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Anyone following the rhetoric around <keyword id="107950" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Artificial-Intelligence" source="Orion">artificial intelligence</keyword> in recent years has heard one version or another of the cl<keyword id="6355999" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI" source="Orion">ai</keyword>m that AI is inevitable. Common themes are that AI is already here and indispensable, and people who are bearish on it harm themselves. In the business world, AI advocates tell companies and workers that they will fall behind if they fail to integrate generative AI into their operations. In the sciences, AI advocates promise that AI will aid in curing hitherto intractable diseases. In higher education, AI promoters admonish teachers that students must learn how to use AI or risk becoming uncompetitive when it comes time to find a job. In national security, AI's champions say that either the nation invests heavily in AI weaponry, or it will be at a disadvantage against the Chinese and Russians, who are already doing so. The argument across these different domains is essentially the same: The time for AI skepticism has come and gone. The <keyword id="6355118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technology" source="Orion">technology</keyword> will shape the future, whether you like it or not. You have the choice to learn how to use it or be left out of that future. Anyone trying to stand in the technology's way is as hopeless as the manual weavers who resisted the mechanical looms in the early 19th century. In the past few years, my colleagues and I (Nir Eisikovits, Professor of Philosophy and Director, Applied Ethics Center, UMass Boston) have been studying the ethical questions raised by the widespread adoption of AI, and I believe the inevitability argument is misleading. <h2>History and hindsight</h2> This claim is the most recent version of a deterministic view of technological development. It's the belief that innovations are unstoppable once people start working on them. In other words, some genies don't go back in their bottles. The best you can do is harness them for your good purposes. This deterministic approach to tech has a long history. It's been applied to the influence of the printing press as well as to the rise of automobiles and the infrastructure they require, among other developments. But I believe that when it comes to AI, the technological determinism argument is both exaggerated and oversimplified. <h2>AI in the field(s)</h2> Consider the contention that businesses can't afford to stay out of the AI game. The case has yet to be made that AI is delivering significant productivity gains to the firms that use it. A report in The <keyword id="20856675" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="economist" source="keywords">Economist</keyword> in July 2024 suggests that so far, the technology has had almost no economic impact. AI's role in higher education is also still very much an open question. Though universities have, in the past two years, invested heavily in AI-related initiatives, evidence suggests they may have jumped the gun. The technology can serve as an interesting pedagogical tool. For example, creating a Plato chatbot that lets students have a text conversation with a bot posing as Plato is a cool gimmick. However, AI is already starting to displace some of the best tools teachers have for assessment and for developing critical thinking, such as writing assignments. The college essay is going the way of the dinosaurs as more teachers give up on the ability to tell whether their students are writing their papers themselves. What's the cost-benefit argument for giving up on writing, an important and useful traditional skill? In the sciences and medicine, the use of AI seems promising. Its role in understanding the structure of proteins, for example, will likely be significant for curing diseases. The technology is also transforming medical imaging and has been helpful in accelerating the drug discovery process. But the excitement can become exaggerated. AI-based predictions about which cases of COVID-19 would become severe have roundly failed, and doctors rely excessively on the technology's diagnostic ability, often against their own better clinical judgment. And so, even in this area, where the potential is great, AI's ultimate impact is unclear. In national security, the argument for investing in AI development is compelling. Since the stakes can be high, the argument that if the Chinese and the Russians are developing AI-driven autonomous weapons, the United States can't afford to fall behind has real purchase. But a complete surrender to this form of reasoning, though tempting, is likely to lead the <keyword id="19899807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="u-s-" source="keywords">U.S.</keyword> to overlook the disproportionate impact of these systems on nations that are too poor to participate in the AI arms race. The major powers could deploy the technology in conflicts in these nations. And, just as significantly, this argument de-emphasizes the possibility of collaborating with adversaries on limiting military AI systems, favoring arms race over arms control.<h2> One step at a time</h2> Surveying the potential significance and risks of AI in these different domains merits some skepticism about the technology. I believe that AI should be adopted piecemeal and with a nuanced approach rather than subject to sweeping claims of inevitability. In developing this careful take, there are two things to keep in mind: -First, companies and entrepreneurs working on artificial intelligence have an obvious interest in the technology being perceived as inevitable and necessary, since they make a living from its adoption. It's important to pay attention to who is making claims of inevitability, and why. -Second, it's worth taking a lesson from recent history. Over the past 15 years, smartphones and the social media apps that run on them have come to be seen as a fact of life - a technology as transformative as it is inevitable. Then data started emerging about the <keyword id="6354774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="Orion">mental health</keyword> harms they cause teens, especially young girls. School districts across the United States started to ban phones to protect the attention spans and mental health of their students. And some people have reverted to using flip phones as a quality of life change to avoid smartphones. After a long experiment with the mental health of kids, facilitated by claims of technological determinism, Americans changed course. What seemed fixed turned out to be alterable. There is still time to avoid repeating the same mistake with artificial intelligence, which potentially could have larger consequences for society.

Is AI dominance inevitable? A technology ethicist says no, actually

Legendary <keyword id="19918921" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hollywood-actor" source="keywords">Hollywood actor</keyword> <keyword id="20740436" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Al-Pacino" source="keywords">Al Pacino</keyword>, known for his iconic roles in The Godfather trilogy and Scarface, recently opened up about a terrifying moment during the <keyword id="19897423" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19" source="keywords">COVID-19</keyword> pandemic when he thought he had "experienced death." The 84-year-old actor, in an interview with <keyword id="20038431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="People-magazine" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="People magazine" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="People magazine">People magazine</keyword>, recounted how he fainted while battling the virus in 2020 and was left questioning his very existence when a nurse attending to him couldn’t detect a pulse. Pacino revealed that it was his "great assistant" Michael Quinn who quickly acted, summoning paramedics to his <keyword id="19914983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Los-Angeles" source="keywords">Los Angeles</keyword> home. "He got the people coming, because the nurse that was taking care of me said, 'I don't feel a pulse on this guy,'" Pacino recalled, describing the scene as something straight out of a movie. For a brief moment, the actor believed he had passed away. "I thought I experienced death," Pacino said, "because how did all those people gather together? There was an ambulance in front of my house, six paramedics in my living room, and two of my doctors in space suits. I opened my eyes and thought, 'What happened to me?'" But despite the dramatic circumstances, Pacino doesn’t seem too shaken by the ordeal. "Everybody thought I was dead. I didn't," he said. "If I was dead, I fainted. And when I came to, it was all gone." Quoting Shakespeare's famous line from Hamlet—“To be, or not to be”—Pacino mused on the fragility of life but admitted the experience didn’t leave any lasting change on how he lives. When asked whether the health scare had any effect on his outlook, Pacino simply responded, "Not at all." Pacino, who has lived a life filled with memorable roles, fame, and critical acclaim, seems to be taking this near-brush with death in stride. In fact, he’s keeping busy, with his upcoming memoir *Sonny Boy* on the horizon and a role in <keyword id="19920478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Johnny-Depp" source="keywords">Johnny Depp</keyword>'s directorial project *Modi - Three Days on the Wing of Madness*, which is set for a December 5 release. While many may see such a health scare as a turning point, Pacino remains remarkably unchanged by it. His outlook on life and death, much like his characters on screen, is marked by a sense of calm amidst the chaos. Whether fainting during a pandemic or standing before the camera, Pacino's resilient spirit continues to define him as one of Hollywood's most enduring stars.

