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Beach volleyball at Eiffel Tower stadium draws the crowds looking for the perfect social media post

PARIS (AP) — Lena Von Schōnlaub used Eiffel Tower Stadium as a backdrop for her personal private picture shoot.

Von Schōnlaub shifted her head backward and forward, smiling large whereas she held her cellphone in entrance of her face and clicked time and again. Paris’ iconic Eiffel Tower hovered proper behind her, overlooking the location the place seashore volleyball is being performed on the 2024 Paris Olympics.

It has been one of the crucial widespread points of interest of the Olympics, drawing lots of of individuals in search of the perfect picture to put up on their social media pages. The right setting for a digital age.

“I feel it’s essentially the most lovely location you may have,” stated Von Schōnlaub, who traveled to Paris from Munich, Germany. “It’s Instagrammable.”

The sand and upbeat DJ music all the time give seashore volleyball the texture of a celebration. The game has been performed at loads of iconic websites, together with Copacabana Seaside on the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the place seashore volleyball may be very widespread.

However for a lot of athletes and guests, Eiffel Tower Stadium is an unparalleled background.

The 13,000-seat stadium was constructed particularly for the Olympics at Champ de Mars, a backyard the place Parisians and vacationers usually sit on the grass for picnics or July 14 firework shows. The positioning attracts lots of of individuals on any common day, however because the begin of the Olympics, folks purchase tickets to seashore volleyball matches simply to squeeze by way of crowds of individuals for the right selfies and movies with the tower and sand within the background.

“We don’t actually observe seashore volleyball however we wished to see the location with the Eiffel Tower,” stated Solene Naeye, a neighborhood Parisian who got here to the spot for footage. She took in her environment and famous the great thing about the second. “It’s a method for us French folks to rediscover our metropolis, in order that’s very nice.”

Matt Knigge, an alternate with the U.S. males’s indoor volleyball staff, got here to the stadium on his night time off from coaching Sunday. Knigge, from California, has traveled throughout enjoying volleyball however stated he’s by no means seen such an “emblematic” location.

“You’re hard-pressed to search out something extra lovely than what we have now proper now,” he stated, pointing up on the tower. “The solar is setting within the background. I feel for those who had been writing a fairytale of seashore volleyball on the Olympics, that is it.”

He took photographs of himself along with his digital digicam, after which requested a stadium attendant to get a photograph of him, hoping for the perfect angle doable. Then he took just a few extra on his cellphone.

“Within the day and age of social media and other people advertising based mostly on social media, that is it,” Knigge stated whereas pointing round. “They’ve achieved it. They’ve achieved it.”

TikTok stated the Eiffel Tower location tag on its app had over 80,000 posts Sunday, with the seashore volleyball hashtag round 88,900.

Athletes from sports activities all throughout the Video games have come over. French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited the stadium on Wednesday, posted a selfie video from the highest row of the stands going through the Eiffel Tower.

American school gymnast and social media influencer Olivia Dunne was there Saturday night time getting some photographs for all her socials. She shared a video along with her 8 million followers on TikTok, in addition to photographs on her Instagram tales. Her TikTok put up, throughout which she was standing proper in entrance of the Eiffel Tower, had 1.6 million views and greater than 173,000 likes solely 23 hours later.

Proper round 10 p.m. Sunday, the lights on the stadium dimmed. The tower lit up. Orange streaks painted the blue sky. Immediately, the tower started to sparkle and everybody “ooh’d” and “ah’d” in concord. All of them raised their telephones, the identical picture displayed 1000’s of occasions all through the venue.

“I’ll positively be making a put up on Instagram,” stated Kaden Augustine, of St. Louis, Missouri, standing subsequent to his brother, Kanen, in matching overalls displaying the U.S. flag. “Simply due to how fairly it’s right here.”

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AP Summer season Olympics:

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Results of Venezuela’s presidential election could be hugely consequential : NPR

A Venezuelan dwelling in Brasilia, Brazil, along with his face painted within the colours of his nation’s flag, gathers with fellow Venezuelans on the day of their nation’s presidential election, Sunday, July 28, 2024.

Eraldo Peres/AP


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Eraldo Peres/AP

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelans waited anxiously for the outcomes of Sunday’s presidential election that might pave the best way to an finish to 25 years of single social gathering rule, whilst some polls remained open greater than three hours after a deadline to shut.

President Nicolás Maduro, in in search of a 3rd time period, confronted his hardest problem but from the unlikeliest of opponents: Edmundo González, a retired diplomat who was unknown to voters earlier than being tapped in April as a last-minute stand-in for opposition powerhouse Maria Corina Machado.

Opposition leaders had been already celebrating, on-line and out of doors a number of voting facilities, what they assured was a landslide victory for González. Their hope was boosted by purported exit polls displaying a wholesome margin of victory for González. Exit polls aren’t allowed below Venezuelan legislation.

