter than us, the same fate could easily await us, he warns. As professor Tegmark stated “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war”.
Tri-State and NYC areas impacted by Canada wildfires
New York City and the Tri-State area are experiencing hazardous air quality due to smoke from Canada’s wildfires. The unhealthy haze has held up flights at major airports, postponed Major League Baseball games and prompted people to wear pandemic-era face masks. New Jersey officials announced that Newark public schools, the state’s largest school district, as well as schools in Elizabeth, will be closed. Health officials are urging area residents to limit outdoor activities as air quality is expected to remain at “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” levels. This is not something that is normal and plans are underway to distribute masks at police and fire stations.
Knife attack in France
A shocking knife attack has taken place in the picturesque town of Annecy in the French Alps. Four children and an adult have been injured, with at least three of the victims in critical condition. A man armed with a knife entered a children’s playground near the town’s famous lake and attacked a group of children as they played. The suspect has been arrested thanks to the rapid reaction of security forces. French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that it was an act of “absolute cowardice” and the nation was in shock.
Plus all the stories that are catching our attention wherever we live in the world.
Feel free to join us, and add your voice to the conversation!