'I thought I experienced death': Al Pacino talks about battling Covid-19

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="20348245" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zach" source="keywords">Zach</keyword> and Annie moved their family from <keyword id="19916114" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="california" source="keywords">California</keyword> to <keyword id="20109210" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="scotland" source="keywords">Scotland</keyword> for a simpler life.</li><li>The couple, who have three young kids, loved California but felt that it was too fast-paced.</li></ul>Zach, 38, and Annie, 37, packed up their lives and moved their family from the US to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiny-home-renovation-old-abandoned-cottage-scotland-before-after-photos-2022-7">Scotland</a> earlier this year. They had been living in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/people-stunned-price-of-palo-alto-california-home-for-sale-2024-5">California</a>, where Zach — who was originally from Scotland — was working with the highway patrol. Because of his job, the couple and their three kids had to move frequently throughout the state. Although they had a chance to live in places such as Sonoma County and around <keyword id="19915272" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="silicon-valley" source="keywords">Silicon Valley</keyword>, life always felt "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-i-left-silicon-valley-california-after-two-years-2023-12">extremely fast-paced</a>," Annie, who works in healthcare, told Business Insider. "Life just seemed to be work — or school for the kids — a little break and then repeat. It seemed hard to fit in a lot of quality family time or fun little adventures," Zach told BI. <div type="image" title="A man and a woman posing for a selfie." height="1600" width="1185" msid="113889827" hostid="261"></div>The couple, whose children — two sons and one daughter — are below 10, asked to be identified by only their first names to protect their privacy. They wanted to live a simpler life with their kids, away from the rat race and the pressure to constantly <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millionaire-investing-saving-spending-financial-independence-retire-early-fire-2024-9">keep up with the Joneses.</a> Annie had always wanted to live in Scotland, and late last year — after a decade of living in California — it finally seemed like the right time for their family to seriously consider taking the plunge. <h2>Preparing for the move</h2>In a way, the move felt like it had been 10 years in the making. "Ever since I met Zach, I've wanted to live in Scotland. It's just been me slowly wearing him down and trying to get him to come back," Annie said. The timing for their move was right, in part because their kids were still young. "We knew if we were ever going to make the move, we had to move before our kids established true friend groups and got too far in their academics to where that transition would be difficult," Annie said. The couple knew they wanted to be in the East Lothian area just outside Edinburgh because it was near where Zach grew up. It was also a place that their kids were familiar with. "We made an effort pretty much every year, apart from during COVID-19, to travel back to Scotland," Zach said. Familiarity aside, their kids were also excited by the move because they'd made plenty of good memories on their past visits. <div type="image" title="A wooden front door of a cottage." height="4284" width="5712" msid="113889818" hostid="261"></div>"They love <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-i-bought-my-first-house-22-2024-3">Scotland</a> because they've been here so many times, and every time they come over they think it's magic because their grandparents spoil them and take them to all of the best places," Annie said. "So when we said that we were moving to Scotland, they were all for it for the most part." While Zach and their kids had UK passports, Annie had to apply for a spousal visa, which she said took about two months to be approved. Then came the exciting part: looking for a <keyword id="7173" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="house" source="Orion">house</keyword>. Thankfully, the process wasn't too hard, even though they were still living in California at the time. <div type="image" title="Zach and Annie moved from California to Scotland with their three young kids." height="4284" width="5712" msid="113889826" hostid="261"></div>"Annie's hobby is looking at houses all around the world, she's constantly browsing for fun," Zach said. When the listing for a cozy three-bedroom house came up, the couple jumped on the opportunity. "When it popped up, I thought it was ridiculously underpriced," Annie said. "It was actually the only house that Zach's parents went and toured for us." At Zach's parents' encouragement, the couple decided to put in an offer for the house and ended up getting it. <div type="image" title="A cabinet in the corner of a living room." height="5712" width="4284" msid="113889825" hostid="261"></div>They preferred to keep the exact amount private but said they paid about 15% more than the original asking price of about £200,000, or about $265,000. "Budget-wise, our goal was always to try to not have this huge mortgage hanging over our head. It was something we felt we had in the States, especially in California, where house prices are crazy," Zach said. <h2>Getting settled into their home</h2>Zack and Annie are part of a wave of California residents who are choosing to leave the state. Between 2021 and 2022, 817,669 people left California — making it the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-states-americans-are-moving-to-florida-texas-california-2023-10">US state with the most people moving out</a>. Several former residents that BI previously spoke to said rising crime rates and the high cost of living were factors in their decision to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-why-californians-are-leaving-the-state">leave California</a>. <div type="image" title="The dining area and kitchen." height="4284" width="5712" msid="113889828" hostid="261"></div>Zack and Annie closed on the house in February, but only arrived in Scotland with their kids in May. Since the couple bought their house without viewing it in person, they were a little concerned that it would feel too small for their family of five. "We just moved from a pretty large four-bedroom house that's at least 2,000 square feet in the States to about 950 square feet in Scotland," Annie said. "That's a big change. But when we walked in, the rooms were all really nicely sized, and they just felt right." They spent about two months renovating the place while living with Zach's parents. It wasn't until late July that they finally moved into their new house. <div type="image" title="The dining area." height="1562" width="1179" msid="113889823" hostid="261"></div>"The kids never saw the house unfinished. The moment they stepped in the door, their room was decorated and they had their beds set up with all their toys on it," Annie said. "They walk in and they think everything's beautiful when we actually shed blood, sweat, and tears trying to make it a home, but it was definitely worth it." It's also really easy for the family to get around their neighborhood on foot. The main street of their town — where there are cafés, shops, and a grocery store — is only a 10-minute walk away, Annie said. "We have trails just outside our doorstep where the kids can go explore. There are beaches not too far away," she said, adding that there's no need for a car unless they're driving the kids to their grandparents' place. <div type="image" title="The bathroom." height="4032" width="3024" msid="113889821" hostid="261"></div>"It's a process to get every child loaded up in a car, so we wanted to reduce that as much as possible. And now we just walk to everything we do, and I feel we're healthier for it," she said. If they're ever feeling up for a small adventure, they can easily drive 20 minutes to the various small towns around them, Zach said. "Whereas in the States, if we wanted to go do something different or outside our little area, it's probably a 45-minute drive and then it becomes more of a day trip," he said. <h2>A simple life</h2>The couple says that life in Scotland is simpler — which is exactly what they were looking for. Even though they've only been here for a few months, the couple says they feel more content with life in Scotland — so much so that they even started a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/@SimpleScottishLiving">YouTube channel</a> documenting their adventures in the country. <div type="image" title="A man and a woman gaze lovingly at each other in front of a stone building." height="632" width="843" msid="113889829" hostid="261"></div>Although the couple enjoyed living in the US, life in Scotland reminded them of their own childhoods. "Seeing what the children could get by being over here was sort of nostalgic. It brought us back to the '90s childhood we had," Annie said. "You go out and play until the streetlights turn on, and we just felt this sense of peace and safety in Scotland." Have you recently built or renovated your dream home? If you've got a story to share, get in touch with me at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:agoh@businessinsider.com">agoh@businessinsider.com</a>. Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the converted dollar amount of the home's asking price. It was about $265,000, not $340,000.