“I am so glad,” stated Merling Fernández, a 31-year-old financial institution worker, as a consultant for the opposition marketing campaign walked out of 1 voting heart in a working class neighborhood of Caracas to announce outcomes displaying González greater than doubled Maduro’s vote depend. Dozens standing close by erupted in an impromptu rendition of the nationwide anthem.

“That is the trail towards a brand new Venezuela,” added Fernández, holding again tears. “We’re all uninterested in this yoke.”

Maduro supporters weren’t displaying any indicators of chucking up the sponge, nevertheless.

“We will not give outcomes, however we are able to present face,” a smiling Jorge Rodriguez, marketing campaign chief for Maduro, stated at a press convention.

Polls had been supposed to start closing at 6 p.m. however greater than three hours after the deadline some voting facilities in Caracas remained open and authorities had been silent. The opposition known as for the Nationwide Electoral Council to start counting ballots.

“That is the decisive second,” Machado, flanked by González, advised reporters at their marketing campaign headquarters.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado hugs supporters after voting in the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, July 28, 2024.

Opposition chief Maria Corina Machado hugs supporters after voting within the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, July 28, 2024.

Matias Delacroix/AP


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Matias Delacroix/AP

Machado was cautious to not declare victory earlier than authorities announce outcomes however stated she had already obtained copies of some official voting tallies and so they indicated a report turnout — precisely what the opposition wanted to beat Maduro’s well-greased electoral machine.

González was equally enthused, congratulating Venezuelans on the “historic” day and urging supporters to “have fun in peace.”

Earlier, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris supplied her help. “The USA stands with the folks of Venezuela who expressed their voice in in the present day’s historic presidential election.,” Harris wrote on X. “The need of the Venezuelan folks have to be revered.”

A number of Maduro allies had been additionally projecting confidence.

“The poll bins categorical what the streets stated throughout these previous few months of campaigning,” Maduro’s son, lawmaker Nicolas Maduro Guerra, stated on X as evening fell on the capital. “Victory for the Venezuelan folks.”

However within the absence of any order to shut polls, their optimism rang hole.

Voters began lining up at some voting facilities throughout the nation earlier than daybreak Sunday, sharing water, espresso and snacks for a number of hours.

The election may have ripple results all through the Americas, with authorities opponents and supporters alike signaling their curiosity in becoming a member of the exodus of seven.7 million Venezuelans who’ve already left their houses for alternatives overseas ought to Maduro win one other six 12 months time period.

Authorities set Sunday’s election to coincide with what would have been the seventieth birthday of former President Hugo Chávez, the revered leftist firebrand who died of most cancers in 2013, leaving his Bolivarian revolution within the arms of Maduro. However Maduro and his United Socialist Social gathering of Venezuela are extra unpopular than ever amongst many citizens who blame his insurance policies for crushing wages, spurring starvation, crippling the oil business and separating households because of migration.

Maduro, 61, is dealing with off in opposition to an opposition that has managed to line up behind a single candidate after years of intraparty divisions and election boycotts that torpedoed their ambitions to topple the ruling social gathering.

Machado was blocked by the Maduro-controlled supreme courtroom from working for any workplace for 15 years. A former lawmaker, she swept the opposition’s October main with over 90% of the vote. After she was blocked from becoming a member of the presidential race, she selected a school professor as her substitute on the poll, however the Nationwide Electoral Council additionally barred her from registering. That is when González, a political newcomer, was chosen.

Sunday’s poll additionally options eight different candidates difficult Maduro, however solely González threatens Maduro’s rule.

After voting, Maduro stated he would acknowledge the election outcome and urged all different candidates to publicly declare that they’d do the identical.

“Nobody goes to create chaos in Venezuela,” Maduro stated. “I acknowledge and can acknowledge the electoral referee, the official bulletins and I’ll be sure that they’re acknowledged.”

Venezuela sits atop the world’s largest confirmed oil reserves, and as soon as boasted Latin America’s most superior financial system. However it entered right into a free fall after Maduro took the helm. Plummeting oil costs, widespread shortages and hyperinflation that soared previous 130,000% led first to social unrest after which mass emigration.

Financial sanctions from the U.S. in search of to pressure Maduro from energy after his 2018 reelection — which the U.S. and dozens of different international locations condemned as illegitimate — solely deepened the disaster.

Maduro’s pitch to voters this election is one in every of financial safety, which he tried to promote with tales of entrepreneurship and references to a secure forex trade and decrease inflation charges. The Worldwide Financial Fund forecasts the financial system will develop 4% this 12 months — one of many quickest in Latin America — after having shrunk 71% from 2012 to 2020.

However most Venezuelans haven’t seen any enchancment of their high quality of life. Many earn below $200 a month, which suggests households wrestle to afford important gadgets. Some work second and third jobs. A basket of primary staples — enough to feed a household of 4 for a month — prices an estimated $385.

Judith Cantilla, 52, voted to vary these situations.

“For me, change in Venezuela (is) that there are jobs, that there is safety, there’s medication within the hospitals, good pay for the academics, for the docs,” she stated, casting her poll within the working-class Petare neighborhood of Caracas.

