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Google Wants Nuclear Reactors to Power its AI Data Centers
Deutsche Welle
15 Oct 2024, 19:33
Photo: Robin Utrecht/picture alliance
US technology giant Google said on Monday that it plans to purchase nuclear power in order to operate data centers.
Google announced an agreement with California-based Kairos Power to bring small modular reactors (SMR) online by 2030, with additional reactor deployments through 2035, the company said.
No financial details of the deal have been made available and it is still unclear whether Google wants to co-finance the construction of the power plants or just purchase electricity after completion.
With the announcement, Google becomes the latest tech company to turn to nuclear energy to cope with the high demand of electricity propelled by its development of artificial intelligence (AI).
"We believe that nuclear energy has a critical role to play in supporting our clean growth and helping to deliver on the progress of AI," Google senior director of energy and climate said during a briefing.
"The grid needs these kinds of clean, reliable sources of energy that can support the build out of these technologies."
Kairos says SMRs are safer
Other companies like Microsoft have already bet on nuclear energy. Three Mile Island, the site of America's worst nuclear accident, is expected to restart operations to provide energy to Microsoft.
Kairos Power said that the SMRs that it will provide for Google are cooled with molten fluoride salts instead of water. The company said that this design is deemed safer than conventional reactors because the coolant does not boil.
Although SMRs are seen as a pioneering new technology, backed by big investors such as Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the technology is still nascent and lacks regulatory approval.
Data centers use more electricity than entire countries
Data centers raise Google's emissions
US tech companies have recently made commitments to climate-neutral operations.
In recent years, they have increasingly relied on renewable energy, but AI has challenged that model with its increasingly high demand for electricity.
"Overall, this deal will enable up to 500 MW of new 24/7 carbon-free power to US electricity grids and help more communities benefit from clean and affordable nuclear power," Google manager Michael Terrell said in a blog post.
In 2023, 64% of the energy used by Google's data centers and offices was CO2-free, but the company's CO2 emissions still rose by 13% within a year.
Data centers' energy consumption played a major role in Google's rising emissions.
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6.2 Million Girls to Receive Cervical Cancer Vaccine
The government has launched an initiative to administer the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to prevent cervical cancer among adolescent girls. As part of this effort, free vaccinations will begin on Thursday (October 24) across seven divisions, excluding Dhaka.
At a national advocacy meeting on the 2024 HPV Vaccination Campaign, held on Tuesday (October 22) at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka, officials shared these details.
Last year, the first phase of the campaign began in Dhaka Division, covering approximately 1.5 million girls. This year’s second phase will expand to all districts, upazilas, city corporations, and municipalities in Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, Rangpur, and Mymensingh. Girls aged 10-14 can receive the vaccine at educational institutions and EPI centers.
The campaign will run for 18 days, aiming to vaccinate 6,212,532 girls. Registration is required on the website www.vaxepi.gov.bd using a 17-digit birth registration number.
UNICEF Country Representative Emma Brigham emphasized the importance of protecting young girls' health and rights, calling the campaign a significant step for millions of girls in Bangladesh.
WHO Deputy Representative Dr. Rajesh Narwal highlighted the preventability of cervical cancer, stating, “This campaign is not only crucial for prevention but also for achieving elimination by 2030.”
Senior Secretary of the Health Services Division, M.A. Akmal Hossain Azad, expressed hope that collaboration among all stakeholders will ensure the campaign’s success.
The meeting was chaired by Dr. Md. Abu Jafar, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), with other key officials from health, education, and family planning sectors in attendance.
AI Listens for Diabetes: Detecting Disease in 10 Seconds Flat
In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), many tasks have become easier. A recent study shows that AI can detect Type-2 diabetes just by analyzing a person’s voice. It is now possible to determine whether someone has diabetes using AI-powered voice analysis.
The study was published in Digital Health, a journal by the Mayo Clinic. For women, AI was able to accurately detect diabetes with an 86% success rate, the same as for men. The research involved 267 participants, both diabetic and non-diabetic.