A California family of 5 found a house in Scotland listed for under $270,000. The catch: It was half the size of their old place.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Brian Chesky, a former hockey player and industrial design student, is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/brian-chesky/?sh=67d0629444d3">now worth $7.9 billion</a>.</li><li>Chesky started Airbnb after renting out his apartment to conference-goers who couldn't find a hotel.</li></ul>Brian Chesky has helped Airbnb bounce back from many obstacles — and built his Silicon Valley legacy along the way.The now-43-year-old CEO majored in industrial design at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design and also dabbled in hockey and bodybuilding in his 20s.After graduation, an idea he hatched with his San Francisco roommate Joe Gebbia blossomed into tech unicorn Airbnb, which has positioned Chesky as one of Silicon Valley's key players.As of August 2024, Airbnb is worth nearly $73 billion. It had its first profitable year in 2022, and has become synonymous with short-term rentals across the US.Still, the company's stock fell a record 14% in the second quarter of 2024, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/airbnb-stock-price-consumer-demand-slowing-inflation-travel-pandemic-spending-2024-8">Airbnb noted in its earnings call</a> that travelers aren't booking as many stays.Chesky owns an estimated 11% of the short-term rental giant. His current net worth is $7.9 billion, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/brian-chesky/?sh=67d0629444d3">Forbes</a>, which also ranked him as one of the most eligible billionaires in the world alongside Kim Kardashian and Elon Musk.Here's how Brian Chesky, an upstate New York native, became one of the richest young tech founders in America.<h2 id="d229cff2-2c44-4ed3-928c-6af27d384255">Before running Airbnb, Chesky attended art school</h2>Chesky grew up in Niskayuna, New York, north of Albany. He was into hockey, and he also liked to draw and design new versions of Nike sneakers, which turned into an interest in art.Chesky's high school yearbook quote was, "I'm sure I'll amount to nothing." He thought it was funny — his dad didn't.In 1999, Chesky attended Rhode Island School of Design, where he served as captain of the hockey team and studied industrial design.At RISD, Chesky met Joe Gebbia, with whom he would eventually cofound Airbnb. Right before graduation, Gebbia reportedly pulled Chesky aside and said, "Before you get on the plane, there's something I need to tell you. We're going to start a company one day, and they're going to write a book about it," Fortune <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://fortune.com/longform/brian-chesky-airbnb/">reported</a>.<h2 id="abd9e7b9-adfe-4a41-abd9-bce2ff8658fb">It all started as a quick way to make cash</h2>He eventually moved to San Francisco and in with Gebbia, but the two unemployed grads soon ran out of cash.Then, when a design conference came to town in October 2007 and caused all the hotels to sell out, Gebbia pitched Chesky the idea of renting out their space to those who couldn't find a place to stay — a "designer's bed and breakfast."The roommates ended up housing three people that weekend, offering up air mattresses and floor space, as well as Pop-Tarts for breakfast.A few months later, Gebbia and Chesky were joined by their engineer friend, Nathan Blecharczyk. Together, the three guys started what was then called <a target="_blank" href="http://Airbedandbreakfast.com">Airbedandbreakfast.com</a> in August 2008. Chesky "gravitated naturally to the role of leader," Fortune wrote in 2015.<h2 id="730ed8fb-268e-48f2-8b59-8183521d5ee6">Things took off for Airbnb in the 2010s</h2>Since then, Airbnb has not only shortened its name but has listings in more than 220 countries worldwide. The company has served an estimated 1.5 billion guests since its 2008 launch.In 2015, Chesky was named as one of the most influential people alive in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://time.com/collection/2015-time-100/">Time 100</a>. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jony-ive-airbnb-brian-chesky-time-100-list-2015-4">Apple's former design chief, Jony Ive,</a> wrote at the time that Chesky's "audacity is fabulous."Chesky is not married, though he was previously in a relationship with artist Elissa Patel. He has two golden retrievers named Sophie and Sandy.<h2 id="38a076e1-a0d8-421f-9da4-2059bc3e11b6">The pandemic caused ups and downs for the company</h2>Fast forward to February 2020, when cancellations began rolling in due to a mysterious virus. Chesky and his team were three weeks away from filing for Airbnb's IPO.The early days of the pandemic seemed grim. Airbnb's revenue plummeted 80% due to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-ipo-goldman-sachs-pandemic-2022-7">COVID-related travel restrictions</a>. The company burned through its cash reserves and opted to raise $2 billion in debt and equity financing to stay afloat. Its valuation, previously $31 billion, slipped to $18 billion.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-boss-laid-off-staff-pandemic-asked-ceos-hire-thousands-2023-10">Airbnb laid off 1,900 employees</a>, about 25% of its full-time staff. Employees said they felt betrayed, but Chesky was also praised for his handling of the situation. Workers were given generous severance packages, and Chesky offered to help find them jobs elsewhere.He reflected on the firings during an appearance on <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia6Di_ytiSE">The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett</a> in 2023."This is how I want to be remembered. I only remember that when I'm in peril, we're in our darkest hour, I'm not just worrying about how we will survive, I'm trying to call CEOs of other companies to see if they can hire our people," Chesky said.But then travelers burned out from lockdown turned to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-rentals-jump-127-percent-april-may-domestic-travel-surge-2020-5">Airbnb over traditional hotels</a>. Bookings bounced back by as much as 127% between April 2020 and May 2020.<h2 id="06fce8ec-091e-4bbf-a018-d35129707d79">Airbnb goes public</h2>Airbnb went public on December 10, 2020, under the Nasdaq ticker symbol ABNB. Barron's called it a "blockbuster" IPO. On its first day of trading, the company was valued at $86 billion, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-ipo-valuation-tops-three-hotel-chains-combined-opening-day-2020-12">more than hotel rivals Marriott, Hilton, and Intercontinental combined</a>.Between 2020 and 2022, when interest rates were relatively low, many people bought homes to use as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-first-homes-are-ones-they-rent-out-on-airbnb-2022-4">investment properties</a>, planning to rent them out on Airbnb and other short-term-rental sites to help cover their mortgages or simply make extra money.Demand for travel and experiences surged— so much so that Airbnb recorded its first profitable year in 2022, with a $1.9 billion profit. (It lost $352 million in 2021.)<h2 id="08c2048b-dd4b-4ead-ac82-e1a390b2d4e2">Chesky gives back often</h2>Chesky and Airbnb's two other cofounders publicly signed the Giving Pledge in 2016, a philanthropic initiative started by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/billionaires-join-the-bill-gates-and-warren-buffet-giving-pledge-to-give-away-their-wealth-2016-6">Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Melinda French Gates</a>. By doing so, they promise to donate more than half of their wealth within their lifetimes.In 2022, Chesky personally donated $100 million to the Voyagers Scholarship run by former <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.obama.org/press-releases/the-obamas-and-brian-chesky-announce-the-inaugural-cohort-of-voyager-scholarship-recipients/">President and First Lady Obama</a>, which awards $50,000 in tuition for college juniors pursuing public service. Airbnb provides housing to recipients for summer internships and post-grad travel.When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Chesky announced the company would work to house 100,000 refugees with free two-week stays.In November 2022, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-home-listing-free-aircover-guest-verification-2022-11">Chesky listed a guest room </a>in his home on Airbnb, featuring a queen-sized bed and a piece of Airbnb history: the novelty cereal boxes that Chesky sold in 2008 to fund the early days of the company. Chesky told outlets he would make cookies and go to the gym with guests.<h2 id="f8474071-426e-4de9-baaf-881789cfc349">Short-term rental crackdowns and layoffs plagued Airbnb after its profitable year</h2>Countless other real-estate firms conducted mass layoffs due to the cooling housing market. In March 2023, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-tech-layoffs-25-companies-that-have-laid-people-off-2022-7">Airbnb cut 30% of its recruiting staff</a>, representing 0.4% of its total headcount of 6,800.In August — amid protests from locals — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/barcelona-airbnb-ban-florence-amsterdam-lisbon-are-regulations-working-2024-8">Barcelona</a> said it would push to fully ban and eliminate all of its registered short-term rental listings by 2028. Elsewhere, cities like New York, Tokyo, and Vancouver now require hosts to live in the units they're renting out.During its Q2 earnings call, Airbnb told investors that its marketing costs would grow faster than revenue in Q3."Kicking up marketing spend at a moment when demand is softening tends to be the ultimate backbreaker for an internet stock in our experience," analysts from RBC wrote in a note.This story was originally published in 2016. It was last updated in September 2024.