Elsewhere, Liana Ibarra, a manicurist in better Caracas, obtained in line at 3 a.m. Sunday together with her water, espresso and cassava snack-laden backpack solely to seek out at the very least 150 folks forward of her.

“There was a variety of indifference towards elections, however not anymore,” Ibarra stated.

She stated that if González loses, she is going to ask her kin dwelling within the U.S. to sponsor her and her son’s software to legally to migrate there. “We will not take it anymore,” she stated.

The opposition has tried to grab on the large inequalities arising from the disaster, throughout which Venezuelans deserted their nation’s forex, the bolivar, for the U.S. greenback.

González and Machado targeted a lot of their campaigning on Venezuela’s huge hinterland, the place the financial exercise seen in Caracas lately did not materialize. They promised a authorities that may create enough jobs to draw Venezuelans dwelling overseas to return house and reunite with their households.

After voting at a church-adjacent ballot website in an upper-class Caracas neighborhood, González known as on the nation’s armed forces to respect “the choice of our folks.”

“What we see in the present day are strains of pleasure and hope,” González, 74, advised reporters. “We are going to change hatred for love. We are going to change poverty for progress. We are going to change corruption for honesty. We are going to change goodbyes for reunions.”

An April ballot by Caracas-based Delphos stated a few quarter of Venezuelans had been enthusiastic about emigrating if Maduro wins Sunday. The ballot had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 share factors.

Most Venezuelans who migrated over the previous 11 years settled in Latin America and the Caribbean. Lately, many started setting their sights on the U.S.

Each campaigns have distinguished themselves not just for the political actions they characterize but in addition on how they’ve addressed voters’ hopes and fears.

Maduro’s marketing campaign rallies featured full of life digital merengue dancing in addition to speeches attacking his opponents. However after he caught warmth from leftist allies similar to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for a remark a few “massacre” ought to he lose, Maduro recoiled. His son advised the Spanish newspaper El Pais that the ruling social gathering would peacefully hand over the presidency if it loses — a uncommon admission of vulnerability out of step with Maduro marketing campaign’s triumphalist tone.

In distinction, the rallies of González and Machado prompted folks to cry and chant ” Freedom! Freedom! ” because the duo handed by. Individuals handed the religious Catholics rosaries, walked alongside highways and went via navy checkpoints to succeed in their occasions. Others video-called their kin who’ve migrated to allow them to catch a glimpse of the candidates.

“We don’t need extra Venezuelans leaving, and to those that have left I say that we are going to do every little thing potential to get them again right here, and we are going to welcome them with open arms,” González stated Sunday.

Related Press author Fabiola Sánchez contributed to this report.

Simone Biles’ gritty performance helps U.S. take lead during Olympic qualifications

Regardless of Biles’ struggles, her teammates rallied behind her. 

Defending Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee, who had a nervy begin to the competitors on beam with a number of stability checks, had the routine of her life on uneven bars to safe her spot within the all-around last with an opportunity to defend her title. Lee sits second behind Biles with a 56.132, simply 0.067 forward of Jordan Chiles. Lee at the moment sits third on uneven bars (14.866) and beam (14.033). Chiles sits second behind Biles on flooring (13.866). 

Tokyo Olympic flooring champion Jade Carey is not going to have an opportunity to defend her title after solely posting a ten.633. Carey made a number of uncharacteristic errors all through her routine and appeared to get misplaced within the air on her double tuck, doing solely a single tuck and rolling on her again and out of bounds. Carey rebounded on vault the place her common of 14.433 at the moment locations her second behind Biles’ 15.300. 

Hezly Rivera, who on the age of 16 is the youngest member of the complete U.S. delegation competing Paris, contributed scores of 13.900 on uneven bars and 12.633 on beam.

Within the first rotation, the French born Kaylia Nemour, who’s representing her father’s nation of Algeria, carried out one of the vital tough routines being achieved on the earth on the uneven bars (7.1 D-score). Nemour gained a silver medal on the occasion on the 2023 World Championships and is a robust contender for particular person gold. Nemour at the moment leads the best way on uneven bars (15.600) and sits third within the all-around (55.966). 

Maybe Nemour’s greatest challenger is China’s Qiu Qiyuan who sits second on the occasion after posting a 15.066.

The sector for the workforce, all-around and particular person occasion finals is not going to be finalized till after the tip of the fifth subdivision. 

Outcomes: Workforce | All-Round | Vault | Uneven Bars | Stability Beam | Flooring Train 

US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas to lie in state at Houston city hall

HOUSTON (AP) — A number of days of occasions honoring the lifetime of longtime U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas have been set to start Monday with the lawmaker mendacity in state in Houston’s metropolis corridor.

President Joe Biden additionally was scheduled to come back to Houston Monday night to pay his respects to Jackson Lee, in line with the White Home.

“Irrespective of the difficulty — from delivering racial justice to constructing an financial system for working individuals — she was unrelenting in her management,” Biden mentioned in a press release after Jackson Lee’s dying.

