Stories for August 2017

Tuesday, August 1st 2017 - 08:34 UTC
Facebook forced to shut down AI system after they communicated in language unknown to humans

Facebook was forced to shut down one of its artificial intelligence systems after researchers discovered that it had started communicating in a language that they could not understand. The incident evokes images of the rise of Skynet in the iconic Terminator series. Perhaps Tesla CEO Elon Musk is right about AI being the “biggest risk we face.”
Tuesday, August 1st 2017 - 08:22 UTC
UK calls on Maduro to stop the division in the Venezuelan society

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called on Monday on Venezuela’s government to take urgent action to stop the division in society following Sunday's the Constituent Assembly vote. “Venezuela stands on the brink of disaster and Nicholas Maduro’s government must stop before it is too late. The country is turning on itself – more than 100 have died already – and democracy and basic rights are in jeopardy”, said Boris Johnson.
Tuesday, August 1st 2017 - 08:03 UTC
Falklands' government announces the on line Statute Law Database

The Falkland Islands Government has announced the on-line publication of the laws of the Falkland Islands. A public demonstration of the on-line Statute Law Database will take place in Stanley at the Court and Council Chamber at 5.30pm on Wednesday 2 August 2017. Members of the public may also access a paper copy of the Statute Law Database through the public library.
Tuesday, August 1st 2017 - 07:44 UTC
Bank of England staff three day strike; first industrial action in over half a century

A three-day strike by Bank of England support staff will go ahead after talks at the conciliation service Acas ended without agreement, the Unite union said. Employees are unhappy about a below inflation pay rise of 1% and protestors are planning to gather outside the Bank of England building wearing masks of Governor Mark Carney.
Tuesday, August 1st 2017 - 07:24 UTC
PM May's office denies freedom of movement will continue once UK leaves EU

Suggestions that freedom of movement will continue after the United Kingdom leaves the EU are wrong, Downing Street has said. Last Friday, Chancellor Philip Hammond warned full controls could take “some time”, prompting speculation free movement may continue in all but name after the UK leaves in March 2019.
Tuesday, August 1st 2017 - 07:06 UTC
Argentine Peso rises against the US dollar as Central Bank shows its muscle

Argentina's Peso rose against the dollar on Monday for the first time in two weeks, after the central bank intervened in the foreign exchange markets on Friday to halt the currency's rapid decline to historic lows, when it reached 18 Pesos.
Tuesday, August 1st 2017 - 06:46 UTC
“Dictator” Maduro mocks “imperialist” Trump's sanctions

United States has imposed sanctions on Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, over what it called his “illegitimate” election of an assembly to rewrite the constitution. All of Maduro's assets in the United States are frozen and Americans are forbidden from doing any business with him.
Tuesday, August 1st 2017 - 06:36 UTC
Hammond in Brazil announced the doubling of support for bilateral trade

The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, has unveiled a series of new commercial agreements with Brazil on Monday, on day one of his visit to showcase British business and deepen trade and economic ties with South America’s biggest economies. Among the measures has been doubling support to £3 billion, to promote bilateral trade.
Tuesday, August 1st 2017 - 06:25 UTC
Hammond arrives in Argentina on trade mission; scheduled to meet Macri

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond is scheduled to arrive in Buenos Aires Tuesday evening following a two day business promotion visit to Brazil. It will be the first time a leading UK cabinet minister sets foot in Argentina in sixteen years; the last was when ex Prime Minister Tony Blair met ex president Fernando De la Rua in the Iguazu falls in 2001.