The rise of Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, who overcame the COVID-19 travel slump and is now leading the company through rental crackdowns

New <keyword id="1609796" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 have accounted for about 70 per cent of new Covid-19 cases in the US as the country's overall caseload has surpassed 100 million, according to the latest estimates by the <keyword id="116293" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention" source="Orion">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</keyword> (<keyword id="6379474" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="cdc" source="Orion">CDC</keyword>). BQ.1.1 was estimated to make up about 38.4 per cent of circulating variants in the week ending December 17, and BQ.1 was estimated to make up 30.7 per cent, according to CDC data. The two variants are descendants of Omicron's BA.5 subvariant and they have been growing especially fast since October, reports Xinhua news agency citing the data. At the beginning of October, each of the two new variants accounted for about 1 per cent of new infections. They replaced BA.5 to be dominant strains in mid-November. BA.5 only accounted for 10 per cent of new infections in the latest week. Another Omicron subvariant XBB is also on the rise, accounting for 7.2 per cent of new infections. Researchers found that the BQ and XBB subvariants are "barely susceptible to neutralization" by the vaccines, including the new Omicron boosters, according to a study published recently in the journal <keyword id="6452450" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="cell" source="Orion">Cell</keyword>. This could result in a surge of breakthrough infections and reinfections, though the vaccines have been shown to hold up against severe disease, according to the study. In its latest update on Wednesday, according to data from <keyword id="210763" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="johns-hopkins-university" source="Orion">Johns Hopkins University</keyword>. As of Wednesday, Johns Hopkins University said that country's overall caseload now stood at 100,003,814, while the death toll increased to 1,088,236. With the highest number of cases and deaths, the US remains the worst-hit country in the world. It accounts for more than 15 per cent of the global caseload and over 16 per cent of the overall fatalities. The country's Covid caseload reached 50 million on December 13, 2021, crossed 60 million on January 9, 2022, exceeded 70 million on January 21, topped 80 million on March 29, and surpassed 90 million on July 21. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/lucky-number-in-2023-based-on-date-of-birth-and-zodiac-sign/slidelist/96362537.cms">Lucky Number based on zodiac Sign in 2023</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/tawang-to-get-more-mobile-towers-for-better-connectivity-after-india-china-clash/articleshow/96390882.cms">Tawang to get more mobile towers for better connectivity after India-China clash</a>