The congresswoman, who helped lead federal efforts to guard ladies from home violence and acknowledge Juneteenth as a nationwide vacation, was 74 when she died on July 19 after battling pancreatic most cancers.

Her physique will lie in state in Houston’s metropolis corridor rotunda for 10 hours on Monday.

The Democrat had represented her Houston-based district and the nation’s fourth-largest metropolis since 1995. She beforehand had breast most cancers and introduced the pancreatic most cancers prognosis on June 2.

Mayor John Whitmire, together with members of Jackson Lee’s household and spiritual leaders, are anticipated to participate in a prayer service Monday morning on the steps of metropolis corridor earlier than the rotunda is opened to the general public.

“For many years, Congresswoman Jackson Lee was a devoted fighter for Houstonians. I invite everybody to go to metropolis corridor to pay tribute to this true public servant and honor her unwavering dedication to our group,” Whitmire mentioned.

Earlier than being elected to Congress, Jackson Lee served on Houston’s metropolis council from 1990 to 1994.

She is ready to be solely the second particular person to be granted the glory of mendacity in state in Houston’s metropolis corridor rotunda. The opposite was famend cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey, who died in 2008.

Jackson Lee additionally is ready to be remembered at viewings and companies on Tuesday and Wednesday earlier than her funeral Thursday.

Vice President Kamala Harris was scheduled to attend the funeral service in Houston.

After first being elected, Jackson Lee rapidly established herself as fierce advocate for ladies and minorities and a pacesetter for Home Democrats on many social justice points, from policing reform to reparations for descendants of enslaved individuals. She led the primary rewrite of the Violence In opposition to Ladies Act in practically a decade, which included protections for Native American, transgender and immigrant ladies.

Jackson Lee routinely received reelection to Congress with ease. She unsuccessfully ran to be Houston’s mayor final 12 months.

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Observe Juan A. Lozano on X:

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Simone Biles hurts her leg in Olympic gymnastics qualifying but finishes 1st anyway

The U.S. gymnast Simone Biles appeared to harm her decrease left leg throughout a warmup on Sunday, however she completed the remaining occasions after wrapping her ankle with thick athletic tape.

Loic Venance / AFP by way of Getty Photographs

On her first day of competitors on the 2024 Olympic Video games, the gymnast Simone Biles appeared to harm her leg throughout a warm-up routine — an damage that brought on issues however finally didn’t preserve her from finishing her routines and ending in first place.

After the competitors, Biles’s coach, Cecile Landi, downplayed the importance of the damage. “She felt slightly one thing in her calf,” Landi mentioned.

Regardless of the damage, Biles posted excessive scores, together with a competition-high 15.8 on the vault. Joined by sturdy performances from her teammates, it was sufficient to safe a spot for the U.S. ladies’s gymnastics crew within the crew all-around ultimate on Tuesday, wherein the U.S. is a favourite to win gold. The person all-around ultimate is about for Thursday.

There are at present no issues “in the intervening time” about Biles’s skill to compete in these occasions, Landi mentioned.

Associated: Pictures from Paris Olympics opening ceremony

Biles appeared to harm her leg throughout a warm-up for the ground train, her second equipment of the evening. After touchdown a cross, Biles walked gingerly off the mat the place she consulted along with her coaches then disappeared briefly from the ground. Afterward, she returned to have her ankle and decrease calf wrapped with thick athletic tape.

Regardless of the damage, Biles went on to finish her remaining routines, scoring a excessive of 15.8 on the vault. “By no means in her thoughts” was there a query of whether or not she would proceed, Landi mentioned.

Simone Biles performed the floor exercise on Sunday with her ankle and calf taped.

Simone Biles carried out the ground train on Sunday along with her ankle and calf taped.

Jamie Squire / Getty Photographs

Expectations for Biles and the remainder of the U.S. ladies’s gymnastics crew are sky-high at this Olympic Video games in Paris.

Biles, 27, has been performing on the highest stage of her profession since she returned to competitors final yr after a two-year hiatus. She is taken into account the favourite to win no less than three particular person gold medals, together with a crew all-around gold for the U.S.

An damage might set these aspirations again. “Initially, I simply need to be certain that she’s bodily okay, after which we’re simply going to go from there,” mentioned ladies’s crew technical lead Chellsie Memmel. “What she was capable of do, with trying like she had some soreness or one thing in her decrease leg, is exceptional.”

Biles had briefly skilled a problem along with her calf earlier this month, Landi revealed. “After that, it stopped. Then slightly bit once more at present,” Landi mentioned. “Just a bit ache in her calf.”

Associated: Paris dazzles with a wet Olympics opening ceremony on the Seine River

The U.S. ladies’s crew completed their spherical of {qualifications} with the highest spot on the crew rankings. Gymnasts Jordan Chiles and Sunisa Lee, the defending gold medalist within the particular person all-around, each completed about 3.5 factors behind Biles.

“Their purpose, it’s extremely apparent, is to return house with a gold medal,” Memmel mentioned.