Over a two-week period, each participant's voice was recorded six times a day. With just a 10-second voice sample, the AI system could identify individuals with diabetes. Often, elevated blood sugar levels show no visible symptoms, making early detection challenging. By the time diabetes is diagnosed, the blood sugar level may have already crossed the danger threshold.
However, the simplicity of using AI to diagnose diabetes has sparked discussions.
Ian Fosat, one of the researchers involved in the study, remarked, “This voice-based diabetes detection is like a breakthrough. We are also exploring whether this voice technology can be used to diagnose other diseases.”
India Lights Up for Diwali Amid Festive Traditions
Millions across India are celebrating Diwali, known as the festival of lights and one of Hinduism’s most cherished events.
The annual celebration usually occurs between October and November, though the exact date shifts each year due to the Hindu lunar calendar.
This year, Diwali falls on Thursday, though some regions will observe it on Friday.
On this day, people light oil lamps and candles to represent the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
In preparation for the festival, homes are thoroughly cleaned and organized, new clothes are purchased, and friends, family, and neighbors exchange sweets and gifts.
Many people create rangoli, intricate patterns made with colorful powders, outside their doors to invite luck and positivity.
Families also worship Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, on Diwali, leaving windows and doors open and lighting lamps to guide the goddess into their homes.
Fireworks are traditionally part of Diwali festivities, but in recent years, several state governments have restricted or banned them as northern states struggle with intense air pollution.
In Delhi, firecrackers are completely banned, while states like Haryana, Punjab, and Karnataka permit their use only during specific hours on Diwali evening.
(Source: BBC News)
Bangladeshi Muaz Wins First Place in Turkey’s International Quran Competition
Hafeez Muaz Mahmud from Bangladesh has secured first place in the 9th International Hifzul (Memorization) Quran Competition held in Turkey. This victory marks Bangladesh’s second time achieving the top honor in this prestigious competition, with the previous win occurring in 2016.
On Wednesday, October 30, after the local Dhuhr prayer, Muaz received the honorary crest and award from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
In the selection round of the competition, organized under the supervision of the Islamic Foundation at the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram, Muaz outperformed hundreds of talented Hafeez participants across the country. This achievement led to his selection as the sole representative from Bangladesh in the International Hifzul (Memorization) Quran Competition in Turkey.
Additionally, on August 21 of this year, Bangladesh secured first place among 123 countries in the 44th International Hifzul (Memorization) Quran Competition held in Mecca. At that time, Hafeez Muaz Mahmud won first place in the 15 'Para' category.
Hafeez Muaz is a student in the Kitab department at Markazu Faizil Quran Al-Islami, located in Mirpur-1, Dhaka. After completing his memorization of the Quran from this institution, he is now pursuing higher studies in the Kitab department.
Babu Kamruzzaman Honored as ERF Journalist of the Year
Babu Kamruzzaman, a Special Correspondent at News24 Television, has been awarded the prestigious ERF-Nagad Best Reporting Award 2023 for his exemplary journalism focused on the private sector. His investigative report, "Grey Workers Life in Green Factories," sheds light on significant industry challenges, earning him this top accolade.
The award ceremony was held on November 5 at Dhaka's Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, where Md. Kamruzzaman received his award and honorary check from distinguished figures Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Economic and Commerce Adviser, and Dr. Ahsan H Mansur, Governor of Bangladesh Bank.
This year, the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) reviewed 168 submissions spanning print, online, and television media, with Kamruzzaman’s report selected as one of 17 noteworthy pieces. His impactful reporting continues to drive critical conversations within Bangladesh's economic landscape.
Originally from Pathorer Char, Jamalpur, Kamruzzaman has gained widespread recognition as the host of prominent talk shows on News24 TV. Over his career, he has been honored with several awards, including the ActionAid Youth Journalism Award, the AmCham Frontline Journalism Award, and the ERF-BCCCI Award.