New Omicron subvariants account for nearly 70% new Covid cases in US

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Forget friendship bracelets — some Swifties are calling Covid-19 their new concert souvenirs.</li><li>Some fans who got COVID-10 after attending her Eras Tour are calling it a "gift" from "Mother."</li></ul>It's been years since the pandemic times of COVID-19 lockdowns and the era of mandated masking. But while the virus is still circulating, some Swifties have become wildly optimistic about what it means to catch an infection at one of their idol's concerts. So much so that some Swifties on social media are playfully dubbing the COVID-19 infection they think they got from her concerts a "souvenir" and a "gift" from "Mother."A post on X from a Spanish Taylor Swift fan account asked followers: "Did you go to <a target="_blank" class="css-1jxf684 r-bcqeeo r-1ttztb7 r-qvutc0 r-poiln3 r-1loqt21" href="https://x.com/hashtag/MadridTStheErasTour?src=hashtag_click">#MadridTStheErasTour</a> and take COVID, a virus, or a cold with you as a souvenir? I open a survey."Of the nearly 10,800 votes, 35% voted yes. People in the poll's comments section described their symptoms and showed their positive COVID-19 tests — but also raved about how they thought it was worth it. The poll has been viewed nearly 144,000 times at press time.One X user <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RaquellvsRhett/status/1797947023641247766">commented</a>: "Going to Taylor's concert has meant losing my voice, losing my mental health and, well, my health in general, I'm more dead than alive (but I would go to the concert a thousand more times)."Earlier in February, an Australian concertgoer posted a TikTok of herself dressed up in her concert outfit and glam makeup. The video then cut straight to her holding up a positive COVID-19 test kit in bed. She captioned the post: "The Eras Tour souvenir no ones talking about. if youre heading to the sydney shows this weekend, wash your hands regularly!"However, other X users have voiced their disbelief at Swifties calling the virus a souvenir.One X user <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/pot8um/status/1799513266265166174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1799513266265166174%7Ctwgr%5E823e04af52763fad2f3a84db8d34b05f9516778a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmuse.insider.com%2Fstory%2F666a622b074e87bb00f6cf0e">wrote:</a> "Taylor Swift's concert attendees are calling their Covid infections 'souvenirs' and 'gifts' from 'Mother,' and I'm supposed to NOT wanna launch myself into the sun???"Concerts have gained notoriety as COVID-19 superspreader events. In 2021, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsweek.com/over-2200-people-catch-covid-after-spain-music-festivals-catalonia-1616207">over 2,200 people caught the virus</a> after going to music festivals in northeast Spain.And while the virus is treated more like the common flu now, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/august-flu-vs-covid-infection-rate-2023-8">COVID-19 is still circulating</a> — and people are getting infected across the US.Virus-spreading or not, Swift's Eras Tour has been widely successful, propelling the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tortured-poets-department-taylor-swift-new-album-earnings-eras-tour-2024-4">singer-songwriter to billionaire status</a>. Swift is now in the UK for her next leg of the tour. Swift's representative didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The COVID-19 infection you caught at a Taylor Swift concert is not a gift from 'Mother'

Leading a team from the confines of individual bedrooms undoubtedly induced anxiety for <keyword id="20154171" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="managers" source="keywords">managers</keyword> during the COVID-19 <keyword id="91743" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lockdown" source="Orion">lockdown</keyword>. However, there was quick relief in how promptly employees adapted to this new paradigm. While numerous companies have embraced the <keyword id="20626231" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-from-home" source="keywords">work-from-home</keyword> norm, some of these employers have finally begun to call people back to their offices. In March, <keyword id="19969515" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dell" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Dell" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Dell">Dell</keyword> also decided it was time to notify their employees to return to the office, a move whose execution would thrust them into stark controversy. According to a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/dell-workers-can-stay-remote-but-theyre-not-going-to-get-promoted/articleshow/108564894.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Business Insider report</a>, the multinational tech company allegedly sent corporate memos to all employees, explaining that while they could continue to work under hybrid or remote arrangements, only the former would relish the luxury of promotions or favourable role changes within the company. While this discriminatory announcement might seem outright blatant, it turns out that similar ladder-climbing challenges may already be at play, afflicting unknowing remote workers. To assess the relatively uncharted territory of <keyword id="20665553" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="remote-work" source="keywords">remote work</keyword> dynamics, a team of researchers surveyed nearly a thousand UK managers from diverse industries. They were presented with profiles of three completely made-up employees: a fully on-site worker, a hybrid employee working two days from home and three days from the office, and a full-time remote worker working all five days from home. The managers were asked a bunch of career-related questions, such as which hypothetical employee seemed the most competent, who they deemed most fit for promotions and salary hikes, and so on. What they uncovered was nothing short of revelatory: remote workers faced a daunting uphill battle in their quest for <keyword id="3187" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="promotion" source="Orion">promotion</keyword>s and pay raises. Despite contributing the same amount of work, there was an 11% less chance that remote employees would receive a promotion compared to fully on-site workers. Further, they were 9% less likely to receive a pay raise as well. Even the hybrid staff were not immune to the harsh realities of remote work, with the study finding that these managers were, on average, 7% less likely to promote the group compared to the on-site employees. Completing the cherry on top of the discriminatory corporate cake were the gender disparities that surfaced. The researchers found male fully remote workers bore the brunt of the burden, facing a staggering 15% decrease in promotion likelihood and a 10% drop in pay raise prospects compared to the fully on-siters. In comparison, the equivalent figures for women stood at 7% and 8%, respectively. Fortunately, this corporate discrimination was distinctly less pronounced in more supportive organisations. The study found that managers from more demanding offices were a third less likely to promote men who worked entirely from home, compared to full-time office-goers, further highlighting the importance of finding a good boss. "In more supportive organisations, where there is less pressure and long working days and where family-friendly policies exist, we don't find such negative consequences of remote work," explained study author Agnieszka Kasperska. As we navigate the ever-evolving terrain of remote work, it's imperative to heed the lessons learned from this groundbreaking research. By fostering inclusive cultures, implementing supportive policies, and challenging ingrained biases, we can pave the way for a future where remote workers share equal opportunity for growth and advancement. The preliminary findings of this research can be accessed <a href="https://www.wne.uw.edu.pl/application/files/1516/9936/7639/WNE_WP435.pdf" data-type="tilCustomLink">here</a>.