In three of Sunday’s rounds, Biles carried out final. In consequence, as her opponents rested, she drew the total consideration of a crowd of about 15,000, a lot of whom — together with celebrities Snoop Dogg, Tom Cruise and Anna Wintour — had come largely to see her.

Copyright 2024 NPR

Election 2024: Elon Musk shares a deepfake video that mimics Kamala Harris

NEW YORK (AP) — A manipulated video that mimics the voice of Vice President Kamala Harris saying issues she didn’t say is elevating considerations in regards to the energy of synthetic intelligence to mislead with Election Day about three months away.

The video gained consideration after tech billionaire Elon Musk shared it on his social media platform X on Friday night with out explicitly noting it was initially launched as parody.

The video makes use of lots of the identical visuals as an actual advert that Harris, the possible Democratic president nominee, launched final week launching her marketing campaign. However the video swaps out the voice-over audio with one other voice that convincingly impersonates Harris.

“I, Kamala Harris, am your Democrat candidate for president as a result of Joe Biden lastly uncovered his senility on the debate,” the voice says within the video. It claims Harris is a “range rent” as a result of she is a girl and an individual of shade, and it says she doesn’t know “the very first thing about operating the nation.” The video retains “Harris for President” branding. It additionally provides in some genuine previous clips of Harris.

Mia Ehrenberg, a Harris marketing campaign spokesperson, stated in an e mail to The Related Press: “We imagine the American individuals need the actual freedom, alternative and safety Vice President Harris is providing; not the pretend, manipulated lies of Elon Musk and Donald Trump.”

The broadly shared video is an instance of how lifelike AI-generated photographs, movies or audio clips have been utilized each to poke enjoyable and to mislead about politics as america attracts nearer to the presidential election. It exposes how, as high-quality AI instruments have turn into far extra accessible, there stays an absence of serious federal motion up to now to manage their use, leaving guidelines guiding AI in politics largely to states and social media platforms.

The video additionally raises questions on how one can finest deal with content material that blurs the strains of what’s thought of an acceptable use of AI, notably if it falls into the class of satire.

The unique person who posted the video, a YouTuber generally known as Mr Reagan, has disclosed each on YouTube and on X that the manipulated video is a parody. However Musk’s publish, which has been considered greater than 123 million occasions, in keeping with the platform, solely consists of the caption “That is wonderful” with a laughing emoji.

X customers who’re aware of the platform could know to click on by way of Musk’s publish to the unique person’s publish, the place the disclosure is seen. Musk’s caption doesn’t direct them to take action.

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Whereas some individuals in X’s “group be aware” characteristic so as to add context to posts have prompt labeling Musk’s publish, no such label had been added to it as of Sunday afternoon. Some customers on-line questioned whether or not his publish may violate X’s insurance policies, which say customers “could not share artificial, manipulated, or out-of-context media which will deceive or confuse individuals and result in hurt.”

The coverage has an exception for memes and satire so long as they don’t trigger “important confusion in regards to the authenticity of the media.”

Musk endorsed former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, earlier this month. Neither Mr Reagan nor Musk instantly responded to emailed requests for remark Sunday.

Two consultants who focus on AI-generated media reviewed the pretend advert’s audio and confirmed that a lot of it was generated utilizing AI expertise.

Certainly one of them, College of California, Berkeley, digital forensics knowledgeable Hany Farid, stated the video exhibits the facility of generative AI and deepfakes.

“The AI-generated voice is excellent,” he stated in an e mail. “Although most individuals gained’t imagine it’s VP Harris’ voice, the video is that rather more highly effective when the phrases are in her voice.”

He stated generative AI firms that make voice-cloning instruments and different AI instruments obtainable to the general public ought to do higher to make sure their companies will not be utilized in ways in which may hurt individuals or democracy.

Rob Weissman, co-president of the advocacy group Public Citizen, disagreed with Farid, saying he thought many individuals can be fooled by the video.

“I don’t suppose that’s clearly a joke,” Weissman stated in an interview. “I’m sure that most individuals it don’t assume it’s a joke. The standard isn’t nice, however it’s adequate. And exactly as a result of it feeds into preexisting themes which have circulated round her, most individuals will imagine it to be actual.”

Weissman, whose group has advocated for Congress, federal companies and states to manage generative AI, stated the video is “the type of factor that we’ve been warning about.”

Different generative AI deepfakes in each the U.S. and elsewhere would have tried to affect voters with misinformation, humor or each. In Slovakia in 2023, pretend audio clips impersonated a candidate discussing plans to rig an election and lift the value of beer days earlier than the vote. In Louisiana in 2022, a political motion committee’s satirical advert superimposed a Louisiana mayoral candidate’s face onto an actor portraying him as an underachieving highschool pupil.

Congress has but to cross laws on AI in politics, and federal companies have solely taken restricted steps, leaving most current U.S. regulation to the states. Multiple-third of states have created their very own legal guidelines regulating using AI in campaigns and elections, in keeping with the Nationwide Convention of State Legislatures.

