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"As employers and tech companies rush to deploy AI software into workplaces to improve efficiency, labor unions are stepping up work with state lawmakers across the nation to place guardrails on its use..." reports the Washington Post. "Union leaders say they must intervene to protect workers from the potential for AI to cause massive job displacement or infringe on employment rights." In Massachusetts, the Teamsters labor union is backing a proposed state law that would require autonomous vehicles to have a human safety operator who can intervene during the ride, effectively forbidding truly driverless rides. Oregon lawmakers recently passed a bill supported by the Oregon Nurses Association that prohibits AI from using the title "nurse" or any associated abbreviations. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, a federation of 63 national and international labor unions, launched a national task force last month to work with state lawmakers on more laws that regulate automation and AI affecting workers... The AFL-CIO task force plans to help unions take on problematic use of AI in collective bargaining and contracts and in coming months to develop a slate of model legislation available to state leaders, modeled on recently passed and newly proposed legislation in places including California and Massachusetts. The president of the California Federation of Labor Unions also supports a proposed state law "that would prevent employers from primarily relying on AI software to automate decisions like terminations or disciplinary actions," according to the article. "Instead, humans would have to review decisions. The law would also prohibit use of tools that predict workers' behaviors, emotional states and personality."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

A large and unfortunate mistake in the kernel development management process is underway

comment  The first release candidate of Linux 6.17 is out, without any bcachefs changes… but not for any technical reasons. This is bad.…

Labour Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faced mounting pressure over the housing of illegal immigrants last night after 700 people were involved in angry clashes outside a migrant hotel in Scotland.

The 50-year-old Desperate Housewives star, who now lives between Spain and Mexico , was indulging in a day in the water in Marbella.

Posing in front of a mirror, Brooklyn Beckham looks thoroughly bored while he waits for wife Nicola Peltz to try on clothes at a Los Angeles boutique.

Sunlight becomes energy when plants convert four photons of light. But unfortunately, most attempts at synthetic light-absorbing chemicals can only absorb one photon at a time, write two researchers from the University of Melbourne. "In the Polyzos research group at the School of Chemistry, we have developed a new class of photocatalysts that, like plants, can absorb energy from multiple photons." This breakthrough allows us to harness light energy more effectively, driving challenging and energy-demanding chemical reactions. We have applied this technology to generate carbanions — negatively charged carbon atoms that serve as crucial building blocks in the creation, or synthesis, of carbon- and hydrogen-rich chemicals known as organic chemicals. Carbanions are vital in making drugs, polymers and many other important materials. However, traditional methods to produce carbanions often require lots of energy and dangerous reagents, and generate significant chemical waste, posing environmental and safety challenges... Our new method offers a greener, safer alternative [using visible light and renewable starting materials]... We've used it to synthesize important drug molecules, including antihistamines, in a single step using simple, cheap and commonly available "commodity chemicals" — amines and alkenes. And importantly, the reaction scales well in commercial-scale continuous flow reactors, highlighting its potential for industrial applications. "By learning from the subtle mastery of photosynthesis," the researchers write, their group "is forging a new paradigm for chemical manufacturing — one where sunlight powers sustainable and elegant solutions for the molecules that shape our world."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The TOWIE legend, 44, has finally confirmed her wedding plans - and has revealed Irish twins Jedward will have a starring role when she ties the knot.

The astonishing cruelty - exposed in new undercover footage obtained by this newspaper - is just one of a litany of harrowing scenes captured at a factory farm.

Two teenage friends went for a walk in the woods. They should have been safe - but they never made it home.

The Strictly Come Dancing judge, 44, finally drew a line under a bitter legal row with her ex-husband after almost three years.

The Anchorage summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, which opened with so much expectation, pomp and ceremony, ended in uncertainty.

Leonardo DiCaprio turned heads as his 27-year-old Italian model Vittoria Ceretti lovingly spanked and snogged him on board a yacht. Subscribe to see all the photos.

Tim Sullivan, 23, spent months planting a massive corn maze on an Ohio farm to spell out a marriage proposal for his girlfriend Caroline Liggett, 24.

But today, female travel influencers are gushing over their trips to Kabul despite Western countries strongly advising against travelling to the nation.

With more than 1.5 million people now using weight-loss drugs in the UK, the number-crunchers say that actuarial calculations about life expectancy will have to be adjusted.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has been dubbed a 'hypocrite' after refusing to reveal details concerning his domestic air travel. 

The reforms, which were drawn up by the Tories, would have curbed locals councils' powers to restrict traffic and impose 'unfair' fines and parking charges.

The Primark shoes bear a striking resemblance to a much more expensive pair from designer Marina Rinaldi

The widely used class B drug - also known as marijuana or weed - can cause dependency, and, in the year to March 2024, 2.3million people in the UK reported using it.

The former Strictly Come Dancing star, 53, appeared on BBC One on Saturday night, despite reports the broadcaster had 'no plans' to work with him again.