Managers more likely to promote workers who regularly come to office compared to remote employees: study

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In October 2023, Soni Mehra left her Big Tech job to focus on her own home decor business.</li><li>Becoming a full-time entrepreneur has come with changes and challenges, she said.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Soni Mehra, a 30-year-old who left her job at Uber to start her own home decor company, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.marble-lotus.com/">Marble Lotus</a>. Business Insider verified her previous employment at Uber with documentation. The following has been edited for length and clarity.I was born in Delhi in India. My family and I moved to the<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-worst-things-about-leaving-san-francisco-for-la-2024-4"> San Francisco Bay Area</a> when I was 5.Like many other South Asian immigrant families chasing the "American dream," we came for the opportunities.I grew up surrounded by technology and majored in Environmental Economics and Policy at the University of California, Berkeley.I developed a knack for project management and took on coveted roles in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-big-tech-dream-job-pay-perks-not-worth-it-2024-5">Big Tech companies</a> like Lime, LinkedIn, and later Uber, where I was focused on marketing and product operations roles. I spent almost four years as a senior product manager at Uber, earning nearly $300,000, including my bonus.But I left <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-ceo-calls-elon-musk-robotaxi-vision-compelling-2024-10">Uber</a> in October 2023. Earlier in spring, I launched my own South Asian-inspired home decor company.I wanted to take a chance on something I truly loved, but it involved letting go of my <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quadrupled-salary-big-tech-job-hopping-negotiating-2024-8">Big Tech salary</a> and navigating various challenges as a founder and bootstrapper.<h2 id="3a829088-4d6d-4509-817e-9bcfe2d71087">My time at Uber taught me about mentorship, problem-solving, and building in-person connections</h2>I joined Uber in 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic. One of my projects was launching Uber Connect, a delivery system for transporting packages to people during the pandemic.Our Mission Bay office was swanky, but it was only half occupied most days during COVID-19. Whenever I could, I went in and built in-person connections.I loved being a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/product-manager-shares-resume-cisco-consulting-pivot-big-tech-interview-2024-10">product manager</a> and had great mentors. In Uber's work environment, ambitious and hardworking people got promoted. Everyone I worked with was incredibly sharp. I enjoyed solving complex problems together.<h2 id="520e0131-6f89-45cb-999a-670a36a7d517">Tapping into my creative side prompted my entrepreneurial journey</h2>I loved my job, but a part of me knew something was missing. I wanted to be more creative, but I wasn't getting that at Uber because aspects of my role were very technical.I'd always considered <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-start-and-grow-a-business-founders-advice-2023-1">running my own business</a>. My dad was an entrepreneur, so family dinners often turned into strategy meetings. Plus, I valued his flexibility at work.I started taking art, sewing, and pottery classes to fulfill my creative itch. The classes confirmed I should tap into my entrepreneurial side and create a business to invest all my time and energy into.It wasn't until I got married in June 2022 and planned a multi-day South Asian wedding that my hunger for creativity began to deepen. Planning a wedding requires thinking about minute details, interiors, and table settings. When it was over, I wanted to make a concerted effort to infuse creativity into my daily life.<h2 id="b07aa3e2-bd4c-48cf-9683-289a7cc463fd">Marble Lotus was the creative outlet I always looked for</h2>In March 2023, while working at Uber, I launched <a target="_blank" href="https://www.marble-lotus.com/collections/frontpage?utm_source=pggoogleads&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=PG_Search_Brand_Exact_15/06/2024&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwpP63BhDYARIsAOQkATZml_NlM3bB-Uq7iMiEXhmohRzHxo9HiA1euBXAZA9bOQoQES5ORToaAocEEALw_wcB">Marble Lotus</a>, a homeware store that sells artwork and decor inspired by the South Asian diaspora. I wanted to create a tangible manifestation of my heritage that I could share.I spent a lot of time sourcing and designing products. I built our website and launched our first collection online in April 2023, starting with only seven products.In October 2023, I decided to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/left-exec-job-uber-polywork-how-i-balance-2021-8">leave Uber</a> to focus on the business full-time. It felt like the right time, but it raised eyebrows from family and friends. They questioned if my business would ever be as profitable as my <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/poached-tech-job-linkedin-good-decision-2024-10">tech job</a>.I didn't have children or financial responsibilities. Pursuing something I loved was now or never, and I didn't really worry about how I'd cope if things didn't go well.I grew the business by traveling to India to source products and investing time into understanding the shipping and distribution models. The trips helped me expand our design offerings, and as of summer 2024, we had 600 products on our site.<h2 id="03bb1bfe-0d49-43c9-a9b1-5f4478cfc7c8">Running a business is different from working in Big Tech — and it's come with challenges</h2>Marble Lotus is run by myself, three team members in India, and a part-time project manager in the US. I was accustomed to working with larger teams in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dating-silicon-valley-big-tech-hard-want-marriage-kids-2024-7">Big Tech</a>, so I've had to get used to balancing multiple tasks.I'm <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-founders-are-bootstrapping-instead-of-raising-money-from-vcs-2023-9">bootstrapping my business</a> using personal savings. While there are a lot of resources for entrepreneurs who want investment, I feel there aren't many for bootstrapping entrepreneurs. There are fewer networking opportunities, so I've spent a lot of time reaching out to individuals and growing my network.Entrepreneurs in the Bay Area often question why I've launched a company that requires shipping, stock, and warehousing rather than creating a digital product. They don't think the business model can scale as easily.I often have to motivate myself to keep going during times of fluctuation. There'll be days where I have low sales, but the next day I'll have signed on new clients who are interested in Marble Lotus styling their homes or interiors. I need to keep trusting my vision and look at my long-term goals.Right now, I don't pay myself a salary and reinvest everything into the business. Thankfully, I can rely on savings from my prior Big Tech roles. I no longer make the same salary as I did in Big Tech, but still prioritize spending money on things my partner and I value, like travel. While my health insurance used to be provided by my employer, I now have to pay for my insurance and rely on my husband's.<h2 id="abe870c4-9c3d-499a-b962-cdefd8c2d6c5">I'm not opposed to returning to tech</h2>I left Uber at the right time to launch my company, and I don't think I'd do anything differently. I'm young and in a financial phase where I can take on risk.People ask me if I'd ever return to Big Tech. I'd consider pivoting back into tech to start my own interior design software company because I see a lot of potential in that space.But right now, I'm focused on growing my business.