Past X, different social media firms even have created insurance policies concerning artificial and manipulated media shared on their platforms. Customers on the video platform YouTube, for instance, should reveal whether or not they have used generative synthetic intelligence to create movies or face suspension.

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The Related Press receives assist from a number of non-public foundations to reinforce its explanatory protection of elections and democracy. See extra about AP’s democracy initiative right here. The AP is solely liable for all content material.

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Robert Downey Jr.’s shocking return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom divides fans

Tony Stark died a hero. However Robert Downey Jr. lived lengthy sufficient to turn out to be a villain.

Downey had seemingly completed his Marvel profession in 2019 when, after taking part in Stark throughout 10 movies, his superhero alter ego Iron Man lastly died combating Thanos in “Avengers: Endgame.”

However on Saturday, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige shocked the group at San Diego Comedian-Con when he introduced Downey’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — this time as Physician Doom, or Victor Von Doom.

Downey, stepping ahead to disclose himself onstage, tore off his masks to screaming cheers from the group.

“New masks, similar job,” he posted of his return.

One in all Marvel’s most infamous supervillains, Physician Doom is slated to seem within the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.”

However many on-line have expressed confusion concerning the casting alternative.

Followers are questioning how precisely the position would work, with some speculating that Downey will play a variant of Physician Doom who’s truly an evil multiverse model of Stark, and others questioning if Downey will merely play the character with no hyperlinks to Iron Man. Dr. Doom wears a face masks, which suggests Downey’s position is anticipated to contain principally voice work.

Even Gwyneth Paltrow, who co-starred as Pepper Potts within the “Iron Man” franchise, shared her shock on Downey’s Instagram put up, commenting, “I don’t get it, are you a baddie now?”

Memes shortly proliferated on-line after the announcement, poking enjoyable at Downey for instantly returning to the MCU after successful the primary Oscar of his decadeslong profession (for “Oppenheimer”).

Some additionally expressed facetious disdain for a way a lot cash Downey should have accepted to return again to Marvel, suspecting a profitable deal.

Many on-line criticized the casting, writing it off as a alternative “completed strictly for fan service” and expressing that they might have most well-liked a contemporary face over a identified MCU star.

Some followers known as the choice a “determined” play by Marvel after disappointing field workplace numbers for latest movies akin to “Captain Marvel” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” a minimum of till “Deadpool & Wolverine” dominated the field workplace this weekend.

Others, nevertheless, stated they have been merely glad to see Downey return, irrespective of the position.

Downey’s new position seems to be changing that of “Unbelievable 4” villain Kang the Conqueror, who additionally grew to become the topic of many memes on Saturday.

Marvel had introduced in 2022 that Kang can be the main target of the subsequent “Avengers film,” which was titled “The Kang Dynasty” earlier than its rebrand into “Doomsday” — because the studio had lower ties with Kang actor Jonathan Majors final 12 months after he was convicted of assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend.

Olympic medal count: A complete list of Paris 2024 winners

PARIS (AP) — The 2024 Olympics are underway. Australia led the medal standings after the primary day of competitors, however extra winners will be a part of the record every single day from July 27-Aug. 11. See which international locations lead the medal rely. Beneath is a listing of all of the medal winners, daily.