Expressing his gratitude, Kamruzzaman remarked, “This award is a powerful acknowledgment of the dedication of economic journalists. It encourages me to further push boundaries in this field.”
The Happiest and Unhappiest Countries in The World
The residents of Finland are officially the world's happiest people in 2024, according to a report from the United Nations and Oxford University.
The Scandinavian country topped the World Happiness Report, which includes 143 countries, for the seventh year in a row.
Famed for saunas and reindeer, the country has a population of approximately 5.6 million.
At the other end of the scale, Afghanistan came last in the ranking.
Meanwhile, happiness levels in the UK appear to be dropping as the country fell to 20th place – down from 19th in 2023. The United States has fallen out of the top 20 for the first time, a decline largely due to dissatisfaction among younger Americans.
Methodology
For the report, researchers surveyed over 100,000 people in more than 140 countries between 2021 and 2023 through the Gallup World Poll. Participants were asked to evaluate their happiness on a scale from 0–10, with 10 representing "the best possible life for them."
Researchers also evaluated six factors that could explain different levels of happiness in each country:
Social support
GDP per capita
A healthy life expectancy
Freedom to make life choices
Generosity
Perception of corruption
The happiest countries in the world
This year, the 10 happiest countries in the world were:
1. Finland (Score: 7.741)
2. Denmark (Score: 7.583)
3. Iceland (Score: 7.525)
4. Sweden (Score: 7.344)
5. Israel (Score: 7.341)
6. Netherlands (Score: 7.319)
7. Norway (Score: 7.302)
8. Luxembourg (Score: 7.122)
9. Switzerland (Score: 7.060)
10. Australia (Score: 7.057)
According to USA Today, the top 10 countries in the happiness ranking have largely remained the same over time, with Nordic countries near the top. Finland has also ranked first in happiness for seven years in a row.
The least happy places to live, the majority from Africa
Unsurprisingly, many countries impacted by war or political turmoil reported low – or falling – happiness levels.
Ukraine came 105th in the ranking, down from 92nd in 2023. Meanwhile, Russia was placed 72nd, down two places from the previous year.
Across all regions, negative emotions were more prevalent in female respondents.
The unhappiest countries in the world
This year, the 10 unhappiest countries in the world were:
1. Afghanistan (Score: 1.721)
2. Lebanon (Score 2.707)
3. Lesotho (Score: 3.186)
4. Sierra Leone (Score: 3.245)
5. Congo (Kinshasa) (Score: 3.295)
6. Zimbabwe (Score: 3.341)
7. Botswana (Score: 3.383)
8. Malawi (Score: 3.421)
9. Eswatini (Score: 3.502)
10. Zambia (Score: 3.502)
When conducting the research, scientists asked tens of thousands of participants about various factors contributing to a person’s overall well-being.
These included earnings, health, kindness, freedom to do as they pleased, and perceived levels of government corruption.
Based on these answers over three years, each country was given a happiness score from zero to 10 – with Finland scoring 7.74 and Afghanistan receiving 1.72.
For context, the UK’s score came in at 6.72.
The research also reported an increase in what it described as ‘benevolence’ following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rolls-Royce Enters EV Market with High-End Electric “Spectre”
Rolls-Royce has launched its first all-electric vehicle, the “Spectre,” marking its entry into the electric car industry with a luxurious $420,000 price tag, placing it among the elite in EVs.
The Spectre is powered by two high-performance electric motors, delivering 577 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. Despite its size and weight, it accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds, providing impressive power for a luxury EV.
It offers a range of around 266 miles per charge, with a particularly quiet ride—a unique touch compared to typical EV sounds under acceleration.
Engineered for smooth handling, the Spectre features cutting-edge steering and braking systems, rear-wheel steering, and a 360-degree camera for easy maneuvering.
Inside, it includes a top-tier infotainment system compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a 16-speaker audio setup for an immersive experience.