I left my Big Tech job to bootstrap my own business. I went from making nearly $300,000 to not paying myself a salary.

<ul><li>India recently began its third phase of vaccination, allowing people above the age of 18 to get the vaccine.</li><li>The people can now use the government’s WhatsApp COVID helpdesk to find their nearest vaccination centre.</li><li>Registration and appointment will have to be booked through the CoWIN platform.</li></ul>India recently began its third phase of vaccination, opening up access to COVID-19 vaccinations to people above the age of eighteen. The government’s CoWIN platform allows users to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/covid-19-vaccine-how-to-register-yourself-on-cowin-and-aarogya-setu-apps-if-you-are-18-plus/articleshow/82242963.cms">register</a> for the vaccine and book appointments right from their home. The government had last year <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/indian-govt-launches-mygov-coronavirus-helpdesk-on-whatsapp-to-educate-citizens/articleshow/74727460.cms">introduced</a> the MyGov Coronavirus helpdesk chatbot on WhatsApp to help people find information about COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it has added a new feature that will allow people to easily find the nearest vaccination centre. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="74727460" title="Indian Govt launches MyGov Coronavirus helpdesk on WhatsApp to educate citizens" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> How to use MyGov Corona helpdesk to find nearest vaccination center <div type="image" title="MyGov Corona Helpdesk" msid="82402421" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;MyGov Corona Helpdesk&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <ul><li>Save the helpdesk number – +91 9013151515 on your phone or click on this <a href="https://api.whatsapp.com/send/?phone=919013151515&amp;text=Hi">link</a>.</li><li>Now, open the chat and send ‘Hi’ or ‘Namaste’.</li><li>You will get a message with multiple options and you can reply as per the information you need.</li><li>For COVID-19 vaccination centres, send ‘1’ and then again send ‘1’.</li><li>Now, enter the pin code where you are looking for a vaccination centre.</li><li>You will get a reply with information about the nearest vaccination centres, available slots and eligible persons.</li></ul>You can now register on the CoWIN platform or enter another pin code to find the available vaccination centres. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/a-covid-19-sms-malware-is-targeting-users-in-india-as-they-look-for-alternatives-to-cowin-for-vaccine-registration/articleshow/82388898.cms">A COVID-19 SMS malware is targeting users in India as they look for alternatives to CoWIN for vaccine registration</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/coders-are-coming-up-with-new-ways-to-check-for-covid-19-vaccination-slots-on-cowin/articleshow/82383284.cms">Indian coders are working around the CoWIN app to help people bag the elusive vaccine slots</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/ipl-2021-suspended-by-bcci-as-several-players-test-covid-positive/articleshow/82384544.cms">IPL suspended as more players contract COVID-19 ⁠— BCCI bites the bullet mid-way through the season</a>

How to find COVID-19 vaccine centre near me from whatsapp

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Philippines said China has repeatedly fired flares at its aircraft over the South China Sea this week.</li><li>It said that in one incident on August 19, a fighter jet fired flares just 15 meters from its aircraft.</li></ul>The Philippines said China has repeatedly fired flares at its aircraft over the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pentagon-map-china-outposts-south-china-sea-spratly-islands-2023-3">South China Sea</a> in the last week.In one incident, a patrol aircraft of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources was threatened by flares from a Chinese island base as it carried out a "Maritime Domain Awareness Flight" on Thursday, according to a statement by the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea shared on X by Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela.The plane had been flying near Subi Reef, a "militarized" island in the disputed Spratly Islands when it spotted the flares, the statement said.A similar incident occurred on August 19, when a Chinese jet "engaged in irresponsible and dangerous maneuvers" and deployed flares "at a dangerously close distance of approximately 15 meters from the BFAR Grand Caravan aircraft," it continued."The Chinese fighter jet was not provoked, yet its actions demonstrated hazardous intent that jeopardized the safety of the personnel onboard the BFAR aircraft," the statement added.It follows an agreement between China and the Philippines in July that aimed to reduce tensions over the Second Thomas Shoal, another reef in the Spratly Islands.China claims sovereignty over the Second Thomas Shoal — and most of the South China Sea — but an international tribunal ruled in 2016 that Beijing's claims to waters within its "<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/no-nine-dash-line-in-the-south-china-sea-2016-7">nine-dash line" had no legal basis</a>.The Philippines asserted its claim to the reef in 1999 when it deliberately grounded the BRP Sierra Madre ship there.Since then, the reef has repeatedly been a flash point in the countries' relations with each other, and it has been at the center of a series of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://news.usni.org/2024/06/17/philippine-sailor-severely-injured-vessels-damaged-as-chinese-block-south-china-sea-mission">increasingly intense clashes</a> between the pair.In May, the International Crisis Group said that "relations between the two countries in the maritime domain have never been as volatile as during the last seven months."In early July, Beijing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/beijings-monster-coastguard-ship-ramps-up-tensions-south-china-sea-2024-7">anchored the world's largest coastguard</a> ship in Manila's exclusive economic zone, which Tarriela called "an intimidation on the part of the China Coast Guard."