Sunday, July 28

ARCHERY

WOMEN’S TEAM

Gold: South Korea

Silver: China

Bronze: Mexico

CANOE SLALOM

WOMEN’S KAYAK SINGLE

Gold: Jessica Fox, Australia

Silver: Klaudia Zwolinska, Poland

Bronze: Kimberley Woods, Britain

CYCLING MOUNTAIN BIKE

WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY

Gold: Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, France

Silver: Haley Batten, United States

Bronze: Jenny Rissveds, Sweden

FENCING

MEN’S EPEE INDIVIDUAL

Gold: Koki Kano, Japan

Silver: Yannick Borel, France

Bronze: Mohamed Elsayed, Egypt

WOMEN’S FOIL INDIVIDUAL

Gold: Lee Kiefer, United States

Silver: Lauren Scruggs, United States

Bronze: Eleanor Harvey, Canada

JUDO

WOMEN’S 52KG

Gold: Diyora Keldiyorova, Uzbekistan

Silver: Distria Krasniqi, Kosovo

Bronze: Larissa Pimenta, Brazil and Amandine Buchard, France

MEN’S 66KG

Gold: Hifumi Abe, Japan

Silver: Willian Lima, Brazil

Bronze: Gusman Kyrgyzbayev, Kazakhstan and Denis Vieru, Moldova

SHOOTING

MEN’S 10M AIR PISTOL

Gold: Xie Yu, China

Silver: Federico Nilo Maldini, Italy

Bronze: Paolo Monna, Italy

SKATEBOARDING

WOMEN’S STREET

Gold: Coco Yoshizawa, Japan

Silver: Liz Akama, Japan

Bronze: Rayssa Leal, Brazil

SWIMMING

MEN’S 400M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

Gold: Léon Marchand, France

Silver: Tomoyuki Matsushita, Japan

Bronze: Carson Foster, United States

MEN’S 100M BREASTSTROKE

Gold: Nicolo Martinenghi, Italy

Silver: Adam Peaty, Britain and Nic Fink, United States

WOMEN’S 100M BUTTERFLY

Gold: Torri Huske, United States

Silver: Gretchen Walsh, United States

Bronze: Zhang Yufei, China

WOMEN’S 10M AIR PISTOL

Gold: Oh Ye-jin, South Korea

Silver: Kim Ye-ji, South Korea

Bronze: Manu Bhaker, India

Saturday, July 27

CYCLING

MEN’S INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL

Gold: Remco Evenepoel, Belgium

Silver: Filippo Ganna, Italy

Bronze: Wout van Aert, Belgium

WOMEN’S INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL

Gold: Grace Brown, Australia

Silver: Anna Henderson, Britain

Bronze: Chloe Dygert, United States

DIVING

WOMEN’S SYNCHRONISED 3M SPRINGBOARD

Gold: Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen, China

Silver: Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Prepare dinner, United States

Bronze: Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen, Britain

FENCING

WOMEN’S EPEE INDIVIDUAL

Gold: Vivian Kong, Hong Kong

Silver: Auriane Mallo-Breton, France

Bronze: Eszter Muhari, Hungary

MEN’S SABER INDIVIDUAL

Bronze: Luigi Samele, Italy

JUDO

WOMEN 48KG

Gold: Natsumi Tsunoda, Japan

Silver: Baasankhuu Bavuudori, Mongolia

Bronze: Shirine Boukli, France, and Tara Babulfath, Sweden

MEN 60KG

Gold: Yeldos Smetov, Kazakhstan

Silver: Luka Mkheidze, France

Bronze: Ryuju Nagayama, Japan and Francisco Garrigos, Spain

RUGBY SEVENS

Gold: France

Silver: Fiji

Bronze: South Africa

SHOOTING

10M AIR RIFLE MIXED TEAM

Gold: Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao, China

Silver: Keum Ji-hyeon and Park Ha-jun, South Korea

Bronze: Alexandra Le and Islam Satpayev, Kazakhstan

SWIMMING

MEN’S 400M FREESTYLE

Gold: Lukas Maertens, Germany

Silver: Elijah Winnington, Australia

Bronze: Kim Woo-min, South Korea

MEN’S 4X100M FREESTYLE RELAY

Gold: United States

Silver: Australia

Bronze: Italy

WOMEN’S 400M FREESTYLE

Gold: Ariarne Titmus, Australia

Silver: Summer season McIntosh, Canada

Bronze: Katie Ledecky, United States

WOMEN’S 4X100M FREESTYLE RELAY

Gold: Australia

Silver: United States

Bronze: China

See different occasions nonetheless in progress

___

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

How many medals does Team USA have? – NBC New York

The Olympic Video games are underway from Paris!

For a full rundown of all of the occasions every day, now we have a full breakdown of every part airing, together with the place and methods to watch. Each Olympic occasion will likely be streaming reside on Peacock.

In the case of the medal rely, the United States is the favourite to win probably the most medals. China is unlikely to overhaul the U.S. within the general medal haul, however has an opportunity to win extra gold medals than the Individuals.

So which nation is main in medals after the primary day of competitors? Here’s a have a look at the Olympic medal rely (and hold studying for some Group USA highlights from Day 2).

Right here is the complete leaderboard, final up to date July 28 at 5 p.m.

The final Summer season Olympics wherein america didn’t high the gold medal desk was in 2008 in Beijing. International locations all the time get a medal bump being the host nation, and France is anticipated to nearly triple the variety of gold medals it gained in Tokyo.

Group USA gained seven medals on Sunday, bringing their complete to 12 for the primary two days. Of these 12, 9 have been gained by feminine athletes, and U.S. girls completed first and second in two occasions for the day: the 100m butterfly in swimming, and the fencing particular person foil.

Group USA Highlights: Day 2

SIMONE BILES SHINES, DESPITE INJURY

Simone Biles is already making historical past in Paris.

The 27-year-old turned the primary girls’s gymnast to land a Yurchenko double pike vault on the Olympics, taking maintain of the excessive rating within the occasion with a 15.800. It is a transfer that already had been re-named after her — now generally often called the “Biles II.”

The squad of Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera completed in first on the subdivision 2 qualifying on Sunday.

Biles holds the excessive rating within the all-around after finishing her 4 occasions at qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday. She closed the day with a 14.433 in uneven bars, which presently stands because the eighth-highest rating within the occasion.

Biles holds the excessive rating in vault (15.300), ground (14.600) and the second-highest in beam (14.733) for an all-around complete of 59.566.

Her U.S. teammates are proper behind her, with Suni Lee scoring a 56.132 for the second highest all-around rating and Jordan Chiles sitting third with a 56.065.

The 16-year-old New Jersey native made her Olympic debut on steadiness beam and uneven bars, serving to Group USA safe a spot within the staff finals.

The U.S. girls’s gymnastics star is in place to advance to the finals in every occasion, assuming she is not restricted by harm. Biles was heard on digital camera saying she felt one thing in her calf however stepped onto the competitors ground with the leg taped.

She appeared simply wonderful when Taylor Swift’s “Prepared for It” started taking part in and her routine — the toughest on the planet — was stable. She walked gingerly off the ground and sat off to the aspect for a second earlier than receiving a hug from longtime coach Laurent Landi.

Regardless of dominating in qualifying, Biles appeared to irritate her leg throughout warmups for the ground train. She left the ground with Group USA physician Marcia Faustin and later returned along with her ankle taped.

FIRST ALL-U.S. FINAL IN FENCING SINCE 2008

It was American vs. American within the girls’s particular person foil fencing bout.

Lee Kiefer topped Lauren Scruggs 15-6 to win gold, whereas Scruggs claimed silver within the first time ever the U.S. had two girls within the last bout.

Kiefer additionally gained gold in Tokyo, finishing a back-to-back triumph.

ALL THOSE SWIMMERS ARE GOLD (OR SILVER, OR BRONZE)

American swimmers Torri Huske wins gold whereas teammate Gretchen Walsh wins silver within the girls’s 100m Butterfly last.

It was 1-2 Group USA to high the rostrum within the girls’s 100m butterfly Sunday in Paris.

American Torri Huske upset teammate and world file holder Gretchen Walsh, who was favored within the race, to take gold with a 55.59 time.

Individually, Carson Foster took bronze within the males’s 400m particular person medley. And within the males’s 100m breaststroke, New Jersey’s Nic Fink tied with Adam Peaty of Nice Britain with a 59.05 time to take silver in what was a nail-biting race wherein the highest three finishers had been separated by simply 0.02 seconds.

Group USA swimmer Nic Fink tied for silver within the males’s 100m breaststroke last, lacking the gold by two hundredths of a second.

MEN’S BASKETBALL, USWNT START STRONG

Here is a scary thought for the remainder of the basketball world: LeBron James thinks Group USA can get even higher.

The U.S. males’s basketball staff opened the 2024 Paris Olympics with a 110-84 win over Serbia. James and Kevin Durant hit each shot they took within the first half because the staff shot over 62.3% from the sphere and linked on 18 3-pointers. They somewhat simply disposed of considered one of their high threats, which is led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

However the U.S. dedicated 17 turnovers.

“We’re gonna get higher with our turnovers,” James advised NBC after the sport. “Clearly we’re attempting to make the fitting play so you may by no means exclude that, however among the careless turnovers that we had, that we can provide ourselves much more possessions offensively. We’ll be higher popping out on Wednesday.”

The U.S. placed on an announcement towards Germany Sunday.

After a 3-0 win versus Zambia within the opener, the USWNT routed Germany 4-1 to additional put a stamp on Group B. The U.S. can safe first place in its group with no less than a draw on Wednesday versus Australia.

Sophia Smith scored a brace, whereas Mallory Swanson and Lynn Williams additionally received on the scoresheet towards a normally elite German aspect that simply could not include the USWNT’s attacking efficiency.

Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher solely permits a aim as U.S. girls’s soccer defeats Germany 4-1 in pool play on the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Stephen Wade of the Related Press contributed to this report.

Complete Group C standings after U.S. Olympic basketball win over Serbia

The U.S. males’s basketball staff bought its quest for a fifth straight gold off to a flying begin on Sunday, rolling previous Serbia 110-84 because of monster performances from Kevin Durant and LeBron James. It was the form of efficiency that solidified the Individuals as clear favorites on this match. However what does it imply for his or her odds of shifting on to the knockout spherical? Let’s break it down.

Which group is the U.S. in?

America is in Group C, together with Serbia, South Sudan and Puerto Rico.

How does the group section work in Olympic basketball?

Every staff will play the opposite three groups in its group and can earn two factors for a win, one level for a loss and nil factors for a loss by forfeit.

On the finish of the group section, the highest two groups in every group will routinely advance to the quarterfinals. Moreover, the 2 finest third-place groups can even transfer on to the quarterfinals. All different groups are eradicated from the competitors.

Within the occasion of a tie within the standings between two groups in the identical group, head-to-head outcomes can be used because the tiebreaker. Within the occasion of a tie between three or extra groups, there’s a record of additional standards that can be used to interrupt the tie, beginning with the very best level differential in video games between the tied groups.

Full Group C standings: The place U.S. stands after win over Serbia

Here is how issues look in Group C after the primary spherical of play, with the U.S. on high by level differential and South Sudan presently in second.

  Factors Differential
United States 2 26
South Sudan 2 11
Puerto Rico 1 -11
Serbia 1 -26

Subsequent up in group play on Wednesday, July 31: The U.S. meets the South Sudan staff that just about upset them only a week in the past, whereas Nikola Jokic seems to be to get Serbia again on monitor towards Jose Alvarado and Puerto Rico.