Philippines says China shot flares near its aircraft from a 'militarized' island and a fighter jet

Geneva [Switzerland], August 19 (ANI): World Health Organization (WHO) designated <keyword id="18456567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19-variant-ba-2-86" source="Orion">COVID-19 variant BA.2.86</keyword> as a 'variant under monitoring' due to the large number of mutations it carries. The WHO said on Friday that they are tracking 3 variants of interest and 7 variants under monitoring at the moment. "WHO continues to call for better surveillance, sequencing, and reporting of #COVID19 as this virus continues to circulate and evolve," the WHO said in a tweet. Who further stated that it needed more data to understand this COVID19 variant and the extent of its spread, but the number of mutations warrants attention. Recently, the latest variant, EG.5 (also known as Eris), has grabbed the attention of public health experts around the world and is becoming a dominant strain in countries including the United States and Britain. The variant is causing about 17 per cent of the new Covid-19 cases in the country compared to 16 per cent for the next most common lineage, XBB.1.16, according to the latest estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CNN reported. The new variant is a spinoff of the XBB recombinant strain of the Omicron family. According to the WHO, all viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, change over time. Most changes have little to no impact on the virus's properties. However, some changes may affect the virus's properties, such as how easily it spreads, the associated disease severity, or the performance of vaccines, therapeutic medicines, diagnostic tools, or other public health and social measures. In June 2020, the WHO Virus Evolution Working Group was established with a specific focus on SARS-CoV-2 variants, their phenotype and their impact on countermeasures. This later became the Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution. In late 2020, the emergence of variants that posed an increased risk to global public health prompted WHO to characterize some as variants of interest (VOIs) and variants of concern (VOCs) to prioritize global monitoring and research and to inform and adjust the COVID-19 response. From May 2021 onwards, WHO began assigning simple, easy-to-say labels for key variants. Considerable progress has been made in establishing and strengthening a global system to detect signals of potential VOIs or VOCs and rapidly assess the risk posed by SARS-CoV-2 variants to public health. It remains critical that these systems are maintained, and data are shared, according to good principles and in a timely fashion, as SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate at high levels around the world. While monitoring the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 globally, it also remains essential to monitor their spread in animal populations and chronically infected individuals, which are crucial aspects of the global strategy to reduce the occurrence of mutations that have negative public health implications. In March 2023, WHO updated its tracking system and working definitions for variants of concern, variants of interest and variants under monitoring, as per WHO. (ANI)

WHO designates Covid's BA.2.86 as 'variant under monitoring'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Donald Trump intends to testify in E. Jean Carroll's defamation trial against him, his lawyer said.</li><li>The trial was delayed Monday for a juror COVID-19 scare — and Tuesday is the New Hampshire primary.</li></ul>Donald Trump will have a chance to testify in his own defense in E. Jean Carroll's defamation trial this week after his own campaign schedule nearly got in the way.After initially holding Trump, Carroll, and their legal teams in suspense Monday, US District Judge Lewis Kaplan agreed to adjourn the trial until Wednesday morning.The delay allows the former president to spend Tuesday campaigning in New Hampshire without worrying about missing the chance to offer critical testimony to jurors, who will decide how much money he must give Carroll for defaming her.The former president flew to New York in the wee hours of Monday morning and rolled into Kaplan's Manhattan courtroom at around 9 a.m., ready to take the witness stand in the case.Then juror No. 3 called out sick — possibly with COVID-19.And Tuesday? Well, that's the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary — and Trump made clear through his defense team Monday that he planned on being there.That chain of events — a juror falling ill and the New Hampshire primary coming Tuesday — nearly conspired to keep Trump off the witness stand entirely.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-key-cases-civil-criminal-investigations-lawsuits-updates-2022-7">Trump's myriad legal problems</a>, which include four criminal cases and even more civil ones, were widely anticipated to cause a traffic jam in his race to reclaim the presidency.The opposite is also happening as his campaign schedule pushes into his court calendar."My client just reminded me — I was in trial mode — he needs to be in New Hampshire," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/e-jean-carroll-judge-bench-slaps-trump-attorney-alina-habba-2024-1">Alina Habba, the lead attorney representing Trump in the case</a>, said in court Monday morning after saying that, like the juror, she too had been feeling a bit feverish."I would just need for his testimony to be Wednesday," Habba told Kaplan.In court Monday morning, the judge, who has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-tight-leash-e-jean-carroll-trial-2024-1">shown little patience</a> for delay or rule-bending by Trump and his defense team, initially reserved the decision to postpone the trial any further pending the next update on who among the jurors and parties may have tested positive.If Kaplan had decided to barrel forward with the trial on Tuesday, it would have likely closed the window of opportunity for Trump to testify.But shortly before 5 p.m., the judge posted an update to the court docket saying the trial would skip a day on Tuesday after all. Kaplan selected nine jurors to sit on the panel for the civil trial without any alternate jurors.The judge's announcement that a juror had coronavirus symptoms came first thing in proceedings Monday just after 10 a.m., when Trump and Carroll had taken their seats but before jurors had taken theirs. "Juror No. 3 was on his way to the city," the judge told the room. But while en route, he added, the juror found he was "feeling hot and nauseous."The juror was instructed to go home, take a COVID-19 test, and tell the court whether he tested positive. Habba said she didn't want the trial to keep going without him.Just two non-Trump witnesses have yet to be heard in the case: the former Elle editor Robbie Myers for Carroll's side and the journalist Carol Martin for the defense. Those two witnesses are expected to take less than a day.Carroll's lawyers argue that Trump <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/e-jean-carroll-trump-trial-defamation-rape-sexual-abuse-2024-1">caused her harm when he defamed her</a> by calling her a liar when she accused him of sexual abuse from the 1990s, which damaged her reputation as a truth-telling advice columnist.On Truth Social, Trump used Monday's delay to tell his followers yet again that he knew "absolutely nothing about" Carroll, even though a jury found last year that he sexually abused her. He also complained the trial was taking place in the thick of election season, even though it was his own lawyers who fought for years to delay the case."They could have all began years ago, or years after, but, certainly not DURING the Election," he wrote. "In actuality, they should have never been brought at all, because I have done nothing wrong."Before sending everyone home Monday morning, the judge also ruled on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-wants-mistrial-e-jean-carroll-defamation-case-2024-1">Habba's motion for a mistrial</a> in the case over Carroll deleting death-threat emails."Denied in all respects," Kaplan said. This story has been updated with the court's announcement Monday night that the Carroll trial will resume on Wednesday.

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